Fun Feedback
We love to read (and share) your feedback on events, so please let us know how we’re doing.
All the time we are trying new ideas, new approaches, new venues, new suppliers etc. It is vital that we know if there are problems or potential improvements to be made, so that we can seek to put things right for the future. We never want to be in the position of making the same mistake twice! Where necessary we will do our best to gain compensation for substantive issues.
It’s also great when you tell us how well an event has gone – as this makes all our efforts worthwhile.
Here is some feedback received from recent events
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY DAY AT BOTANICAL GARDENS JULY 10
"Thank you for your email on the Botanical Gardens. I have enjoyed all the events i have done through Spice,and would like to thank you
for that.I would never have done so many things without Spice,and met so many nice and friendly people. The Botanical Gardens Photograpy was very good and the instructor made it very easy for me to understand my camera better and helped me to take photos i didn't think i could take. I really enjoyed the day and the time went very quickly. I would certainly recommend this event to anyone who is into photography,go for it!!!"
"It was an excellent day, it certainly matched up to the event write up. David and his assistant Lisa were fantastic. The material was presented in a way that was suitable both for beginners and for those with a little experience. There was just the right mix of theory and practice. Although attendees presented David with a range of cameras he was able to make the tuition relevant to all and offer 1:1 support to individuals. Overall it was a most enjoyable day with a great group of people. In my opinion the event was good value for money and I would have paid a little more if necessary. I would certainly recommend this event to others, indeed I am planning to enrol on David's intermediate workshop. "
GREEK DANCE WORKSHOP JULY 10
"The Greek dance workshop was really good; i thoroughly enjoyed it, would do it again and it was well worth the money. I was surprised to see so few men! Now having done it i can wholeheartedly say that this is most definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, a mans 'dance' - what else can you call it apart from dance? It's not a co-ordinated prancy female dance but a proper man's dance! To any men reading this - if you like a laugh and have two left feet; it's designed for you! Most of it seems to be based on the fact that your drunk anyway! It suits a man far better than a woman (believe me! we're not built to bounce around like you are!) so come and try it. I suggest renaming it from 'Greek Dance' - dance only seems to frighten the men off, to something like 'What to do in a Greek restaurant, (or an a Greek island if you're lucky), which involves moving to music'! I just feel sorry for the men who want a laugh, to be active but don't feel confident enough to 'dance' - it was brilliant!"
CANOEING FOR THE TERRIFIED JULY 10
"I really did enjoy this one. We were made to very welcome from the moment we got there. The people who ran the canoe centre were very very good. It was a very relaxing & enjoyable event, we even managed to go a bit further as we arrived at the pub a bit early. Oh and yes did get very wet but that wasnt from falling in. I think this event was very good vale for money and would recommend it to other people, I dont think it could be improved."
RAMBLE DANGLE AND SCRAMBLE JULY 10
"This was probably my favourite Spice event to date. Fabulous scenery, interspersed with challenging, but fun activities during a relaxing ramble with great company and entertaining, professional facilitators. Pretty much perfect to be honest."
MAKE A HAT IN A DAY JUNE 10
"The hat making day was a great success. Five of us went and the location was splendid. Louise was delightfully charming and very good at sharing her time between us teaching us the various techniques we needed. In truth it took me back to my childhood dress up box which entertained me and my little pals for hours, pretending to be ladies - since then I have always loved hats and am still pretending to ber a lady, so the day was perfect for me.
Like all true magpies we were drawn to the miriad of coloured materials and shiny things - beads, bows, buttons, feathers all available for us to play with - and did we play! We didn't know which box of goodies to raid first - buttons, ribbons, mini top hats - it was like entering a secret world full of pretties.
The whole day was a delight, Having tried on every hat in the place we set about 'creating' and each of us came home with a hat and a fascinator, one girl made a gorgeous hat for her son's wedding the rest of us were on less of a mission, one is going to a Mad Hatter themed do and she is sure to win a prize for her creation, another wanted a more functional but very flattering red cloche which could easily be mistaken for store bought. I just played to the wilder side of my nature and adorned my Ascot hat and made a boy George type thing with detachable feather adornment and a black cloche with more attachments. by the end of the day we had bonded - literally as glue guns were involved and were tickled pink - as feathers were in abundance too.
We had a delightful sandwich lunch provided by Louises husband - coffee and tea was supplied regularly, wine was available and I cannot remember having a more delightfully girlie day and it was all the more satisfying as we took home our wares which, unlike those Blue Peter efforts of yore, were real functioning hats with no sign of a toilet roll inner or drinking straw. The pleasure was palpable as we played in the showroom and ooh'd and ah'd at each other and as with all typical women we were united in our mission to be fab - and we were truly just that by the end of the day, triumphant and very content.
A truly inspiring day - I am now in my hat phase and long may it continue - I will go back as soon as Louise has recovered enough to offer another day in 'hat heaven'.
" What a fantastic day, great teacher, great company!! To start Louise was understandably nervous with it being her first class....but it went well, such a great success.She was always there and happy to help as we made our creations. Ever flowing coffee and tea, pastries and lunch provided by Louise's husband David was also a great addition to the class.We all came away with a hat and other creations such as fascinators. Would most definitely recommend this to others...great day for a great price"
"We had a wonderful day, both my daughter (Faye) and I really enjoyed it. Louise was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Facilities/supplies were very good, with plenty of tea/coffee, and an excellent light lunch. Extremely good value for money and definitely recommend this to others. The number in the group was well balanced - I think this type of workshop works well for small groups. Many thanks"
WHITBY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND MAY 10
"We enjoyed our weekend in Whitby enormously. Steve was his usual fabulous self and the other Spicers were really good company. The walks were varied and interesting and, although the weather could have been better, Spice has no control over that! We did think that the hotel, particularly the food, could have been better and it certainly was not up to the standard of hotels on the previous Spice weekends we have enjoyed.
"Enjoyed the Whitby weekend very much, well organised as ever by Steve"
"An excellent weekend,one of the best I've done with Spice. Really good value for money,hotel well run and not fazed by large groups, location ideal. Steve has really done his stuff to ensure that everyone can enjoy the rambles, whatever their ability, and always has plan B up his sleeve for those who need it. The routes were well chosen, included charming villages, steam train stations, pretty woodlands and valleys, cliff top walks, lovely beaches, wild moorland ( not all on the same day !) but the three days included all that variety. The Dracula tour was great fun, the cold wild night added atmosphere, and we all enjoyed running up and down dark alleyways in the company of our jovial and informative guide. A large group , some regular weekenders and some first timers, everyone gelled thanks to Steve's TLC. I would certainly recommend the event and will be booking more of the same."
"Had a great time. Steve did a fantastic job organising it all. Eveything was good. Hotel walks & all the other spice members all great. Would definitely recommend the wkend to others. Excellant value for money. Steve's relaxed manner helped everything flow smoothly. He made sure everyone was looked after and included as much as they wanted to be and ensured a very happy atmosphere. so thanks I had a fab time!"
KAYAKING FOR BEGINNERS
"Just to say this was an excellent day and the team at Youth Afloat made it very helpful for novices like myself. Would definitely recommend it."
"The event was really lovely. The instructors were very helpful and the weather certainly helped. Despite their best endeavours, I still am unable to move in a straight line! The venue was easy to find and equipment was good. I would recommend this event to other SPICER's, especially beginners (so the title of the event is accurate!). One thing I would add is for attendees to bring straps to keep glasses on if they wear them as the centre could not provide this facility. There were no capsizes (although I came close) and I'd imagine that if one did capsize that glasses would probably not stay on..."
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DOWSING WORKSHOP MAY 10
"Just a brief note to let you know how fascinating and enjoyable the Dowsing Workshop was with Bob! Such a wealth of knowledge – he and Julia conducted the day in such a way that it flew by and we learnt so much and came away really confident and inspired.
"Bob and Julia’s workshop was really good; I learnt a lot. Could we please have their Soul Journey workshop? "
SILVER JEWELLERY MAKING WORKSHOP APRIL 10
"Karolyn and I had no idea what to expect when we went to the studio on Saturday. We had a great morning with Anwar who called me Dave all morning as that was what was on the list for me! She was very bubbly and encouraged us all to use our imagination to design our own pendant. There was a lot of banter and seemed to be no time limit.The results were wonderful and everyone's was very different. All were very professional looking and very wearable.
We would both love to do the event again and thought it was great value for money"
"The teacher was very enthusiastic and we had a lot of fun. I enjoyed the event very much, but don't think I will make further items at home as a kit is needed and I don't think I am particularly creative.Good value we all came away with a nice piece of silver jewellery, a pendant complete with chain, ready to wear. I would recommend it particularly to those who are artistic, although it was fine for the novice too".
DRUMMING WORKSHOP APRIL 10
"I am glad to say this event was exciting, enthralling and well worth the money it cost; and I cannot remember offhand how much that was.
The supplier was excellent, committed, supportive and educating and I enjoyed his company. I would and will recommend this event to others.
The facilities were exceptional as I anticipated that we would all stand around whilst watching others have a turn. In fact everyone had a complete set of drums to themselves and remaind totally involved throughout.It would be nice if Spice were able to arrange follow up events for those of us who have little time or facilities for owning a set of drums. But all in all; great event"
WORLDS WACKIEST RACES APRIL 10
"It was completely bonkers, brilliant fun and I'd definitely recommend it. The group of 6 I was in were all a good giggle and we were the noisiest!! Don't know whether you were aware but it was the first time they'd held it at Northampton and we were the first group to take part. We were also very lucky because got a go in all vehicles as the office developed a smoking problem so we got a go in the shed as well (bedecked with fresh flowers!) and as recompense also got a go in the office once it was back up and running. Office definitely felt the fastest on the track! Highlight - got to be all 6 in the bed waving at anything that moved in the road, on the path or in gardens as we drove to and from Horton village. Was hilarious and goodness knows what the villagers thought. Supplier was very good and to be recommended as it was co-ordinated well by them. I'd definitely recommend to others as its one of those events that SPICE is all about ie doing something you'd never get round to organising yourself and a bit off the wall!!"
"How can I sum this event up......Fantastic!! Haven't laughed so much in ages...our all girly group were the loudest there Being driven round the track in a motorised sofa, desk and shed (our treat because the desk started smoking on our turn, it was fixed and we had another chance later on) was great. Driving the double-decker cars with no hands was fun (I was in the bottom car working the pedals). To top this off being driven down the country lanes...6 of us in bed with Edd (Edd China) was brilliant, the look on people's faces in oncoming cars was priceless.The staff at Northampton were really helpful and friendly. Worth every penny to get the chance to be driven round in motorised furniture. Didn't realise this was the first day that Northampton had put on this event...they did a great job, it was brilliant."
MACBETH IN A DAY MARCH 10
"What a fabulous day full of fun and laughter but with sense of achievement at the end of it. After a frustrating start trying to find the venue, Paul soon had us relaxed and on the move with the warm-up games.This really broke the ice and we began to get to know each other and were able to name each other. The games helped us to rid ourselves of our inhabitions so we were able to throw ourselves into the acting in the afternoon.Having being given our parts we rehearsed in groups initially blocking our moves ourselves. Then Paul worked will each group polishing our ideas and adding extras until it became a polished piece.We of course were not able to do the whole play but what we produced did give a flavour of the play. Paul did not let us watch the whole thing until we performed to the audience which enabled us to see each other fresh and really appreciate the whole experience.
Fabulous event and I cannot praise it enough. If you are new to Spice it is a fantastic event as by the end of it you will know at least 20 other members. Paul was a fantastic director - and can we do another Shakespeare play again soon!"
"Another good event, thank you Spice :-)
Was fun and got to practise Shakespeare and was good to work with some 'professionals'. Expensive for what was delivered, especially without lunch and only a little personal attention, so I may not do it again for those reasons, but as always, overall, I enjoyed the day and the guest and audience I bought along loved it too."
"The day was fantastic. The man teaching us was very good, took us through exercises, gave us useful tips on acting and helped us prepare our scenes for the performance in the afternoon. I enjoyed it greatly and would do anything else that you could arrange for this man to do"
"The most fabulous event, best ever! Thank you, Spice. The day was fast moving, charismatically and professionally managed, with lots of laughs and everyone fully engaged all of the time. We got a real taste of the exercises a new Shakespeare cast is put and some in acting skills, before being directed and put to the test ourselves. On stage just 3 hours from casting!"
PRAGUE WEEKEND MARCH 10
"I thought the long weekend in Prague was one of the best I have ever done (I have been on 4 of these city breaks so far). They never fail to disappoint. The length of time is just perfect and the hotels are always of a good quality and everyone seems to have a great time.
Richard did a great job standing in for Maggie at the last minute. I think because so many of us are 'regulars' to these breaks, we have now got used to the format, and need a few things organised by the co-ordinator to begin with, before we find our way around and organise ourselves into interest groups. The bus tour that was organised before hand was excellent and the guide took us off the bus to really look around the various parts of Prague and give us a taste of what we wanted to go back and see in more detail later.
All I can say is keep offering us these weekend breaks and you can't fail. There are a new wave of people who missed some the first time, and others who could not do them first time, so some repeats would be welcome. I am looking to book Krakow myself, but would also be interested in Riga if you ever wanted to repeat it. The only criticism I have is that many of the flights could actually be done from Birmingham. It is really difficult to get lifts to East Midlands, particularly if the flight is early in the morning. I think it would be well worth paying a bit extra to fly from Birmingham. Keep up the good work "
"Had a fantastic time in Prague, great city with brilliant company, everybody mixed together and all got on along really well. Was great to see some old familiar faces from previous weekends away and events. Crammed a lot into the four days including a group of us some of us Spice memebrs hunting, discovering and visiting the Sex Machine Museum...highly recommended. Included in the price was a view of a pornographic film filmed in 1925....something to remember for along time!! I tell you the guy didn't look a patch on Lee Mead !! My heart throb but unfortuantely he is spoken for. Certainly would recommend the weekend to anyone and it certainly was great value for money. Richard was great and was always around if needed, and not letting anyone feel left out."
"Really enjoyed my trip to Prague. The Co-Ordinator was good (got to say that haven't I or else I'll get the boot!). (It was Richard!)
"There was something there for everyone and thought it was a good idea for Richard to have a set time, both morning and evening, to suggest ideas for any outings. No one was left out unless they chose to "opt out".The location of the hotel was fine as it was near to the tramlines and not too far to walk if one wanted to. A good choice of food at the buffet breakfast.I thought the event was about right as far as the cost goes and yes I would recommend it to others."
MIDLANDS THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE MAR 10
"I enjoyed the 3 Peaks walk very much, the weather was absolutely perfect so it would have been virtually impossible not to! Steve Dell is a very experienced walk leader and is always cheery and approachable and very good at keeping the group together and "engaged". Personally, I would have expected the routes to be a little more challenging as suggested by the title of the event but I appreciate that it made the experience very "do-able" for a range of ages and abilities.I have raised some sponsorship which will be sent in when I have collected all the pledges."
"The Three Peaks Challenge around the Clent, Malvern and Lickey hill was a brilliant day out. Everyone was in the spirit for charity and managed to tackle the three hills. We had great weather which made the day better. The trip was well organised and Steve rounded it off niceley with a Buffet and some music to relax at the end of it. "
"I booked this event months ago. In the days prior to it I was definately not looking forward to it .... 3 big hills !! On the day there was beautiful sunny weather, a luxury coach and Steve, as always, a conscientious and fun co-ordinator. The hills were no problem at all ! especially the last one, the Lickeys, that had an ice cream van at the top. The cost was appropriate for the event, with 2 charities benefitting.I would definately recommend this event to others and would definately do it again myself. My only suggestion would be to start the Malverns from the very bottom "
"Love these challenges and this proved to be a really enjoyable one. As aways Steve had planned and organised it perfectly, even the weather! The venue at the end was lovely and so was the buffet. A great way to support two worthy charities - and we got certificates too!"
"Had a fantastic time yesterday, lovely weather, lovely people, lovely places, great guide - what more can I say?"
"A little tired and sore from yesterday but it was a wonderful and enjoyable day. The coach was quite luxurious and arrived on time for pick-ups. Steve was helpful, friendly and considerate and unflagging in his efforts to keep us all going. It was more enjoyable than I had expected and I met several very nice new people. It was good to do a walk, get back on the coach and then do another - quite a change from the usual one long walk. I suppose it seemed quite expensive but if you take into account the money raised for charity and the very nice buffet at the end of the day, it was worth it and I would definitely recommend it and would do it again. For me, who attends most events on her own and hates to drive long distances alone, this was ideal."
"I thoroughly enjoyed it - the weather was lovely - don't know how Steve gets that on his side - and the walks up the peaks were really good. We were quicker than expected but the final venue accommodated that and the buffet was nice and the bar reasonable. We seem to have raised a reasonable amount of money for the charities and it was fun doing it. What more can you ask? Would definitely do something like this again."
MACBETH IN A DAY - MAR 2010
"What a fabulous day full of fun and laughter but with sense of achievement at the end of it. Paul soon had us relaxed and on the move with the warm-up games.This really broke the ice and we began to get to know each other and were able to name each other. The games helped us to rid ourselves of our inhabitions so we were able to throw ourselves into the acting in the afternoon.Having being given our parts we rehearsed in groups initially blocking our moves ourselves. Then Paul worked will each group polishing our ideas and adding extras until it became a polished piece.We of course were not able to do the whole play but what we produced did give a flavour of the play. Paul did not let us watch the whole thing until we performed to the audience which enabled us to see each other fresh and really appreciate the whole experience. Fabulous event and I cannot praise it enough. If you are new to Spice it is a fantastic event as by the end of it you will know at least 20 other members. Paul was a fantastic director - and can we do another Shakespeare play again soon!"
"Another good event, thank you Spice. Was fun and got to practise Shakespeare and was good to work with some 'professionals'. Expensive for what was delivered, especially without lunch and only a little personal attention, so I may not do it again for those reasons, but as always, overall, I enjoyed the day and the guest and audience I bought along loved it too."
"The day was fantastic. The man teaching us was very good, took us through exercises, gave us useful tips on acting and helped us prepare our scenes for the performance in the afternoon. I enjoyed it greatly and would do anything else that you could arrange for this man to do."
"The most fabulous event, best ever! Thank you, Spice. The day was fast moving, charismatically and professionally managed, with lots of laughs and everyone fully engaged all of the time. We got a real taste of the exercises a new Shakespeare cast is put and some in acting skills, before being directed and put to the test ourselves. On stage just 3 hours from casting!"
FIRE EATING WORKSHOP FEB 2010
"Fire eating was absolutely fabulous..... the whole day was a complete surprise ... from lying on the floor listening to bird songs and gentle waves...to swigging mouthfuls of white spirit. A brilliant day no one will be disappointed... one of the 50 things you should do before retiring! I cant thank you enough!"
"What a thrill ! Bob the Fire Eater’s teambuilding events in the morning really broke the ice – one in particular with 16 strangers rolling on top of each other – what can I say! In the afternoon we got down to the real events, (having coated ourselves appropriately in barrier cream of course):
- removing the hairs on our arms (with fire brands);
- putting the firebrands out inside our mouths and then
- “flame throwing” by spraying white spirit from our mouths onto firebrands !!!!
It’s a long day (finished around 5.15 p.m.), but at this time of year the light was going and the firebrands were all the more spectacular.
A word of warning if you do the event in February – it’s absolutely freezing cold – wrap up really warm!!!!
Everyone came away with a real sense of achievement – another event to chalk up on the success board. Thanks for the opportunity
" I loved the fire eating workshop, where else could someone get to do something so whacky with complete strangers at a reasonable cost and local to where i live, with an excellent teacher. A perfect example of spice at its best,where you learn soemthing, do something different and exciting, are welcomed by strangers and put your trust in the strangers you are working with and form bonds. Just amazing!
thank you"
SHOOTOUT AND PARTY FOOD AT THE KIDDIES PLAYCENTRE MARCH 2010
"Yes had a great evening thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - it was great being kids again!! The Lady who co-ordinated the event was bubbley and friendly. Thought the event was a little over priced. Yes would recommend to friends. Would have liked an extra laser game - we managed to get in three in all.
Hope this helps.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the Shootout last night. Hazel, the Spice Co-ordinator was very friendly and met me at the door and introduced me to everyone.I have not acted so silly and had so much fun for a long time. I have already recommended it to everyone I have met. The only improvement I could say is more often please"
"This is a great fun event- I wish I had tried it before.We were split into 4 teams of 5. Two teams were let loose on each other to run around the play center and shoot each other. It would be good to mix it up a bit somehow so that we had a go at changing our opposition...not sure how that would be done though. There were some great battles fought out in the dark...all you heard were shreeks and giggles. I got lost in the play center....its really confusing in the dark so Dave had to come and rescue me..how embarrassing. (Must do the navigation course sometime!!)
The food was a great addition and the staff at the center were friendly and very helpful. Quite a few of us went to the pub afterwards which made the event really sociable. I will definitley book this again."
"A good, fun night out. Be happy to do it again and enjoyed the banter and the silliness of it all! It's the kind of event where being pants at it seems to add to the fun - especially when you're never the only one! I'd like to see this advertised more frequently and though on this night the food was appreciated, not sure it's essential - more game time please! How about a range of different games too!"
"I thought the idea of providing the sandwiches, sausage rolls, drinks and the hot dogs was great - otherwise it's a bit of a rush after work and that worked really well - there was just the right amount of food too - perfect! Great evening thoroughly enjoyed!"
NORTH SOMERSET WALKING SOCIAL WEEKEND February 2010
"We had a great time and the weather was also good. Steve gave us a marvellous weekend".
"This was another great walking and social weekend organised by Steve Dell. We could not fault the weekend in any way and would highly recommend it to all other Spicers. We thought it was very good value for money.
It would be difficult to improve the weekend but an alternative to the Saturday walks could be to use the West Somerset Railway to go out to say Watchet to start the walks. This would give a far longer and more interesting ride on the steam train and possibly provide a more interesting morning walk (we found the walk along the coast from Minehead did not offer many changes of view until we turned inland towards Dunster".
"Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, walking good and plenty of choice of what to do, we did all the walks and they were all enjoyable if muddy. Steve knows his audience and had tailored the activity to meet our likely preferences. Hotel very pleasant and food good. The optional curry on Friday was taken up by about thirty I think and yet the restaurant coped better than some do with a table of four! Certainly value for money and the group gelled nicely - another Dell winner."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. The location of the hotel and facilities were excellent, great food. Steve was, as usual, great. The walks were fantastic and matched up to the write up. The quiz was very good. I would definitely recommend this weekend to others. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this weekend. Even the weather was kind to us (no rain)!!!"
"My partner and I are big fans of Steve Dell and his walks and last weekend was excellent. Good hotel, food etc etc and Steve's organisation is always second to none. One of these days I will complete all three walks on Steve's social weekends but the pub stops at lunchtime are so inviting and aching legs difficult to get going again...."
"Had a lovely weekend, well organised and good accommodation; would highly recommend to others".
"It was a great event. The hotel was very good, Steve had the whole weekend well planned (including the weather!) and everyone seemed to have a good time. The event matched up to the write up, it was good value and I’d definitely do it again and also recommend it to others. In fact, I didn’t want to come home!"
POTTERY WORKSHOP January 2010
"This event was excellently run and a really great day out. I thought the value for money was also very good. I would totally recomend this day out."
"I thoroughly enjoyed the pottery workshop yesterday. Liz was fantastic, a great teacher and excellent host. It was a really relaxing day. Liz had chosen styles of pottery that meant we could all make something achievable as well as having a go on the wheel. I would definitely recommend the day to others. Thanks another great Spice event!"
"Yes i really enjoyed it, I liked Liz who did it, she was friendly,.chatty, helpful and encouraging.I thought it was a bit expensive but I"m not sure how much theses things cost. it was a very basic course and mostly involved painting/decorating the clay and we only got 5 minutes each on the wheel,longer would have been nice. although i enjoyed it i felt that liz could have given us more difficult projects to do with the clay as it seemed to test our painting skills rather than pottery,though I do appreciate that people like to come home with a pot.I did say to liz that I would like to do more on the wheel and she said she would contact me regarding this.I would also like to spend a day maybe with a an artist that does other things with clay other than pots, maybe figures or animals, is this callled ceramics rather than pottery ? I would recommend it to others but I would emphasise that it is more about decorating your pot than working with clay.I hope this helps"
"The Pottery Workshop was a brilliant event to do. Liz was really friendly and helpful. Excellent value for money, we all made and decorated 3 different pieces. Would definitely do this one again at some point.
"I thoroughly enjoyed this event and I thought it was very good value for money. Liz Monk is a great Tutor and the venue (a Worcestershire farm, come Craft Gallery, come Pottery workshop…) was beautiful.We all achieved much at this workshop: made platters which we decorated and we all ambitiously created bowls on the potters’ wheel and decorated those too. Mine were the best in class!…….though I would say that wouldn’t I ;o) PS Liz’s Mother makes a fantastic Victoria sponge! "
HOW TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE WITH MEN ! February 2010
"It was a brilliant and really enjoyable workshop! the biggest message for me was giving me hope and appreciation for men -(not that i didnt have any!) but it was great to hear from positive role models like marcus and nick- it makes the gap between men and women smaller when we're able to talk about things that matter to us like this. and i'll try not to cause an accident by making my man do more than one thing!"
"Really enjoyed this event good value, good fun and informative would definately recommend to others. Had a great time."
"The event yesterday was brilliant!!! Marcus and Nick are honest, straightforward, approachable and great fun. The content was relevant and informative.
i felt I learnt a lot and am very happy that I attended.I would recommend the event to everyone More from them please."
HOW TO SELL ON EBAY February 2010
"You were right about this event. It was absolutely brilliant and well worth every penny!"
"Sean is expert in this field and good to have as our teacher. He inspired trust and and was very informative. It would be good to have a session on "How to Buy' first as apparently this is the best was to start on Ebay. He is very quietly spoken so occasionally I did not catch what he said. But this is probably my problem rather than his.I would definitely recommend him to others. He knows what he is talking about."
BELLY DANCING February 2010
"Belly dancing was so good the first time that I came back for more - but boy do you find muscles you never knew you had! Be prepared to giggle as you shimmy".
"I really enjoyed this event, as I have with everyone that I have attended. The following day I discovered that I had muscles where I didn't know muscles were. I am subsequently looking for a weekly belly dancing class. I would be interested in doing an all day workshop as would some of the other ladies whom I spoke to on the day."
Sex & Contraception In 1580 October 09
“Well what a fab night was had talking Queen Lesley who held us all spellbound. She was witty, naughty, risque and then some, absolutely my kind of gal. The notion of her first conquest being in the back of a Ford Zephyr filled me with mirth - lovely bench seats in those Zephyrs - I remember them well, albeit not for the same reason. Imagining her with 'half a lime up her fairy' did bring tears to my eyes but it was even funnier imagining some poor fellow trying to enjoy a dalliance with a lady so equipped. Over the years one acquires many legendary stories about what foreign objects find their way up women's jumpers and having taught in a mental hospital I can confirm that Cindy dolls etc are 'fairy fodder' as are hair grips and biro inserts found inside men - the things we do for lurve eh! Despite being an ardent atheist I do visit churches and will now be looking for a competely different variety of features, seeking out naughty friezes and other 'artistic features' and in the process I will have more joy in the house of God than ever before. The notion of the variety of body lice had me squirming, and not with pleasure, while the strap on hairpiece looked very fetching, I have seen many a toupe that would have served its purpose much better if it had been located in the basement rather than atop a bald pate. One can now imagine in lurid detail what was going on with rather poor prophylactics drying on the line ready for their next encounter. Though I remain unconvinced that they would stay on a lot of boys without those ties. The notion of curing a prolapsed womb by using two mice to scare it back had me in fits, In truth methinks many men do think of the vagina and its vulval vestibule as an alien creature. They use its names derogatorily to abuse each other yet spend as much time as possible trying to clamber back up to the womb.....a safe unchallenging place I guess! Whilst we are sometimes forced to dream of cups of coffee and pieces of toast they plough on regardless with as much intuition as dormant tortoises bless them. It is all jolly good fun but if one has ever been asked the three worst words strung together in an English sentence - 'did you come?' - you know you may as well have gathered up your fairy wig and gone straight for the coffee”
Meeting Your True Soulmate September 09
“I really enjoyed the 'Meeting your true soulmates' workshop. I didn't have any preconceived expectations about the event, so I went in with an open mind. Most of the day was spent doing group tasks which was a fun way of getting to know other people, I found that as equally beneficial as the co-ordinators delivery of the event. Candy started the session with an insight into her experience of being single and subsequently finding her soulmate, I found her open, friendly and with bags of positive energy. Hopefully I now have all the tools in place to meet my soulmate, only time will tell.”
Has Spice Got Talent September 09
“Brilliant evening .Excellent organisation.Just wish there had been afew more chairs as my feet were killing me by the end of the evening”
“A fantastic night for a fantastic cause. All participants were brilliant, I didnt quite understand why some participants got to perform twice and some only once, but the fact they had the courage to get up and perform in front of a panel of judges and a club full of people was awe-inspiring.
Loved them all, a varied variety of talent not just singers, but musicians, comedians and an almost full monty stripper, how brilliant!! Such a shame that the only one thing to spoil it was that a lot of the spicers chose to talk through some of the performances, at one point Maggie did repremand the area where I was stood but it was the audience further back causing all the noise!
All in all a fantastic night, loved the panel of judges even if as Dave Smith said a bit "OTT" but no-one took too much humbridge at the comments and what an excellent winner, Ian Cole, with his chopin piece. When I remember all the nights he played for us on the Paris trip in 2007 in the hotel who would have thought then that 2 years on he would be winning a Spice talent competition! If Spice EVER do this sort of event again (and I hope they do) maybe they should look to use a venue where the audience could actually sit down and concentrate on the acts?”
“What an amazing night, great atmosphere with so many people turning out mid-week. I would certainly recommend it to others. Spice definitely has got talent, they all performed well but Aunt Betty got my vote even though she made my ribs hurt! Lots of money raised for a great cause too. As it appeared to me to be very well organised, I'm not sure there'd be much to improve on other than perhaps, if time permits, the judges could be introduced on stage prior to the show began, so that the whole of the audience is able to see who they are”
“I enjoyed the event the only things I would say would help improve it would be for performers to have a set time some did 1 song others did 2. also it would have helped to have a break part way through as this could have helped to reduce the conversations that were going on during the acts”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the event and thought the comraderie of Spice members really shone through.Those who were brave enough to perform did very well. I felt it was very well organised with so many team members helping out. It was great to support a local worthy charity and I think alot of people felt that. All in all it was an entertaining, fun night out”
“The night was very enjoyable. Was good to see normal every day people show off their talents. A very well organised event and would definately go again and recommend it to others. Only suggestion for improvement would be for more seating next time”
“Really enjoyed this event was very good, well organised and fun. Improvements next time: tape off the area for the green room in advance. (I arrived at 6:45 had a good seat, but was kicked out with others around 7:30 by which time the ground floor seating had gone. It was hard on the feet, when I had been standing on my feet all day) Meal - ok, but slightly on the pricy side. Someone needs to control the noise level, its not fair on the people taking part. Possibly have an interval half way, people can get drinks and natter for ten mins”
“Good atmosphere and the standard was better than I was expecting. Good to be raising money for charities in these hard times I liked the Jam House as a venue but it was a shame that there was some background noise with people talking during some performances”
“Thought the evening was very good and hope you do it again next year. Some of us thought it would be good if the other groups did SPICE has got talent and then we had a National one with an overall winner”
“This was my first event and we enjoyed it very much (nothing to do that I won on the raffle!). It was very good value for money and the acts were alot better than I thought they would be”
“The show was excellent. If the participants had been performing in the Britain’s Got Talent show, I would have put them all through to the final round. The idea of having such a competition was brilliant and it was extremely well organised and run. Congratulations to everybody! The one disturbance was the level of chatter in the room when the performers were on stage which made it hard at times to listen to them, then to hear the judges’ comments. Having said that, though, the whole event was very professional and most enjoyable and I hope it will be repeated. It was a great success and I am full of admiration for the brave participants, the hardworking Spice and Jam House staff and the innovative way in which so much money was raised for a very worthy charity”
“Absolutely brilliant! Best event I have been to in a long time, great talent, fab organisation and just generally a fun night”
“Disappointed the Spice office didn't do an act!” (Not as disappointed as you would have been if we had performed – Ed) “Had a very good night and all in aid of charity”
“I had a really enjoyable night. I hadn't laughed so much in ages, thanks to Aunt Betty and John Matchett. I also looked on in awe at some of the acts and how good they were, considering it was a complete amateur night. Perhaps it should be put on as an annual event. It was really good that whilst having a really good enjoyable night it raised money for charity”
“The compere was excellent.Maybe some spot lights on the judges when they were speaking would have been useful and maybe made more of any impact. It also seemed to finish quite flat - perhaps you could finish with a disco as the room was full and it was only 9.30ish - we old un's can stop out late you know! But overall the event was excellent - 'fraid I can't say that about some of the acts - however, they had the guts to do it - so fair play to them”
“How could we improve this event for next time? I would make a bigger thing about people not talking while the acts are on. Also, I'd probably split it into two sections and have a small break so people can get a drink/have a wee etc without missing any of the acts”
“I came to this event at the last minute and missed the first few acts. I was impressed by the quality of the event in terms of organisation and acts and would certainly attend another 'spice has talent' evening as spice most definitely does have talent!”
“I must say that I thought “Has Spice Got Talent?”was a first-class event. What I enjoyed and admired so much was the professionalism of it all. The performers were excellent and of a very high standard. It was hard to choose a winner. The compere was very experienced and presented the show clearly and delightfully. The judges were well-chosen for their knowledge of show-business and I found their comments on each act relevant and if there was tough criticism, it was kindly said .Everything ran smoothly and all the timing was spot-on. If I had to find fault, it would be that there wasn’t enough seating. I’m sure all those who were standing throughout would have much preferred to have been seated, also that would have enabled people at tables behind standing groups to see. I missed a lot of the action on stage. I would also have preferred the judges to have been visible to everyone. I do hope you will repeat this event sometime. It is a wonderful way to raise money for charity and at the same time, give members the opportunity to see some amazing hidden talent!”
"Thoroughly enjoyed Has Spice Got Talent? and hope it will become an annual event. Thought the guide of a fiver was a good idea for entrance as it was wasn't too much to put off the less well-off but was enough to generate a reasonable donation. Only shame was a minority who lacked the respect to keep quiet during the acts. Maybe an interval would have given these people an opportunity to have a natter”
“It was a great night and I do hope it was the start of a new Spice tradition!”
It’s A Knock Out Challenge September 09
“What a great event, had a fantastic time and a good laugh, even got a good suntan, i now glow in the dark!”
"The Knockout weekend was absolutely fantastic. Really well organised, brilliant weather and lots of laughter and fun. Graham Fisher's team were brilliant in making this event superb. The event was good value if you stayed camping & the party afterwards and access to the polo fun day. I would definitely recommend it. One of the downsides i found was that the event was over too quickly. Lots of people to cater for, but if i recall the entire games were wapped up in 2.5 hours. A great job was done on the toilet front... if it weren't for the fact they stopped working early in the evening and therefore in the morning were a place to avoid! All in all, i would definitely go again!”
“Loved it. The Best Fun. In the past had always avoided Team Games - though I cannot express how thoroughly I enjoyed this event. I was a member of a Wonderful team - supportive, kind and great, great company ( do think I left my Dignity at home though!) Well organised and great Suppliers. Many thanks - am still smiling xx”
“What a great event. The games were a good mix and lots of fun. The Graham Fisher team were excellent and made the games so much fun, I would definitely do it again. I am still smiling after it. Constructive comments...the toilets for the campers....not good! Smaller teams...not everyone could join in every game. A full day event so that more people could get involved. Once everyone sees the pics you will get lots of takers for next year”
Climbing The Longstone Pinacle Sept 09
“This was a terrific event. Everything went very smoothly, was exactly as discussed in the write up, and the instructor was very good. It was a tad on the pricy side, but an unforgettable experience. The numbers were about right (7), many more and there would have been too much hanging about”
“The rock climbing was a great day out and definately value for money. I liked the fact we didnt just go there and climb we also learnt how to tie the knots, belay etc. Really enjoyed myself even though I had shakey hands and legs of jelly when I got to the top of the Pinnacle. I'd have no hesitation in recommending this event to others. Only suggestion would be to remind people to take £3 in change for the car park"
Fire Eating Sept 09
“The Fire Eating workshop was definitely the best event so far undertaken through Spice, the activities in the morning got everyone relaxed and ready for the actual fire eating itself. Throughout the day the instructor was very good and informative, getting us all fire eating and breathing fire by the end of the day whilst emphasising the safety aspects, so I felt safe throughout.The event was definitely worth the money especially the option ot purchase a dvd of the day and fire brands at the end.I have already recommended to a few people to try it next time it comes around and looking forward to practicing my new party piece for friends and family”.
“2 words . . . Absolutely Brilliant!”
“Fire eating was great...was a bit scary to put fire that close to my face and trust that I would not burn.....what a buzz though when i could do it. Bob is great and makes the day enjoyable...time just flew. I have bought the fire brands and will give it another go just as soon as I stop belching white spirit....lovely...”
“ I really enjoyed the day. It was all I expected it to be and more. It matched the write up perfectly, and the directions were spot on. Excellent value for money, entertaining but with serious attention to safety. The venue was superb. Lots of space indoors and outdoors with great facilities. The co ordinator was excellent in terms of organisation and timing. I would and have recommended this event to others”
“Fire eating was fantastic, I really enjoyed myself and made new friends, the day started off as 11 strangers but we left as a group of friends. The day started off with trust exercises, and we were thinking when will the fire start, but it was such good fun, I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. The event did match up to the write and yes I think it did build up my self confidence. Bob had lots of experience and this proved useful, when we were finding the technique difficult to get to grips with. The day was well worth the money, should of started at 11:00, (but started late, as Bob was late!) but finished at 19:30. On the write up, it stated, any problems give Bob a call on his mobile, only problem was, he doesn't have his mobile phone anymore, so that would of been a pointless call!! It is also worth putting down on the write up, to take some money with yourselves, as Bob offers to sell a pair of fire brands and a DVD of the day. As many individuals didn't have any money with them. Brilliant day just can't wait to see the DVD”
“All in all a wonderful day, that raises ones self confidence to new levels. My partner for the day, was having extreme trouble finding the centre of her mouth, kept hitting her lips or teeth. Hence, she was exceptionally nervous about doing it with the lighted brands. She very nearly went home at one point, but I persuaded her to stay and told her she would be fine. Needless to say when she finally conquered the fire-eating she was dancing round, she was so happy she had stayed”
“Fire-eating really does produce the kind of mental and emotional HIGH that money can't buy. You can quote me on that!”
Frustrated Guitar Workshop October 09
“As a frustrated guitar hero myself I found the course extremely useful as Matthew covered aspects for both intermediates like myself and beginners alike. For example, for over 20 years I have been playing G and D chords incorrectly and he instructed me to play those with different fingering to allow bar chords to be played immediately afterwards more quickly. It gives you an exellent base to take home ideas which you can research and improve your technique and I would recommend it to beginners as Matthew is extremely patient. If Matthew can do an advanced workshop after this I would be very very interested”
“I thought it started slow with a good hour of the 4 being spent on tuning but as time went on there was a clear method to his teaching and I went away accomplishing my first scale in G. Which is much more beneficial than learning one tune without the skills to replicate it or further your development which this tutors method clearly achieved. It was very pleasant to receive tea and biccies before we started and in the break – it reminded me of the tuck shop at school. My only criticism is that there is not a class 2 to take it the next step. Would recommend to a beginner – excellent tutor. 4 hours was a good length of time – anymore and my fingers would have fallen off”
Ramble Dangle And Scramble Sept 09
“The Ramble scramble and dangle was a fantastic event that I fully enjoyed. Mark and Sean were funny but professional hosts and managed to cram a whole host of experiences into the day which was indeed great value for money. I will certainly book this type of event again and am really pleased that I discovered Spice”
“The writeup was very accurate and the instructors were great. We thought the event was good value for money, considering it lasted from 10.am until about 5.pm and was a very fun day out. The only small criticism is that the 'ramble' part of the event could have benefitted from being at a more leisurely pace as it was on a continuous steep gradient for most of the way and a few of us had trouble keeping up! (or maybe we are not as fit as we would like to be!!) It would have been better if Sean had taken into account those with a slower walking pace as we were quite tired after all the climbing, scrambling etc and he was an extremely fast walker... However this is only a very minor criticism. The instructors Mark Fenton and Sean were friendly and had a great sense of humour. They put everyone at ease and were safety concious and professional. In particular, the scrambling and the abseil part was thrilling!! We are now going to book the Mega abseil as we are now hooked! All in all a fantastic experience and we would highly recommend this event to others”
“Mark (and Sean) were their usual professional and fun selves. It was well planned and executed event. It was pitched at the right level too. Excellent day, as all of Fenton's events seem to be”.
Police Dog Training Sept 09
“The Police Dog Handler Talk and Display was a great evening. Steve Dell, who hosted the event was friendly and welcoming. The talk itself was very informative and the Police Dog Handlers were two great guys who were obviously passionate about their dogs and their profession. It was great value for money as food was included-I had forgotten about this and it was very welcome as I had rushed to the event straight from work! I would definitely recommend this event”.
“Interesting event! Probably more suited to earlier in the Summer or during the day as the light was fading by the time the handlers had finished chatting to us and moved onto actually using the dogs. The dogs were brilliant.. amazingly good at what they do! One thing that the handlers told us is that if the dogs are injured by a criminal then the only charge that can be brought is one of criminal damage. This seems very unfair for these brave dogs. Apparently there is a petition on the No. 10 website to try to get more serious charges laid. Could be worth an internet visit!”
“It was absolutely excellent value for money. The food that was supplied was far better than I perceived it was going to be for the price. The policemen were really informative and I found their talk very interesting. It was a shame that we started loosing light and the demonstrations using the dogs had to be a bit rushed. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing”.
“Enjoyed this very much. What a nice venue for future events. Has inspired me to book the Halloween party”
“In no particular order : great value for money, food brilliant, venue easy to find, safe parking, co-ordinator friendly and welcoming, the talk by the police officers was very informative and answered all the questions the audience had, they were friendly and approachable and obviously very knowledgable. Lovely crowd of people there last night as well. Only a slight criticism - I would have liked to see more of the dogs doing their stuff which had to be rushed a bit because of fading light. Nevertheless a fantastic evening”.
