1st Stanstead Abbotts and St. Margaret's Scout Group

For those of you unable to join us, here’s a flavour of the fantastic weekend that saw 200 children and adults camp in some extremes of weather for a weekend packed with fun, games and  lots of activities. There are lots of photos in the Gallery too.

Friday Night

Parents started arriving and pitching their tents from 5.15 pm on the Friday evening and the rain started by 7 pm.  Those who arrived early managed to get their tents up in the dry, but the late arrivals were not so lucky!  Later that evening the light drizzle turned harder and by the early hours of the morning the rain was torrential. 

However, a hot and welcoming pasta supper was served in the Mess Tent on a rolling basis while people finished pitching their tents and many people enjoyed sitting around with their tea, coffee and hot chocolate before eventually heading off to their sleeping bags. 

Saturday 

At breakfast many parents were telling tales of being kept awake half the night by the sound of heavy rain drumming on their tents and fortunately only a few had wet areas inside their tents. Spirits were high after a huge and delicious breakfast of cereals, OJ,  Tea, Coffee and a FULL English Breakfast (Sausages, Bacon, Hash Browns, Baked beans, Mushrooms and Scrambled Eggs)

The drizzle that had accompanied breakfast eased off and we held Flag Break in the dry.  The Kudu horn was brought out and Clare McKenzie-Smith raised the flag.  Assistant District Commissioner Peter Makewell made a surprise appearance to present Clare with her Chief Scout Gold Award and congratulated her on the hard work she had done over the last year to achieve the highest award a Scout can earn.  

The camp then sang Happy Birthday to Grace, the Group Scout Leader Paul’s daughter, who was waking up to her 1st Birthday on her first Family Camp.  Then as everyone started their activities the weather began to brighten up giving everyone hot and sunny spells by the afternoon.

During the day the families had a wide range of activities to choose from, including:

• Air rifle shooting
• Rope-a-phobia (a high ropes course)
• Rotating climbing wall
• Inflatable assault course
• Archery
• Water wars (firing water filled balloons at each other with huge fixed catapults)
• Rope making (almost everyone was wearing their home made rope necklace at dinner)
• Biscuit decorating
• Bungee run
• Air Mountain
• Jumps mats
• Mask making (for the forthcoming District Camp)
• And of course the hugely popular water slide! 

Many of the younger children seemed to really enjoy the woods and open spaces as well, often making their own games, including what seemed like a marathon dawn till dusk football game outside the tents that had players kicking the ball around whenever they weren't off doing activities.  Lots of adults and children all appeared to make new friends and really enjoy the opportunity to have fun and relax with their families.

Dinner that evening was a delicious barbecue in the beautiful evening sun, with jelly and ice cream to finish with and by now people were able to sit outside around tables on the lawn in the sun.  

After clearing away dinner and washing up everyone was invited to play a ‘Wide Game’ – for many a new concept.  Then after gathering all together for Flag Down, everyone made their way down to the Campfire for some Stanstead Abbotts Campfire favourites led by Elaine aka ‘Akela’ the Panther Cub Pack Leader.  Some of the children performed a few entertaining sketches and jokes and Jack Rodgers. a Beaver from the Forest Colony, ‘Swam up to Cubs’ in front of the assembled crowd.

After much fun and laughter and at times some rather dubious singing, the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts and their siblings made their way to bed leaving the older Explorer Scouts, Young Leaders and adults to enjoy the camp fire, before slowly drifting off to bed much later as the embers faded under a starlit sky.

Sunday

On Sunday morning everyone woke to a heat wave!  After another fantastic breakfast and Flag Break, ADC Peter Raymen (and joint Camp Chef) led the crowd in a few minutes of quite reflection for ‘Scouts Own’, celebrating the many ‘firsts’ achieved and experienced by so many people that weekend.  

Then while the adults broke camp and got all the tents put away dry, the  Beavers, Cubs and Scouts played games that ended up as the inevitable mass water fight,.  By the final Flag Down, at 12 noon, everyone was wilting in the sun and sun cream and cold drinks were the order of the day.

For many this was their first Family Camp and for some their first time camping at all.  With so many families and young children enjoying the space, freedom, activities and combined with a taste of what Scouting is all about, next year’s 1st Stanstead Abbotts and St Margaret’s Scout Group Family Camp is surely going be a popular date in everyone’s diary.