Saturday 23rd August was the annual Burngreave New Deal for Communities Seaside Trip to Cleethorpes. There were five coaches with 218 Burngreave residents (115 adults and 103 children) made up of grandparents, parents, children, aunties, uncles and cousins, together with all the kit and caboodle that goes with a day trip to the seaside – prams, bags, car seats and cooler bags.
It’s 9.30am and we are all excited and waiting eagerly to set off, but we can’t because Janet hasn’t arrived. Janet’s friend is on her mobile and says Janet will be five minutes (we’ll not embarrass Janet by saying her surname).
Hurray! We all give Janet a nice welcoming cheer, to which she gives a big smile.
We’re finally off, and a big ‘WELL DONE’ has to go to the kids who’d nearly all fastened their seatbelts, without having to be reminded, unlike most of the adults!
No sooner have all the crisps, bottles of water, crayons and colouring books been given out by the stewards, then we are there, at the seaside. It’s off the coach and scatter in all directions as fast as you can. Some quickly head to the sea for a paddle, as they know if you want a paddle later in the day, the tide goes out so far you have a very long trek to get to the sea to dip your toes.
Plenty of fish and chips, candyfloss, icecream, rock, sweets, doughnuts, hot dogs, burgers, slot machines, amusements, donkey rides, sand, wind, white-knuckle rides and crazy golf later we’re all back on the coach, together with buckets and spades and lots of new furry friends for the kids.
Saj Nabi (one of the Neighbourhood Wardens and a steward on one of the coaches) feels sick. He blames his mates, who told him he shouldn’t go on the rides on an empty stomach, and proceeded to feed him lots of food. (By the way, Janet was on time for the return journey).
Everyone’s exhausted and it’s not long into the return journey that eyelids start to get very heavy. Thankfully all except the driver’s!
We all arrive safely home at around 7.00pm – it was another great day.