A Remarkable Double Act

Meet the mother-and-son team who’ve brought thousands of guests to Potters — and raised thousands for worthy causes for good measure.

Across the many decades of holidays, laughter and shared memories, there are some names that become woven into the story of Potters. For the team and thousands of guests, Iris and Geoff Pratt are two of those names.

Organising group holidays for regulars to Hopton-on-Sea and more recently Five Lakes, this mother-and-son duo are also responsible for recommending and introducing thousands of new guests to the unique experience of a Fully-Inclusive Break.

Then there’s the extraordinary £25,000 raised for the Potters Friends Foundation since its establishment in late 2014.

It’s a legacy built not only on loyalty, but on warmth, generosity and a genuine love of bringing people together.

A True Organiser

Iris’s journey as a group organiser began well over 30 years ago alongside her husband, Jimmy. Both members of Tye Green Bowls Club, they’d just lost a bowls final during a stay at Gunton Hall when a friend in their party suggested they pop up the road to look around a place called Potters. Iris and Jimmy had never heard of it.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Iris Pratt with husband Jimmy

Over time, groups to Potters grew larger and larger, with more people wanting to join the trips they organised, whether it be through the bowls club or other local groups. What began as a handful of friends travelling together soon became full coachloads of guests heading to Hopton-on-Sea.

When Jimmy sadly passed away in 2011, it could easily have marked the end of an era. But instead, Iris carried on doing what she had always loved — bringing people together for a memorable break away.

Her son Geoff, who had often accompanied the groups over the years, stepped in to support. Helping with bookings, acting as a friendly point of contact and offering a helping hand throughout each stay, he became the perfect partner in continuing Iris’s incredible work.

Iris with Buzby

Together, they have organised holidays for thousands upon thousands of guests, with an estimated 15,000 people enjoying Potters breaks thanks to their efforts. And Iris, who turns 95 in July, remains as passionate as ever about bringing people together for a good time. In fact, over the last five years, the number of group bookings arranged at Potters has increased to ten per year, with every season catered for.

And if you think Iris slows down between organising trips to Potters, think again. Because when she’s not planning the next group visit here, she’s often busy arranging holidays elsewhere too — proof that she is a true group organiser in every sense of the word.

But the Pratt family’s impact stretches far beyond the holidays themselves.

Attending the annual Group Leader Event with friends and members of the Potters Resorts Groups Team

Supporting Good Causes

Alongside their remarkable record as group organisers, Iris and Geoff have also dedicated huge amounts of time to supporting charitable initiatives, organising raffles that have become a much-loved feature of the breaks they attend.

Guests visiting at the same time will instantly recognise the famous raffle table in the centre of the Bowlers Bar. It’s usually overflowing with prizes — all carefully prepared, collected and assembled by the pair long before the break even begins, including beautiful hampers packed with goodies, sweet baskets, children’s toys, beauty products and a variety of other tempting treats.

Their raffles often reflect the time of year too. During a recent Valentine’s Day Weekend break, they created ten special hampers decorated with heart-shaped balloons. It was a touch that delighted guests and made the raffle feel even more special. Over the festive season, their Christmas-themed raffle is a sight to behold!

Each prize reflects the time, care and creativity that Iris and Geoff pour into the raffles. And their efforts, combined with the generosity of fellow guests who happily buy tickets and support the cause, regularly raise hundreds of pounds on every break.

Earlier this year, those contributions reached a truly remarkable milestone, surpassing £25,000 raised for the Potters Friends Foundation — a community interest company founded in 2014 in memory of Brian Potter MBE — which in turn supports good causes and worthy charities in our wider community.

Geoff takes on the Potterators at Hopton-on-Sea

Their achievement speaks volumes about their dedication, generosity and the many years of hard work they’ve devoted to supporting others. It’s clear to anyone who sees their efforts that this is something they put their heart and soul into.

Every Second Counts

This year’s fundraising has an extra personal connection, with BASICS Essex — a volunteer organisation that provides immediate medical care at the scene of accidents and emergencies across the county — becoming a beneficiary of the Every Second Counts campaign. For Iris and Geoff, who live in Harlow, it’s a cause close to home, making their efforts even more meaningful.

Iris and Jack, with Steve and Chris from NARS, in December 2024

Stories like theirs remind us that Potters has always been about far more than holidays alone. It’s about the people who return year after year. The friendships that grow over time. The individuals who quietly make a difference in ways that touch so many lives.

Through thousands of holidays organised, countless memories created and an astonishing amount raised for charity, Iris and Geoff Pratt have become a very special part of the Potters story.

For that, and for the joy, generosity and dedication they continue to share, we offer our heartfelt thanks.

Their story is not just part of our history. It’s very much part of the story we’re still writing today.