McCoCo 2023 … 4-day CCI Residential
Wiston Lodge, Lanarkshire, 37 miles south-west of Edinburgh, Thursday 27th April to Monday 1st May 2023
Bookings are open!
Latest news at Monday 31st October 2022
We have booked Wiston Lodge again, for the 24th McCoCo to take place as usual over the long Bank Holiday weekend around May 1st, 2023.
Price reduction… of sorts: This year’s price increase is about 3% lower than current UK price inflation.
Please book soon, and here’s why:
- If you leave it….you might find it’s full up! Last time we came close to being fully booked. Secure your place now.
- You will have a better chance of any accommodation requests being met.
- You’ll help secure the event:
Dear wonderful co-counsellor:
You are warmly invited to this annual spring residential in Scotland.
This will be the 24th McCoCo, and once again we have booked Wiston Lodge, an attractive venue that suits a co-counselling event perfectly: peaceful seclusion from the outside world, good workshop spaces in a beautiful and characterful house, and very lovely and extensive grounds where you can roam in nature.
Inclusiveness
Many people love both the venue and the event, and so return each year. Nevertheless each group that forms on that first Opening Circle is a new group, where we continue to discover ourselves and each other. It is therefore our goal to bring a culture of inclusiveness to our group: you are welcome here whether you are from Scotland, England, Europe, or from much further afield, subject to COVID rules.
And, you’re equally welcome here if you’re feeling out of touch with co-counselling, or a total novice or an old-hand.
The structure will follow that of many other CCI events:
- We’ll have a morning Opening Circle when we will co-create the programme as we move through the 4-day event.
- Anyone may offer or request a workshop.
- You’ll have the opportunity to be in a support group that meets for an hour each day, with the same people in it.
- Workshops may be co-counselling only, or non-co-counselling
- There will be space for you to express yourself creatively though dance, music, art, writing, or whatever you choose.
VENUE EXCLUSIVITY: We usually have exclusive use of the venue. Occasionally the venue have another smaller group who sleep in cabins across the field, and who do not use our common spaces except at some of the meals. They are usually teenagers doing outward-bound type things and we’ve hardly noticed their presence.
NUMBERS: Minimum 25, max probably around 30 – 35.
Drugs
ALLOWED: tea, coffee, caffeine, prescription drugs, nicotine as long as smoking is outside the building (Smokers: please see note below).
NOT ALLOWED: Alcohol; any drug that is illegal to consume in the UK.
SMOKERS: Please be mindful that smoking outside can result in smoke residing in the lungs being brought into the shared indoor space: please be careful with timing etc of smoking.
Workshop Spaces
There are great workshop spaces for us to do our thing: private, comfortable and quiet. See Gallery #1
The Building
The building is an old former hunting lodge with great character and convenient spaces for us. See Gallery #5 Accessibility: the building’s age and design mean that unfortunately it is not suitable for those who cannot use stairs. We’re sorry for any disappointment.
The Grounds
52 acres of woodlands, streams and peaceful lawns help us keep in touch with nature. See Gallery #2
Sleeping Accommodation
Whilst the sleeping accommodation comprises large rooms that will sleep 2 to 8 people, it’s very likely that there will be 2 – 3 per room, and a maximum of 4 per room. This year we may be using the lovely cabins too (yippee!).
Camping
You may sleep in your tent: the camping field is just a few minutes (maybe 2 or 3 minutes) from the house.
The Surrounding Area
The surrounding area is one of rolling countryside. Behind the Lodge is the impressive Tinto Hill that some of like to walk up.
This is the 24th McCoCo
daytime workshop slots over 4 days, plus evenings and early mornings
acres (22 hectares) of beautiful grounds to explore and enjoy
A beautiful encounter with beautiful beings in a breath-taking place. Lovely staff – thank you.
Neil C.
Food
The food will be wholesome and lovingly prepared by the great folks at Wiston Lodge. The default is vegetarian, but lots of options (e.g.meat, fish,vegan) will be available. See the booking form for full info.
Accommodation Before and After
If you are arriving in the area before the event, or staying on afterwards, we’ll try and help you find a co-counsellor to stay with. Please contact Mick, who may be able to help: contact
Visit Scotland
14.1 million people can’t be wrong!
That’s right, lots and lots of people visit Scotland each year, outnumbering locals by almost 3:1. Whether it’s for the art galleries of Glasgow, Edinburgh Castle, the rolling countryside of the Lowlands, or the moors, mountains and lochs of the Highlands and Islands, you could extend your stay before or after McCoCo and enjoy Scotland in the springtime.
Ready to book?
Are you
- old or new?
- rusty or smooth+shiny?
- seasoned or rookie?
Remember, the only capacities that you need to be able to do co-counselling are to:
- Give Free Attention in sessions and workshops
- Be responsible for your own balance of attention
- Keep to the ground rules
- Be able able to refuse a request to give a certain intervention if you don’t want to give it
I’ve had great times at this residential in workshops, in social time and wandering in the beautiful grounds. Roll on, next May!
Richard Charles
The Team
… organising McCoCo 2023
Thanks for visiting this site, and we hope you’ll join us in April/May 2023 for a great residential. Lilian, Mick, Richard Charles and Vicki Click here see our comments and lovely pics
COVID
You may then only attend if your test is negative.’
2022 COVID policy: we are deciding this at the moment. Please get in touch directly with us if you need to know this urgently.
INTERNATIONAL
BOOKING
Examples: Last year someone cancelled for family reasons a few days before the event and they got much of their money back. Someone else cancelled a few hours before the event and the venue said it was too late to give a refund.