Upcoming events at the House of the Open Door Community
The Community hosts many events throughout the year, using some of the facilities in our Retreat Centre; we list those coming up in a calendar below.
Our Tithe Barn is sometimes reserved for guest groups but is at other times is an ideal event space for meetings or conferences hosted by the community such as our Friday night Fellowship meetings, or those visiting for discipleship. Smaller meetings such as craft retreats take place in our Craft Studio.
If you are visiting for one of the events it may be possible for us to cater for you in our Dining Room; during your visit you are welcome to spend any spare time in our Retreat Centre Gardens.
To subscribe to this calendar click “Subscribe” bottom right and choose your calendar type e.g. Google Calendar
Our guest speaker will be Alysen Merrill (more about Alysen below)“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind…”
Philippians 2:1-2
Alysen Merrill is passionate about people, the local church, discipleship journeys, organisational culture and really good curries! She was born in the states and would say it’s been her privilege to live and serve in England the last 18 years, currently being based in Oxfordshire. She desires to be an encouragement to friends and strangers alike and likes to help individuals be attentive to God.
She has worked with numerous churches in England and currently works for a youth charity as well as helping people and teams flourish in her role as a Strengthsfinder coach.
Dr Chloe Lynch
Dr Chloe Lynch will be our speaker.
The art of steering blog
One of our Seasons Creative Retreat Days for 2023…
Each day will start with a short seasonal reflection led by Margaret Wade. Then the rest of the day will be spent, using your own brought creative materials, as a response to the reflection.
There will be plenty of time to use the craft studio, and to spend time in the beautiful courtyard and gardens.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
All are welcome: beginners, experienced and the curious!
Suggested creative art materials: paints, canvas; air clay; writing materials; calligraphy etc.
For booking details please contact us by email or phone – see Contact Us.
When you make a booking, you will be given information about the measures taken to ensure your safety and precautions such as social distancing, which we ask you to take during your time with us. Please see our page Coronavirus (COVID-19) for more information.
See Seasons Creative Retreat Days for other dates in 2023
Fr Columba Jordan CFR
Our guest speaker will be Fr Columba Jordan CFR.
‘Under cloud and under star’
(The Hobbit)‘A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”’
(Isaiah 40.3)
Friday 19th May – Sunday 21st May 2023
The House of the Open Door community offers a retreat on the theme “Narnia, Middle-Earth and the Way of Life”
The retreat leader will be our longstanding friend Andy Swinford.
Andy writes:
Come and explore with us on this retreat the theme of Journeying through the life God has given us, drawing inspiration from the Bible and from the stories of C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien (no prior knowledge needed!). We shall look at such themes as leave-taking and home-coming, pilgrimage, companions upon the way, the great grace that sustains us, God’s loving protection, our resting places, risky living and probably much more.
It will be a time for drawing close to God, and receiving his grace-filled refreshment and rest, with plenty of opportunity for encountering God anew, both indoors and outside in the beautiful gardens and countryside surrounding The House of the Open Door. There will be time to listen and pray, and just to Be as we are refreshed by his Spirit and delight in God, enjoying his guiding light.
Suggested donation £200
Please Contact Us for more details, or to book.
__________________
Andy Swinford
Andy has frequently given multimedia presentations and lead retreats on C S Lewis. He has also written scripts for tours of places in Britain connected to Tolkien for Authatrails. He gave a presentation for the Three Shires Festival last year on links between these two authors and their love of the natural world.
Now retired, he taught English in secondary school for 25 years in Birmingham. Walking in the countryside and beekeeping are among his chief pleasures. He is currently writing a book on Joy in the fiction of C S Lewis.
He is a longstanding friend of The House of the Open Door, and has spoken before at our Friday Night Fellowship Meetings
This date is the beginning of our Spring term for the Discipleship Course 2023
In 2023 the Discipleship Course runs from February to December in three terms, and includes our summer conference, Gateway:
- Spring Term Wednesday 1 February – Friday 4 April
- Summer Term Monday 1 June- 6 August 2023
- Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2023 Saturday 24th – Sunday 6th August
- Autumn Term Sunday 1 October – Friday 15 December
For more details see Discipleship Course 2023
Matt Blair from Gas Street Church in Birmingham will be our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker for June 2023, on the second Friday of the month, June 9th. Matt will speak to us on The Cross.
Matt hails originally from San Francisco, California and is the Operations Coordinator (GS South) and Associate Student Pastor for Gas Street. His assignment since joining Gas Street has been to build up the new Gas Street South location. Since January 2023, he has been working in the Student ministry and now looks after that alongside his Operations role.
Matt has over a decade of experience as a Worship Director and Worship Pastor and over two decades of experience working as a professional actor on stage and screen working alongside household names like Judi Dench and Matt Damon.
His passion is to see people radically transformed by the Holy Spirit and live lives wholly seeking the Lord and His Kingdom. He resides in Birmingham with his wife of 17 years and their two amazing children.
One of our Seasons Creative Retreat Days for 2023…
Each day will start with a short seasonal reflection led by Margaret Wade. Then the rest of the day will be spent, using your own brought creative materials, as a response to the reflection.
There will be plenty of time to use the craft studio, and to spend time in the beautiful courtyard and gardens.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
All are welcome: beginners, experienced and the curious!
Suggested creative art materials: paints, canvas; air clay; writing materials; calligraphy etc.
For booking details please contact us by email or phone – see Contact Us.
When you make a booking, you will be given information about the measures taken to ensure your safety and precautions such as social distancing, which we ask you to take during your time with us. Please see our page Coronavirus (COVID-19) for more information.
See Seasons Creative Retreat Days for other dates in 2023
Our two-week Gateway Youth Summer Conference at HOD takes place from 24th July to 6th August 2023, as part of the wider Discipleship Course running from February to December 2023.
The Conference is title is “Gateway” – opening the Gates and Doors of our lives to make way for the King of Glory. Expand your horizons – connect with God and others in new ways…
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to,
you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
(John 4:10)
For more see Gateway Youth Summer Conference 2023
Jamie Price from Elim Limitless will be our speaker on 26th July, as part of our Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2023.
Jamie is the Director of Ministries for Limitless (Elim’s National Youth and Children’s ministry) and on the Limitless Pioneers team, helping churches with no youth ministries, start new youth ministries. He lives in Birmingham with his wife Debs and sons Jude and Ezekiel. In his spare time, he loves to run and read.
Allegra Mutanda will be our speaker on 27th July, as part of our Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2023.
Allegra is a lay woman in full time ministry in the Catholic Church. She is originally from the DR Congo and a native French speaker but has been living in the UK since 1995.
Allegra has extensive experience both in evangelisation and parish ministry having been involved in evangelisation since 2005. For 12 years, she was part of Sion Catholic Community for Evangelism whose charism is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Her primary work there was in parish renewal and missions and in that time, worked with over a hundred Catholic parishes across the UK.
Since 2020, Allegra has been working for the Parish of St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs as their Director of Evangelisation and Leadership where she is helping the parish fulfil its vision of bringing people closer to Jesus Christ in hope and joy.
Allegra is passionate about evangelisation and helping people go deeper in their relationship with Jesus. She says, ‘my own faith grew and developed with the help of so many people along the way and still does. If I can play even a small part in another’s journey of faith, helping them fall in love with Jesus, grow closer to Him, and in their turn, start helping others along that road, then I am responding to my baptismal call’.
This date is the beginning of our Spring term for the Discipleship Course 2023
In 2023 the Discipleship Course runs from February to December in three terms, and includes our summer conference, Gateway:
- Spring Term Wednesday 1 February – Friday 4 April
- Summer Term Monday 1 June- 6 August 2023
- Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2023 Saturday 24th – Sunday 6th August
- Autumn Term Sunday 1 October – Friday 15 December
For more details see Discipleship Course 2023
The House of the Open Door community offers a ladies’ Fitness and Faith Day on the theme “Grace and Strength”.
The day will be hosted by a team led by community member Ibi Gyorgy. Ibi is a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Ladies, come and join us for a day of Fitness, Faith, Food and Fun!
- Fitness: Ibi will be leading a program including classes for stretching, Gentle Pilates, Dancemix workout, and Ab blast workout. All fitness classes are optional and will aim to suit all abilities.
- Other elements of the day will explore…
- Faith: the relationship between Fitness and Faith
- Food: the role of food and nutrition in our lives
- Fun: time to unwind in fellowship with others!
‘My dear son, be patient, because the weaknesses of the body are given to us in this world by God for the salvation of the soul. So they are of great merit when they are borne patiently.
St. Francis of Assisi, The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi
There will be spare time during the day to enjoy our beautiful Retreat Centre and Gardens. Refreshments will be provided.
Here you can find a detailed programme. The poster is here.
Recommended donation for the day is £35 including all classes and refreshments. Please, bring your own lunch.
Please Contact Us to book in for the day, or to stay in our Retreat Centre.
Ibi Gyorgy
On Friday November 3 2023 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker will be Yoofi Clarke. Yoofi coordinates Praise Fest, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal prayer group in Milton Keynes, and is a member of the Charis service team (CDSC) for the diocese of Northampton.
Last time Yoofi spoke for our fellowship meeting he joined us remotely for an online meeting in 2021, so it will be a joy to welcome Yoofi in person this time.
Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome.
(We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel).
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
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Yoofi Clarke serves the Lord as Coordinator of Praise Fest, a vibrant Catholic Charismatic Renewal prayer group in the cluster of St. Barnabas parishes in Milton Keynes.
He served as a member of the Diocesan Service Team for Northampton Diocese for over five years and was recently appointed as the Coordinator of the new Charismatic Diocesan Service of Communion for Northampton.
Yoofi has been involved in Catholic Charismatic Renewal for over 27 years and desires to see unity in the Body of Christ, and for us to live our faith outside the walls of the church building by developing a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit and being attentive to His voice in our daily activities.
He lives in Buckingham with his lovely wife Pep and their 2 amazing children.
Volunteers needed for a Tree Planting Event as part of an ecological project.
Plant Hope! All welcome.
Saturday 18th November 2023, 10am-4pm
We have 420 trees of 7 different types to plant on our land as part of an ecological project – hazel, blackthorn, crab apple, elder, dog rose, and rowan.
How you can help…
We are looking for energetic volunteers please to come and join us planting them out!
If you can’t come, but still want to help, we are collecting 2 and 3 litre plastic bottles and bamboo canes to use as guards and support for the young trees – please drop off with us (see address below) on Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive, between 9:00 and 5:00 pm.
Join us…
If you can join us, gather for the planting time at:
The House of the Open Door, Childswickham House, Worcs. WR12 7HH (Map)
For more information or to book as a volunteer, please Contact (Silvie) – by email hod@houseoftheopendoor.org or by phone 01386 852 084
We are asking volunteers to please
- wear suitable clothes
- bring a trowel and/or a spade, and gloves
Food will be provided at lunchtime.
Thanks!
PS If you can’t come and want to pass on details, please pass on this web page or the attached poster
Tree-Planting-Event Poster
Our First Friday Night Fellowship Meeting for December will have a speaker from the community.
Sr Hyacinthe Defos du Rau, O.P.
The speaker for our First Friday Fellowship Meeting for February 2024 will be Sr Hyacinthe Defos du Rau, O.P.
Sister Hyacinthe has known our community many years, since before she joined the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph in 2000. She has spoken at Friday nights to our Fellowship before.
Sr Hyacinthe speaks and writes in catechesis, and leads the Dominican Sisters’ apostolate of Faith Formation lay adults and catechists, Light of Truth . She is a gifted communicator of the truths of Christian faith especially with the young, and uses the new media in her work (webinars and podcasts such as Sunday Gospel Podcasts).
Please come and join us as we seek the Lord together if you can. The evening concludes around 9.30-10 p.m. with refreshments.
We sometimes upload recordings of our Friday night speakers to our YouTube channel youtube.com/@houseoftheopendoor
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
On Friday March 1 2024 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speakers will be Dr Martin and Rev Margot Hodson from A Rocha.
A Rocha UK is a Christian charity working to protect and restore the natural world and committed to equipping Christians and churches in the UK to care for the environment. Martin and Margot will speak about A Rocha and its work during their talk.
Both Martin and Margot are knowledgeable and passionate speakers, and have published widely together on Christianity and the environment, and have several books including A Christian Guide to Environmental Issues published for the Bible Reading Fellowship.
We look forward to Martin and Margot sharing with us. Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome.
We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
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Dr. Martin Hodson is a plant scientist and environmental biologist. He teaches at both of the universities in Oxford and has over 100 publications, mostly in international science journals. Martin is also the Principal Tutor for the distance learning course, Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES).
Revd. Margot Hodson is Theology and Education Director for the John Ray Initiative (JRI), an organisation connecting Environment, Science, and Christianity. She is also a Vicar in the Oxford Diocese. The Hodsons have published widely together on Christianity and the environment, and have several books including A Christian Guide to Environmental Issues (BRF, 2nd ed. 2021).
On Friday 12 April we will have worship followed by feedback by Gae and Silvie from their recent trip to Uganda in March.
As part of their sharing the feedback will include a video diary from their time there, which included Women’s conferences and ministry to women in two Ugandan communities in Katikamu and Soroti.
The meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome.
We are unable to livestream the meeting this Friday on YouTube for technical reasons, but we will share the video after Friday on our YouTube channel, especially to feedback to our supporters whose support enabled the mission to take place.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
On Friday 19 April 2024 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speakers will be Annie and John Hughes.
John and Annie live in Ducklington, Oxfordshire, and John is a retired vicar. They are both chaplains at Open Doors and love encouraging young leaders in their journey of faith to step into more of God’s wonderful purposes.
They have three married sons and eleven grandchildren which helps to keep them young at heart!
Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome.
We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
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Canon John Hughes was vicar of St Andrew’s High Wycombe for 15 years and retired from parish ministry in 2009 after 18 years as vicar of St John’s Harborne, Birmingham. He has a passion to train and equip disciples and more than 20 young men and women went forward for ordination during his time at St John’s. In the Birmingham Diocese he was on the Bishop’s Council as Chair of the House of Clergy and on General Synod, as well as being a Canon of Birmingham Cathedral.
Annie Hughes is a chaplain at Open Doors and previously worked as a chaplain in Healthcare. Annie loves to see lives, and a community, transformed by the power of God’s love and truth.
Open Doors UK supports millions of Christians at risk for following Jesus: in more than 70 countries, they help by supplying Bibles, providing emergency relief and helping persecuted believers stand strong for the long-term. In the UK and Ireland, Open Doors helps the church to pray, give and speak out for those who share our faith but not our freedom.
‘In your presence is fulness of joy’
(Psalm 16.11)‘In a sense the central story of my life is about nothing else’
(Surprised by Joy – C S Lewis)
Saturday 20th April 2024
The House of the Open Door community offers a retreat on the theme “Surprised by Joy” led by Andy Swinford.
This is a retreat for the refreshment of the spirit as Andy Swinford leads us on an adventure into the world of C S Lewis. The wind of joy breathes through his writings (no prior knowledge needed!) and we will draw close to God by using insights they provide, arising out of the deep faith of the author. During the day there will be space for reflection, walking, prayer, and joy-gathering in the beautiful gardens and grounds of The House of the Open Door.
Suggested donation £20
Please bring your own lunch – refreshments provided.
Please Contact Us for more details, or to book.
Surprised by Joy Retreat Poster (PDF)
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Andy Swinford
Andy formerly taught English Literature and is the author of 14 essays in ‘The Christian Tradition in English Literature’. He is about to publish ‘The Practice of Joy: insights from the stories of C S Lewis’. He also delivers multimedia presentations and on-line classes about the authors C S Lewis and Tolkien.
Walking in the countryside and beekeeping are among his chief pleasures. He is a long-standing friend of The House of the Open Door, and has spoken before at our Friday Night Fellowship Meetings.
On Friday May 10 2024 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker will be Jason Charewicz. Jason will speak on the theme ‘Pleasure and Joy.’
Pleasure and Joy are familiar concepts to all of us. But familiarity can lead us to take things for granted, and our – perfectly natural – tendency sometimes to use the two as synonyms can obscure the differences and, at first glance strangely, to experience less of both. Drawing on inspiration primarily from CS Lewis and Aristotle, this talk will explore what pleasure and joy are, how the digital age in which we live can hinder or enhance them and provide a few practical suggestions for how we might better pursue them.
Jason Charewicz is the Caritas and Environment Officer for Clifton Diocese, supporting parishes and pastoral areas in mission-oriented formation as well as the Diocesan Jubilee Coordinator. He has led pilgrimages to Flame and to World Youth Day as well. Faith and Formation | Clifton Diocese
Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome.
We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
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‘The trees of the field will clap their hands’
(Isaiah 55.12)
Saturday 11th May 2024
The House of the Open Door community offers a retreat on the theme “The Trees of the Field” led by Andy Swinford.
Using the beautiful grounds of The House of the Open Door and scripture, we find inspiration in the different trees of the Bible to help us in our walk with God.
This is a retreat for the refreshment of the spirit as Andy Swinford leads us in a prayerful walk among the trees of the Bible. The oak, fig, willow, vine, olive can all inspire us as we draw close to God. During the day there will be plenty of space for reflection, walking, prayer, and enjoying God’s wonderful creation, including the majestic trees, in the gardens of The House of the Open Door.
Suggested donation £20
Please bring your own lunch – refreshments provided.
Please Contact Us for more details, or to book.
The trees of the field poster (PDF)
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Andy formerly taught English Literature and is the author of 14 essays in ‘The Christian Tradition in English Literature’. He is about to publish ‘The Practice of Joy: insights from the stories of C S Lewis’. He also delivers multimedia presentations and on-line classes about the authors C S Lewis and Tolkien.
Andy Swinford
Walking in the countryside and beekeeping are among his chief pleasures. He is a long-standing friend of The House of the Open Door, and has spoken before at our Friday Night Fellowship Meetings.
On Friday July 5 2024 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker will be Alice Hall from Sion Community.
Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome. We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
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Alice met Sion Community through a school mission in 1992 and has been involved with Sion Community ever since. She is single and in discernment for a more committed consecrated life. She lives at the Ark, Sion’s community house in Coventry.
Following a Discipleship Training School in her late teens, she initially joined the Sion youth team and later moved into initiating, leading or developing various areas of ministry within the Community. She has a degree in Drama and Theology and a Masters in Theology and Christian Ministry.
Alice is passionate about the love of God and about people. She finds life serving Him through preaching, teaching, praying with and walking alongside others as well as through worship.
Matt Blair from Gas Street Church in Birmingham spoke at HOD last year. He returns to be our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker on 19 July 2024.
Gas Street Church
The Gateway Summer Youth Conference at HOD takes place from Monday 22nd July – Sunday 4th August 2024, as part of the wider Discipleship Course running from February to December 2024 in three terms.
The theme of the conference is ‘the Joy of Salvation.’
With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
(Isaiah 12, 3)
For more details see Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2024
Jamie Price from Elim Limitless will be our speaker on 24th July 2024, as part of our Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2024. Jamie spoke last year and we had to have him back!
Jamie is the Director of Ministries for Limitless (Elim’s National Youth and Children’s ministry) and on the Limitless Pioneers team, helping churches with no youth ministries, start new youth ministries. He lives in Birmingham with his wife Debs and sons Jude and Ezekiel. In his spare time, he loves to run and read.
‘When we have been clothed…’
(2 Corinthians 5.3)
On Friday September 27 2024 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker will be Andy Swinford who will speak on the theme “When we have been clothed“
Andy will lead us in a deep dive into the fascinating subject of clothing in scripture. It is an important and inspiring topic running right through the Bible, from God’s clothing of Adam and Eve at the beginning, to the wedding garment of the Bride at the end of time. Sometimes we all need a change of clothes and this might be the night!
We look forward to Andy sharing with us. Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome.
We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
__________________
Andy formerly taught English Literature and is the author of 14 essays in ‘The Christian Tradition in English Literature’. He is about to publish ‘The Practice of Joy: insights from the stories of C S Lewis’. He also delivers multimedia presentations and on-line classes about the authors C S Lewis and Tolkien.
Andy Swinford
Walking in the countryside and beekeeping are among his chief pleasures. He is a long-standing friend of The House of the Open Door, and has spoken before at our Friday Night Fellowship Meetings.
On Friday October 11 2024 our Friday Night Fellowship Meeting speaker will be Tim Alford from Limitless.
Our fellowship meeting will be in the Tithe Barn at HOD for those who live locally. All welcome. We sometimes post recordings of our Friday night speakers afterwards on our YouTube channel.
See the Calendar of Events for Friday night speakers on other dates.
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Tim lives in Malvern, England, with his wife Jen, and two kids, Tobijah and Aria. He is the National Director of Limitless, a Youth Ministry Specialist Lecturer at Regents Theological College, and author of Leadership 101: Your go-to guide to leading youth and children’s ministries into a brighter future.
Tim is passionate about equipping leaders and communicating the gospel, having spoken at conferences, churches, schools and events all over the world. He is an enthusiastic runner, a frustrated supporter of Arsenal, and has on more than one occasion been to the cinema in Star Wars fancy dress.
“Come let us Return unto the Lord” (Hosea 6 v 1)
A day of guided prayer and reflection in beautiful surroundings, with reflections led by community members.
In between the times together, there will be time to pray and reflect in our beautiful Chapel and peaceful Retreat Centre Gardens.
Join us as we seek to return to the Lord this Advent.
We suggest a donation for the day of £15, including refreshments.
Please bring your own packed lunch.
To book a place, please contact us by phone or email.
