Wow!
What a camp! I can honestly say I came back feeling exhausted! That exhausted feeling was mixed with satisfaction that all who attended had a great time!
Friday
Because Kibblestone is approximately 1 hour away from home, a few of the leaders arrived at camp mid afternoon in the pouring rain to set up camp. This, however did not dampen our spirits and it soon cleared up ready for the arrival of 15 Scouts and 8 Explorers raring and excited to muck in with camp life.
Flag break was followed by burgers and cake on Friday evening along with some wide games in the dark. We try to encourage our young people to play without torches to get their eyes used to the darkness. We had a fire and all enjoyed warming up and sharing ghost stories, tales of previous camps etc. then not a peep was heard until 6.45am!!
Saturday
Saturday morning brought the favourite camp fry-up (with cereal option for those crazy enough not to like it!)
The Scouts and Explorers were split into two equal groups for the days activities. One started with ‘bushcraft’ while the others went in search of a good area for shelter building. They then swapped over before lunch. (If anyone sees Samantha, please ask her about Sammock….)
Lunch was sandwiches etc which was shortly followed by our second activity of the day tree climbing. This is similar to rock climbing but up a tree! I believe they all enjoyed this and is definitely one to repeat at a later date. Again, the groups swapped over.
It was at this stage that everyone got back together and played games or finished shelters.
Then it was time for some Great British Camp Cook Off!! Everyone got involved in the process of preparing/cooking spaghetti bolognaise on the fires. The leaders even ate it too and we can tell you it was very good.
Cake to follow!!
After ‘mission wash up’ it was time for more wide games and camp fire life.
We then had a memorial for our Patron HM Queen Elizabeth II. We lit tealights, had 2 minutes silence and Oliver Falconer read a poem in her honour. We found this a touching tribute and a good chance for reflection.
Most young people were so tired that they were in bed by 10.30 with a few stragglers up until 12.
Sunday
Another fry up on Sunday followed by decamp (taking tents down, tidying up) and making sure we left the campsite the way we found it. The final act of camp was Flag down and ensuring the young people left safely. All of our young people impressed the leaders on this camp with Oliver Hodnett being given a ‘Well Done’ badge for being so kind and responsible during the sick incident.
Also, big shout out to the new Scouts who hadn’t been on a Scout camp before. They did amazing!
Thanks to all my amazing team of volunteers who together make this happen. I would just like to share a couple of moments that make this worthwhile.
‘Walking past the tents when they’re all tucked up for the night and I can hear chatting, laughing and generally being happy’
Seeing the young people taking on their fears head on. They really are a determined lot.
I received a text from a parent afterwards to say thankyou and that their Scout had loved the weekend and was writing a birthday list of ‘survival gear’.
