Comments

Below are just some of the comments to come out of HES FES 2006. Thanks to everyone who sent in observations. If you have any suggestions or ideas for HES FES 2007 please send them to us.


Brilliant HES FES
Hi Just a quick note to say what a brilliant HESFES we had. It was our first time and I was so nervous at first, but everything was superb. Hope we can have the same site next year! :-) Thanks SO much, Julie, Greg and Max


Many many thanks
We have had a super week at the HESFES. Thank you so much for organising it all, it must have been very hard changing sites but well worth it. The facilities were excellent. We rented one of the caravans and its the best we have ever stayed in, very clean, well kept, comfortable and even provided a welcome pack of tea/coffee/ teatowel type stuff which is beyond the call of duty but very appreciated. The shop was excellent and the site much easier to access. I have spoken to a number of other parents who have told me of the benefits of coming to the HESFES, of children gaining extreem confidence, overcoming severe social problems and one got over their OCD problem this week and could hug people for the first time. I am sure there are many more happy outcomes that I never heard about. My own son for the first time in a very very long time was able to join in with groups which is life changing for him and us. My older son met home ed children for the first time and made some strong friendships which will help him understand his brothers situation better. So this is just a short note to try and explain how much the HESFES means to us but its impossible to put into words how important it is to us. I have met numbers of parents who I have 'spoken to' on the net and only meet once a year at this festival; they are an important support network and so helpful now to have met them in the flesh. I found the conference mind blowing, it created a big shift in how I think. I am sure you have heard of the quantities of children who count the days until the next HESFES and are already counting until the next one. Sincere thanks from our family and friends. Sally Pain P.S. I do hope you choose the same site again next year.


Thank You
.....best one ever, hope you have at least a week off now! Can't wait for next year, Annelies and Holly xxxxx


Thanks
Thanks to everybody who organised this years festival. Great weather,great atmosphere and a great campsite. We will be back next year!! From the Burt family.

Brilliant, brilliant HES FES
I'm just trying to settle in at home after what must have been the best Hes Fes yet. We were so lucky with the weather, the new site was friendly, clean, and well organised, (although the beach wasn't as nice as Charmouth), and the activities on offer for everyone were at their usual amazing standard. Great food, stunning acrobatics, brilliant music, and the conference was so interesting, I was frustrated by not being able to be in 2 or 3 places at once. It was wonderful to see our lovely home ed children and young people there playing together, making things, performing on the stage etc. I loved seeing he various children give amazing performances - and what really moved me was the support they received from so many people - not just their own family and friends but people who had seen them growing up over the years and felt a part of their achievement. There was such a lovely atmosphere - even the retired couple who were staying on the site in the privately owned caravans commented on the children's friendliness and considerate behaviour. They had been concerned at the arrival of so many young people, some of whom had coloured hair, but were enjoying their week with us all on the site. I'm gushing, I know, but it was a lovely week. I know Andy is going to be away for a while so probably won't see this, but I just want to say a huge thanks to him and all the crew who put so much into this, and all the people who played, provided activities and workshops books stalls or food, especially the guys from 100%, My Pet Junkie, and the Footlong Heroes who not only performed, and worked with the kids in workshops, but also spent time with them throughout the week, helping them practise, tuning guitars, calming nerves and just playing football and hanging out. They made my son's week something really special. Great to meet so many lovely people there. Next year I'll have give up the luxury caravan and camp and sleep on an uncomfortable mattress - just to have a reason to be glad to be home. Christine


What can I say?
What can I say-that was our 6th HesFes and the best ever! We have enjoyed everyone but that was just the tops! Please pass on our grateful thanks to the whole crew who worked so hard. And to the bands and the people, who were so brill with the kids in the workshops etc. I loved every bit-and wished I could have been in several places at once on more than one occasion! And thank you especially for the chance you gave Hetty. Her sister Heather told her not to be nervous saying you have performed in front of thids many people before. Hetty replied "Yes, but these people are important to me" Says it all really. Thank you love Julie Bunker


2006 Rocked!
just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you thank you thank you. HESFES 2006 was by far and away the best ever HESFES I've attended. It was my fifth and we all had a wonderful time. The site was fantastic, the atmosphere soooooooooo chilled and and and and it was just great. Bring on next year!!! Sarah xx


HES FES 2006
I'd like to say Thank you to everyone involved in organising it - what an absolutely brilliant time we had! The site was great, can't really fault it in any way, (well, only silly niggly things!) :) we'll definately be going there again, the beach was superb, our pitch was just this side of the bank beside the beach and my nearly 5 year old was there most mornings by 9am with some friends he made soon after arrival and when the tide was out it was as safe as any beach can be, I'm not a swimmer myself but know many people who did swim when the tide was in. I must confess, we didn't make anywhere near as much use of the workshops as I though we would, mainly cos the kids were so happy on the beach or playing near the tents, but those we did visit were very good. The people we met were such a great bunch, even my schooled 15 yr old son made friends very quickly, with adults and children, and he also wants to go again next year. He spent most evenings around the 'main marquee' and had a great time. All in all, great site, great location and very good value! I really hope you go back there next year, I didn't speak to many of the residents in the mobiles but those I did didn't seem to have any problems with us and one guy actually said how "good" we were, "unlike other groups that had been in the past"! regards, Linda (and Jon & Jamie)


HES FES
Thank you once again for a great week. The weather definitely helped, but the ambience of hesfes is what counts. Our family and everyone I know that goes to hesfes loves it and would hate it to stop. Mersea isn't Charmouth, but what it lacks in charm is made up by the facilities on the site - which were excellent . . . Once again, thanks to you all. Jan Burgess x

Thanks
Thanks a million for another fantastic hesfes. Already looking forward to 2007! see you again soon. love Rachel


It was great!
Just wanted to say how much we enjoyed HESFES 2006. We are a family of seven, who have been home educating for just a few months and we had never been to HESFES before. It was such a pleasure to spend time with other home educators, who appear to have the common trait of allowing their, and other's, children to be themselves. Not to mention, of course, the brilliant selection of activities for the children and the really interesting workshops, talks & films for the grown-ups. Despite the logistical difficulties of camping with 5 children, aged between 9yrs & 2 months, for the first time (!), we all had a thoroughly enjoyable week and we are really looking forward to doing it all again next year. Oh, and please keep it in June or July - I know HESFES used to be in May & we don't want to camp in the cold/wet if we can avoid it! We also liked the site. .... Yours, Juno Charlett


HES FES 2006 - Thanks
Thank you everyone who worked to make this Hes Fes so special. We were all oh so happy with Hes Fes this year, the children are already planning next year!! Got some great photos of you dancing around the labyrinth, will get my act together and send them soon!! Stay well Lots of love and peace from us all Caroline and tribe :-) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Thanks for a great HES FES
this was our first hes fes and we all had a wonderful time, many thanks to yourself and everyone else involved. our favourites were; young childrens play area (amy 10 months), puppet workshop and fairy garden making (alice 3), 100% workshop (poppy 11), and solar cinema (mum and dad). who ever organised the weather also did a fantastic job ! cant wait for next year many thanks rachel and family


Thanks
thankyou all so much for all your hard work. what a great week we had at hesfes!! cant wait for next year Debbie

Thanks for HES FES 2006
had a fab first hesfes, thanks. location was ok , good facilities, if a little sterile and orderly. .....a bit of intyelligent trancey dance maybe? (i'm no DJ). Crafts were fun, really loved the weaving, and hope to make it next year Cheers, Carl,43 and Anya,5. Anya really liked playing, not wearing shoes and selling painted sea shells...... Carl


The best yet
We've been coming to HES FES for years and we've always enyoyed but HES FES 2006 has to have been the best yet!!!! Great site, lots of wonderful craft and music workshops. The music was amazing and everyone was laid back and friendly. We're counting the days till the next one. Thanks to evryone who worked hard to make it all happen. The Wilson Family


HES FES 2006 - Thanks
Just wanted to send a big thank you for all the organisation that you and the crew put in to make HESFES such a success. This year was our first HESFES experience and we shall definitely be back for more. I look forward to hearing details about 2007 as they arrive! Happy summer! Loretta,Clinton, Joel, Callum, Maddie and Sam.


HES FES
I wanted to add my thanks to the crew for working so hard and making hesfes such a happy week. We had a lovely relaxed week, a lot more chilled than previous years. My daughter really enjoyed making shell pets and selling them to the teenagers - she is taking what is left of the stock to a Green Fair this week :-) I loved the new campsite:- clean showers, quiet after 11pm and a cafe which sells cooked breakfasts does it for me! Thanks!! Janet


HESFES
I just felt I had to email you regarding your Hesfes. My family and I were staying at the West Mersea site on the weekend that your Hesfes was due to leave. I was fascinated by the ambience of the people staying in the tents and motor homes and at every opportunity I was stopping people and asking about the festival....... ... I have never encountered so many happy, friendly and spiritual people as there were there..... Yours sincerely Vivienne Hollywood


HES FES Comments
Here's my comments for the website: We have been to ten HESFESes now and this year was the second best ever (I have a soft spot for HESFES 1998 - only 50 families and the entertainment consisted of 2 trampolines). Suggestions for next year: 1. Mersea again - who'd've thought Essex could be beautiful? 2. Make it 2 weeks not one (June or July please). 3. Introduce a loyalty scheme - Pay For Ten Get Eleventh Free. love to all crew. Jane

HES FES Comments
After avoiding HESFes for years (mainly because of negative comments from others), I finally took the plunge and came along. Wish we'd come years ago. - well worth the visit. Kids had a fantastic time and I felt completely chilled out. My only regret was that we had to leave early for me to go back to work. Next year I'll insist on time off for the whole week. Thanks very much to you and the crew. Beverley, Cassie, Al and Xanthe


Thanks
Thanks for HESFES - it was, as always an inspiration and you return even more committed to the home education lifestyle. Only disappointment was managing to round my son up for only three workshops, two science and one astronomy and then they were not on with no signs on the cancellation board - we began to feel we were missing out of some communication loop and Rowan felt it was evidence that he should have been left to water pistol fights - possibly true! We saw the same families waiting on each occasion so maybe we should have grouped together and done things independently! It is mind boggling to think of the amount of effort people must put in to pulling this altogether but you must know how much it means to so many people. Thanks for all the craft stuff and the puppet show was a favourite of my two younger ones and the sounds for toddlers tent and loads more! Beach was a bit rubbish but looked more ok with the tide in - bit spoilt down here in the south west though on that score. Many bent tent pegs! Take care and thanks again Rachel and family


HES FES 2006
This was our first HESFES and we really enjoyed it. Visitation were brilliant (but then I'm biased!) and so were My Pet Junky. Great to have so many good bands to listen to. We stayed in a caravan which was fine, although the carpet was very dirty!! We did let the owners know on the feedback form. It would be great to have more food stalls next year, if possible. There was only really Leons for hot food and although this was great, it got a bit boring night after night and there wasn't really anything the kids liked. It was a shame the café next to the shop closed so early in the afternoon and wasn't open at teatime. We found this rather odd. It would have been nice to have choice of barbecue food, hot dogs, baked potatoes, chips, noodles etc, pizzas for the kids. The Indian Takeaway in West Mersea was excellent. They also do pizzas, baked potatoes, southern fried chicken. They deliver for free to the Waldegraves entrance near reception. We used this service a couple of nights running. The outdoor pool was excellent. Thank you for organizing HESFES. We really appreciate your hard work. The workshops were great, especially the archery (perhaps the kids could be allotted ticket numbers instead of queueing. We had to queue for an hour and a half!). I hope you hold HESFES at the same time of year next year, as the weather really made it. All the best Jo Good (now Jo Derrick!)


Fab HES
Just great! The best one yet. All our family loved every minute. What about 2 weeks next year? Please? Thanks again Edwards family


HES FES 2006
hello everyone! thankyou to everbody for a wonderful week. from lazing in the sun all morning, fairy houses and smiles and delicious meals and vegan cakes.. to dancing in the evening, groovy movie and then drumming on the beach and sitting by a lovely fire provided by 100%..... dont think i slept much but we all had a fantastic time!!! please2 weeks next year, same site and same weather! cheers and see everyone again next time! love and hugs em xxx


HES FES 2006
Just needed to say that this HESFES was really fab!! Not only was the site such a hugely, pleasant change from previous years but the whole atmosphere was really good, despite the place being unfamiliar and rather spread out. It was all smiles and no moans!! We missed a few of our friends this year who had been put off by last year but I am sure that if it's going to be at this new venue next year, then they will all want to come!! Only negatives ............ my son missed the river and trees and of course the Charmouth beach is hard to compete with but as the beach was so close and easily accessible, we visited regularly. I would also like to add that the site has the best chemical toilet area I have ever seen................hidden and perfumed by a honeysuckle covered pergola!!!! Thanks Andy and everyone else involved, for all your efforts!! love Nina [Nananina]


2 weeks
Have you ever thought of making next years hes fes 2 weeks. Because 1 week sems to go by like a couple of days. From Matthew