On Saturday, a little while after we got there, we split up into our groups to work on our posters on the theme. My group, led by Greta, first wrote down different ideas about what love is, and then stuck on our decorated version of Matthew 22:37,38, in which Jesus states the most important commandment as, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

After lunch we went for a long walk on Ranmore Common, joined by Peter and Rebecca Catford. The walk lasted rather longer than planned, because we split into two groups at a fork in the path, assuming we’d meet up further along, which wasn’t the case. Nicky’s walkie talkies came in very useful in reuniting the group!

The highlight of the weekend for many of us was the night walk through the graveyard! Richard Marsden and William Schweppe came armed with Halloween masks and had to suffer the predictable jokes about looking scarier without them. Emma Haines disappeared early on in the walk and we spent the whole time terrified that she would jump out on us at any moment. Unfortunately, her “perfect” hiding place turned out not to be on our route and her scary moment never materialised.

Back at the church we settled down for hot chocolate drinks and our traditional midnight feast – sweets, chocolate, crisps and more chocolate! No one got much sleep. Jo Abell decided to have a sing-along at midnight, and Richard talked in his sleep most of the night!

On Sunday we joined Leatherhead church for their morning service. Each group presented the work they had done the previous day to the congregation, and we all sang a song that Njeri had taught us about love making the world go round. We also borrowed Peter’s idea from the eagle service, and invited the congregation to write the name of someone close to their heart. We collected the names during the song and stuck them on two giant hearts prepared by Shell Club and Activ8. The service went very well and Dad said that people had commented on how well the children got on with each other, how close we seemed , and that it was obvious we had all grown up together.

The finale of the weekend was the lunchtime meal with all the parents who had come to collect their children and look at our work.

We arrived back home at about two in the afternoon and Evan was so exhausted he went straight to bed and slept for four hours, which he has never done in his life before! James said he wished it could be Shell Club weekend away every week, and I agreed. It was great fun.