Atsitsa Bay 2015 highlights so far ...

Atsitsa Bay has been in full swing for 7 fantastic weeks so far. There has been an abundance of singing, dancing, games, laughter, sharing and memories. We would like to send a massive thanks to all of the participants who have kept Atsitsa alive and bringing a new holiday experience to every session. We have gathered together just a snippet of the 2015 Atsitsa Bay highlights to share from the past 7 weeks.
If this gives you itchy feet then there is still time to book onto our holidays by calling the office on 01983 86 55 66 or email office@skyros.com.

With best wishes
The Skyros Team
Isle of Wight

Amazing Feedback from Inspired Participants

‘It felt like Christmas every morning, you never knew what form the class was going to take, but it was always a treat. I absolutely loved it.’ G.S - Kent


‘Wonderful! Living in Hutland was like living in Edens Paradise!’ C.A - Sweden

‘Am so very pleased that I decided to come here, one of the most memorable holidays I've ever had.’ A.M - Ireland

‘This has been a fantastic experience that I would highly recommend to others. Thank you all. I will definitely be back’ H.T - Gloucestershire

Olympic Games: Greeks VS Trojans

In true Greek style, Marina and Steve battled to the end in the Olympic games, Greeks VS Trojans. Frightful games of apple bobbing, 'over-and-under' with Lemonos Biggus, sacred ritual dancing and rock, paper, scissors were held until the final dual between Marina-the-Greek and Steve-the-Trojan was held in intense suspense. Steve's black Trojan pants could not distract the mighty Marina and the Greeks cheered in victory. All followed by a friendly glass of wine at the bar.

Generous donations to the Skyros Fund Support

We have had some wild things up for auction this year to raise money for the Skyros Support Fund. Steve Attridge's black Trojan pants, motorcycle rides around the island with Takis the chef, surprise serenades from the work scholars and many wonderful retreats, massages, hugs, acting lessons, positive emails, influential quotes and more from our participants. Massive thanks to all the donations, we will soon be announcing the final amount raised.

Traditional Greek concert in an open-air amphitheatre

Participants and staff stumbled upon an amphitheatre full of local musicians preparing for an intimate open air concert of traditional Greek music. The music performed was in the Smyrneiko and Peireotiko-rebetiko style. The instruments included bouzouki, guitar and baglama. They were soon joined by around 300 locals and together they enjoyed the emotive almost operatic performance that took place.

Puppies to be re-homed

'On the 10th June, walking from Atsitsa to Skyros Town, a group of us found three abandoned pups, only days old, eyes still closed.' So far an amazing £1,100 has been raised to vaccinate these puppies and get their EU puppy passports so they can be re-homed safely in the UK. A huge thank you to Rachael Lockey for taking these puppies into her care and thank you to all those who have donated to the cause. 

What will we be up to in the Public Speaking sessions at Atsitsa in Skyros in August?

We’ll begin by removing the word ‘public’ from public speaking. We can replace it later if we’d like to, but as it’s the ‘public’ part of speaking that creates anxiety for most people – statistically, public speaking is the 2nd biggest fear in the US after being in a plane crash – let’s remove what is, we will discover, an unnecessary pressure.  The beautiful Atsitsa is one of the most relaxing places on the planet, so let’s go with that flow and relax and have fun.

Relaxing is actually fundamental to the workshop because when we relax we can deepen our breathing and increase our resonance – the 2 things that are going to give our voice natural power and a sense of ease.  It’s not about forcing yourself to be louder or clearer or ‘projecting’ your voice, but finding and harnessing your own vocal resilience and nuance.

Playing is one of the main ways we achieve this – not only does ‘play’ help us release tension and gauge what works for us vocally, it also helps engage our imagination, so that we discover what the words we speak really mean to us as individuals.  When we allow ourselves to let our imagination run free and visualise the multiple meanings that a word or sentence can contain, we begin to speak with the authenticity and colour that we associate with powerful communicators.

And what tools and exercises will we be using during the workshops?  We’ll be moving our bodies, and relaxing and ‘listening’ to them; working collectively and singly; whispering and possibly shouting and singing; exploring poems and jokes and prose and making the words they contain our own.  All the time we’ll be taking inspiration from the nature surrounding us at Atsitsa and from the energy that springs from taking the time to focus on ourselves and on our unique powers of communication.

Whether you would like to improve your performance of presentations, be more confident reading/speaking to a group or even hanker to act, these sessions will enable you to experience that the ability to be a confident communicator is an inherent skill that can be nourished and enjoyed, adding confidence to a multitude of situations that will enhance many areas of your life.

In summary: 

FUN+RELAXING+PLAYING+FREE = SPEAK!

Tiana Harper is a director, producer, performer and tutor and trained in actor training at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

Public Speaking sessions at Atsitsa Bay, Skyros will be held during the holidays running from 23rd-30th August and 30th August-5th September 2015.

'Although I didn't know it at the time, the workshop with Tiana at Skyros learning how to speak better publicly would prove invaluable later at work when having to write and deliver training videos for the IT I was developing. Normally quite a dry subject, Tiana's ways of working with a script and rehearsing the way of delivering it injected interest and was voted the best amongst those created. 

Coupled with the simple but effective warm-up routines Tiana taught us, I can guarantee that anybody who goes to one of her practical and well-thought out workshops will come out a better and more confident speaker.'
Richard Leach - Skryos Public Speaking participant, 2015

The Skyros Centre opens this weekend : Writers' Lab, Life Choices and the Art Studio!

The Skyros Centre is opening this weekend with three fabulous facilitators to kickstart the season! We have the amazing Deborah Levy, Ilene Sawka and Juliette Smith running courses for this first week and then other inspiring facilitators joining us for two week holidays thereafter. Take a look below to find out more about what's on offer on our next 2 week holiday beginning 26 July. Work with experienced authors, life coaches and artists and explore your creativity and expand your potentials. 

Don't miss your opportunity to holiday on the picturesque island of Skyros and enjoy its traditional Greek culture along with good wine, delicious food and sunshine. Book online here or call the office on 01983 86 55 66 or email office@skyros.com for more information.

With best wishes, 
The Skyros Team
Isle of Wight

Writers' Lab: Mez Packer
Mez is author of Among Thieves and The Game is Altered and an Associate Senior Lecturer at Coventry University. In her course she will focus on structure, character, plot and voice looking at how to keep the reader wanting more. Mez has varied writing interests from scripts for apps and transmedia projects to short stories, which have appeared in various literary magazines.

Life Choices programme: Ari Badaines
Ari is an American clinical psychologist and has been a Skyros facilitator since 1982. Ari uses a variety of approaches including psychodrama and gestalt therapy to help people gain new awareness and experience more satisfying ways of being. He received a post-doctoral Fellowship with the National Inst. of Mental Health in Washington, DC where he trained in group psychotherapy. He also spent two years training as a Couple and Family Therapist.

The Art Studio: Amanda Davidson
Amanda was inspired by her tutor Raymond Briggs, best known for his story The Snowman, to become a children's book author and illustrator. As a successful mural artist, Amanda has worked for school projects, conservation groups and architects. Amanda adores teaching; it comes naturally along with her artistic flair. Fine tune your powers of observation by working with paint, pastel and pen. Still-life, landscape and figure drawing will be covered.

Flights and Multiple Holiday Discounts
Ryanair is offering up to 30% off flights in order to 'Keep Greece Flying' and it's worth reading this article here. Ryanair flights are from £29.99 leaving London Stansted and arriving in to Athens throughout the summer. Their offer ends today!

If you take more than one holiday in Greece with Skyros this summer and you will receive a multiple holiday discount. This is a double Friend of Skyros discount equating to £100 off a one week and £150 off a two week holiday. Book your second, third, fourth holiday at our Atsitsa or Skyros Centre and you will receive the multiple holiday discount for every additional Greek holiday booked.

Contact us
If you would like more information about any of our holidays we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

phone: +44 (0)1983 86 55 66   

email: office@skyros.com

Online chat: www.skyros.com 

Book your place now at the Skyros Centre

Holidays at the Skyros Centre in the beautiful, unspoilt village of Skyros in Greece are just about to begin. Atsitsa, our other holiday centre on Skyros island, has been running since the beginning of June and we have had amazing reports from holiday participants about their positive experiences. Despite the wider political and economic situation, life on Skyros island is as relaxing and inspiring as ever. 

A holiday at the Skyros Centre includes the opportunity to specialise by choosing either the Writers' Lab, the Art Studio or the Life Choices programme. These courses are run by facilitators at the very forefront of their professions and are getting booked up very quickly. Make this the year where you take that adventurous leap; embrace that Skyros holiday you have been curious about, start writing that novel you dream of getting published, create your artistic masterpiece and make that life changing turnaround you don't want to delay any longer. 

We have a limited number of spaces on some of our courses so here is your heads-up to start booking today to secure your place!  The Writers' Lab, Life Choices and the Art Studio all run simultaneously so book your course in advance. You can choose to change courses mid-week if you are on a two-week holiday, provided there is availability.

We would also like to welcome Richard and Clare Maddicott back to the Skyros Centre. They are returning to be your hosts and ensure you have all you need to relax and enjoy yourselves.

Courses this summer at the Skyros Centre

Life Writing with Deborah Levy - 2 places remaining

Sun 19 - Sat 25 July 2015 - £545

Aspects of Novel Writing with Mez Packer
Sun 26 July - Sat 8 August 2015 - £1245

Successful Fiction with Leigh Russell - 5 places remaining

Sun 9 - Sat 22 August 2015 - £1245
Life Writing with Monique Roffey

Sun 23 August - Sat 5 September 2015 - £1195

Successful Relationships with Juliette Smith

Sun 19 - Sat 25 July 2015 - £545

Choose Life at Any Risk with Ari Badaines 
Sun 26 July - Sat 8 August 2015 - £1245

Living Creatively with Kate Daniels

Sun 9 - Sat 22 August 2015 - £1245
New Beginnings with Dina Glouberman - 3 places remaining

Sun 23 August - Sat 5 September 2015 - £1195

Presence through Art with Ilene Sawka

Sun 19 - Sat 25 July 2015 - £545

Mixed Media with Amanda Davidson
Sun 26 July - Sat 8 August 2015 - £1245

Watercolour Painting with Michael Gahagan

Sun 9 - Sat 22 August 2015 - £1245
Watercolour Painting with Michael Gahagan

Sun 23 August - Sat 5 September 2015 - £1195

The Skyros Island Support Fund

Dear Friends of Skyros,

The crisis that the Greek economy has come up against may not affect our holiday participants on Skyros island but it does affect the locals. Difficulties may be hidden from view but they are there. Your presence on the island is, of course, very helpful. By visiting and enjoying the local shops, bars and tavernas you directly benefit the local economy. In addition, unlike many holiday companies, we ourselves use locally owned and maintained facilities with policies in place that favour local produce and services.

This is always the case whenever you visit the island. This time, however, your presence on Skyros island, as in any other part of Greece, is far more important as the island now depends on it.

Our guests and staff also helped enormously to provide support through the Skyros Island Support Fund which was set up in 2013. Through numerous creative ways including fun auctions held during the holidays the Fund raised a phenomenal €33,213.90. 


A committee of three members was formed locally in Skyros island to advise on where funds were best spent, and its work has been hugely appreciated. We have received many letters of thanks including those from the Town Hall, the health clinic, and all the various schools.


Over the past two winters the Fund donated a total amount of €20,890.40 for the purchase of diesel to heat the island's nursery, primary and secondary schools and its health clinic. Government funds had dried up for the purpose and without this contribution they would have been left to cope with winters as cold as Scotland’s.


Another €1,900.00 has been donated to the Skyros island health clinic. This has helped buy much needed supplies and also contributed towards the cost of an extra nurse for 2015 and, the year before, in accommodating a visiting doctor to the island. The Fund also contributed €2,400.00 in support of a local family whose breadwinner was suffering from cancer and €500.00 towards the cost of an urgent eye operation for an 8 year-old girl in danger of losing her eyesight.



Further contributions include €500.00 to the local cat charity, €500.00 to the Skyros Island Horse Trust and €100 to a local group for the promotion of the island.



The Fund still has €6,423.50 at its disposal, but to meet the increasing local needs we would need to raise more. Your help here would be invaluable. If you wish, you can contribute directly to the Skyros Island Support Fund by contacting the Skyros office on 01983 865566 or by email at office@skyros.com. Otherwise, we welcome your involvement and innovative ideas for fun ways we can raise funds during the season.


With thanks & best wishes,



The Skyros Team

Isle of Wight