We’re already mid-way through September and suddenly the 2025 reunion has already been and gone! And what a fantastic day it was. Reunions are always incredible days filled with connection, love and happiness and Saturday was no different.
In total, 113 former clients arrived at Broadway Lodge along with three more who were cooking and serving Caribbean cuisine which went down a storm. We were lucky to have enjoyed dry and sunny weather for the majority of the day even though showers were forecast.
Many staff members agreed that this year’s reunion seemed to feel particularly enjoyable and special. It was wonderful to see so many former clients looking so well and loving their time back at the Miracle Mansion™. There were some happy tears too, from ex-clients feeling a surge of emotion as they arrived.
The new finish at 6pm instead of the usual 5pm, allowed Markkus and the team to cram in more than ever and nothing felt too rushed, the afternoon flowed smoothly. Some of the new additions this year was the sale of hoodies and t-shirts at Broadway Lodge and raffling sessions with limited spaces which were Wendy’s sound bath, Dawne’s meditation, reiki with Mags and Indian head massage with Annie. In addition, a current client played a short electric guitar piece of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ in Chrissy’s drumming circle (which our local MP, Dan Aldridge, took part in), and later on, Harriet held a drama workshop. A memorial tree was added in the tent, covered in fairy lights for people to leave a handwritten tribute to friends and loved ones who are no longer with us which was a beautiful feature.
We welcomed people who travelled internationally. Peter, who stayed at Broadway Lodge in 1991 with a fellow reunion guest, Bette, flew in with his wife all the way from Arizona to join us! Peter kindly agreed to share his story with two fellow ‘old timers’ at the start of the reunion.
Markkus closed the day with a clean time countdown and we worked out that the total recovery time of people at Broadway Lodge on Saturday was an incredible 523 years and three months, wow!!
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who made the journey to come back to Broadway Lodge to celebrate recovery. We very much look forward to our 2026 reunion for another enormously special and joyous day of celebration.
Staff at the reunion with our local MP, Dan Aldridge (centre)
