ShireJam 2019 - Scouts

What a full on weekend we've just had.

My eldest daughter and I have been on our first scout camp with our local troop. I've been training up to be a Beaver leader for over a year now and it was time to get all the little ones under canvas as scouts for the first time.

In total we had over 80 on the camp and it was the first time in a long time that the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers have camped together from our troop, along with all the leaders, assistants, young leaders and parent helpers.

We were doing this along with 4500 other scouts and adults at the Three Counties Showground. It was an event for Herefordshire and Worcestershire to come together and celebrate scouting. There was well over 100 activities for the kids to get involved with spread over the weekend, starting on Friday night and finishing on Sunday afternoon.

Everything was separated into zones, so things like Adventure, survive, bounce, splash, learn and create. And we got allocated to spend time in each one. We're so fortunate in Beavers (and the whole scout group) to have a cracking team and some great friends and it made each day easy to go round with these young people so they could enjoy it.

We also probably ate our own body weight this weekend as well. Such good camp food! After each activity there was always cake, fruit and snacks waiting and each meal was simply brilliant. The first night we had burger and chips, sausages and beans breakfast next day, sandwiches for lunch. spag-bol for tea, bacon and eggy camp bread (fried) for Sunday breakfast and more sandwiches for the last lunch.

Every child ate so much it was great to see. And not a electronic gadget in site all weekend!

The first nights sleep was not great, I think we might have gotten 2 hours tops! Mainly due to where our camp was, near the toilet block. The hand dryers went all the time and would wake everyone up. Removing the fuses fixed this for the second night though! We also calmed the beavers down with a bedtime story and they settled much better, no messing about in the tent, of course I think it also helped that they were shattered! As was I! I went to bed pretty much straight after them and I had the leader privilege of a tent all to myself!

Packing up!

So our first scout camp was a massive success. My daughter loved it and it was her first time sleeping in a tent! We both came back shattered but very much feel part of our "scout family" that have adopted us and we're now looking forward to the next one!