By Marilyn Burrows
On the Spring Bank Holiday the Scout Group hosted its first ever parent and son camp at Braid Wood, Asheridge. A total of 23 cub scouts, 13 parents, 12 scouts and 10 leaders met at HQ. Akela sorted them into five mixed-age working patrols and they then hiked across the fields to the campsite where they pitched camp – cubs in patrol tents, scouts in lightweight hike tents and the dads sharing large leisure tents.
After supper the patrols devised lists of ingredients to be purchased for their Sunday dinner – they would cook this over open fires in the woods, in true ‘backwoods cooking’ tradition. A full day of challenges and scouting skills lay ahead, during which some Beaver Scouts and parents joined in. Parents were actively engaged in working alongside their sons and used their barbecuing techniques to good effect at supper time, when chicken, salmon, mackerel and stir fry over glowing logs would have tempted even Jamie Oliver! The campfire was a welcome focus for everyone on a chilly evening.
On Monday, after striking (packing up) camp and an enthusiastic tug-of-war competition between the patrols, there were presentations: Best Cub Scout on camp was Edward and most promising new camper was Ben; Red Six won the tent inspection competition. Hayley Farrelly had been formally invested as Leader and Tom Brockett congratulated for completing his leader training as Scout Leader, for which he receives the coveted Wood Badge. Hayley will take over the Cub Scout section in September; the subsequent leadership of the Beaver Scout section remains at present unresolved and its future uncertain.
The Group now looks forward to a day of water activities at Longridge in June, their tombola stall at the Flower Show and the Troop’s summer camp week in Wales.