Scouts Survived Again

Thank you to Belle, Senior Patrol Leader, for writing up this camp report as part of her Media Relations and Marketing Badge

https://www.scouts.org.uk/scouts/activity-badges/media-relations-marketing/

On Friday 3rd May, 27 Scouts from 1^st Caythorpe and Duke’s Covert and 9^th Grantham (St. Anne’s) arrived at Duke’s Covert Campsite, Ancaster, ready to have loads of fun on a big adventure. The challenge was to survive for two nights outdoors with no tents and minimal cooking equipment.

Once everyone had arrived, we started scouting out areas to build our shelters. Each team of two or three people had two tarpaulins and some paracord. We carved sticks into tent pegs or used logs to weigh down the cover.

After hot chocolate, we settled down for the night to see if our shelter building was any good, as it was raining! Next morning, we woke up to find ourselves dry and that the rain had stopped and the sun had come out.

We collected sticks to start a fire to cook our breakfast, it was a real challenge to get the fires going with flint and steel and damp wood. When we managed it the bacon sandwiches were really tasty.

The older Cubs and their Young Leader arrived to join us for the day ready to join in the fun. This was an excellent opportunity for them to get to know the Scouts and their volunteer Leaders before moving up.

Danny, one of our volunteers, explained to us what the 5 C’s of survival were;

• Cutting tool
• Container
• Cordage
• Combustion
• Cover

Danny then went on to amaze us with his foraging skills - who knew you could eat dandelions!

Sarah brought some crickets to try, some really liked them…

Lunch was again cooked by us on a fire made in our small teams. There was a selection of vegetables plus steak and fish all for us to cook in foil containers. Gary showed us how to prepare and cook a rabbit on a spit over the fire.

After lunch we played some games which we had loads of fun with. The younger Scouts and Cubs made survival paracord bracelets with a flint and steel and a whistle.

Dinner was an amazing campfire stew or curry with veggies and chicken prepared by older Scouts under Gary’s close supervision.

Cubs then went home, happy and tired after a fun packed day of activities and learning new skills.

More games - in the dark this time, followed by more hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows, then bed as we were all very tired after a busy day.

Sunday morning, we woke up to a cloudy morning which brightened up as we cooked our own breakfast of sausages. Then it was time to take down the shelters leaving it as clean and tidy as we would wish to find it.

It was great to be with 9th’s Scouts again after doing the London Monopoly Run with them in March and camping last year at Forest Fest.

Sam, our Scout Section leader said parents “…can be really proud. Great bunch of kids and it really feels like we have built up a terrific Troop that are now passing down the years, knowledge and experience from the older Scouts to the newer ones”.

Belle Giles (for my Media Relations and Marketing Badge)



Note - photos below in no particular order!