Brownsea Pack Summer Camp Report 2005      

Our summer camp this year was held again at Plum Park in Staffhurst Wood, near Oxted.  We had a very successful time with 18 boys camping from the Sunday through to Friday evening and we based the camp on the theme of communications.  The sixes were named Sonar, Radar, Morse and Beacon and every Cub worked towards his Communicator badge during the camp.  We also worked towards the Do-It-Yourself, Camper and Adventure badges as well as the Outdoor Challenge and Nights Away awards.  The camper and adventure badges involved lighting fires and cooking tea, building bivouacs in the woods, pitching and striking tents and other camp-based activities.    

The boys’ first job on arrival was to pitch their tents, the leaders having set up the rest of the camp on Saturday.  The site is owned by Surrey County Council and managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust and we were fortunate in receiving much help during the week from their Countryside Ranger, Dave Hill.   On Sunday afternoon we made Six signs for the tents and also made badges.  In the evening, following Scouts’ Own, we went for a torchlit walk through the adjoining woods in the dark.   

On Monday we visited Beaver Water World at Tatsfield.  Unfortunately, the beavers were all asleep when we were there but we saw many reptiles including “Big Boy” the alligator and lots of other rescued animals and birds.  In the afternoon, we had a visit from Jenny Clarke who runs a bat hospital.  She brought along some bats which we saw, and gave a very interesting talk about bats.  Later in the week, as part of the D-I-Y badge, we constructed bat boxes.     

One of the highlights of the camp, according to the Cubs, was our annual visit on Tuesday to Tor Hatch at Shere, a private house, to use the swimming pool in the back garden and the trampoline.  After swimming, we had a picnic lunch and then back to camp to cook beefburgers over open fires.     

On Wednesday, we visited Biggin Hill airfield and were shown around by the Biggin Hill Air Scouts.  We saw many light aircraft, the wartime bunkers and had a go on the flight simulator.   

On Thursday we visited a neighbouring farm where we saw donkeys, quail, ducks and geese and then watched a demonstration of spinning.  Again, we were grateful to Dave, the Ranger for organising this.  In the afternoon we had our sports afternoon which included use of our aerial runway constructed by Alan Avery with help from the young leaders.    

Friday saw two visits to Oxted – in the morning to the Tandridge Leisure Centre for swimming and in the afternoon to visit Woolworths to buy presents with left-over pocket money.  Friday evening came all too soon, and we welcomed the parents to our camp fire where I was able to present the winning six, Radar, with their prizes.  Well done Radar Six:  Matthew Bowers (who was nominated Best Sixer), Luke Norrie-Rolfe (second), Joseph Finn and Scott Marshall.  Cub of the Camp was Jack Francis, and the Chess Trophy was won by Joseph Finn.  Connect 4 champ was Luke Norrie-Rolfe.    

My grateful thanks to all who helped in any way towards organising and setting up camp, and in particular the leaders at camp:  Sheila, Sally, John, Eric, Margret, Alan, Ben, Michael, Harry and Daniel.  My thanks also to Chris Keehn for driving the 7.5 tonne lorry with our equipment.