WINTER CAMP 2005

It was a cold and very windy January afternoon when I arrived at Gilwell Park, a little nervous abut what I had signed up for. That didn’t last too long when I saw a couple of familiar faces.

Once I had registered and reported for work, I was given the task of being the field Marshall for Essex chase. I think I got lucky with this job, as Mike, Barbara and Allan all ended up marshalling in the off site car park, which from all accounts was very windy. I was in the lucky position of being offered numerous cups of tea and being in and out of warm mess tents.

After finishing work for the night, it was off to the lovely new Branchett Lodge for a night’s sleep, wonderful hot water and comfortable beds.

Breakfast was a sedate affair, the usual staff briefing, then off to work. I was to help run the pedal carting on the go-kart track. Mini Grand Prix went on all day; the best results when the little guys beat the big guys.

For the first time, this year, the leaders had two hours to try out some of the more exciting activities that the young people had been participating in all day. Watching the scouts watching their leaders having fun was amusing. It was almost like leaders aren’t allowed to enjoy themselves. Just wait until some of them become leaders…

During the evening there was a Ghost Tour, which I happily joined in, (especially after the event at the AGM weekend in the Rover Den). I never realised the history attached to Gilwell, including the lady in the Crinoline skirts, and the Camp chief who took off to Tasmania (the Tasmanians got a new Governor and 80 years on Scouting got me!). Fair swap? You decide…

Back inside again at the end of the tour, enjoying a cuppa and a biscuit, warming up for the first time in a couple of days, it was a great chance to sit and relax and mull over the past 24 hours and the ripped tents and the gale blowing through the camp site.

Sunday was another windy day, however, the smiles on the faces of the participants was enough to keep me going through the mornings activity session. Lunchtime then arrived and the end of the weekend shortly afterwards, with queues of traffic leaving site. A small group of us managed to get together on Sunday lunchtime to get a photo from the weekend.

I had a great weekend, met a few people, ran an activity, and learnt some more about the ghosts of Gilwell. Will I go again next year? It is definitely a possibility.

Writen by Ann Dixon