28th February, 2019
The Sharpham Trust is 100% grateful after receiving some superb feedback from people who have stayed in Sharpham House on mindfulness and meditation retreats.
Visitors who stayed on retreat in Sharpham House in 2018 gave The Trust ratings of 90% and higher for their experience.
And they gave a unanimous 100% for Sharpham House’s setting on a bend in the River Dart, in Devon’s South Hams.
“We are delighted about getting such high ratings from our retreatants, and it’s a real testament to the work everyone at the charity puts in,” said Trust Director Julian Carnell.
“It’s fantastic to be getting above 90% in every category and it’s really encouraging for staff of the Trust, especially those who work in the House.”
The Sharpham Trust runs a variety of mindfulness retreats in Sharpham House, from some aimed at meditation beginners or the more experienced, to others themed with singing, yoga, or walking. There are also retreats for women and for those suffering from stress and burnout.
Retreatants stay from three to five nights full-board, staying in a Grade 1-listed Georgian villa and eating vegetarian food (some of which is sourced from Sharpham’s own organic gardens).
After each retreat, retreatants filled in an evaluation form and gave The Trust ratings on a variety of criteria.
The results were then averaged out to make an overall satisfaction figure.
The ratings for retreats in Sharpham House for 2018 are as follows:
|
Booking |
95% |
|
Reception |
93% |
|
Food |
98% |
|
Staff |
98% |
|
Location |
100% |
|
Comfort |
94% |
|
Value for money |
96% |
|
Accommodation |
93% |
|
Expectations |
90% |
|
Overall |
95% |
Expectations were high – people told The Trust that they thought a stay in Sharpham House would be excellent. And The Trust exceeded those expectations.
Food and Sharpham House staff scored a near-perfect 98%, while the Overall average customer satisfaction of 95% is hugely pleasing to The Trust.
The Sharpham Estate is home to two other retreat venues besides Sharpham House.
The longest-standing retreat venue on the Estate is The Barn, where up to 11 participants live and work in community, meditating, gardening and preparing and eating food. Retreats here are run on Buddhist principles, but are open to all.
The Woodland Campsite hosts nature connection retreats, where participants stay in furnished bell-tents and explore mindfulness in proximity to nature.
On all of Sharpham’s retreats, participants’ food and drink are included in the price and is locally-sourced, freshly-cooked and vegetarian and vegan.