James Brooks stag do 29th - 30th March 2008
From James -
There's two criteria for ensuring an awesome stag do - 1. the boys together away from the stresses of everyday life and 2. a memorable experience whatever that might be - at the end of the day you've got to come away with a few good stories!
Well, this SAS Survival Weekend had all that and more! In fact, before I write anything further, I should probably point out that I'm putting pen to paper remembering that we had the wettest Welsh weekend possible - it chucked it down constantly! Yet, it was brilliant. Bob and his team struck the perfect balance of teaching us and pushing us while ensuring that the SAS bit wasn't too serious and full on. Don't get me wrong, we were worked hard! Sessions on weapons training and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures for those in the know!) were intersperced with punishments for poor performance, but it was always in good spirits with plenty of war stories thrown in.
As the stag I received the obligatory abuse, stripping, being dressed up as a giant parrot and capture by the enemy, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't all part of the experience! And Bob ensured that I was able to break free and enact my revenge on my captures - shooting them in the back with our replica bb weapons!
All in all a weekend to remember - the wedding will be filled with war stories - cheers Best Men and Bob!
The weekend with Bob and his team will stay in my memory forever. It surpassed all my expectations. There were a few moments as we trundled along the M4 in sleet and sheet rain, when I wondered if this was the best way to spend some ‘bonding’ time with my mates. After a few whiskey’s over a roaring fire, and some great tales from behind enemy lines, the city lights of London felt like a solar system away. Bob’s team were fantastic and made us all feel like real soldiers for a few days, even the most backward members of our unit (you know who you are!) who couldn’t tell which way round their trousers went. The instructors were tough, but tolerant, and never short of great advice and an interesting tale. We laughed a lot that weekend , but things got serious when required, and there was a chance to shoot our stag in the head!! Our last night, potentially a cold and wet hell, was one of the best, as we put our camp building and fire making skills to the test with great success. There is no better feeling than sleeping under the stars after a few beers and a warm fire. It’s also nice to know that Bob and his boys could kill anyone who entered our boundaries with the simple but brutal ‘death slap’. My version was more ‘bitch slap’ but I’m working on it. Thanks to all concerned, a great weekend and one I won’t forget.
Hi Bob,
Just wanted to say a big thanks for the weekend from both me and Ben (and maybe James?) Everyone can’t stop raving about it and we all reckon it was awsome even with the weather from hell.
Thanks again and take it easy
Jon
Lost in the Woods Course with Andy and Em 8th -9th March 2008
From Dave Johnson
Hi guys, had a fab weekend with you all.
What a fantastic experience .Myself and my brother and my mate were cob smacked on how much you can learn in such a sort time .
The shelter building was fab, the bush craft amazing , feel i took such a lot away with me from the course .
ALL THE INSTRUCTORS WERE BANG ON WITH THEIR SKILLS.
Nothing was to much trouble i felt relaxed in the environment we were taken to and what a beautifull part of the world that was, the scenery was stunning ***** .
From Darren Johnson
Loved the course. As it was a gift from me and my other two other brothers, it was awsome to see Dave 'buzzin' from it. He was like a pig in sh*t. Cool. I thought it was great to. I always look at things from a business angle and I thought, wow Bob should be so proud of you two. How you run things is a real credit to Bob you and the whole of your business.
Would love to do some more stuff in future. May take a while as it took us 18 months to sort this one!
I would certainly recommend you guys to anyone, so all the best and speak to you all soon,
From Sam Lever who was one of our four-man Combat Mission team 22nd-23rd Sept 07
Hello Bob. (Dave, Bill, Em, Andy, Karl)
I had a bloody fantastic weekend!!!
Thank you & your team for all your efforts
You guys put a lot of work in to provide me with a truly unique & rewarding experience
All the instructors were enthusiastic, friendly and seemed genuinely interested in providing an interesting fun time for our four man team (Steve, John, Mark, Sam)
At times I was tired & wet but that just made the lessons and tasks more realistic & fun!
I would highly recommend anyone spend a few days on one of these courses, but bring spare socks.
Walking around Manchester now I still expect someone to shout 'Contact front!', I'm sure I'll get better soon.
Hopefully I will see you all again on another mission
Best regards
Sam Lever
PS Bob, you know its time to start using facial care products when people think Bill is your son
From Karen Wade who took part in Mini-Selection Sept 2007
Hi Bob
Well we made it back ok.... After a long soak in a hot bath and a good night's sleep I now look marginally prettier.... My knees swelled up to twice their normal size, legs, arms and body are all covered in bruises and thanks to your rock holding excercise, I haven't had the full use of my neck for 2 days! - forgot to thank you for that one!
But hey who cares about all that?!?! I had a great time.... You promised me the hardest five days of my life and you certainly delivered..... What a fantastic experience! I think I actually pushed myself properly for the first time ever and realised what I need to do to achieve everything I want to. This time I was pushed out of my comfort zone and it felt good. There were times when I felt I was making terrible decisions and not getting things right, but I kept trying and pushed harder then when something did go right, the buzz and the sense of achievement was amazing!
The talk you gave on the psychology of fear and how to handle it, turning negative feelings into positive energy has really stuck.... It's so simple, but it works! As a result, I feel so much more confident and able to cope with difficult situations.
I've come away feeling I've achieved a lot, learned even more and probably best of all, feel inspired to go on and push myself further and harder just to see where I end up!
I'd like to say a huge thank you to you, Duncan, Andy, Dave & Dave for making it such a memorable week. You worked so hard and obviously put a huge amount of time and effort into the planning and preparation and making this week work.
Most people I speak to think it's mad to pay what they see as a lot of money to be abused. What I say is, they don't understand that it's only by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone you really start to learn new things about yourself and realise how much more you can achieve. I have got so much out of the last five days, things that will help me to change and continue to grow as a person, long after the memories and the bruises have faded. You don't get that from your regular 'trip to the sunshine' so as far as I'm concerned it was worth every single penny! Added to that we had so much fun. It really was a laugh, I still find myself chuckling over some of the stuff we did or the conversations we had - priceless....!
Ok well you've really had war and peace from me this time.... Thanks again Bob, I'll raise a glass to you when I'm sunning myself in Turkey and dreaming up what I can do next..... No doubt we'll be in touch when I get back to plan another adventure!
Take care & speak soon.
K
From Stuart Baty's Stag Do 30th June - 1st July 2007
(These start off well and then just get downright weird!)
From Andy -
(I wrote one for you Bob - expect to see us on your website soon - best recruits ever and all that)
What an incredible weekend, far removed from that which I expected.
We must have chosen the wettest weekend for years for this event which only served to make it more memorable rather than dampen our spirits.
I approached the weekend more than a litte nervous that even my athletic build might fall short of the mark for these hardened killers but our tactical supremecy and my huge skill with the sh*t stick meant that we defended our honour with suitable aplomb throughout the weekend.
At first, the company of recruits tiptoed around enormous turgid cowpats in the battlefield but by the time they had taken a few rounds in the privates, they happily crawled through the middle of them in the prone position if it earned them a commanding position over their opponents.
The experience was highly imformative and although Bob and the boys are very professional, they love a good laugh too - vital when you plan to sleep with no tent in an environment that makes Glastoberry look like a Hilton.
In fact there are constant sources of amusement and trickery if you are inclined (watch out for the tree of love, it's been around the block a few times).
Now my wounds are healing (Bob performed open surgery on my hand on the last day and a few more injuries to boot), I would happily consider another tour of duty, I've just gotta find some poor sod stupid enough to get married!
Thanks very much to the whole team.
Regards,
Andy
(Excellent - cheers mate!)
From John -
Brilliant weekend, getting a rain of bullets to the head at six feet in an ambush and talking out SAS positions at 2 in the morning in rain. Unforgettable! Would recommend it to anyone.
John
(Nice one - thanks for that!)
From George B -
Great weekend for us all and weather helped the camaradery. Well done, marvellous fun for all shapes, sizes and ages.
Everyone goes home with a great experience and memories.
George B.
(Again, very nice - thanks George)
From Russell
Superb weekend: constant rain and crawling through cow sh*t in the dark is just not an experience you get in management training programmes or down the pub with your mates. Probably the best team building exercise going. Will never look at a chocolate éclair in the same way again.
Russell
(Cheers Russell - hang on, what's this about chocolate éclairs?)
From George A -
Absolutely top-notch. I want to be a soldier! Do not take sweets from Bob if he offers you one!!!
George A
(!?!)
Great weekend!
Bob’s gorgeous!
Tom + Benji
XX
(!!??!!)
From Stuart (the stag)
Why did you touch me on the hostage mission?
Great w/e
Stu X
(!!!!????!!!)
From Bob and Karl's 'No Doubt - No Fear' Course 17th June 2007
Hi Bob,
Owen and I really enjoyed the 'No Doubt - No Fear' workshop on Sunday 17th June.
Despite the 240 round trip we came feeling refreshed and very stimulated by your leadership and exhuberance.
It was especially nice to be sharing Fathers day with Owen in a group setting where everyone to the last man and woman participated and gave 100%.
What a fantastic bunch of people, who you focussed on being the best they could be.
Your expert, open, confident and very natural way of expressing yourself whilst being challenging and above all - fun, is a winning approach, people cannot fail to be positively affected by it!
You developed awareness through forethought and drills as to how a successful outcome could be achieved in any threatening situation.
We came away tired, happy and in a much heightened state of readiness to tackle life's challenges with gusto!
And its still working! It has been a very positive week for me and I can attribute this directly to the workshop, my mindset is much repaired and back on track with new goals set and the dial firmly set on success!
A big thankyou to you Bob and to Karl who worked with you so seamlessly in a super strong team effort.
You guys are definitely the 'real deal'!
Warm regards,
Steve Davies
aka 'Darius' from 'Phoenix Nights'
Paul Jewison's Stag Do 1st - 3rd June 2007
His thoughts after finishing the course on the day -
I have never experienced a feeling like it. A night reconnaissance mission with no light whatsoever, penetrating an enemy position to extract information without being compromised. This weekend I was a Special Forces Operative. Fantastic.
And via e-mail, after he had a chance to recover!
ey up Bob,
'absolutely shafted' best describes my physical state at the moment.
All the lads had a fantastic time and i am sure the memories will remain with us forever... tell Paul that his lasses thong is on the way back to her in the post. But unfortunately Andy's fishnets are abit worse for wear!
The progression of the weekend was perfectly executed and we all came away with a great insight and developed knowledge of both bushcraft and sas techniques.
Your proffesional and helpful approach coupled with a top drawer attitude gave the weekend a great vibe!
I will definately be recommending you about town!
y aye man!
Paul Jewison.
p.s I hope bills lip is alright
Escape and Evasion Course 28th - 29th April '07
From Karen
Hi Bob.
Just wanted to say a great big thank you from averyone, for giving us such an amazing weekend. You guys worked so hard and planned everything sooo well it really was a fantastic experience.
We may be a bit battered and bruised but we have huge grins on our faces 
. Iknow we all got something out of the weekend whether it was learning new skills, 'roughing it' for the very first time or just having a blast playing at being soldiers. You have a fantastic team of instuctors who really made the weekend too with their help, stories, p***-taking and sense of humours etc... Having so much to organise I'm not quite sure how you and Paul managed to seem so relaxed and even seemed to be having fun yourselves too!
Everyone I think wants to do it again next year...
Thanks again for a brilliant weekend.
Kazza
PS: Tell Bill the 'Fat B*****d' says hi....! 
From Angela
Hi
Just a quick email to say thanks for a great weekend! It was fantastic, although I am stiff as anything today & can barely walk! My legs have taken a bit of a battering too, & I won’t be wearing a skirt for a while!
Karen is already on with organising another visit but she’s says I’ll need to hit the gym first! Should I be worried??!
Hope to see you soon
Regards
Ange
From Claire
Hi All
Last weekend was the best fun I have had in ages! Worth every penny and more.
Everything was so well organised and I appreciate that was no easy task with us lot!! The teams patience, knowledge and sense of humour are what makes SAS Survival stand out.
I have already recommended you to everyone I know, although by the state of my bruised body they are having difficulty understanding why…..! Everyone should try it, it should be law!!!
Anyway a huge thanks to everybody and I look forward to the next one. Bring it on!!!!!
Claire
From Sonia (roughly translated from the Geordie)
Hiya Bob,
Once again I can't thank you and your canny lads and Em enough for last
weekend which I wont forget in a hurry.
I still can't believe I did half of it never mind lasting the full weekend.
I was total out of my depth and proud of myself
of what I achieved but gee gutted that I didn't manger the interrogation. So
next year I will be back in a Michelin suit
so that nowt stops me.
I'm so proud of my bruises, half of South Shields have seen them.
See ya
Sonia x
P.S Glen was a fantastic bonus!!!!
From Daniel
Hi Bob,
Just a quick note to say thanks for a great weekend .
From the word go you made all of us feel welcome and part of the team.
We laughed, we escaped , we evaded, and.... we were captured...............
If anybody is reading this and is thinking about booking a weekend with a difference; BOOK NOW!! , Bob and his team will not let you down.
Many thanks again and again ,
Daniel
From Sam
Bob, Paul & team, 
Just thought I would drop you guys an email to thank you for such a great time on the Escape and Evasion weekend. Despite the lack of quality sleep and bruised legs, I couldn't help but feel very much on a high on the way home on Sunday night.
Life is what we make it and weekends like that push ourselves into boundaries that we wouldn't normally experience in everyday life. I have a very stressful job and can honestly say that I didn't think about work once whilst I was running around the woodlands, learning new and valuable skills.
The whole team were excellent company to be around and I could of listened to your stories all day.
Karen has already been on the phone to me about signing up for a longer course later on in the year. How could I refuse!!!
I look forward to seeing you and your team later on in the year.
Regards,
Sam
From Sergio - who flew over from Brazil!
Dear Bob,
I`d like to thank you and all of your team so mutch to give me this fantastic weekend.
That oportunity has no price and sharing those moments was really instructive... i can honestly say that i realized a dream, thank you...
Now i`ll train and get fit to do a Fan-Dance...
Till soon,
Sergio.
Airsoft training weekend for the Dutch and Belgian guys attending Berget 5 -
From Arthur (AKA WhiteAce) -
Well I would be one of these guys... I organized this training and it was great to be here...
We've learned a lot about the skills we had before... pretty poor I can tell you. But on the other hand... thinking of what we've learned, it raises a lot of questions about the things we didn't learn...
Bob, Paul, Karl, Dave, Dave and Bill. Great job on teaching and explaining and being flexible all the time...
I can tell you this: We were never "sunshine players" but we proved that this weekend... We didn't have a single dry piece of cloth left anywhere! It was wet and cold and muddy. We even had some people who suffered of dehydration and cold shivers... But we'd do it all again just the same!! In fact we're already planning our next training in may... So Dave...!
Next time we'll bring our sniper too
From Dean -
Hi Bob, Bill, Paul , Dave and of course Karl,
Let me start off by thanking you all for your professionalism and the way you guys managed our team;
consisting of people of all different ages, backgrounds and cultural localities within Belgium and the Netherlands.
Although the weather was not exactly perfect, from start to end, we were tested on knowing how wet and muddy Wales can be, ha ha,
Your team.. really.. really.. pulled us through time and time again, and motivated our team in such subtle ways to keep up the pace and fun at all times.. It showed us how professional you guys operate under all weather circumstances.
Furthermore your team kept our morals high at such great ease and there was never a boring moment during the whole weekend. Each and everyone of you had such interesting life stories; experiences and skills to tell and share, which we all found very entertaining and mind boggling at times.
The momentum was kept throughout the whole weekend programme and you guys were very flexible in adjusting to our demands and requests often based at an impromptus moment. We were so happy that we didn't have to sleep in the mud bath he he he in the forest J and we also learned alot, about ourselves and our personal boundaries this past weekend . Of course we also learned a lot about each other too which was also great and funny at times.. Even though we have had many skirmishes together we never really knew much about each other until this weekend. We will definitely be back, in larger numbers and im sure it will be quicker than you guys think.. until then; we salute you all .greetz Dean.
