A grandmother from Evesham says her family's annual trip to the same holiday park just 50 miles from home still feels like stepping back into 1999 – more than 25 years after the tradition first began. Jane Bedenham, 62, has returned year after year to Whitemead Forest Park in the Forest of Dean with family and friends, building what she now calls a 'second home' in the heart of the forest.
A tradition spanning three generations
What started as a single holiday in 1999 has grown into a tradition spanning three generations, with more than 40 relatives and friends joining at various points over the years. It has become a fixed date in the calendar for relatives spread across the country, including Jane's son who travels the world for work but still makes sure he is there every year.
Jane first visited the park with close family friends Graham and Cath, who she says became like parents after she lost her mother at just 13. The couple – affectionately known as 'Grampy Graham' and 'Granny Cath' – helped spark a tradition that has now lasted a quarter of a century.
Why the park still feels like 1999
“We loved it so much that first time that we booked to come back the following year before we'd even finished the holiday,” Jane said. Over the years, the family say the appeal has only grown stronger, with the annual break becoming a rare chance for everyone to switch off, slow down and properly reconnect.
Part of that comes from the setting itself. With patchy mobile signal and limited distractions, Jane says it genuinely feels like stepping back in time. “It permanently feels like 1999 when we're there, as there was no internet really back then,” she said. “The phone signal doesn't really work, so you can switch off from the 21st century. It feels like something from that era – family being together and making memories.”
Family bonds and new traditions
Jane says the holiday has become especially important as life has changed and the family has spread out across the country, reports PA. “Sadly these days, if you don't have something like this booked in, sometimes the only time you catch up with people is at weddings or funerals,” she said. “This is the one time when everyone really tries to get together.” Her two sons, Jack, 34, and Oliver, 30, have been going since they were young children – first visiting aged seven and three – and have continued ever since, even through their teenage years.
Oliver now works as cabin crew and travels internationally for his job, but still makes sure he returns each year for the family break. “He gets to travel all over the world, but he still never misses Whitemead,” Jane said. “There was never an age when the kids didn't want to come.”
Over time, the family have built their own traditions within the tradition – from a Saturday barbecue come rain or shine to an annual adventure golf competition where everyone chips in £5 for the prize pot. Jane admits her own chances of winning ended last year after a particularly tricky attempt involving a water obstacle.
Weather, wildlife, and a serious health scare
The weather, she says, has also become part of the experience. From snow to heatwaves to torrential rain, they've seen it all – but it never spoils the trip. “That's holidaying in the UK,” she said. “We've had snow, we've had heatwaves and we've had absolute downpours, but we always adapt and make the most of it.” The surrounding woodland has also created its own memories, with deer and wild boar often spotted nearby – a highlight for younger family members over the years. Some of Jane's most treasured memories are from when her children were small, including organising Easter egg hunts across the park – something now being recreated for the next generation.
The place took on an even deeper meaning two years ago when Jane became seriously ill during one of their stays. She developed sepsis and had to be rushed to hospital – an experience she describes as frightening because she was away from home. However, she says park manager Ben, whom she has known for around 10 years, stepped in immediately to help ensure she received urgent care. “It's your worst fear to get poorly away from home, but this is our second home and I owe them my life, really,” she said.
Honouring the founders and looking ahead
The experience only strengthened her bond with a place that has been part of her family's story for more than two decades. Graham and Cath, who started the tradition, passed away in 2015 and 2022 respectively, but Jane says she believes they would be proud to see what they created still bringing the family together. She is now considering a memorial bench at the park in their honour. “I think they'd be amazed if they could see what they started and that we're all still coming here,” she said.
More than 25 years on, Jane hopes the tradition will continue long into the future. “As the family continues to grow, I think Whitemead will keep being the place we return to,” she said. “It's about being together and making memories, and hopefully that will carry on for many, many years.”
