Octoberfest is almost here and, with just one brilliant week to play with, we’ve assembled quite the Crew to make every day count!
There’ll be outdoor adventures, mad scientist labs, potions and slime, pumpkin games, campfires, toasted marshmallows, creepy crafts, ghostly games and, of course, our legendary Halloween disco.
But as every Clubber knows, it’s the people in the Practically Family T-shirts who really bring Holiday Club to life.
They’re the ones starting the games, joining the adventures, encouraging a first try, spotting when someone needs a little confidence boost and bringing their own particular superpowers to the week.
So, who’s joining us for Octoberfest 2026?
Sophie – Captain & Holiday Club Enchanter
Superpower: Full of ideas & invitation-to-play expert
Fun Fact: Sophie has been invited to the House of Lords several times!
Loving, caring and full of compassion, Sophie’s the one weaving all those invisible (spider) threads that make Practically Family so magical.
Grant – Holiday Club Captain
Superpower: Basketball Beast
Fun Fact: Grant plays semi-pro basketball for Stockport.
Our gentle giant and wellbeing champion. Always listening, always sporty and always ready to kick off the fun with a monster slam dunk.
Sarah – Crew Leader
Superpower: EYFS Legend
Fun Fact: She’s a qualified Level 3 practitioner who knows exactly how to support our littlest Clubbers.
Calm, caring and wonderfully observant, Sarah knows exactly when a little Clubber needs encouragement, reassurance or room to find their feet.
Ellie Y – Crew Leader
Superpower: Craft wizard
Fun Fact: She’s a qualified primary school teacher and EYFS practitioner.
Friendly, creative and full of positivity, Ellie can turn almost any idea into an Octoberfest masterpiece.
Shaz – Crew Leader
Superpower: Fiendish footballer
Fun Fact: Can do an amazing gorilla impression!
Kind, funny and full of banter, Shaz brings the team spirit, the energy and probably a football cone or two.
Selo – Crew Leader
Superpower: EYFS superhero
Fun Fact: Selo is building schools in Sierra Leone and Liberia!
Creative, energetic and endlessly kind, Selo has that special touch that helps our youngest Clubbers feel safe, confident and ready to explore.
Flora – Crew Leader
Superpower: Curious Question Queen
Fun Fact: She’s training to be a doctor and has done Camp America!
Our resident chatterbox and happy answerer of all the “WHY?” questions, Flora brings brains, warmth and a little camp spirit to Octoberfest.
Tash – Crew Leader
Superpower: Wild-Child Whirlwind
Fun Fact: Fresh from completing her Master’s degree, she also sings live around Manchester and plays netball four nights a week!
Bursting with energy and always first on the inflatables or leading the charge, Tash brings an infectious laugh, endless enthusiasm and enough energy to keep the whole of Octoberfest buzzing.
Ellie W – Crew Mate
Superpower: Energy Dynamo
Fun Fact: She once appeared in a David Walliams film and is a qualified nurse!
Caring, creative and always ready to throw herself into the fun, Ellie is basically a little lightning bolt of Octoberfest energy.
Delyth – Crew Mate
Superpower: Make-Believe Magician
Fun Fact: She’s a drama teacher!
Kind, caring and full of fun, Delyth has a brilliant knack for bringing stories to life and turning ordinary moments into whole new worlds.
Thomas – Crew Mate
Superpower: Football Phantom
Fun Fact: He has 3 cats and 3 dogs!
Funny, kind and wonderfully calm, Thomas is always game for a kickabout and has a lovely way of making children feel included.
Livia – Crew Mate
Superpower: Chief Mischief Maker
Fun Fact: She’s also a qualified physiotherapist!
Creative, silly and proudly still a big kid at heart, Livia brings imagination, playfulness and exactly the sort of energy you want on your obstacle-race team.
Katie – Crew Mate
Superpower: Singalong Superstar
Fun Fact: She’s rarely far away when there’s a good tune playing!
Chatty, bubbly and always ready to join in, Katie brings feel-good energy, laughs and the soundtrack to match.
Olivia – Crew Mate
Superpower: Tackle Monster
Fun Fact: She’s a semi-professional rugby player!
Friendly, fun and incredibly kind, Olivia brings teamwork, confidence and heaps of encouragement to everything she joins.
Evie B – Crew Mate
Superpower: Messy-Play Master
Fun Fact: She loves baking and anything that gets wonderfully messy.
Creative and determined, and Early Years qualified, Evie is happiest encouraging Clubbers to dive in, get stuck in and enjoy every sticky, squelchy minute.
Josh – Crew Mate
Superpower: Pitch Pumpkin
Fun Fact: He plays hockey for the University of Chester and is in his final year of teacher training.
Caring, fun and sporty, Josh brings plenty of energy to the pitch while making sure everyone feels part of the team. Uber passionate about inclusivity, it's his specialism at uni.
Emma – Crew Mate
Superpower: Mad scientist
Fun Fact: She studies mechanical engineering at university and hopes one day to work for Formula 1!
Caring, calm and quietly brilliant, Emma loves inventive builds, problem-solving and those activities that make Clubbers stop and ask, “HOW did you do that?!”
Moira – Crew Mate
Superpower: Drama Queen
Fun Fact: She has a pet chameleon and was previously a Greenbank pupil!
Kind, patient and wonderfully reassuring, Moira brings plenty of imagination as well as a calming presence children naturally feel comfortable around.
Chloe – Crew Mate
Superpower: Karaoke Star
Fun Fact: Owns a signed Phil Foden shirt.
Warm, energetic and brilliant at building confidence, Chloe is always ready to encourage someone to join in, have a go or raise the roof with a song.
Kyra – Crew Mate
Superpower: Problem-Solving Sorceress
Fun Fact: She loves technology and figuring out how things work.
Calm, clever and quietly brilliant, Kyra is happiest helping Clubbers build, create, experiment and crack a challenge or two along the way.
Erin – Crew Cadet
Superpower: Confidence Conjurer
Fun Fact: On a bright day Erin can’t stop sneezing!!
Calm, caring and wonderfully attentive, Erin is brilliant at noticing the quieter moments and helping children feel reassured, comfortable and included.
Poppy – Crew Cadet
Superpower: Dancing Diva
Fun Fact: She’s a World Champion soloist dancer!
Bubbly, warm and full of joy, Poppy brings some serious moves to Club, and the children absolutely love trying to copy them.
Evie P – Crew Cadet
Superpower: Dancefloor Dynamo
Fun Fact: She can do a Mexican wave with her eyebrows. Yes, really.
Bubbly, creative and full of energy, Evie brings smiles wherever she goes and quite possibly Octoberfest’s most niche party trick.
One week, five Holiday Club days and a Crew determined to pack as much fun into them as humanly possible.
There’ll be conkers and campfires, slime and science, games and crafts, marshmallows and plenty of outdoor adventures, all building towards Friday’s Halloween disco.
But whatever’s on the activity list, it’s this bunch and their very particular mix of skills, silliness, kindness and superpowers that make Holiday Club feel like Holiday Club.
We can’t wait to get the gang back together!
But as every Clubber knows, it’s the people in the Practically Family T-shirts who really bring Holiday Club to life.
They’re the ones starting the games, joining the adventures, encouraging a first try, spotting when someone needs a little confidence boost and bringing their own particular superpowers to the week.
So, who’s joining us for Octoberfest 2026?
The Captains
Sophie – Captain & Holiday Club Enchanter
Superpower: Full of ideas & invitation-to-play expert
Fun Fact: Sophie has been invited to the House of Lords several times!
Loving, caring and full of compassion, Sophie’s the one weaving all those invisible (spider) threads that make Practically Family so magical.
Grant – Holiday Club Captain
Superpower: Basketball Beast
Fun Fact: Grant plays semi-pro basketball for Stockport.
Our gentle giant and wellbeing champion. Always listening, always sporty and always ready to kick off the fun with a monster slam dunk.
The Crew Leaders
Sarah – Crew Leader
Superpower: EYFS Legend
Fun Fact: She’s a qualified Level 3 practitioner who knows exactly how to support our littlest Clubbers.
Calm, caring and wonderfully observant, Sarah knows exactly when a little Clubber needs encouragement, reassurance or room to find their feet.
Ellie Y – Crew Leader
Superpower: Craft wizard
Fun Fact: She’s a qualified primary school teacher and EYFS practitioner.
Friendly, creative and full of positivity, Ellie can turn almost any idea into an Octoberfest masterpiece.
Shaz – Crew Leader
Superpower: Fiendish footballer
Fun Fact: Can do an amazing gorilla impression!
Kind, funny and full of banter, Shaz brings the team spirit, the energy and probably a football cone or two.
Selo – Crew Leader
Superpower: EYFS superhero
Fun Fact: Selo is building schools in Sierra Leone and Liberia!
Creative, energetic and endlessly kind, Selo has that special touch that helps our youngest Clubbers feel safe, confident and ready to explore.
Flora – Crew Leader
Superpower: Curious Question Queen
Fun Fact: She’s training to be a doctor and has done Camp America!
Our resident chatterbox and happy answerer of all the “WHY?” questions, Flora brings brains, warmth and a little camp spirit to Octoberfest.
Tash – Crew Leader
Superpower: Wild-Child Whirlwind
Fun Fact: Fresh from completing her Master’s degree, she also sings live around Manchester and plays netball four nights a week!
Bursting with energy and always first on the inflatables or leading the charge, Tash brings an infectious laugh, endless enthusiasm and enough energy to keep the whole of Octoberfest buzzing.
The Crew Mates
Ellie W – Crew Mate
Superpower: Energy Dynamo
Fun Fact: She once appeared in a David Walliams film and is a qualified nurse!
Caring, creative and always ready to throw herself into the fun, Ellie is basically a little lightning bolt of Octoberfest energy.
Delyth – Crew Mate
Superpower: Make-Believe Magician
Fun Fact: She’s a drama teacher!
Kind, caring and full of fun, Delyth has a brilliant knack for bringing stories to life and turning ordinary moments into whole new worlds.
Thomas – Crew Mate
Superpower: Football Phantom
Fun Fact: He has 3 cats and 3 dogs!
Funny, kind and wonderfully calm, Thomas is always game for a kickabout and has a lovely way of making children feel included.
Livia – Crew Mate
Superpower: Chief Mischief Maker
Fun Fact: She’s also a qualified physiotherapist!
Creative, silly and proudly still a big kid at heart, Livia brings imagination, playfulness and exactly the sort of energy you want on your obstacle-race team.
Katie – Crew Mate
Superpower: Singalong Superstar
Fun Fact: She’s rarely far away when there’s a good tune playing!
Chatty, bubbly and always ready to join in, Katie brings feel-good energy, laughs and the soundtrack to match.
Olivia – Crew Mate
Superpower: Tackle Monster
Fun Fact: She’s a semi-professional rugby player!
Friendly, fun and incredibly kind, Olivia brings teamwork, confidence and heaps of encouragement to everything she joins.
Evie B – Crew Mate
Superpower: Messy-Play Master
Fun Fact: She loves baking and anything that gets wonderfully messy.
Creative and determined, and Early Years qualified, Evie is happiest encouraging Clubbers to dive in, get stuck in and enjoy every sticky, squelchy minute.
Josh – Crew Mate
Superpower: Pitch Pumpkin
Fun Fact: He plays hockey for the University of Chester and is in his final year of teacher training.
Caring, fun and sporty, Josh brings plenty of energy to the pitch while making sure everyone feels part of the team. Uber passionate about inclusivity, it's his specialism at uni.
Emma – Crew Mate
Superpower: Mad scientist
Fun Fact: She studies mechanical engineering at university and hopes one day to work for Formula 1!
Caring, calm and quietly brilliant, Emma loves inventive builds, problem-solving and those activities that make Clubbers stop and ask, “HOW did you do that?!”
Moira – Crew Mate
Superpower: Drama Queen
Fun Fact: She has a pet chameleon and was previously a Greenbank pupil!
Kind, patient and wonderfully reassuring, Moira brings plenty of imagination as well as a calming presence children naturally feel comfortable around.
Chloe – Crew Mate
Superpower: Karaoke Star
Fun Fact: Owns a signed Phil Foden shirt.
Warm, energetic and brilliant at building confidence, Chloe is always ready to encourage someone to join in, have a go or raise the roof with a song.
Kyra – Crew Mate
Superpower: Problem-Solving Sorceress
Fun Fact: She loves technology and figuring out how things work.
Calm, clever and quietly brilliant, Kyra is happiest helping Clubbers build, create, experiment and crack a challenge or two along the way.
The Crew Cadets
Erin – Crew Cadet
Superpower: Confidence Conjurer
Fun Fact: On a bright day Erin can’t stop sneezing!!
Calm, caring and wonderfully attentive, Erin is brilliant at noticing the quieter moments and helping children feel reassured, comfortable and included.
Poppy – Crew Cadet
Superpower: Dancing Diva
Fun Fact: She’s a World Champion soloist dancer!
Bubbly, warm and full of joy, Poppy brings some serious moves to Club, and the children absolutely love trying to copy them.
Evie P – Crew Cadet
Superpower: Dancefloor Dynamo
Fun Fact: She can do a Mexican wave with her eyebrows. Yes, really.
Bubbly, creative and full of energy, Evie brings smiles wherever she goes and quite possibly Octoberfest’s most niche party trick.
Ready for some Octoberfest magic?
One week, five Holiday Club days and a Crew determined to pack as much fun into them as humanly possible.
There’ll be conkers and campfires, slime and science, games and crafts, marshmallows and plenty of outdoor adventures, all building towards Friday’s Halloween disco.
But whatever’s on the activity list, it’s this bunch and their very particular mix of skills, silliness, kindness and superpowers that make Holiday Club feel like Holiday Club.
We can’t wait to get the gang back together!
Practically Family
07939 942334 (during Holiday Club weeks only)
