scouts

ON THE MOVEON THE MOVE

Get to grips with the Expedition Challenge

The magazine for Scout Leaders

August/September 2009

In a spin?Navigation for novices

Pack alertThe right way

to stuff a rucksack

The Bumper

Book of BraveryThe Bumper WIN

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 1 14/07/2009 16:04

IFC_SCOUTS_AugSep09.indd 6 06/07/2009 14:17

INTRO

3scouts.org.uk/pol

WELCOME

Contents

Over the last few months we have gathered some feedback on the Expedition Challenge, says

Alasdair McBay. This edition we focus on making it easier for your Scouts to gain this important award –

and get the bug for adventure

Scouts who complete their Chief Scout’s Gold Award repeatedly tell us the

Expedition Challenge provides them with their greatest memories and their

funniest moments in the Troop. The hours of planning; the endless list of things

that happen on the expedition and the time spent putting the presentation

together are all positive and worthwhile. They form the essence of Scouting –

teamwork, fun, opportunities for leadership and outdoor adventure to list just

a few.

On the other hand, there is a lot of evidence – particularly from the Your

Programme Your Voice survey – that leaders find the challenge difficult to

deliver. Flexibility is the key here. The expedition does not have to be a huge

undertaking over Terrain Two ground. Indeed, I have recently heard some

imaginative and creative ideas for completing the challenge in an urban setting.

Some also say it can be a large investment of leaders’ time for a small number

of Scouts or that Troops have a lack of resources (either in equipment or

expertise). In many cases this can be turned into an opportunity to link with

other Troops or Explorer Scout Units for support and to share experiences.

Like so many things we do, both in Scouting and elsewhere, it is so easy

to find reasons not to do something. Consider again the huge value that the

Expedition Challenge can offer your Scouts and I am sure you will see the

benefit to both them and your Troop.

Happy exploring!

Into the great wide open

Your Scout Support TeamAlasdair McBay – UK Adviser (Scout Section),Ed Wilson – Programme & Development Adviser

Contact them at:[email protected]

Scout Support Team The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW; Tel. 0845 300 1818

AdvertisingTom [email protected] Tel: 020 8962 1258

BE PART OF IT!

Good luck with your Big Adventure – don’t forget to tell us about your event at [email protected] Check www.scouts.org.uk/thebigadventure to find out what others are doing.

Front cover photo by Allan Baxter shows a Scout from 1st Teddington tent pitching in Bushy Park London. Thank you to the young people and leaders from the whole Group for their help with this issue.

4 To boldly go Ed Wilson gets to grips with the detail of the Expedition Challenge and dispels one or two myths on the way

6 NavigationScouting’s James Taylor gives a navigation masterclass for you to pass on to your budding explorers.

8 Programmes on a plateThis issue’s theme is expeditions, of course

10 Meeting sparklers Whistling, clapping, squeezing – all in this latest batch from Andrew Corrie

12 Pack it inThe inside guide to packing a rucksack

14 Route of kingsA different take on the traditional expedition

16 Location, location, locationTim Dance’s tent pitching advice for a better night’s sleep

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 3 14/07/2009 16:05

4 Scouts August/September 2009

We often think of an expedition as a journey that involves travelling to the ends of the earth, says Ed Wilson. It needn’t be that way – as long as there is a clear purpose, the destination could just as easily be Newport as Nairobi

W hether we are talking about the voyages of

Captain Scott or Charles Darwin, expeditions

usually have one thing in common, and that is

to find something out. This is what makes an

expedition different from somebody travelling for travel’s sake.

The Expedition Challenge very much reflects this idea. It is not

just about travelling as far as possible or through terrain that

is a challenge to somebody completing their Queen’s Scout

Award expedition. The most important thing about the challenge

is to make sure there is a purpose to the journey.

I was recently talking to a Scout Leader whose Scouts had

travelled from their home town into York, looked around, stayed

the night in a hostel and then travelled back. However, two

members of the group had to be in a wheel chair for the whole

time. This is just as valid a purpose as any other but does go to

show how creative we can be when running an expedition. There

are two ways of completing the Challenge, which

are outlined below.

Option A – A journey with a purpose Take part in an expedition over two days (including a night away)

with at least three friends. Be involved in the planning of the

expedition, complete relevant training and be properly prepared.

During the expedition:

a. Play a full part in the team.

b. Journey for at least four hours each day.

c. Use a map to keep track of where you are.

d. Stay overnight at a hostel or other suitable venue, or camp

overnight at a suitable site.

e. Cook the evening meal and breakfast.

f. Achieve at least one goal, agreed with your leader before

the expedition.

To boldy go

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 4 14/07/2009 16:05

5scouts.org.uk/pol

THE EXPEDITION CHALLENGE

Option B – A purpose with a journeyTake part in an exploration over two days (including a night away)

with at least three friends, and report or present your findings. You

must be involved in the planning of the expedition, complete relevant

training and be properly prepared. You must have completed some

initial research into the subject to be investigated. The challenge

should take place somewhere you have never been before or don’t

know well.

During the exploration:

a. Play a full part in the team.

b. Travel for at least 90 minutes to a hostel, campsite or other

suitable venue.

c. Use a map to keep track of where you are.

d. Conduct the exploration within an agreed area (discussed

with a leader in advance) collecting evidence and information

for the report or presentation.

e. Stay overnight at the venue and cook the evening meal and

breakfast.

f. Complete the exploration before returning home.

g. Have the report or presentation ready within four weeks

of the exploration.

Before they go Expedition planning is essential. However the good news is that all the

forms are exactly the same, unless a specific Activity Permit is needed.

When deciding what equipment is needed think about what the

Scouts are able to carry. Would it be better for them to stay in a youth

hostel on each night? Both indoor and outdoor options are perfectly

valid.

Adult supervision Another question I am often asked is whether Scouts should be

accompanied all the way or watched from a distance. When making

this decision you should consider their training and experience: have

they ever done anything like this before? If you decide to walk with

them you could walk 50m behind. This way you are able to keep in

contact with them but are not close enough so that they can rely

on you.

However, if you decide to supervise from a distance, make sure you

see them at various points during the day. This might be at pre

arranged check points or somewhere they are likely to take a wrong

turning. I was recently talking to a leader who said that if running an

expedition he would give them a route with a permanent feature

that that they would stick to, normally a coast line or river. This way

they have enough flexibility to get lost but always have a feature

that they can find on a map.

Above all, Scouts should enjoy their experience. Remember this will

form the foundations of a Scout’s future enjoyment of expeditions

and adventure.

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 5 14/07/2009 16:05


Teaching Scouts the basics of navigation can be a challenging process. James Taylor introduces some great ways to make the process both easy and fun. And yes, a GPS is cheating!

W ith Sat Navs (Satellite Navigation

Systems) in every car and GPS (Global

Positioning Systems) in so many pockets,

it has been easy to overlook the good

old fashioned map and compass. But like all electronic

devices, high tech gadgets are not infallible: batteries can

run out, terminals corrode and components can

malfunction. This is one reason why maps are rarely

surpassed in navigation terms. Maps can also answer

many more questions than GPS: a map is a visual

illustration of an area of land – it shows hidden stories,

facts and figures.

Start with the basics To produce confident map readers, whatever the age, it is

essential to start with the basics. To begin, I like to work

with a local map where you can point out some familiar

land marks. Ask the Scouts to imagine going up in a hot

air balloon for a few thousand feet and explain that the

picture on the map is what they would see if they looked

down. Another good exercise is to ask them to make a

map of, say, their campsite, imagined from above.

At this early stage you will need to introduce the

compass and demonstrate how to ‘set a map.’ At an

introductory level, all we need to point out is that a

compass needle points North and that North is always at

the TOP of a map! So, now we are looking at a map

which reflects our surroundings perfectly – this is the time

to start doing some symbol recognition. It’s very easy to

turn such an exercise into a quiz, or maybe ‘Mappo,’

which is bingo using map symbols!

The scale of the problem As we start to venture around the map identifying

churches, railway lines, campsite and so on, the subject of

scale will come up. Again, it might seem difficult to

The right direction

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 6 14/07/2009 16:06

7scouts.org.uk/pol

NAVIGATION

Please see The Scout Handbook (available from www.scouts.org.uk/shop)There is also a great deal of useful info at www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone

more info

explain but really isn’t. Everything is measured in the unit

of a centimetre (cm), and this means that 1:25 000 actually

means 1cm on the map and 25 000 cm on the ground.

The other concept to grasp is that if the scale is larger ie

1: 250 000, there will be more ground per cm on the map.

A conclusion might be that the larger the scale, the less

detail on the map.

What about the blue grid lines on a map? The

horizontal ones are called northings and the vertical ones

are called eastings and they are always labelled with a two

digit number. Explain that these numbers and lines are

used for identifying positions on the map, the eastings

number is always read first and the saying to remember

this is ‘along the corridor and up the stairs’. The

progression needs to be made so that although there are

no more lines printed, we need to be able to imagine

subdividing each square up by 10 units each axis. This

enables us to ‘pin point’ a very specific location with a six

figure grid reference. The best way to help grasp this

concept is simply to play Battleships – this works entirely

by using grid references, albeit only four figure ones.

Raised awarenessAside from straight blue lines, we also find lots of rounded

brown lines going in any direction. These are called

contour lines and they join points of equal height (in

metres above sea level) of land. They are a very important

addition because they make interpretation of the map 3D.

They carry a number which indicates their height

and another line is added each 5m or 10m change in

height. Therefore if the contour lines are close together,

it indicates a steeper rise or fall in land level. A great way

to make sense of this is to cut out gradually increasingly

smaller changing cardboard shapes and sticking them

on top of one another. Ask the Scouts to view the model

from above. Hopefully the penny will drop!

The right direction

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 7 14/07/2009 16:06

8 June/July 2009

Top

5 id

eas

from

Pr

ogra

mm

es O

nli

ne

(Ju

ly)

27539 Scout Islam pack

39393 Human dominoes

43912 Pass the knot

46456 Relic hunt

39274 The silkworm walk

Programmes on a platePOP

This issue’s theme is expeditions,

written by Tony Taylor

N/A Expeditions require careful planning. Leaders should fi rst consult chapter 9 of Policy, Organisation and Rules. There are also factsheets available from the Scout Information Centre giving more detail about different adventurous activities. Throughout the planning process, Scouts should be consulted and their families kept informed so that they are happy to give written permission for their son or daughter to participate.

At the start of the planning process

What shall we do? 15 mins Outdoor and Adventure, Team-building activities

Hold a Troop Forum to discuss what expedition(s) the Scouts wish to undertake. Some may want to do overnight ‘hikes’ on foot, by canoe or cycle. They may also suggest a Troop expedition such as a camp abroad, canal boat trip or a journey in the UK using public transport. Try to reach a consensus about how, where, when and why.

Activities to put into a training programme

Risk Assessment 30 mins Outdoor and Adventure, Visits and visitors

Before completing your chosen expedition, you must carry out a risk assessment. An important element of this is informing others. Invite your District’s Health and Safety Adviser to discuss risks with the Scouts. Decide what the potential hazards are and how the risk of them causing harm can be minimised. Emphasise that everyone has a responsibility for his or her health and safety.

Equipment 60 mins Outdoor and Adventure, Activities with others

Arrange for adults to lead a series of bases, with the Scouts moving from one to another. These should provide an opportunity to practise packing personal kit and training in using any items of kit with which a Scout is not familiar. For example, on a canoe-camping expedition, kit must be stored in double bags in the boat. On a hike, the Scouts may be using compasses for the fi rst time and will need map reading skills.

Fitness training 1 day Outdoor and Adventure,Activities outdoors

Arrange a short practice expedition (or a series, if required) to familiarise the Scouts with their equipment. Carrying a rucksack correctly can reduce stress on the back. Cycling long distances or getting used to the extra drag in a fully laden canoe builds muscles. Operating a canal lock as a team requires training.

Emergency procedures

60 mins Outdoor and Adventure,Team-building activities

Your risk assessment session should have identifi ed hazards. Carry out some emergency simulations to deal with them. This will probably range from dealing with a cut or a burn from a hot stove to rescuing a Scout from water or rough terrain. If any Scout has a particular medical problem, the team members should know how to deal with it.

Just before you go

Final briefi ng 30 mins Outdoor and Adventure,Team-building activities

Before you set off, give the Scouts and their parents an opportunity to ask any questions they may still have. Inform them about the local contact and give them a fi nal copy of your itinerary.

During and after the expedition

Reporting back 60 mins Creative Expression,Activities with others

After the event, arrange a session to report on the outcomes. Invite the parents, leaders from other sections and prospective members. Inform the Scouts before starting that they will be required to report back. This should encourage them to take photographs or keep a log. Also give them the opportunity to rehearse their report(s) before doing so with an audience.

Activity Time Zone/Method Instructions Ref Activity name


SCOUTS_NEW.indd 8 14/07/2009 16:06

9scouts.org.uk/pol

For more great ideas visit www.scouts.org.uk/pol

N/A Expeditions require careful planning. Leaders should first consult chapter 9 of Policy, Organisation and Rules. There are also factsheets available from the Scout Information Centre giving more detail about different adventurous activities. Throughout the planning process, Scouts should be consulted and their families kept informed so that they are happy to give written permission for their son or daughter to participate.

At the start of the planning process

What shall we do? 15 mins Outdoor and Adventure, Team-building activities

Hold a Troop Forum to discuss what expedition(s) the Scouts wish to undertake. Some may want to do overnight ‘hikes’ on foot, by canoe or cycle. They may also suggest a Troop expedition such as a camp abroad, canal boat trip or a journey in the UK using public transport. Try to reach a consensus about how, where, when and why.

Activities to put into a training programme

Risk Assessment 30 mins Outdoor and Adventure, Visits and visitors

Before completing your chosen expedition, you must carry out a risk assessment. An important element of this is informing others. Invite your District’s Health and Safety Adviser to discuss risks with the Scouts. Decide what the potential hazards are and how the risk of them causing harm can be minimised. Emphasise that everyone has a responsibility for his or her health and safety.

Equipment 60 mins Outdoor and Adventure, Activities with others

Arrange for adults to lead a series of bases, with the Scouts moving from one to another. These should provide an opportunity to practise packing personal kit and training in using any items of kit with which a Scout is not familiar. For example, on a canoe-camping expedition, kit must be stored in double bags in the boat. On a hike, the Scouts may be using compasses for the first time and will need map reading skills.

Fitness training 1 day Outdoor and Adventure,Activities outdoors

Arrange a short practice expedition (or a series, if required) to familiarise the Scouts with their equipment. Carrying a rucksack correctly can reduce stress on the back. Cycling long distances or getting used to the extra drag in a fully laden canoe builds muscles. Operating a canal lock as a team requires training.

Emergency procedures

60 mins Outdoor and Adventure,Team-building activities

Your risk assessment session should have identified hazards. Carry out some emergency simulations to deal with them. This will probably range from dealing with a cut or a burn from a hot stove to rescuing a Scout from water or rough terrain. If any Scout has a particular medical problem, the team members should know how to deal with it.

Just before you go

Final briefing 30 mins Outdoor and Adventure,Team-building activities

Before you set off, give the Scouts and their parents an opportunity to ask any questions they may still have. Inform them about the local contact and give them a final copy of your itinerary.

During and after the expedition

Reporting back 60 mins Creative Expression,Activities with others

After the event, arrange a session to report on the outcomes. Invite the parents, leaders from other sections and prospective members. Inform the Scouts before starting that they will be required to report back. This should encourage them to take photographs or keep a log. Also give them the opportunity to rehearse their report(s) before doing so with an audience.

Activity Time Zone/Method Instructions

9scouts.org.uk/pol

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 9 14/07/2009 16:07


Get Rhythm Ask the group to follow your instructions:

Everyone standNow, hands on your hips, hands on your knees,Put them behind you, if you please.Touch your shoulders, touch your nose,Touch your ears, touch your toes.Raise your hands high in the air, At your sides, on your hair.Above your head, as before, While you clap, one two, three, four.Now, hands upon the empty space (head),On your shoulders, on your face.Then you raise them up so high, And make your fingers quickly fly.Then you stretch them out toward me,And briskly clap them, one, two, three.

ScoutsScoutsScouts August/September 2009

From a whistle-stop filler and a fruity team game to a brilliant way of encouraging

personal feedback between Scouts, Andrew Corrie is the man with the bright ideas

Meeting sparklersElectric SqueezeHave all the players hold hands in a cricle and designate

one to start the ‘shock’ going by squeezing the hand of

the player to either their right or their left. That player

passes it on. The shock may move in either direction. At

any time a player may send it back the other way. The

person who is ‘it’ watches the faces and hands of the

players closely trying to detect the location of the ‘shock’.

When they guess correctly, the player caught becomes ‘it’.

Whistling ContestEach Scout is given a tune to whistle. If they laugh or

lose the tune they are out of the contest. To add a little

excitement, give each Scout a cream cracker or two

first and then get them to whistle.

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 10 14/07/2009 16:07

11scouts.org.uk/pol

Games and activities

Fruit SaladThe group sits in a circle. Put everybody into one of four

groups - apple, orange, pear and banana. One person

(it could be you) stands in the middle and calls the name

of one of the fruits. If you shout ‘apple!’ then all the

‘apples’ change places. If you shout ‘banana!’ all the

’bananas’ move. The caller can also shout ‘Fruit Salad!’

at which everyone moves.

4 UpThe group sits in a circle. Tell them you are taking

them to a strange planet with a very freaky

atmosphere. There is no point speaking as the sound

will not travel and gravity is such that only four

people can stand up at any one time. It is also

impossible to remain standing for more than ten

seconds. You then challenge the group to go to this

planet – you push the imaginary ‘start’ button and

see if they can keep four people standing all the

time. To stop the game push the ‘button’ again to

reurn to Earth.

Meeting sparklers

Positive FeedbackGive everyone a piece of paper and a piece of

masking tape. Ask the group to help each other

stick their paper on their backs. Give everyone a

felt tip pen. They should go round writing

positive comments on each other’s backs. They

may write messages of thanks, comment on

contributions the person has made to the group,

remind them of a moment they shared

together, in fact anything that is good and

positive. When everyone has had enough

time to collect a good list of praise, stop the

activity and let the group help each other to

remove their lists and read them.

Palm Push

Two Scouts stand facing each other with forearms bent so that they can each press flat palms against the palms of the other. They

push and the one who makes their opponent step back a pace becomes the winner.

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 11 14/07/2009 16:07


Pack it in!Although every Scout has their own particular method of packing their rucksack, there are some sensible rules everyone to follow. Peter Brooks shares his top tips

O f course the type of event or expedition

planned will dictate what kind of kit you take.

If it’s week of self sufficient camping in

Greenland across rough terrain, then there is

likely to be rather as lot. If it’s a one night expedition

through Norfolk on established paths, then it will probably

be just the basics. Follow these guidelines however and

you won’t find yourself unpacking your entire kit just to

find your compass.

1. Pack the side pockets first. That way you’ll get more in.

2. Pack the first things you will need last and last things

you will need first (got it?). In practice this means that

your raincoat or extra layer of warm clothing, is right at

the top of your pack.

3. Your sleeping bag needs to go right at the bottom if

there is no separate compartment for this.

4. Your fuel should also go at the bottom (if any fuel leaks,

it will leak out the bottom of the bag instead of all over

your clothes.)

5. Place a dustbin bag into the rucksack first and pack into

this; your kit should stay dry even in the wettest

weather.

6. Your sleeping mat should be rolled and attached to the

outside.

7. Keep your wet weather clothing easily accessible in case

of a sudden shower.

8. If you always pack your gear in the same places in your

rucksack, you will always know where to find each item

as you want it.

TOP Waterproof jacket and

warm sweater

MIDDLE Spare clothes,

clean underwear, hankies,

socks, swimwear

BOTTOM Sleeping bag, plate

and mug, stove and fuel, trainers

SIDE POCKET 1 Cutlery,

torch, loo roll, matches, spare

batteries

SIDE POCKET 2 Wash kit,

towel, First Aid Kit

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 12 16/07/2009 10:54

scouts.org.uk/shop01903 766 921

RESOURCES

Resourcesscouts.org.uk/shop

Role

Troop

Ess

entia

ls

The

Troop

Prog

ram

me

The

Troop

Prog

ram

me

Plus

Scou

t Ba

dge

Book

Scou

t Re

cord

Book

Scou

t Sk

ills

Car

ds

Scou

t

Han

dbook

Scou

ts T

akin

g

the

Lead

Youn

g Le

ader

s’

Esse

ntia

ls

Nig

hts

Aw

ay

Troop Assistant R R R U U U U U U

Assistant Scout Leader E E E R R U U U U

Scout Leader E E E R R U E E U R

Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts) E E E U U U U E U

Assistant Area/County Commissioner (Scouts) E E R U U U U E U

E essential - considered essential that an adult in this role has immediate access to this resource in order to fulfil the role

R recommended - access to this resource will help an adult carry out this role more effectively

U may be useful - an adult in this role may find it useful to access this resource from time to time

Are you confused about which resources are right for your role? The table below

details which publications are essential, recommended or useful for each role in the

Scout section

All profi ts go back into Scouting. The Scout Association Registered Charity number 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland).

Get the most fashionable Scouting item of the season,

available either embroidered or with i.Scout printed down

the sleeve.

A fun banner, with eyelets in each corner so it can be hung.

Approximate size: 158 x 89cm.

The new Scout leather belt has a detachable, two-piece, new

design buckle. This belt is replac-ing the current Scout belt. Sizes

Available S/M, M/L, L/XL.

Scout BannerItem code: 1026914

£8.81

i.Scout HoodieItem codes:

1026128R (Embroidered) 1026164R (Printed)

£19.57

Scout BeltItem code: 1027056R

£11

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 13 16/07/2009 15:34


Route of kings

Find out moReFor Expedition Challenge ideas and for further details, log onto Programmes Online and search for ‘Expedition Challenge’. Please also see the June/July issue of Scouting with suggestions for routes across the UK.

Staines

2 km

Shepperton

N

Weybridge

So now we know there are two ways a Scout can achieve the Expedition Challenge: a journey with a purpose and a purpose with a journey, but what does this mean in practice? Ed Wilson sketches out an example that covers both options

Staines to Hampton Court Palace The Thames is a brilliant place to walk. Not only is it

relatively flat, it is accessible, making it easy to manage the

group remotely. It also has a footpath running from one

end to the other. This expedition runs from Staines to

Hampton Court Palace.

The route takes in a variety of landscapes and starts and

finishes at a train station. It also passes a number of places

to camp.

Possible purposeThe route of this walk is significant, not only because of

the outstanding natural habitats, but because it is

historically important, finishing at Henry VIII’s Palace at

Hampton Court. Scouts could also use the expedition to

complete part of the Creative Challenge and Photographer

Activity Badge. Perhaps the feedback from the challenge

could be done as a photo exhibition?

Methods of travelThe expedition could be completed in a number of ways.

With a footpath running the whole way it could be done

by foot or bike. However, there is also the opportunity to

complete an expedition on the water. This would be a

pulling expedition or by kayak. There are a number of

Scout Groups along this part of the Thames that are able

to offer these as possibilities.

Hampton Court

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 14 14/07/2009 16:08

15scouts.org.uk/pol

COMPETITION

Only the brave Only the brave WIN

Five copies up for

grabs!

Expeditions into the unknown require a certain amount of bravery, which is why we’re offering five lucky (or should that be plucky?) Scouts copies of a fabulous new book on the subject

T he Bumper Book of Bravery by Charlie Norton

is packed with hundreds of stories from brave

people (and animals!) from around the world.

Whether it’s Ricky McGee, who survived in the

Australian desert for 10 weeks, or the Tendai marathon

monks who run over 25,000 miles to spiritual

enlightenment, almost all kinds of bravery, great and small,

are in this book.

We believe that there’s a hero in everyone, and we want

your Scouts to prove it by sending their brave stories. We’ll

then pick five lucky winners, who will each win a signed

copy of The Bumper Book of Bravery and a chance to

meet the author!

How to enter • Stories can be any length, but aim for about 100-200

words (half a side of A4)

• The story can be any true act of bravery that the Scouts,

a member of their family (or your pet!) has done –

anything as long as it’s someone they know

• Their story can be about anything. It could be:

- performing on stage in front of a big crowd

- a daring adventure they went on with their friends

- facing their biggest fear

- or a time they helped someone in need.

• Send the stories to The Bumper Book of Bravery

Competition, Scouting magazine, The Scout

Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW

or email them to [email protected] We

may even print the best!

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 15 14/07/2009 16:08


Location, location, location

‘There’s a river running through my tent!’

We’d all agree, these are not words Scout

Leaders like to hear while on camp. Tim

Dance looks at the perils and pitfalls of

pitching tents

O f course water drainage is only one element

of tent pitching to consider when you arrive

at your site. Look for an obvious slope; if one

cannot be avoided, ensure you sleep with

your head up-hill.

Is the flat surface at the top or the bottom of a hill?

Sleeping at the foot of a hill is fine, assuming no rain water

will trickle down. However no-one can predict the

weather 100% so avoid if possible. Is there a body of still

water or a river with tidal attributes nearby? At high tide,

the powers of nature will not be stopped by canvas.

Think about your neighbours At Scout camps a lot of kit needs to be shifted. Can you

park nearby? Is the site large enough? Tents don’t muffle

sounds, so consider whether your group will disturb others

and would other groups disturb you?

Consider the necessities: Does your site have a place to

cook, wash up, eat, go to the loo and, most importantly,

somewhere for a campfire?

Pitch in If you can, put up your tent during daylight so you can see

what you are doing without disturbing anyone or anything

nearby. Choose a shaded and sheltered location, but avoid

pitching tents beneath a tree. Lightning is attracted to it,

branches do fall down onto tents and bird poop is a

nightmare to clean off. Clear the ground of any rocks or

stones and don’t sleep on tree roots.

Position the back of the tent into the wind, and secure

with guy ropes. Use the correct pegs - titanium stakes for

hard dirt and angle iron for sand and snow. Ensure your

tent seams are aligned and secured. And don’t forget the

golden rule – the inner tent will get wet if it’s in contact

with the outer tent. Go to it!

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 16 14/07/2009 16:08

17scouts.org.uk/pol

Promo

Order yOur pack nOw Visit www.scouts.org.uk/sponsor to order a resource pack to help you get recycling

what a load of rubbish!

There was a huge response following the launch of the Serco Environment Partnership Award at the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Milton Keynes. Now Scouts across the UK are taking up the recycling challenge

a re you helping clean up your community?

Litter is a major problem throughout the

country, particularly with the increase in fast

food outlets, the cigarette ban (smokers now

drop their butts outside of pubs, restaurants and offices)

and generally a lack of respect from many, for the

environments we live in.

It is up to all of us to ensure that this problem is not

allowed to increase. We all need to play our parts in

demonstrating our willingness to keep our towns and

countryside rubbish free.

On display In Breckland, Norfolk during April, Serco took part in

Breckland Council’s Environment Week road-show. A

Perspex tank was built and filled with a typical day’s litter,

picked up by our street cleaning team. The amount of

litter shocked many passers-bye who were amazed at how

much Serco had to clean from the streets each day before

people arrived for work or school. This type of display is

very good at making people think before they litter.

Brilliant Belfast Meanwhile, South East Belfast Scout Group, joined other

community volunteers to carry out an amazing clean-up

exercise of the River Lagan in Northern Ireland in May.

Over 70 members including Scouts, Beavers, Cubs,

Explorers and Leaders from Saintfield and Lisburn, all

chipped in to remove litter, logs and branches from along

the tow path. Some even took to the water in canoes to

retrieve litter from trees and branches. They were

rewarded upon their return with hot dogs and burgers!

Mrs Carol Majury, District Commissioner for South-East

Belfast, was one of the organisers: ‘It was a great day,’ she

said, ‘with a great message to the public, great community

spirit, and a great job by Scouts and their leaders.’ The

event ended with the award of the Serco Scouts Environment

Partnership Award to Scouts who took part on the day.

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 17 14/07/2009 16:09


Order your free pack now at www.scouts.org.uk/sponsor

more info

puffin.co.uk

I n case you didn’t already

know, Scouting and Puffin

have got together to produce

a range of Activity Cards to

help your Scouts gain the Adventure

Challenge. Meet some of the

characters and some of the great

activities available.

Land, sea and air Every adventurer needs a high-speed

getaway and Artemis Fowl is no

exception. The most ingenious criminal

mastermind in history uses every vehicle he has to make his

escape, including hovercrafting and hot air ballooning.

Did you know?The first hot air balloon was launched in 1783 and the

passengers were a sheep, a duck and a rooster. The

balloon stayed in the air for a grand total of 15 minutes.

Riding the rapidsMeanwhile, someone who’s on the right(ish) side of the

law is James Bond. Even before he’d been recruited to the

British Secret Service, he was never far from adventure and

just some of the activities you can do with James are stunt

kiting and rafting. But in the days before Q, no gadgets

were required. Just Bond, James Bond.

Did you know?Rafting was one of the earliest means of transportation

on water. Today, white-water rafting is a popular sport

and included in the Olympic Games.

Enter the dragonWhen it comes to survival skills,

look no further than Jack Fletcher,

Puffin’s very own Young Samurai.

Ship-wrecked in Japan in 1712,

Jack must rely on his natural

instinct for survival and with

deadly ninja pirates at every turn,

Jack tests his dragon boating and

coasteering skills to the max. Not

for the faint hearted!

Did you know? An annual dragon boating competition has taken place in

China, where it originated, for more than 20 centuries as

part of folk ritual. It emerged as an international sport in

Hong Kong in 1976.

Surf’s upSome might call Percy Jackson a troubled kid. But that

aside, Percy does get to ride a horse with wings (aka

Pegasus) and breathe underwater (very

useful when surfing).

Did you know? The biggest wave ever surfed is 80

feet (that’s 25 metres!) tall by Ken

Bradshaw at Outer Log Cabins on

28th January 1998.

New term; new adventures

Learn more about some of the activities Scouts can do with the Puffin Adventure Challenge Badge

new adventuresnew adventures

SCOUTS_NEW.indd 18 14/07/2009 16:09

IBC_SCOUTS_AugSep09.indd 6 13/07/2009 12:48

OBC_SCOUTS_AugSep09.indd 6 06/07/2009 14:20

Documents

scouts