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Browse through our blog posts to find out what life is like at Hoe Grange Holidays along with some great ideas for days out in the Peak District.

Volunteering with SHOUT from Hoe Grange

December 10, 2019
December 10, 2019 - Volunteering with SHOUT from Hoe Grange
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Hello!

I’m Vivienne, Felicity's sister, and I am here to tell you all about SHOUT, the UK’s first 24/7 text service for people in crisis.

This week along with husband Niall, I’ve been looking after Hoe Grange Holidays, but as SHOUT is a text based service I can still act as a volunteer for my usual shifts. Felicity and David are on holiday themselves for a well-earned break, so we are standing in on the admin side. Thankfully neighbouring Farmer Sam is looking after the sheep and cows!

Busy bees!

Running the holiday business is harder work than you think, but who can complain when the views from the office are so spectacular? On Mondays and Fridays there’s lots of cleaning to be done alongside the dedicated housekeeping team. Senior housekeeper Zoe has been with Hoe Grange for over 9 years so knows everything about welcoming guests and keeping standards up to scratch! Once the cabins and glamping pods are all cleaned and we’ve put the goats and chickens to bed, all we can do is collapse in front of the fire!

On other days, so long as we get the laundry out to dry, and deal with email enquiries and bookings, we can pace ourselves and have energy left over. That’s when I can log on and do an evening shift with SHOUT.

What is SHOUT?

SHOUT is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis, anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope, anxious or over stressed and you need immediate help. Anyone in crisis can text SHOUT to 85258 - it's free and more importantly confidential and non judgmental.

Shout is grateful for the work and generous support of The Royal Foundation; whose founding grant launched the charity.

How SHOUT can help

SHOUT logoSHOUT is powered by a team of volunteers like me, who are at the heart of the service. We take people from crisis to calm every single day.

We work from anywhere in the UK with a secure internet connection, so this week I have been able to do my shifts whilst enjoying the Derbyshire countryside. As volunteers we are trained to listen to texters and support them to move from a hot moment to a cool calm.

We are a team, working together in a virtual world, supervised and coached by mental health professionals. It’s tough. As you can imagine there are some distressing and emotional cases, but the work is very rewarding. What we do can really make a difference to people's lives.

In a crisis? Simply text SHOUT to 85258 to get support and help.

Why not become a volunteer?

Becoming a volunteer is extremely rewarding. You receive training on how best to communicate with people in trouble, and how to improve your problem solving skills and crisis management. You become part of the SHOUT volunteer team with an experienced supervisor to assist you if needed. After the initial 25 hours of online training you are committed to fulfil 200 total hours of volunteering; that’s just 2 – 4 hours volunteering per week, which is fairly easy to fit in.

You can find out more by following Shout on Instagram and Facebook

Experience some Hoe Grange calm!

Finding ways to live in the moment helps you deal with stress and anxiety.

The weather this week in the Peak District has been perfect: cold and bright. In the hectic high tec world of today contemplating the setting sun on the misty December hills brings quiet and respite.

Keep calm and stay on a farm!

Nature is the perfect antidote to stress, so why not book a winter stay at Hoe Grange in a cosy log cabin or gorgeous glamping pod? Then simply sit back, relax and enjoy the views. A self-catering holiday in the Peak District countryside is a great way to connect to the natural world whilst spending quality time together with family and friends.

Vivienne

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Hoe Grange Holidays Tripadvisor Comments...

  • star rating  lovely surroundings real farm country with chickens paying you a visit nice decking area to chill at the end of the day accommodation very good plenty to do nearby... read more

    vincent s
    July 28, 2019

    star rating  We love this place. Very wheelchair friendly, really well equipped and comfortable, with easy access by car to lots of places of interest particularly Crich Tramway Village, Chatsworth, Bakewell and... read more

    dghiggs61
    October 25, 2019

    star rating  We stayed in Pinder cabin and had a lovely stay, the cabin was spacious and comfortable, nice and warm after cold days out. The children loved meeting the animals and... read more

    Tiggywinkle15
    November 5, 2019
  • star rating  On arriving at Hoe Grange in a downpour, we doubted if we’d made the right decision to go glamping, but after the warm welcome from David and a quick tour,... read more

    karenmD4738KD
    June 25, 2019

    star rating  What can I say?
    Absolutely superb!
    We have just returned from a family weekend staying in Daisybank cabin and the Skylark pod.
    It was our first trip away with my... read more

    Wheelieuser
    June 13, 2019

    star rating  Another great holiday at Hoe Grange - such a great place for us all to holiday as a family - this time with a baby, a 3 yr old, a... read more

    Thesamps
    October 4, 2019
  • star rating  We stayed for a night in one of the cabins . The cabin was spotless and very well equipped , lots of extra touches were added like fresh eggs and... read more

    Ajtravels14
    February 3, 2020

    star rating  Second visit to the accessible holiday cabins at Hoe Grange. David and Felicity were as helpful and friendly as ever. We had a welcome pack of freshly baked bread, butter,... read more

    Charlotte M
    August 7, 2019

    star rating  We love this place. Very wheelchair friendly, really well equipped and comfortable, with easy access by car to lots of places of interest particularly Crich Tramway Village, Chatsworth, Bakewell and... read more

    David H
    October 25, 2019
  • star rating  We have just returned from a short stay in one of the pods on site at Hoe Grange Holidays. We couldn’t recommend them enough. The pod has everything you could... read more

    Catboy86
    August 17, 2019

    star rating  Lovely place to holiday near to interesting locations and easy access to the High Peak trail and Carsington Water. Part of a working farm with fresh produce to enjoy during... read more

    Angie B
    August 3, 2019

    star rating  We've just returned from our second visit to Hoe Grange. The suggested riding routes with stunning scenery were enjoyed by my daughter and I while the menfolk were delighted with... read more

    Jdrichie12
    July 11, 2019
  • star rating  Loved every minute of our stay, and so did the family and friends that came to stay. Excellent facilities in our cosy Hipley log cabin. By far the best... read more

    krimpenijssel
    October 25, 2019

    star rating  For the second year running, we have had a great family holiday at Hoe Grange. We had one cabin for the week, for two sisters and our elderly wheelchair-using... read more

    EJYork2013
    June 25, 2019

    star rating  We stayed in the Skylark pod last October (2018) and had a lovely time. There was homemade, rustic goods (bread, biscuits etc) when we arrived. Felicity and David who run... read more

    KBarry
    September 15, 2019
  • star rating  What a wonderful find. As our first experience of needing accessible accommodation we could not have wished for better. Beautiful well equipped lodges in lovely surroundings. We stayed in both... read more

    L9943KBlesleym
    April 3, 2020

    star rating  We spent four nights at Hoe Grange and had a lovely time. The location is fantastic and right next to the High Peak Trail. The cabin was very clean and... read more

    Big_Al_0000
    July 16, 2019

    star rating  We had a lovely time staying in one of the incredibly well equipped pods. I bought my pony along and we had some great rides on the high peak trail.... read more

    plopster1
    June 7, 2019
  • star rating  Stayed last week, from 6th to 13th September in the log cabin called Hipley. This was amazing, it was our first visit but certainly not our last. Gold standard disability... read more

    548julie
    September 14, 2019

    star rating  What a lovely weekend away! We stayed in the lovely gypsy caravan, which was a wonderful and really unique experience. We took along our two horses, who also had a... read more

    rachelthomas2015
    June 18, 2019

    star rating  We stayed in Rainster cabin for a long weekend 6 th to 9 th September. This was my 5 th visit to the amazing Hoe Grange. I had visited before... read more

    Jan Horsman J
    September 17, 2019
  • star rating  Recently spent a week in "Pinder" and had a lovely time. The location is stunning - the site is nestled in a beautiful valley on the edge of the Peaks... read more

    Peachey167
    July 16, 2019

    star rating  We stayed in Skylark, one of the two glamping pods available at Hoe Grange in February 2020.

    Felicity & David welcomed us when we arrived to show us around... read more

    HelenLCarter
    February 6, 2020

    star rating  We wanted a complete break and some peace and quiet and this was perfect. The caravan was secluded with beautiful views over the countryside. Everything was spotlessly clean and well... read more

    joanne B
    June 4, 2019
  • star rating  It's been three years since we last visited but once we arrived it certainly didn't feel like it!
    We stayed in Hipley again which had had a refurbished wet... read more

    ElizabethA717
    September 21, 2019

    star rating  A beautiful place to stay! Amazingly run family business! Everyone were very welcoming, friendly and cozy! The skylark pod we stayed in was very clean, cozy and well equipped! The... read more

    sophiee249
    January 2, 2020

    star rating  Myself and my sister travelled to Costa Rica and Panama via Viva Holidays Ltd. The holiday was exceptional and one to be treasured forever. Andrew at Viva Holidays... read more

    Paula C
    July 4, 2019
  • star rating  Felicity and David made us feel very welcome right from our booking. The pods are well equipped and spotlessly clean. The area is very peaceful with great views and we... read more

    Adventurer_12121
    January 30, 2020

    star rating  Arrived and was shown to our pod, fantastic location and the pod was very good indeed plus we had home made bread and milk and tea and coffee. A... read more

    mickvfr
    July 28, 2019

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