Join us Donate
Richard and Alison, a Port Talbot couple whose seven-year-old son Ethan lives with Dravet Syndrome

Family Weekend 2025

Join us for our annual Family Weekend at Center Parcs.

Our next Family Weekend Away will take place from Friday 13th to Monday 16th June 2025 at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest. Read on for all the details and instructions on how to book!

 

The magic of our Annual Family Weekend Away:

What to expect;

  • An opportunity for those living with Dravet Syndrome to experience a family holiday in a safe and welcoming environment.
  • Plenty of opportunity for parents to meet, unwind and talk with others who really understand what living with Dravet Syndrome means, sharing experiences and knowledge.
  • Activities for siblings to meet, chat and have fun with other youngsters who are in exactly the same position, without having to feel that they need to explain their brother or sisters condition, which so often happens.
  • Two ambulances & medical crews with us onsite for the duration of the weekend, to respond to emergencies. We know that severe, frequent and prolonged seizures mean families affected by Dravet Syndrome need to be close to urgent medical attention at all times.
Although we were nervous at first, from the moment we walked through the doors we were greeted as friends and by the end of the weekend it felt as though we had met family. This is the most positive group who will understand everything you are going through, with no judgemental or negative attitudes, and you will leave with hope, good memories, and a million names to remember for the inevitable return the following year!

How to book

Step 1: Book your accommodation with Center Parcs directly

As part of your booking, you can choose to book accommodation in a centrally-located lodge. Center Parcs have agreed to waive the fee for booking accommodation in the central area, as follows; The free preference for central areas is for medical support (i.e. if you haven’t got a child or adult in your care reliant on medical support and are not part of the medical support yourself, you will not be entitled to the free preference charge).

Booking by phone:

  • Book your lodge by phone and ask for the Reservation Department. The Reservation Department is open from 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday.
  • You can either contact Nicole, Group Co-ordinator, on +44 (0) 20 7666 9139 or the reservation team directly at +44 (0) 20 7666 9012.
  • When booking through the contact centre, guests must advise that they are attending the Dravet Weekend at Sherwood in June 2025. The advisors will automatically offer the free central preference as part of the booking process.

Booking online:

  1. Book your lodge online direct with Center Parcs by clicking here and select a central lodge.
  2. Following making your booking, send a separate email to [email protected] and explain that you have a booking as part of the Dravet Weekend at Sherwood in June 2025. Include your booking reference number. The refund adjustment will be made manually by Center Parcs.

Step 2: Log onto the DSUK family portal to register and apply for our Family Weekend Grant

  1. Make sure you have your Center Parcs booking reference number and bank details to hand.
  2. Log in to your DSUK account using your email address.
  3. Once logged in, you should see a main dashboard. In the side menu, scroll down to ‘Grants’ and then ‘Grant Programmes’.
  4. You should see multiple options for the grants we provide. On this occasion, please select ‘Annual Family Weekend Away Grant’. 
  5. The last step is to input your details. Once completed, you will receive a reimbursement of £400 to your chosen bank account. Further details about our Family Weekend will be shared in the coming weeks.