Dear All
I hope this message finds you safe and well through these difficult times. On behalf of the Steering Group, I feel it is important to update you on some important matters. We apologise that we have had to wait until now to give you a formal statement and hope you forgive the lengthy message, but we feel it important to update you of all the facts.
Cancellation of The Hayes Centre 2020
As you know, when we entered ‘lockdown’ on the 23rd March your Steering Group has been meeting regularly to keep on top of what affects government policy would have on this year’s Holiday Forum. Owing to the original contract we have with Hayes we couldn’t cancel without a severe financial penalty, and we contacted you over the last couple of months to let you know that we’d decided to go ahead providing that The Hayes Centre was open.
Last week, The Hayes contacted us to explain that although we’d decided to continue with reduced numbers, if we were to cancel the booking at this time there would be no financial penalties.
The Steering Group met and discussed this option in detail and decided that as your safety is of paramount importance to us, regrettably, we have decided that the best course of action is to cancel Holiday Forum at The Hayes for 2020.
This was a decision that we would have made in March if we could have afforded to do so, and since the financial penalties have been lifted by The Hayes, the safest way forward is to remove the risk of any of our attendees contracting this virus. We hope you can appreciate this difficult decision, and that you understand that this is necessary to give us the greatest chance of seeing you all safe and well in 2021.
We do not want 2020 to pass us by without offering you a way to take part in a Virtual Holiday Forum. So we’ve invited Theme Leader, Lawrence Moore, and Worship Leader, Alistair Smeaton to lead a weekend of online events so that ‘Forumites’ can meet this year Friday 21st August – Sunday 23rd August.
Click here to find out more and register your interest
Finances
We are aware that many attendees have paid monies already for Holiday Forum 2020, and that there have been many difficulties and challenges to face throughout this pandemic, some of which are financial. Despite the Holiday Forum booking form stating that a deposit of £30 is non-refundable, we have taken the decision to make all funds available to you as a gesture of goodwill.
Therefore, if you have paid any money for a booking in 2020 please contact the Holiday Forum Booking Secretary Alison Foxwell bookings@urcholidayforum.org.uk or afoxwell6@gmail.com by 1st August*.
Rollover – Any monies paid towards a booking for Holiday Forum 2021. Refund – Any money paid towards Holiday Forum 2020.
Donate – Any amount of money to the on-going work of Holiday Forum and/or the Holiday Forum Bursary Fund.
You may wish to combine the options, but whatever you decide will be confidential and without judgement.
*If you have not let us know by the 1st August 2020, any paid monies will be donated to the ongoing work of Holiday Forum.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, we appreciate some of you may have questions and therefore do not hesitate to contact Chair Cathryn or Vice-Chair Colum on 07557 656681 and we will endeavor to help you.
Please pray for each other, and your steering group, and please God we will see each other safe and well virtually this year, and at the Hayes in 2021.
Best wishes, stay safe
Cathryn O’Shea
