Gowlands offers residential holiday breaks in Rochford for people with profound learning and physical disabilities, while giving families and carers a valuable break.
Gowlands, Rochford
Caring for someone with significant support needs can be demanding, and sometimes you need a chance to rest, recharge or take care of other commitments. Gowlands in Rochford offers short breaks for people, giving them the opportunity to enjoy a holiday with friends, while you can have peace of mind knowing they are being looked after by experienced, compassionate staff.
Gowlands has nine beds and guests can stay anywhere from a single night up to two weeks. Each stay is designed to give a balance of relaxation and activity, tailored to the individual’s needs, interests and preferences. This might include day trips around the local area, as well as fun and engaging activities on site.
Our team provides personalised, one-to-one support throughout each stay, helping guests feel safe, valued and able to enjoy their holiday to the fullest. The service is rated Good by the Care Quality Commission (September 2025), giving extra reassurance that high standards of care are always maintained.
Short breaks at Gowlands are about more than just a holiday, they give your loved one a chance to try new experiences, socialise and have fun, while giving you a much-needed break from day-to-day caring responsibilities.
If you would like to find out more about Gowlands or discuss whether a short break could work for your family, please get in touch with us.
Case studies/
Testimonials
Gowlands rated ‘Good’ by Care Quality Commission
Hamelin has received a ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Gowlands following an inspection in September. Inspectors praised the service’s person-centred approach, strong leadership and caring, dedicated staff.
Luke Baldock, Gowlands Service Manager, said: "This was the first time that Hamelin services have been audited under the CQC’s new assessment framework. I…
FAQ
You can either email gowlands@hamelin.org.uk or call the service directly on 01702 541761 and ask to speak to a senior or the manager. We will usually invite you in to Gowlands for a chat and a look around.
The application and assessment process is designed to help you get to know the service and ensure it is the right fit for everyone involved.
The first step is an initial visit, where you are invited to look around the service and meet the team. Following this, a day stay is arranged as part of the assessment process. This usually takes place between midday and 2pm and includes lunch, along with support from a member of our team. This visit happens during a quieter part of the day, allowing you to become familiar with the environment in a calm and relaxed way.
A further visit is then arranged at teatime, usually between 4pm and 7pm. This is a busier period, when most guests are arriving, and helps to give a realistic sense of what the service feels like during a typical arrival time.
If these visits go well, the next step is to book a first overnight stay. The initial stay is always for one night only, allowing everyone to assess comfort, support needs and suitability before planning any longer stays.
Drop off is after 3pm and collection is before 11am.
This varies. Our weekends are busiest, however lots of our guests have midweek stays and these range from 1 to 7 nights.
You can either call the service or email our Residential Administrator, and they will book you in. We operate an advance booking systems where priority dates can be booked in advance. This starts in December of the previous year, and we ask that your priority dates from April to March of the following year are given to us by the end of January. We aim for everyone where possible to get their priority dates and you will know by mid-February if these have been booked.
Yes, this is available to all our guests. This however has to be booked in advance via a separate booking system. Please see the Hydrotherapy pool page for details.
Get involved
We’re proud to work with a broad cross-section of our community; together improving the world for disabled and neurodiverse people. Our work is only possible thanks to individuals and businesses generously giving us their time, fundraising efforts and donations.
