Our stunning Hawkchurch Resort & Spa in Devon recently had a unique and totally unexpected surprise!
You will find that almost everyone has a funny holiday story to tell; whether that’s missing luggage, ending up somewhere unexpected or even getting lost. But for one family from Somerset, an unexpected arrival has given them a memory far more rewarding than that.
The family were staying in Devon at our Hawkchurch Resort and heavily pregnant Katie Fortt, 30, was seeking some much-needed R&R. They planned this trip two weeks before her due date for the birth of her second child, only to awake in shock on the second morning of the holiday to find herself having contractions.
A rushed phone call to emergency services confirmed that the ambulance would be arriving too late, so Katie’s mother, Lisa, jumped into action, with the 999-operative talking her through the incredible process of delivering the baby.
And just a couple of hours later and her new daughter – Indigo – was born, the ambulance reaching the site shortly after and were pleased to find mother and baby both well and healthy in their holiday lodge.
As the family are annual regulars to the Hawkchurch resort, Katie, her husband, her first daughter and her parents, Lisa and Rob Vaughn, will now have an even stronger connection to the area, hoping to return next year on the anniversary of Indigo’s exciting, if nerve-racking, birth.
“The staff were excellent,” said Rob, Katie’s father, who also helped with the delivery.
“The second we realised we would not be able to get Katie to Dorchester hospital, we phoned 999 and the operator talked my wife, Lisa through the process. We have been visiting Hawkchurch for more than six years so this just makes the place even more memorable!”
“It’s certainly been an experience!”
Carla Guppy, general manager of Hawkchurch Resort and Spa, said: “When we heard about the new arrival, we were absolutely thrilled, not least because it is the very first Hawkchurch baby!”
“The staff all did a fantastic job, and we were delighted to hear that both mother and baby are doing well and that the whole family will be continuing to visit us for their yearly holiday – we look forward to welcoming them again!”
Are you looking to book an escape in Devon? We have 2 amazing resorts for you to choose from:
As soon as the clock strikes 12 and its January 1st again we are ready to be the best version of ourselves right?
We have our list of resolutions for the New Year and we are ready (once the hangover has gone) to kick start the year and stick to all our resolutions. But it is never that easy, according to research you can find in many articles, only around 8% of people actually succeed in sticking to their resolutions. If you struggle to stick to your resolutions each year why not start 2022 a little different and use these 7 effective ways to stick to your 2022 resolutions.
1. be specific with your resolutions
When it comes to deciding what your resolutions for the year should be you want to make sure you are as specific as possible. For example if you are wanting to take more steps in a day don’t just use that as your resolution. Be more specific by saying something like take 10,000 steps a day. That way you have an exact figure in your head every day that you know you want to try to reach.
2. make small changes daily
Starting a new resolution can be challenging so there is no point jumping straight into the deep end with this. Slow and steady wins the race so start my making small changes daily or even weekly whatever works for you. If your resolution is that you want to go the gym everyday Mon-Fri then start by going twice or three times a week first and slowly build it up to 5 times a week. You are more likely to keep it going if you slowly introduce it to your lifestyle.
3. give yourself small achievable goals to reach
Although your resolution is the end goal you want to achieve, to get there you will want to give yourself some smaller more achievable goals that are easier to reach. All of these smaller goals will eventually lead you to successfully achieving your New Year’s resolution. This way you will find it much easier to stick to it and not get overwhelmed by the end goal when you have just started. A good example for this is if you are wanting to eat healthier, instead of cutting out everything that is ‘bad’ start slowly incorporating more fruit and veg into your diet.
4. remember that it takes time to form new habits and make them stick
Don’t beat yourself up about things, the most important thing to remember is that it takes time to form new habits. Studies show it actually takes over 2 months (66 days to be exact) to form a habit and make it a natural part of your routine. So the most important thing to take from this is make sure you give it a real go and remember that it can take over 2 months before it starts to feel natural.
5. make yourself accountable and review monthly
Although you want your New Year’s resolution to feel natural it won’t be like that when you first start out. So from our 3rd tip of giving yourself small achievable goals to reach you will also want to make sure you are keeping yourself accountable and reviewing your progress monthly. This way you can really think about your goals, are they too much? Are you not putting the effort in that you know you can? Do you need to reconsider them for the following month? By doing this it will give you a chance to reassess the situation and re-evaluate what you want to come out of your New Year’s resolutions.
6. even if you fail, reassess and move on
That puts us onto our next point, even if you fail, reassess and move on. You will probably find that over 90% of peoples New Year’s resolution journeys aren’t as smooth as you think. Which is why you don’t want to be so hard on yourself if you find you’ve reached a bump in the road. Instead accept what has happened and move on from it. You can still get to your goal and stick to your resolution.
7. remember it’s never too late to start
Yes, we are talking about New Year’s resolutions and they are usually created at the start of the year. But it is never too late to start a new resolution, you could start it at the beginning of a new month or week. Or just start it tomorrow, it doesn’t matter when all that matters is that you start. And hopefully by you remembering all our effective ways to stick to your resolutions for 2022 you will be able to enjoy the process.
At Darwin Escapes we pride ourselves in offering incredible resorts where anyone can escape to and enjoy a holiday or even own a holiday home!
Now that 2021 is over, it’s a great time to look back at the fantastic year we have had here at Darwin Escapes.
Although 2021 was still affected massively by the pandemic it hasn’t held us back at Darwin Escapes, below you will find all the things we have achieved from opening new resorts to sponsoring theatre shows and keeping you up to date throughout the year through our social media and blog posts.
new resorts
Stratford-upon-Avon Lodge Retreat
Our Stratford-upon-Avon Lodge Retreat was the first to open in 2021 and is the perfect escape for any occasion. With lodges to suit couples, groups of up to 10 guests and anything in between; you will be able to enjoy the views of the English countryside, a walk along the canal or just some time relaxing in your lodge.
- Warwickshire
- Pet friendly
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- Perfect for theatre stays
- Historic sites
- Perfect for small or large groups
explore Stratford-upon-Avon Lodge Retreat
Dundonald Links
We then opened Dundonald Links which is the perfect escape for golf lovers from around the world. The golf course has hosted a number of major golfing events throughout the years and we are hosting the 2022 Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open. There are also luxurious lodges here so that you can stay and play.
- Ayrshire, Scotland
- Par 72 course
- Canny Crow Restaurant
- Luxury lodges clustered around putting greens
- Hosting the 2022 Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open
- Gym facilities, whisky tasting lounge etc.
The Springs Resort & Golf Club
Opening shortly after Dundonald Links was The Springs Resort & Golf Club. At The Springs you will find hotel rooms, a hotel lodge and lodges. Along with a golf course, a spa, a restaurant and a gym! It’s the perfect escape if you want to relax or if you are wanting to explore Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas!
- Oxfordshire
- Quirky hotel rooms
- 1893 Spa
- 133 acre golf course
- The Ridgeway Restaurant
- Fully equipped gym
explore The Springs Resort & Golf Club
We also have a brand new ‘our resorts’ section which you will see at the top of the page to help all our lovely customers see all the resorts we have in one place!
events, partnerships & sponsors
DogFest
Since most of our resorts are pet friendly it makes sense to have a partnership with DogFest! Since being set up in 2013 this annual event has provided its visitors with amazing dog displays, advice from experts and stalls from various businesses. This year we attended DogFest with our own stall showcasing all the amazing pet friendly resorts we have! We also had a caricaturist doing free portraits and a win a holiday competition.
Derby Book Festival
The Derby Book Festival is a 9 day event that is held every year and you will find around 70 different events across 10 different venues. This year we sponsored (and attended) the annual Festival Lunch with Anna Pasternak on Wallis Simpson.
find out more about the Derby Book Festival
Royal Shakespeare Company
We have a 3 year partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company and throughout the years we have sponsored various events and shows. This year we sponsored Comedy of Errors in the newly built Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre. Some of the team even got the chance to watch it in the summer.
Birmingham Hippodrome
Known for being one of the busiest theatres in the UK welcoming around half a million visitors every year. Birmingham Hippodrome has various events and shows on throughout the year and at the end of this year and going into 2022 we are sponsoring the Goldilocks and the Three Bears pantomime!
find out more about Birmingham Hippodrome
Chester Zoo
For the past 5 years we have been partners with Chester Zoo and in September this year we sponsored their Wildlife Connections Festival. This weekend event was a chance for visitors to get closer to nature and learn some amazing things about nature and the nature reserve at Chester Zoo.
find out more about Chester Zoo
Find out more about our partnerships that we have with some amazing business’ and attractions
Hoseasons Awards 2021
This year we attended the virtual Hoseasons Awards and it was another great year for Darwin Escapes. See the full list of awards we are proud to say that we won this year…
Rivendale Lodge Retreat:
- Best in Britain Food Awards
- Customer Choice Food Awards – Lodge Escape
- Best Lodge Escape Large Park in the Heart of England
Piran Meadows Resort:
- Relax & Explore Large Park in Cornwall
Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa:
- Relax & Explore Large Park in Somerset
Talacre Beach Resort:
- Relax & Explore Large Park in North Wales
Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat:
- Best Lodge Escape Large Park in the Isle of Wight
Wareham Forest Lodge Retreat:
- Best Lodge Escape Large Park in Devon, Somerset & Dorset
Mullion Cove Coastal Retreat:
- Best Lodge Escape Large Park in Cornwall
find out more about the Hoseasons Awards 2021
social media & blogs
We like to keep you up to date with all things Darwin Escapes and we do this mainly through our blogs and social media posts.
This year we have posted:
89 blogs and 387 social media posts
what to expect in 2022?
We plan to continue providing you all with amazing family holidays, couples escapes and group getaways across the UK. And help new holiday home owners find their dream holiday home in one of our resorts.