Survival Scouts!
28th Bathampton Scouts had an exciting time at their annual camp in Dorset over the May Bank Holiday.
The Scouts, aged from 10 ½ to 14-years-old, camped in their Patrols under canvas, cooked their own meals on wood fires and put into practice all the Scoutcraft skills they learn in their weekly meetings. The ‘off grid’ site in Eaststoke just happens to be on the edge of the region’s tank training area; far enough away to be safe but close enough that one afternoon they heard machine gunfire!
Of the many badges gained over the course of the camp, the Survival Skills badge was one of the more demanding: Scouts slept deep in the woods and needed to draw on all the skills and resources they have learnt over the year; making shelters, water filters and fish traps, communicating via ground to air signals and cooking their food (which included Rainbow Trout!) WITHOUT utensils over a campfire. While most achieved their Bronze Level awards for this, three Scouts excelled and secured Silver Level certificates.
Everyone’s camping, cooking and Scoutcraft skills were judged over the full 5 days with the Merlin Patrol winning the highly coveted Spadger Trophy for their efforts.
Other activities included a joint ‘Top Gear Challenge’ with the 15th Freshford Scouts. Patrols had to work out their destination from clues in an obscure picture and then travel there the cheapest way possible, all while participating in a treasure hunt en-route. All the Patrols reached Boscombe Pier via foot, bus and train or a combination of all three AND under their allocated budget.
And finally, a highlight for Scouts Amber and Ethan who were presented with their Chief Scouts Gold Awards! This is the highest Award a Scout can gain in the Scout Troop and shows that they have excelled in both Challenge Badges and off-site expeditions. To make the presentation extra special the two Scouts were given their awards on Brownsea Island – the site of the first ever Scout Camp held, way back in 1907!
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