4th Chandlers Ford Group Camp – Runways End

Last weekend saw the culmination of many months of preparation as we took 30 scouts, 30 cubs and 20 beavers off to Runways End near Aldershot for a weekend of adventure.  We had three explorers with us as well but it would be unfair to say we took them because they were every bit a part of the leader team as the rest of us.

Whilst the weekend lasts three days, the work that goes into it being a success is down to a brilliant team of leaders and other adult helpers.  It starts back in January when someone takes the responsibility for booking a site and planning the activities that we will all be getting involved in and this year the mantle of organisation fell to Nick Lambourne (our GSL) initially and then handed over to Ed Vokes (Akela for Knightwood Pack) to be camp lead.  Between them, they did a sterling job of bringing us all together and co-ordinating the success that the camp turned out to be.

For me camp started in earnest on the Monday before.  An unusually early start but we have a new marquee and we’d never put it up before so it was a practice run on the rec.  Aching from Bournemouth 7s the day before and a hole in the leg later from one of the steel pegs, the marquee was up and looking very smart.  A photos later and then it was down again ready for the weekend.

Tuesday night was a night off from cubs as it was half terms but Thursday, as always, was kit out day ready for loading on Friday morning.  Not too arduous a job as we have many hands, mostly experienced and certainly all fast learners.  Then it was a mad dash down to Bournemouth to pick up some Tilley Lamps that I had managed to acquire very cheaply, one worked first time the other still requires some TLC but at least we should have some working for next year.  Then home to pack and an early night.

Friday is always a 9am start to load the gear which was hampered only slightly for me by the fact that I hadn’t connected the trailer properly and managed to block the main road through Chandlers Ford in the rush hour.  A big thank you to the old man who stopped to help me, he was the only person on a busy Friday morning that had the decency to do so.

The kit was loaded quickly and easily, again a case of many hands make light work and we were off to Runways End.

For a change we managed to arrive in good time, around 11am with many of the adults there to help along with a handful of leaders children and our brilliant explorers.  Camp was up and ready to go before the hoards arrived which I think is a first in my time as a leader.  As the scouts arrived they put up there tents enthusiastically and unusually neatly completing the set up of camp.

Dinner was served soon after with jacket potatoes, beans and cheese on the menu and rice pudding to follow.  Then in a vain hope to tire out our excited group of cubs and scouts they were taken off on hikes before hot chocolate and bedtime, drawing day 1 of camp to a close….. except its never that easy is it…..

Scouts were eventually quite at about 1am (you’d have thought they’d have learned by now) and the cubs were still going until about 2am.  Fortunately they slept through until 4am so we all got a good night sleep and felt ready and raring in the morning!

The usual full English breakfast perked up a few of the tired faces before tent inspection and flag break on day one.  At 9am the six groups of cubs and scouts all scattered in different directions to start a day full of fabulous activities on a camp full of brand new equipment to match.  Runways End has just undergone a massive renovation and it looks like it was worth every penny.

We enjoyed canoeing on the canal, caving in an amazing manmade but very realistic caving system hosted in an old bomb  bunker, a climbing wall that was reportedly 30’ tall but I am convinced it was higher, a lower indoor climbing wall, boldering, air rifle shooting, archery , team building games and of course the old classic of crate stacking.

Whilst we were off doing our activities, our 20 beavers also arrived and had a brilliant time playing games in the sunshine and munching burgers before their slightly earlier camp fire.  It was great to see such a large number turn up and enjoy themselves along with their parents who hopefully saw how much fun it is to be involved.

At tea time everyone was exhausted and seemingly found it very hard to get involved in the camp fire on Saturday evening that Ed put so much into – I take my hat of to him for persevering with such a tough audience.  I think they enjoyed it, they just lacked the energy to fully commit to songs unless they were about leaders pants or being sick which always raise their spirits somewhat.

Saturday night was far more relaxing with 60 very exhausted cubs and scouts settling down at a sensible time – perhaps it was the threat of a night hike if they didn’t that did it…..

Sunday was another bright sunny day and whilst the scouts were entertained with abseiling and the cubs with Kwik Cricket the rest of us set about striking camp.  The weather was kind and I think we were almost done before the parents turned up to watch.

Camp photo, camp badges and flag down all done by 3pm and an uneventful trip home with plenty of parents kindly stopping to help us unload back at HQ – another great camp thoroughly enjoyed by all.  Thanks to Ed and Nick for organising it, Helen and Cath for feeding us and all the other leaders who come along and make it such a pleasure. (Jon, Nick, Alastair, Rich, Chantel, Teresa, Colin, Andy, Phil, Lyndsay, Chris and Rachel)

Roll on next weekend for the Exmoor expedition with Pirate Troop.

Gardiner Troop

History of 3rd Ashtead Scout Group - and Arnold Gardiner

By Malcolm McKee in 1st Ashtead Scout Group

This is the verbatim text from a history of 3rd Ashtead Scout Group that I found in a case with some other 3rd Ashtead artifacts in a case in the scouters room.  3rd Ashtead had its own proud history that is now mostly overlooked since it merged with 1st Ashtead.  However, with the Gardiner Troop named after the 3rd Ashtead President, I feel that a bit of the 3rd Ashtead lives on within the Pelhams.

Malcolm McKee - July 2012

 

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History of 3rd Ashtead Scout Group

& Arnold Gardiner

In 1954, Jack Stratford, the Hon. Secretary of the Leatherhead Scout Association and his sister Joan Stratford (now Joan Gardiner) who was then ADC Wolf Cubs decided to start the 3rd Ashtead Wolf Cubs as the 1st Ashtead Pack was full to capacity and there was a need for a Scout Group at the south end of the village.

Mr & Mrs Vigor lent the Cubs a wooden garage in their garden on Parker's Hill, which Mr Clifford Gardiner, together with Mr Stratford converted into a most desirable small headquarters.  In this venture they had the support of Sir David Cairns who lived in The Warren and became the Group's first president.

A Scout Troop was formed when the original 12 cubs became of scout age.  It then became necesary to find a permanent Headquarters site.  As the Group grew they held their meeting in St. Giles School Hall.  Mr Clifford Gardiner's brother, Arnold, then became involved in the Group, and he worked incessantly to obtain the site where the HQ now stands in The Warren.  The Headquarters was formally opened by Mrs Vigor in September 1966, and stands very close to the original site where 3rd Ashtead was started.

As a tribute to the late Mr Clifford Gardiner it was decided in his memory to use the pun on his initials CGG to adopt a seahorse (as he had done for his own use) as the Group's emblem, and the seahorse badge is worn on the back of the scarf.  Mr Stratford moved from the district some years later.

Arnold Gardiner was Chairman of the Group Executive Committee at the time the HQ site was acquired, and he organised the many parents and friends who assisted with the purchase of the hut (at a cost of approximately £1,400).  He also obtained offers of equipment for the kitchen, heating, curtains and lighting for the hall as he had contacts with people in many walks of life.

Over the Whitsun and August Bank Holidays of 1966 Arnod Gardiner organised the errection of the Headquarters with assistance from parents and friends.  Two people who can be recalled providing considerable help with the project were Roy Ballinger and Mike Trembly (still the Group's quartermaster to this day).

Mr Clifford Gardiner lived on Ranmore Common for some years until he died, and the Group had the use of the site next to his house for camping and outings, and this continued until the early 1990s.

In December 1991 Arnold Gardiner was awarded the Medal of Merit from the Chief Scout for his outstanding services to the movement.  Arnold Gardiner was Chairman of the District Finance and Development Committee from its inception until the 1980s.  He also received the thanks badge from the Leatherhead District.

When Sir David Cairns died, Arnold Gardiner became the President of the Group and held that office until his death in September 1994.  Arnold Gardiner and Joan were married in 1956, and the cubs and scouts sand as the choir and performed a guard of honour at their wedding.

(This background information to the formation of the Group and its history was provided by Joan Gardiner, the Group's first Akela)

Scouting for life

Last night I had the great privilege of investing Louis (8) as a new cub in our cub pack, watching Oakley (10) receive his Silver Chief Scout award and receiving my own award for 5 years of service to the movement.  Not only are these big milestones for all three of us but we were lucky enough to have them presented by the District Commissioner (Lyn Darbyshire MBE), the Group Scout Leader  (Nick Lambourne), Akela (Ed Vokes) and Myself in front of other leaders from other sections in the group and indeed a GSL and leader from one of the Chelmsford Groups. I think this made it one of the best attended presentation evenings yet at this section.

Having reflected on the evening over night and in the car on my way to work this morning I realised what a huge part of my life scouting has become and what an amazing adventure it has been over the last five years.  Today I find myself running a scout troop and assisting with a cub pack every week.  I have been selected for the Hampshire leadership team to take 90 children over to Japan in 2015 for three weeks to enjoy the life experience of a world scout jamboree.

Last weekend I was away with the leadership team for Japan, in 10 days time we are away on group camp with the 4^th Chandlers Ford Scout group and the following weekend I am taking 14 scouts on an expedition across Exmoor – it’s amazingly busy and I love every minute of it.

Recently I was rather touched to find out that there is a scout troop called ‘The Gardiner Troop’ which meets in Ashtead and this was named after my Great Uncle Arnold after he died, for all the services he had put in along with his wife Joan and his brother Great Uncle Clifford.  It was fascinating to read about the history of their scouting experiences that Joan had compiled before she died and so I thought it was about time I started to record some of the adventures we get up to as a family in scouting.

Hopefully this is the first of many posts.