Finally, after months and months of no camping, 9th Kenton Scouts enjoyed a freezing, wet, weekend away at Southall Activity Centre from 11th to 13th Feb.  This was an indoor camp with the Explorers joining us for an outdoor sleep out Saturday night.

 

We started our camp with an opening ceremony and some indoor games and quizzes, followed by a film night.

 

After breakfast on Saturday, we started with some team building exercises on the assault course.  The Scouts had to get their complete team from one end to the other without touching the ground, then they had to complete the course again carrying a couple of beakers of water with them.  The same exercise was then repeated on the vertical tyre climbing tower.  After various other team building challenges, it was time for lunch.

 

In the afternoon we continued with practising putting up and taking down tents.  This was followed by a hike along the canal path.  We were joined in the evening by Pegasus Explorers.

 

After supper, the Explorers, who have been discussing homelessness were given cardboard boxes, some plastic sheets, etc to build their own outdoor shelters for the night.  Once the Explorers had completed their shelters, they joined the Scouts at a campfire.

 

Hot chocolate was a nice warming treat, before the Scouts went to their bunk rooms, and the Explorers took their sleeping bags out to their shanty town of cardboard boxes outside.

 

Sunday morning started with a full hot breakfast for everybody.  We invested Jayshree, a new Leader into our group.

 

The Explorers cleared up their “shanty town” while the Scouts packed their things.  In groups the Scouts produced a “Scout code of conduct”, which they then presented to the leaders and the rest of the scouts.

 

The Scouts and Explorers joined together in a pioneering activity.  The objective to make a rope bridge, but due to torrential rain this exercise was cut short, and so after packing the equipment away we all went inside.

 

After lunch Scouts and Explorers enjoyed rifle shooting, before a final clear up and completion of our camp.

 

Comments from our young people

“great fun”, “freezing cold”, “missed my mum”, “made me wash up”, “good food”, “kept awake all night by the girls talking”, “veggie bacon !?!”