Beaver Sleepover - An Exciting Weekend or What?

All those cynics out there thinking that todays’ youngsters are only interested in video games and tv should have come along to our first ever Beaver Sleepover at Silverwood. All but 3 of our “Eager Beavers” arrived on site in great excitement and bagged a bunk bed for the night. Once parents had gone we held our opening ceremony and then got changed.

It was then down to basic team work to shift a load of lightweight pallets down to the campfire circle ready for later. Next, a walk in the woods, the highlight of which was finding an abandoned car at the bottom of a hill. Some of us were excited too at finding pine cones amongst the fallen leaves and learning how to tell if it was going to rain. Tea was quarter pounders with optional cheese or sausages with bread rolls and jacket potatoes plus salad, all followed by yogurt. Don’t think they’d been fed all day!

Then time to grab our torches and make our way down to the campfire circle where Ian lit the fire. After a few songs we sat and watched the fire in all its’ glory with its’ sparks dancing like fireworks in the darkening sky – well that’s how the kids described it anyway. Next, we made necklaces and bracelets and even light sabres with glo-sticks and spent a happy time running around the field with Jaye and Amy, in all the colours of the neon rainbow like huge fireflies. A spot of stargazing followed before meandering back to the building for a colouring competition to start winding down for bed. Well that was the theory! Hot chocolate and marshmallows for a nightcap and then teeth brushing and changing into jimjams before the “disco.”

Ian and Richard brought out their guitars and the buzz about the “disco went round like wildfire! The boys taught us “Puff the Magic Dragon” and we all joined in the chorus. After a few more songs the theory was working and lots of little heads were nodding so everyone went to bed. That was the cue to start over wide awake and it was a good hour or so later before most were asleep.

Everyone was awake by 7.20 next morning and after breakfast we set off for our hike through the woods.

Along the way we stopped off to play in a sleepy hollow climbing out of it with tree roots as a natural ladder. Loads of fun! We found the car again and enjoyed lobbing sticks at it for ages! Back on site we had Milky Ways and apples with a drink and then got our bags out ready to go. Then we formed a huge circle to finish our camp off.

The winners of the colouring competion were announced and prizes given. Katie came 3^rd; Jessica 2^nd and Amy 1^st. Don’t know what happened to the boys but I think they need to practise a bit more. Everyone was given a Nights Away 1 badge and a Hikes Away 1 as well. These can be worn all the way through Scouts until they gain the next stage. Amy was handed her Swimming Stage 2 badge and William his Imagination badge.

Then, our Group Scout Leader, Ian, made a special presentation to William and Niall of the Chief Scouts Bronze Award. This is the highest award a Beaver can gain and they had to complete 2 challenge badges and a personal challenge to earn it. Finally a group photo session for the blog and then we climbed trees and chatted before parents started to arrive.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable camp for both Beavers and Leaders and we will do it again next year. As Beaver Leader I would like to say a very big thank you to Ian for all his hard work and support prior to and over the weekend and a very big thank you also to Richard for his help and support with Beavers over the summer as well.

Finally, a special thank you to our Scouts Jaye and Amy, who are an enormous help to me every Thursday but especially this weekend. Thanks girls.

Kim