Camping Basic Information Going to camp for the first time can be quite scary. I have put some notes here to lat you know why we do things how we do them before we go. Before We Go Before any of the sections go camping, we need a couple of bits of information We need to get permission from the Parents that says we can take their Scout away. This is needed for a few reasons, firstly we need to know that the parents (where I have written parents, take this to mean parent or guardian) know where you are. The permission form includes useful information for running the camp, such as medical conditions and allergies - very important for example, if you have a nut allergy and we feed you peanuts. If you we need to contact your parents while we are away the permission form has a section for their contact details. Finally if we need to take you to hospital the permission form will be taken with us because it contains your parents contact details and medical details. Note: The medical staff do not have to treat you until your parents are there. Another thing that we need is that the camp fees are paid promptly. This could be a few months in advance for the summer camps, or in the week before for a weekend camp. Camp fees obviously vary depending on the length of camp, where we are staying and activities we're running. For a weekend camp in 2003 I aim for a standard weekend camp to cost around £14, camping from the Friday night to Sunday afternoon and the leaders running all the activities. If we hire a building the price can vary between £5 per night to £100 per night for the group. For a week long summer camp the cost would be about £150 for camping in the UK to £350 for an overseas expedition The third thing that I usually need is for people to offer to give you a lift to and from the campsite, however it is usually better for you to arrange lifts between yourselves. Often we need equipment taken for us as well - leaders cars are only so big, and we would appreciate offers to help us take kit to camp. If we specify that you need certain personal equipment this could be because it is necessary for the programme we are running, the expected weather conditions or a host of other reasons. It may be that without that equipment you will not be able to take part in some activities. While we are at camp The leaders try very hard to make each camp they run as enjoyable as possible and the programme we run at the camp will change with each camp, although we may run similar activities. The camps are meant to be fun - for you and for the leaders in charge and when they stop being fun then people will stop going to camp (this includes the leaders). There are many jobs to do at camp that are not so much fun, like washing the dishes after dinner. If these chores are done quickly then we can spend longer doing the fun things. The leaders often have good reasons for asking you to do a chore, whether they ask for volunteers to do it, or ask specific people, it would help with the camp if you did the chores you are asked to do. If you ask the leaders they will tell you why you have been asked to do the jobs (for example, if you don't wash the dishes you won't have anything to cook your next meal in). After The Camp The leaders have been looking after the Scouts at a camp for the whole time and at the end of the camp will be looking forward to a bath and some sleep, so one of the important things about the end of a camp is that the Scouts are collected and taken home when we ask. Once the weekend is over we need to return to the village hall to put the equipment away equipment away we do need help doing this, 5 minutes help from everyone will save the leaders about an hour The time we return is based on the estimated time we give on the notes about the camp but it is variable. Please tell your parents not to panic if we are not home exactly when we said we would be, if there are any serious delays then we will let them know. The last thing we might ask for is what you liked about the camp and disliked. If you don't tell us then we won't know what to change for next time Equipment Needed You should travel too and from the camp in uniform - Shirt, knecker and dark (grey) trousers. The Kit list on the camp permission form is a good indication of the other equipment you need since it is an equipment list for a general camp that could cover all sorts of activities. We will sometimes add or remove equipment to the list so read through it before packing. The prices for equipment can vary greatly, for example when going hiking I would suggest they take a water bottle, this could be a specialist brand named outdoor bottle costing £10, or 2 empty half litre plastic cola bottles costing nothing. If you are unsure about what types of equipment you may need please ask one of the leaders - they all have a lot of experience in the type of activities we run and can advise you fairly well. There is some equipment that I can loan to people if they don't have the right equipment (but not much). As you progress with the troop and Scout group I would expect you to have more of your own equipment. Expensive Personal equipment Just a quick note regarding some of the more expensive personal equipment I have seen at camp (for example walkman, mobile phones etc.). Camping by its very nature takes place outdoors, and in all weathers. Electrical equipment doesn't like being soaked through and can be damaged by water. Camp programs involve physical activities so I would not advise Scouts to carry expensive or fragile things in their pockets while we are running those activities. Scout campsites cover a large area making it practically impossible to look for things that fall out of pockets. Scouts are generally quite inquisitive and if they see a new 'toy' (like a phone, or walkman left on the side while the Scouts play a game) they are likely to investigate how it works. It is for these reasons that I am warning you that if you bring things like phones, walkmans or other fragile or electrical equipment to the Scout meeting or to Camp then don't be completely surprised if they get damaged. If you need to use a telephone the leaders can often help you out On a final note on equipment at camp, if you take care with your own equipment and belongings and other peoples then things don't get lost or broken. Put things back in your bags when you have finished with them and they are less likely to get lost.