By Fiona Durrant
This year's annual District Camp (May Bank Holiday) was perhaps one of the most fun and eventful camps within the past few years. As in the name, it was a "District Camp" meaning the whole of Gosport district scouts were invited. There were representatives from all areas of scouting, and perhaps one of the most prominent groups there was the newly formed explorer unit. Everyone arrived on the Friday and set up camp ready for a weekend of adventure. As always on camp it was an early start on Saturday morning for breakfast (thanks to the galley staff). Once we had all eaten and flag was done it was time for the activities to begin! The youngsters were sorted into groups and sent off to various bases where a challenge awaited them. I myself was armed at the ready with two network scouts and a box of face paint. There were many activities available to take part in, and the explorers and leaders were on hand to help. Some of the fun we got up to included trek cart, archery, rifle shooting, climbing wall, boat racing, assault course, pennant making, cooking, go kart pioneering and for some explorers ... galley duty!
Saturday night was topped off with a fantastic campfire ran by Bill and Carol Reed. It was quite an experience to see most of Gosport District singing and dancing, now if only there had been a stage ... ! Naturally after campfire we all returned to the hut where we were greeted with "Uncle Charlie's Hot Chocolate" complete with cream, marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles! Yum!
Sunday morning we were up nice and early for another day of activities! It was the usual routine ... get up have breakfast ... wake up the lazy explorer scouts who couldn't be bothered to get out of their tent ... and then on with the activities! The activities offered on the second day were the same as the first so there was an opportunity for all to take part in what they wanted, but there was an added bonus of doing first aid casualty simulation. Naturally it was the explorers who ended up covered in blood and bruises (no explorers were harmed in the making of this!!) and the scouts who had the job of administering first aid to them. The main highlight of Sunday had to be the greatly anticipated trek cart race. The explorers had challenged the leaders to a trek cart race around the course that had been built. The leaders accepted the challenge however they were to take one of the boats around the course and the explorers had one of the trek carts. The explorers practised all weekend, and they were ready for action, in their stupid face paint and clashing colours, they meant war! The leaders however looking also rather stupid, had not practised and took more of a laid back approach to the challenge. Needless to say the leaders won. The explorers would have to serve them breakfast the next morning ... oh the shame!
Monday came around and already it was time to pack up camp. Tents came down, food was eaten up and final flag down was made. An unforgettable weekend was had by all! It was certainly eventful and another great triumph! The leaders all did a fantastic job in helping to organise the weekend, and the youngsters all made it the success it was by joining in with the activities and showing the world that scouting in Gosport is very much alive! Thank you everyone for a great weekend!!!!!
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Role
of Honour
Gosport
District Scout Council
