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.
