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Facilities

Accommodation

All programme participants will be accommodated in yurts located in two villages in the East and West of the Embercombe site. Each village contains 7 yurts providing accommodation for up to 30 children with an additional yurt for accompanying staff; 70 places in total.

              

Each yurt has up to 5 beds and a wood burning stove and both villages have compost toilets. The East village has a specially designed yurt with wheelchair access.

Toilets and showers

 As well as the compost toilets in the yurt villages in the main building you will find more toilets and hot showers.

Meeting and Dining areas

There is a central meeting and dining area which provide a welcome sanctuary in the wetter months, seating up to 70 people comfortably. Otherwise outside kitchens, cob ovens and open meeting spaces are widely used within programmes.

Meals at Embercombe

The food at Embercombe is a vital part of the experience for all of the programmes as participants will often help plant and harvest the produce and then be involved in the preparation of the meals.

              

Many of the young people surprise themselves by trying and then finding they enjoy foods they had previously not liked. This is very much to do with the part they have played in the whole experience and the mystery/fear has been dissolved.

Much of our produce is grown on site and any food we buy in is from ethical companies and is organic where possible. We aim to only cook with/supply seasonal fruit and vegetables (this does mean fresh fruit is scarce in Spring as the seasons change). We also support local food producers wherever possible.

Our food is mostly vegan with butter and milk available to those who choose to use it.

Let us know of any dietary requirements / allergies you may have and we will accommodate as all our food is made fresh for you.

Example of typical foods we provide:

Breakfast

museli, porridge, cornflakes & toast

Snacks

flapjack, popcorn, cookies and fruit

Lunch

Leek and potato soup

Roasted squash soup

Roasted vegetables and hummus

Carrot and coriander soup

We put in split peas, lentils or beans in the soups for nutrition but they are not obvious to the young people who are surprised they like them when they may previously have refused to eat them.

Bread (wheat and rye), fresh salad, coleslaw, rice salad and toasted tamari seeds are some of the things that can accompany lunch

Dinner

Pasta with homemade pesto and garlic bread

Sausages (sos mix), jacket potato and homemade baked beans

Lentil and buckwheat loaf with potato wedges and greens

Pizza (a group effort) using our very own pizza ovens

Apple crumble and custard

Chocolate cake

Meat can be available for schools on residentials and the preparation and ethics is discussed then incorporated into the programme.

Health and Safety

Risk Assessments are carried out for each activity. We will provide you with Risk Assessment forms on booking,

All out staff are CRB checked.

We have five qualified first aiders on site

We have a child protection policy and public liability insurance.

What to bring

We will supply you with a full kit list when you book onto a residential.

Please note that all our activities carry on whatever the weather so please ensure your class have appropriate outdoor wear, rain or shine.

Wellies whatever the weather
If wet - full waterproofs
If hot – sun cream and sun hats

Schools we have worked with.

Primary Schools
Doddiscombsleigh, Chudleigh, St Davids, Hazeldown, Culm Valley Learning Community, Curledge, Broomhill, Exeter Junior School, Kentisbeare, Culmstock, Plymtree, Dawlish Ratcliffe.

Secondary Schools
Churston Grammar, Teign School, South Dartmoor, West Exe.

Special needs Schools
Oaklands, Bishop Dunstan.

Steiner Schools
South Devon Steiner School, Elmfield Steiner School, Hereford Steiner School, Kings Langley Steiner School,
Edinburgh Steiner School, Brighton Steiner School.