Hi @LifeOfBriony my husband and I went to New Wine at Shepton Mallet and had a hugely transformative time, I hope you have a great time too! Our trip is going back a few years and God unfolded so many wonderful things there, I can’t even begin to write them. His presence was so there, it was beautiful. Immediately after coming away I experienced the life of the Spirit within me so tangibly and powerfully, it was like I had been doing life on 6% batteries v run down, but getting plugged into God that week it changed to living on full charge! It lasted a few weeks after before real life sadly crept back in (stressful jobs, housing situation etc) but I will never forget our time there and that supercharged feeling of life flowing through me, genuinely felt like I could run ten marathons!
Writing this now actually makes me wonder if we should go again. This time with a toddler and older DC would be different, we wouldn’t have the same freedom to sit and listen, pray and get lost in worship etc. But maybe it could be good in a different way.
So we didn’t go as part of a group and preferred it this way. We met loads of lovely people there but no commitment of having to meet up/ socialise or do group meals etc and could just go with the flow, do the talks and worship sessions we wanted, rest and eat whenever. It made it relaxing not being on anyone’s else’s schedule but enjoying our time with each other and God.
I know church groups go together though, and there is benefits with this too, but for us we needed time away with Jesus to refresh and re-centre on Him.
A couple of things I would recommend
Be a God Chaser! Ask the Spirit to lead you as to what to attend each day. We found some of the events (even the main tent worship on some days) were flat as a pancake. But keep looking, because if the same thing happens try changing venue and you’ll find Him elsewhere! It kept happening to us, we looked at the weekly timetable and bookmarked things that looked great, but actually ended up leaving and going to other things. Sometimes small tents at the fringes but God was tangibly there and it was amazing! So keep your feet light and be prepared to move on and meet Him in unexpected places. It was really quite a shock to find some sessions so completely flat and devoid of his presence (this happened with some of the main tent meetings and other small ones too) only to take a short walk away to another and be almost bowled over by the weight His presence! The Spirit was poured out and you could see Him moving among the people. Short distance, different worlds. My guess is that human pride and agenda (like with all things) came into it too much with some of the sessions that were flat. People doing their people thing.
If you can, try an early morning session. I went to a daybreak one while my DH slept and that quiet time before the masses were up was a special time. Obvs you can meet with the Lord just as much at other times and places, but I found an early morning one was particularly peaceful and intimate.
They may have changed it now but the showers had a couple round the back of the block which were electric stay-on type (rather than push button ones that keep stopping) which was easier and no worry about the water going cold!
God bless you and I hope you have a wonderful time :)