Group Camps

After a week away in Devon, I’m back!

Yesterday we came back from a week’s hols and I went out to see the Group camping at Barnswood. The Scouts were camping, the Cubs were sleeping indoors and the Beavers were out for the day. We were also sharing the camp with our friends from 99th Berry Hill.

The great thing is that these camps work well on so many levels. We share a camp with old friends from our old District from before the reorganisations a few years back. This means we keep old friendships alive and the Cubs especially, get to know new friends.

All of the Group’s Leaders go out which means that we get to be known by the kids not in our own sections. This ensures that when a child moves from Beavers to Cubs or Cubs to Scouts, they have at least met and know to some degree, their new Leaders. There are no strangers here! It’s also good for me with my Group Scout Leaders hat on to be able to see kids from all sections in one go. In fact, the Cub Leader made name badges with our names and titles on. One of the Cubs asked me what GSL was. So I told him and added that the other Leaders let me think I’m in charge!

The other great thing was that as the Beavers came out for the day, they did some games out and about around the campsite with the Scouts. One Beaver and one Scout were paired up and they played the games together. And from what I’ve been told the Scouts did us proud. When you’re 6 and 12 / 13 the age difference is great and a 12 / 13 year old sometimes won’t have a great deal of tolerance of their younger friend! But they did and the Beavers and Scouts really enjoyed it. A couple of the Patrol Leaders really excelled themselves as well, so I will make sure they are aware of how impressed I am at our next meeting.

In the evening we had the traditional camp fire as well as some fireworks as it’s Bonfire Night in a few days and one of Berry Hill’s Leaders did a bit of fire breathing (don’t try this at home kids!).

The only down side was that as Carol had generously shared her cold with me, I decided it wouldn’t be wise to stay out over night 🙁

Ah well, next year! But if you get the opportunity to take all your Group camping at the same time or Scouts camp with Cubs, do it as it’s great fun and you build up the relationships for later!