Group Camp Autumn 2001

Preparations for the camp (besides the organising, cajouling and general preparitory work that had been going on for months) began on the Wednesday night. The leaders set out in the hut all the equipment that we would need to take, finding it from al the nooks and crannies that we hide it in when not in use. With many a cry of "…does anyone know where XXX is?" or ".. didn't we have some XXX somewhere", the floor was filled up.

Thursday night the leaders and some parents arrived to load up the vans and cars and transport the equipment to the site. The main aim was to get up the marquee but in the event we also managed to get up the dining shelter and some patrol tents.

On Friday morning some leaders setup toilet tents, the kitchen, dug fire and waste pits and generally prepared for the arrival of the group.

At 1630 on the Friday everyone arrived and the camp had begun…

Whilst supper was being prepared, a safety tour and putting up the remainder of the tents was the first order of the day.

This was the first outing for some recently purchased challenger 5 tents and as can be seen our chairman and GSL had problems and resorted to the instruction booklet. Luckily a scout comes along to show them how…

The scouts soon found other interests to putting up tents

Meanwhile the GSL struggles on ...

Attempts are made to catch the photographer on film ... but he foils them all by having another camera to hide his identity. (As if you couldn't tell by his shape!)

A queue is forming. No-one knows why but they join it anyway

Food ... it must be at least two hours since we last ate. Sausage, mash and beans is soon polished off.

The camp fire is lit using a flint and steel.

At flag down introductions were made of those parents unknown to the youngsters and the full programme was explained. Everyone allocated to there respective camp colours. To aid the leaders in spotting who was in which group a coloured scarf was given to each so that those skipping off of doing chores could be easily spotted.

Soon we have a roaring blaze and everyone grabs a chair.

Song sheets are handed out so that there is no excuse that you don't know the words

We had sing-along around the fire with hot chocolate (the drink not the group!) designed to make everyone's voice hoarse so that they could make any noise during the night.

After an hour of songs and sketches, accompanied by Pete C on his guitar, the cubs are sent to bed. The scouts meanwhile went on a night hike.

Why is it that when someone has a torch at night they have to turn it on and shine it at everyone. The number of times the cry of "… put that light out" was made you would think we were back in the blitz. The hour or so stroll through the woods was just enough to let the cubs get to sleep before the scouts came back and woke them all up!

The scouts went to bed and the leaders finally had some free time around the dying embers of the fire. No singing this time.

As usual the youngsters were all up early. At breakfast the scouts had to cook their own bacon and eggs over an open fire.

Hope you like smokey bacon and well done toast.

Luckily for our stomachs the rest of us had the camp cooks do it all.

Of course they also had the washing up to do.

Chores followed breakfast with nominated patrols and sixes doing the washing up, firewood & water collection and general tidying up.

Flag break

Following flag break all were given a T-shirt and told to draw on them to produce unique patrol or six shirts (Sorry if they try this at home!). Fears that the indelible ink pens would cover their hands and backs in non-removable marks were luckily unfounded.

A quick pose for the camp photo.

Donna does here Titanic impression!

The first teams to build a Chariot get their machines studied by other teams to pick up ideas

A rope walkway was made through the trees. Having put the lower 'walking rope' up we realised that we would have trouble reaching up to get the guide rope up. The solution a quick home made ladder. Comments of ".. that looks a bit rickety" were rebuffed with the fact that is was designed to be self levelling for use on the uneven ground (honest).

Lunch time
The beavers came out to join the camp at lunchtime to spend the day doing activities.

A string trail with objects hanging from it was set up for the Beavers. They had to trverse it blindfold and remember the objects that they found.

To make them feel part of the group the Beavers also had their own tent as a base decorated with flags that they had made the previous week.

One of the Cub activities was to make catapults from canes and eleastic bands.

Another Cub activity was to make an Alien.

In between the activities the rope walkway was put to plenty of use

Always a good activity to attract leaders ... the beavers toast marshmallows and eat then between chocolate biscuits

Yet another chariot comes off the production line.
As Henry Ford might have said "You can have it any style you want as long as its A-frame!"

As can be seen even when having a break the leaders are still working

But there is always time for fun and the leaders are only big kids after all!

We promised that we would not release this photo of the Treasurer if he agreed to us spending loads of money but I'm sure we'll get the money out of him some other way.

No its not the start of a race but communication methods, the tin can telephone and semaphore.

The beavers also had their own chariot.

The beavers perform "The beaver Smile" around the camp fire

Some of the Scouts put together their own pop group "ALBERT" to perform a number of catchy numbers such as Ging-Gang-Goolie and She'll be Coming Around the Mountain.
CD's and cassettes of their greatest hits will be available from all disreputable dealers.
After the camp fire the Beavers went home and everyone else played a wide game.
Next day it was start all over again. The queue for cake was as long as ever.

Another team have a go at the communication activity

More Rockets are fired in an attempt to beat the record.
Unfortunately Ian's best shot ended up stuck 40 feet up a tree!

Time to start packing up

The lineup for the chariot race....wait a minute one team is missing"

There they are having a quick pit stop and rebuild after the practise session.

Finaly we are set for the first race

They're off. The different motoring techniques soon become apparent.

What's this ... half the engine power is running behind trying to catch up

With the fast break at the start the race leaders avoid the clash of chariots at the turn

Some structural damage means resorting to Plan B...pick it up and carry it!

The winners of the first race

The runners up

The second race and this time we have a Le Mans start.
A handicap is introduced with the winners of the last race being stuck at the back of the grid

But that doesn't deter them. They still win again by a large margin even with attempts to disable them on the way back.

Race 3 and again the winners of the last race are put at the back of the pack

Major catastrophe. The wheels fall off a chariot and wrap around the previous winners. The fix is in.

Besides being hindered at the start the previous winners have engine trouble further down the course. A trip and a broken collar bone. Ouch!

Final flag down and presentation of the awards.
The winners by a very small margin are the Greens. Unfortunately one of their number has been wisked off to hospital with a broken collar bone and will have to get his award later.
You can't say that they don't give their all to win.

What this years Ventures are wearing!

	Preparations for the camp (besides the organising, cajouling and general preparitory work that had been going on for months) began on the Wednesday night. The leaders set out in the hut all the equipment that we would need to take, finding it from al the nooks and crannies that we hide it in when not in use. With many a cry of "…does anyone know where XXX is?" or ".. didn't we have some XXX somewhere", the floor was filled up.
	Thursday night the leaders and some parents arrived to load up the vans and cars and transport the equipment to the site. The main aim was to get up the marquee but in the event we also managed to get up the dining shelter and some patrol tents.
	On Friday morning some leaders setup toilet tents, the kitchen, dug fire and waste pits and generally prepared for the arrival of the group.
	At 1630 on the Friday everyone arrived and the camp had begun…
	Whilst supper was being prepared, a safety tour and putting up the remainder of the tents was the first order of the day.
	This was the first outing for some recently purchased challenger 5 tents and as can be seen our chairman and GSL had problems and resorted to the instruction booklet. Luckily a scout comes along to show them how…
	The scouts soon found other interests to putting up tents
	Meanwhile the GSL struggles on ...
	Attempts are made to catch the photographer on film ... but he foils them all by having another camera to hide his identity. (As if you couldn't tell by his shape!)
	A queue is forming. No-one knows why but they join it anyway
	Food ... it must be at least two hours since we last ate. Sausage, mash and beans is soon polished off.
	The camp fire is lit using a flint and steel. At flag down introductions were made of those parents unknown to the youngsters and the full programme was explained. Everyone allocated to there respective camp colours. To aid the leaders in spotting who was in which group a coloured scarf was given to each so that those skipping off of doing chores could be easily spotted.
	Soon we have a roaring blaze and everyone grabs a chair.
	Song sheets are handed out so that there is no excuse that you don't know the words
	We had sing-along around the fire with hot chocolate (the drink not the group!) designed to make everyone's voice hoarse so that they could make any noise during the night.
	After an hour of songs and sketches, accompanied by Pete C on his guitar, the cubs are sent to bed. The scouts meanwhile went on a night hike. Why is it that when someone has a torch at night they have to turn it on and shine it at everyone. The number of times the cry of "… put that light out" was made you would think we were back in the blitz. The hour or so stroll through the woods was just enough to let the cubs get to sleep before the scouts came back and woke them all up!
	The scouts went to bed and the leaders finally had some free time around the dying embers of the fire. No singing this time.
	As usual the youngsters were all up early. At breakfast the scouts had to cook their own bacon and eggs over an open fire. Hope you like smokey bacon and well done toast. Luckily for our stomachs the rest of us had the camp cooks do it all.
	Of course they also had the washing up to do. Chores followed breakfast with nominated patrols and sixes doing the washing up, firewood & water collection and general tidying up.
	Flag break Following flag break all were given a T-shirt and told to draw on them to produce unique patrol or six shirts (Sorry if they try this at home!). Fears that the indelible ink pens would cover their hands and backs in non-removable marks were luckily unfounded.
	A quick pose for the camp photo.
	Donna does here Titanic impression!

	The first teams to build a Chariot get their machines studied by other teams to pick up ideas

	A rope walkway was made through the trees. Having put the lower 'walking rope' up we realised that we would have trouble reaching up to get the guide rope up. The solution a quick home made ladder. Comments of ".. that looks a bit rickety" were rebuffed with the fact that is was designed to be self levelling for use on the uneven ground (honest).
	Lunch time The beavers came out to join the camp at lunchtime to spend the day doing activities.
	A string trail with objects hanging from it was set up for the Beavers. They had to trverse it blindfold and remember the objects that they found.

	To make them feel part of the group the Beavers also had their own tent as a base decorated with flags that they had made the previous week.
	One of the Cub activities was to make catapults from canes and eleastic bands.
	Another Cub activity was to make an Alien.
	In between the activities the rope walkway was put to plenty of use
	Always a good activity to attract leaders ... the beavers toast marshmallows and eat then between chocolate biscuits
	Yet another chariot comes off the production line. As Henry Ford might have said "You can have it any style you want as long as its A-frame!"
	As can be seen even when having a break the leaders are still working
	But there is always time for fun and the leaders are only big kids after all!
	We promised that we would not release this photo of the Treasurer if he agreed to us spending loads of money but I'm sure we'll get the money out of him some other way.
	No its not the start of a race but communication methods, the tin can telephone and semaphore.
	The beavers also had their own chariot.
	The beavers perform "The beaver Smile" around the camp fire
	Some of the Scouts put together their own pop group "ALBERT" to perform a number of catchy numbers such as Ging-Gang-Goolie and She'll be Coming Around the Mountain. CD's and cassettes of their greatest hits will be available from all disreputable dealers. After the camp fire the Beavers went home and everyone else played a wide game.	Next day it was start all over again. The queue for cake was as long as ever.
	Another team have a go at the communication activity
	More Rockets are fired in an attempt to beat the record. Unfortunately Ian's best shot ended up stuck 40 feet up a tree!
	Time to start packing up
	The lineup for the chariot race....wait a minute one team is missing"
	There they are having a quick pit stop and rebuild after the practise session.
	Finaly we are set for the first race
	They're off. The different motoring techniques soon become apparent.
	What's this ... half the engine power is running behind trying to catch up
	With the fast break at the start the race leaders avoid the clash of chariots at the turn
	Some structural damage means resorting to Plan B...pick it up and carry it!
	The winners of the first race
	The runners up
	The second race and this time we have a Le Mans start. A handicap is introduced with the winners of the last race being stuck at the back of the grid
	But that doesn't deter them. They still win again by a large margin even with attempts to disable them on the way back.

	Race 3 and again the winners of the last race are put at the back of the pack
	Major catastrophe. The wheels fall off a chariot and wrap around the previous winners. The fix is in.
	Besides being hindered at the start the previous winners have engine trouble further down the course. A trip and a broken collar bone. Ouch!
	Final flag down and presentation of the awards. The winners by a very small margin are the Greens. Unfortunately one of their number has been wisked off to hospital with a broken collar bone and will have to get his award later. You can't say that they don't give their all to win.
	What this years Ventures are wearing!