The Atmosphere of positivity, acceptance and support was striking
This year, with the support of The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC), the Royal Navy Recovery Centre (RNRC) Hasler ran a multi-activity week for Personnel on Recovery Duties (PRDs) on the grounds of Pentillie Castle, Cornwall. Steeped in over 300 years of history, this historic country house is set on the picturesque Cornish bank of the river Tamar and is the perfect setting for those in need of rehabilitation and recovery.
I have never experienced a week like my time at Pentillie Castle. It has given me time where I can reflect positively on myself and my recovery. I have managed to partake in activities I could never achieve before due to my injury. What I will take forward from this experience is that I am not limited in what I can do because of my injury.
The daily routine of the personnel began each morning with a Cold-Water Immersion session where they learnt how to deal with the stress of Cold-Water Exposure and gradually increased the time from 2 mins to 5 mins at the end of the week.
A mid-morning break was scheduled, and ranks were encouraged to meet, read a book, conduct self-study (annotated within a journal/weekly planner) or sit and chat over a coffee. The social aspect and time for self-reflection positively impacted the morale and self-esteem of all personnel.
The afternoon periods consisted of various activities including Artwork, Archery, Clay Pigeon shooting, Mountain Biking, Walking, Mentoring, Yoga, and Pasty Making. A night Treasure Hunt (Pentillie Quiz) also took place, which was extremely well received.
For many, some of the activities were new undertakings and welcome challenges to accomplish. The benefits of these activities, particularly to those suffering from poor Mental Health should not be underestimated as they were great confidence builders which also provided opportunity for group interaction and cohesion.
The yoga/relaxation and art-based sessions during the week acted as mindfulness periods and a platform to enhance the feeling of wellbeing.
During their spare time, ranks were encouraged to socialise and spend a lot of time together around the open fire debating, laughing, playing games, and generally enjoying themselves!
Since COVID-19 struck in 2020 and my cancer diagnosis in 2021, I have slowly become anti-social and introverted. However, this week at Pentillie Castle has helped me address this. The staff have been so welcoming and have made us all feel at home. Overall, this has been a fantastic week which has had a significant positive impact on my wellbeing, motivation, enthusiam and outlook. Thank you!
Individuals who struggle to socialise, have difficulty communicating, or tend to spend time isolated whilst at RNRC Hasler, appeared to have improved coping mechanisms and enhanced positive attitudes during their stay at Pentillie. All ranks embraced the week, and it cannot be underestimated how much the stay, coupled with the types of activities undertaken, improved the mental and physical well-being of those who attended.
