Summer Camp briefing

1. Summer Camp briefing 18th July 2006 Prepared by Chris Dawkins Presented by ‘The Leaders’

2. Why Camp? Why not? • It will be fun • Camping is a fundamental Scouting activity • A chance to “get away from it all” • To live and work out in the open, as patrols, with limited adult involvement • Opportunity for learning life skills • It’s the main reason scouts join in the first place • Once in a life time experience • No one else offers this kind of activity

3. How In a very traditional way, that Baden-Powell would be proud of. We camp in green fields, bringing everything we need with us, including the kitchen sink

4. Who is going A maximum total of 84 people. • There will be 41 Scouts at camp this year, split into 5 patrols • 11 Scouts from the Bentley troop • 22 Scouts from the Loach troop • 8 Scouts from America – Troop 39 Chapel Hill • In addition there will be... • 14 Scouters (inc 2 American Leaders) • 18 staff • 14 children (under 8)

5. Leaders & Experience The Scouters are all fully trained in running ‘Green field’ camping and have many years of experience. All the adults at camp have been CRB cleared. Scouting is voluntary for both the Scouts and Leaders. The Scouters have to use their holiday to run the summer camp, as well as several evenings planning it all beforehand (a thank-you is always appreciated!). The Leaders are always glad to receive suggestions or to give further advice and information. The best time to see us is almost always at the end of the Scout evening.

6. Leaders & Experience Shaun Holmwood – Cub, Scout, Venture Scout and 6 years as SL Chris Dawkins – Cub, Scout, Venture Scout and 23 years as A/SL James Farthing – Cub, Scout, Venture Scout and 6 years as A/SL Nicola Farthing – Brownie, Guide, Guide Leader and 6 years as A/SL Alvar Bray – Cub, Scout, Venture Scout, Beaver Leader & 4 years as A/SL Andy Hobbs – Cub, Scout, Venture Scout, 23 years as a leader Mike Rogers – Group Scout leader since 2001 Louise Bradley – Scout, Explorer, 3 years as A/SL Edd Price – Young Leader with Bentley troop for 3 years

7. Camp costs & paperwork Paperwork Camp costs The cost of camp is £175. Deposit of £50 was due at the beginning of May. The balance (£125) is due now. The only additional cost is pocket money for the tuck shop £10 is ample. There is only one piece of paperwork that you have to worry about! It’s the consent form...We must have your filled in and signed consent this week. In order to copy some details for the home contact,

8. Camp budget Income from the following: £6,000 Scouts camp fees £1,000 Leaders’ camp fees £7,000 Total Expenditure is made up as follows: £ 600 Coach £ 400 Lorry £1,200 Activities £ 800 Field £3,500 Food £ 500 Kit – Tee shirts / badges etc £7,000 Total

9. Camp fees Currently we are running this scout troop with some huge debts

10. The Camp programme • We have a full and varied camp programme which is run by the Scouters and staff. • We work to the daylight hours, starting the day with PE at 6:45, breakfast at 8:00, inspection at 9:00 and the start of the camp activities around 10:00. Supper is at 9:45 and lights out at 10:00. • Several of the camp highlights are: • The day out • Competition day • PL’s Lunch • The Hikes • The Survival night • Camp fire • Troop barbecue • Sports day There are several things “set up” at camp. This includes things like the volleyball, croquet and swing ball. Other things are “set up” to only be used when being supervised. This includes the aerial runway, the assault course, the slide and playing in the river.

11. The Camp programme Day Morning Afternoon Evening Thurs Depart HQ - 9am Set up Set up Fri Set up Dam building Free time on Patrol sites Sat Camp Pioneering Camp Pioneering PL's Dinner Menu Sun Incident hike Church Mon Competition day Barbecue Tues Activity day (off site) Camp Fire Wed Staff Inspection Trek Cart/PL's Hike or Survival night Thurs Hikes Return Slide/Free time Wide Game Fri Skills morning Sports afternoon Strike Camp Sat Clear up Return Bath & bed Sun Lie in bed Clear up at HQ - 1pm Fish & Chip Supper

12. Codes of behaviour • The Scout Law applies! • In addition • Be on time and prepared for activities • Take an active part in the duty patrol tasks The watchword must be consideration for others at all times, and unseemly, abusive or violent behaviour will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to send Scouts home (at their own expense) i.e. parents will have to come and collect

13. Menu and Food We have a fully balanced menu which is planned in line with the camp programme. This ranges from a full “Sunday roast” down to beans on toast. We tend to start the day with a large breakfast, light lunch, cooked tea about 5ish, and finish with a central supper at 9:45. All the food is cooked on wood fires by the Scouts themselves, within their patrols and a Scouter eats with each patrol for every meal. We cater for vegetarians and any other special dietary requirements, providing we know beforehand. All details must be on the consent form. We do not cater for fussy eaters. Please, do not send your children with extra ‘supplies’, this results in litter, disrupts the planned diet and is unnecessary with the tuck shop on camp.

14. The menu

15. Sleeping arrangements The Scouts sleep in traditional heavy green canvas ridge tents. We have separate tents for the boys and girls. All our sleeping tents have ground sheets. Usually we have about 6 to 8 Scouts to a tent. Please do not bring airbeds, camp beds or pillows because of the space they take up in the tent. It is important that the Scouts keep their personal kit tidy inside the tent. Each patrol also has a dining shelter for use during the day.

16. First aid at camp Several of the leaders are qualified first aiders: Chris Dawkins Charlotte Webber Shaun Holmwood Nicola Farthing James Farthing Alvar Bray Andy Hobbs We have a fully equipped first aid tent All cuts, grazes, burns & feeling “unwell” MUST be reported to the first aider immediately. Scouts must not “just rest” in the patrol tent. The first aid tent will be “open” as a clinic, twice a day (for changing of dressings, routine things and dispensing of prescribed medicines) 7:30am to 8:00am (before flag break) 7:30pm to 8:00pm (before flag down) We will dispense reasonable over the counter remedies. All medical information that we need to know must be on the consent form. All visits to the first aid tent will be recorded on the reverse of the consent form. Sun Screen – This is a personal responsibility!

17. Personal equipment What to take Every Scout will require the following personal items, named and packed insideone rucksack and/or kit bag Warm coat Waterproof and windproof coat Warm Sweaters Jumpers & Sweatshirts Tee-shirts Camp tee-shirts Underwear Swimming costume Shorts or cut-offs Hats (both rain & sun) Pyjamas Sleeping bag Karrimat and/or spare blanket Blanket (for campfire) Canvas daps Wash kit Towels Eating kit (unbreakable) Several old tea towels Torch & spare battery Small penknife Sun cream Water bottle There is no colour/dress code at camp. Just please don’t bring your best clothes, they will get dirty, wet, muddy and smoky. Don’t forget your Progress book.

18. Camp tee-shirts Each year for summer camp we have a new camp tee shirt design. The colour is determined by which patrol you are in. We only buy large tee-shirts, this is so the Scouts can still fit into their first year’s camp tee-shirt at their third or fourth camp. Over the years camp tee-shirts have become quite a tradition, and now, just for a bit of fun, each day has a tee-shirt defined on the menu/programme, and if you have it you should wear it on that day. Scouts should also wear this year’s camp tee-shirt to the Fish ‘n Chip Supper.

19. Personal equipment Daily Camp kit Usual daily camp kit is shorts, canvas daps or similar (without socks), tee shirt & jumper. Coat & hat if necessary. Everything must be named. Eating kit should be paint marked. Plasters, electrical tape, stickers all come off in the wash, or collect grime. • Prohibited items • Personal stereos • Sheath knives • Electronic games • Jewellery • Money (cash) • Mobile phones • Long trousers (this includes longer than knee length “shorts”)

20. Feet Feet are one (two) of the biggest problems on camp. Feet will get wet in several ways - in the morning from the dew, it might rain and from playing in the lake, etc. Footwear needs to be able to dry out quickly.Therefore, we recommend lightweight canvas daps or Teva / Merrell style shoes. No socks are allowed as they will not allow your feet to dry out. Wellington boots are not the answer as we have also found out that Scout’s feet sweat and the boots also rub their legs. We suggest wearing your camp shoes around the house before camp, to break them in. Also just walking around in bare feet. Cut your toe nails before camp!

21. Tuck shop • While at camp we run a small tuck shop, selling • Penny sweets • Chocolate • Can & Bottled drinks • Fresh fruit • This is run on an account basis – No cash. Every Scout opens an account at the beginning of camp. This is not allowed to go into debt. Any remaining balance will be returned at the Fish n’ Chip supper • £10 is ample, as the tuck shop is the only thing to spend money on and £1 a day is more than enough. Depending on the day out it may be possible to withdraw some cash from Camp bank. Scouts do not need any cash while at camp. • If the sweet wrappers are not disposed of properly the tuck shop will be closed

22. Toilets Dry pit one foot wide Wash bow Our toilets are the traditional pit type. They are clean, hygienic and simple to use They don’t smell. Recently we bought 8 new toilet / washing tents. This year all the toilets will be fitted with a ‘swing’

23. What to bring on the day It is a 2 hour coach journey. Don’t forget to take any travel sickness medicine in good time • You need to arrive at Northcote in full Scout uniform • with a small sac* containing:- • Packed lunch (in disposable containers) • Waterproof coat • Set of camp kit to change into • Coat hanger (for your uniform) • Something to keep you interested on the journey • * This sac will be used when hiking The seatbelts are to be used at all times

24. The end of camp When we return from camp the kit from the lorry will have to be unloaded into the hall and everyone will be required to take an active part with this. The camp is not complete until all the equipment has been cleaned, repaired, painted, signed for and put away. This takes place on the Sunday afternoon after summer camp, starting at 1pm. Every Scout should be there to help. You will also need bring along several clean (but soon to be grubby) tea towels. Mums and dads are also welcome to help as many hands make light work. It has also become traditional for any “spare” hands to help with a bit of house work at Northcote – e.g. cutting the hedge, bit of cleaning or painting etc

25. Home contact When we are away at camp it may be that the Scouters need to contact the parents of a Scout, or that you need to contact us. The Scout Association uses a “home contact” who is a person not involved in the camp but who can act as central contact between the camp and the parents. Please check you know who this is and have his number before camp. This year it is….. Andrew Smith 148 Southmead Road Westbury-on-Trym Bristol BS9 4LX Home tel 0117 962 9533 Mobile tel 07811 314425 Your contact details are taken from the consent form, which is why we need it in a week beforehand and we will share this with Andrew (a former Group Leader)

26. Fish ‘n Chip Supper This is the ‘end’ of Summer camp when the plaques and camp pennant will be awarded. The Fish ‘n Chip Supper is at Northcote on the Sunday after summer camp starting at 7pm and everyone is welcome. All the Scouts who were at summer camp get “free” fish and chips. Everyone else (Mum, Dad, brothers & sisters) should order their fish and chips before camp. Scouts should wear this year’s camp tee shirt to the Fish ‘n Chip Supper - so fish it out early from the huge washing pile! If, when sorting out your personal kit at home, you find something that is not yours, please bring it up to the Fish ‘n Chip Supper where there will be a lost and found table.

27. What to do next • Tonight • Pay any remaining camp fees • Order your fish ’n chips • Over the two weeks • Get all the personal kit • Wear in walking boots to avoid blisters • On Saturday 22nd June at 1:00pm • Help get out all the camp kit and check it over. • On Tuesday 25th July at 7:00pm • Bring all personal kit to be checked and left at Northcote. Any items missing will need to be brought up that night as kit needs to be complete. • Hand in tuckshop money • On Wednesday 26th July at 7:00pm • PL & APL’s are required to pack the lorry

28. Web page Full details of the summer camp along with the medical/consent forms, kit lists and this presentation are available on our web page: www.26bristolscouts.org.uk Along with lots of pictures of the last two summer camps. Any Questions?

29. Contacts www.26bristolscouts.org.uk Contacts Home contact Andrew Smith - 0117 962 9533 Camp leader James Farthing – 07802 986776 Fish ‘n Chip orders Dave Sledge - 0117 968 7536