Akela`s Family Camp Account.
The Big Adventure 09 - How could we rise to the challenge of bringing parents in to Scouting activities to show the fun and excitment that we regularly experience.
ONLY one answer to that - bring them to camp with US!!!
So that is what we did - last weekend 11 Families went to camp.
We chose to camp at 'Ty Clwyd' Guide Centre as the facillities were perfect for our needs.
Friday started the weekend and we met at the campsite from 3pm onwards when parents started to arrive and set up their camps. The weather was dull and rainy and the outlook poor but not being deterred by this we all cooked our evenig meals.
The Scouts on site were challenged to cook their own tea on and open fire using one of the altar fires already there - well done to them as they did just that in the pouring rain.
This done we all then met in the Barn for a getting to know you session and the first activity of the weekend - Shere Khan's Challenge - a quiz sheet designed to find out information about everyone at camp.
With darkness all around it was time for hot chocolate and bed (for the children at least). Not all the families had arrived and the rest were expected the next morning. Those of us who did camp on the Friday experienced a very windy night but at least by the following morning the wind had dropped and the day started off dry but dull, getting brighter overhead and soon the clouds cleared completely.
Once breakfast was over Nathan (SKIP) organised a game of rounders as the remaining families started to arrive and set up their camps.
The SUN was shining brightly and the campsite was taking shape nicely, I must say I was impressed with the resourcefulness of Family Cheetham and Family Davies who not only had a canvas hotel they utilised an old picnic table and some low tables from the log store to finish off their camp area. This then became the focal point for the rest of the weekend and after lunch we sat round chatting and getting to know all family groups. Everyone attending the camp was awarded the camp badge - the Big Adventure 09.
Shere Khan and Ashley then set up an obstacle course using tyres, hula hoops, footballs, egg and spoon (golf ball not egg) and teams then battled it out against each other (very competitive adults we have I must say!) in a very close run race.
All ready to go..... Helen and Danny Race.. No hands Ellis!!!! Everyone cheers their team
As the afternoon sunshine beat down on us, the children were restless to put their waterguns and supersoakers to the test so it was time to get the wet gear on and start the fun.
While a water fight ensued down at camp between the children and Skip, we charged up the hill with water carriers, three banners and a bottle of washing up liquid we found a suitable spot steep enough for our waterslide!!!!
With trial and testing we set up the perfect slide - Very Long (all banners in a long line) and Very Fast.
Respect to all those adults who themselves had a go - Dave Cheetham - DC as we will fondly call him - was the first down - top off , lathered and ready to go - and boy did he go - it wasnt long before Skip (soaking wet from the water fight down at camp) bombed it down the slide. Helen, Danny and Jules were also brave enough to take a turn or three.
The washing up liquid ran out so we sent scavengers down to camp for more leaving just enough for our washing up needs.
My thanks go to Ashley and all those who tirelesly refilled the water carriers and humped them back up the hill.
Much fun indeed was had with this activity......
Good technique Skip!!!. Stay on course Helen. Shere Khan, knocked over by Matthew! Who's going first !!!!!!
Back at camp and all dired off, the tyres from the obstacle course were used to mark out the boundary of a rugby pitch and DC, Glenn and Mark enjoyed coaching rugby to everyone and anyone brave enough to join in!
I was then able to prepare the next activity. We put all the altar fires together in the middle of the site and brought the table across. It was time to make up the bread mixes that we had brought. Armed with bowls, water and extra flour, we all enjoyed mixing and kneeding our dough.
When the doughballs were ready we twisted them on the recently pruned lilac sticks brought from my garden, then fighting for the best spot around the fire we baked them. Some of us (Nathan!) put the whole of a very huge doughball on to their stick - others more wisely made smaller ones which cooked better. The bigger ones were then wrapped in foil to bake in the fire itself or kept to bake later. With varying degrees of success there was plenty of cooked bread to go around so we enjoyed butter, jam, marmite, chocolate or honey spread on our hot crusty smoked bread. I think everyone had immense fun doing this - thanks go to Elsa and Greg who must have thought they were on a busman's holiday but got stuck in anyway. Cherie added her own dimension of flour painting - a new variation of face painting - or perhaps it was a tribal thing and we were now all part of her tribe!
The loaves that didn't get put in the fire to cook were kept in their foil but started to rise and ooze out of their foil wrappings - a comical sight, but I think they were cooked later all the same.
After clearing up the mess of our baking we used the altar fires to stand our party barbecues. The table was once again handy to put the food on and suddenly the men arrived to do their BBQ thing and light them up. Cooking them all together proved very successful and great fun - good teamwork was needed and we all bonded well.
After having had our fill of burgers, sausages kebabs and even prawns we enjoyed a chill out time and as Greg and Andrew had proved to be so good with the BBQ's I challenged them to go and build our campfire.
They did this very well indeed and a huge campfire could soon be seen up at the campfire circle.
This being our cue we grabbed our torches and jumpers and headed on up there. I had brought the songsheets along so there was no excuse for not joining in and we enjoyed our singalong as the daylight faded fast. Thank you Helen who sang along to all the songs and really enjoyed the spirit of it all, and when the flames died down we were able to toast marshmallows. Requring really long sticks utilised from the woodpile as the embers were still very hot
- marshmallows aplenty were toasted, torched and flame grilled.
Then, when we'd had our fill, three massive logs were put on the fire - signalling that the campfire was not over yet.
DC had used the wheelbarrow (and all his strength) to push them up the hill. He had brought his guitar along with him and so I thought we'd be listening to a little late night strumming.
How wrong I was! Guitar Legend and singer extraordinaire he proved to be as he belted out tune after tune and we sang along as the fire roared and crackled. Strangely enough, in the clear night sky above, a unique light show danced back and forth - our very own Northern Lights proved to be a laser light show from a club on the coast. It set our scene nicely as we listened, sang and requested our favourite tunes from Snow Patrol, Razorlight, Cold Play and more, and even as the lateness of the evenig saw families turn in one by one, still Dave sang. In the wee small hours with Glenn singing by his side there was only myself, Shere Khan and Family Haydn Jones remaining. We left them both there - still in fine voice with the fire ablaze to sing their hearts and voices out in the clear night air.
Some time later I heard them crash back into camp as they struggled with their coolbox and I was pleasantly surprised to see how early they were both up the next morning.
As breakfast was prepared the middle fire was lit once more and the children toasted the remaining marshmallows - nothing like a good healthy breakfast! Unfortunately most of us had put our milk in the freezer to chill the previous evening but none of us had remembered to get it out so cereal was definitely off the menu!
The children and anyone not involved in packing up their camps
(that would be Glenn and DC then!) enjoyed more rugby.
At half past ten we would meet in the middle to enjoy our last activity - a treasure hunt around the village.
Again we saw some very competitive families! and although Ashley, Bryony and Chelsea arrived back first, the winners were Mackenzie, Matthew and Greg.
Lunch was made up of anything not already eaten and although some families had to leave early, may I thank those who stayed til the end and helped us strike our tents and clean the toilet block - esp Joe, Mark, Tracey and Sue.
Everyone had a smashing time - we were once again lucky with the weather and so able to do all the activities planned.
It's great that we are all looking forward to doing the same again next year.
The Big Adventure 2009 was the challenge we had been set to bring families into Scouting. I think we fulfilled this task and, if we build on this foundation, we will have a good team with a good future. A parents meeting will be arranged when we return in September and your continued support will be appreciated.
