3rd Brampton Scouts

3rd Brampton Scouts

#campover

The history of the scouting camp blanket

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With the camping season new getting nearer, it’s time to dust off the old camping blanket (or buy a new one) and get sewing all those spare badges on.  Of course if you are relatively new to scouting, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about….

The Camp Blanket is a Scouting tradition stemming back to the very beginnings of the Scout movement. It has many functions, not just for keeping warm. But the main function of the Camp Blanket is as a place to keep all those badges that can no longer be kept on your uniform, campsite badges, event badges, badges from your old uniforms, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers etc.

Camp blankets are traditionally worn around the campfire circle and represent a history of your Scouting career, so others can see your achievements, where you’ve been, and the people you’ve met, it’s yours to carry through all sections of Scouting and is very much yours to personalise as you see fit.

Some leaders have managed to collect no less than 4 camp blankets!  Yes, four! and still have 100’s of badges to sew on!  This is something our squirrels and beavers can strive towards, if the fancy takes them!

But where did the now ubiquitous camping blanket come from? The answer to this can be traced back through the centuries, stretching before the two World Wars to the days of the earliest frontier traders in Canada and the American West. And in fact, its earliest beginnings predate even that.

There was a weaver called Thomas Blanket (Previously Blanquette), who we can thank for the actual blanket.  Go way back to 1339, living and working in Bristol, he set up a loom and created a bed covering to make the straw pallets more… well, palatable 🙂

By the end of the Elizabethan period, blanket making was on the up and up.  Yorkshire was a firm lead in production of the blanket, but they were made all over the country, including Witney in Oxfordshire, who supplied Hudson’s Bay Company blankets produced from Cotswold wool, who exported to North America. 

These blankets became highly sought after by traders and Native American Tribes, because of their warmth.  Trappers traded them for (eek!) beaver pelts, which again were in huge demand for the hat trade.  

So, let’s just bring that information back around to scouting…  French-Canadian voyageurs made their blankets into ‘capotes’, which are long hooded cloaks, not dissimilar to how we wear them today to attend our camp fires.

The wool blanket was also common issue to military forces throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Both Napoleon’s and Wellington’s armies were supplied with them, as were Union and Confederate forces in the American Civil War. In the 20th century, they subsequently became field issue for troops in the Great War and the Second World War on both Axis and Allied sides too. Blankets also went to sea, and cabin blankets were first made in the early 1700s. In almost all cases, these military blankets were a drab khaki or grey colour. Following the cessation of these conflicts, forces veterans often kept them for their own use, while surplus blankets were frequently co-opted by other outdoorsy types, including numerous Boy Scout troops. In turn, this gave rise to the Scouting tradition of the camp blanket as a wearable reminder of shared adventures and experiences, gradually becoming adorned with embroidered Scout badges.

The classic Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket is still in production today and they remain heirloom pieces in many American and Canadian families, handed down through successive generations. 

I wonder if you will do this with your ‘camp blanket’ 

 

 

 

Family Camp June 2024

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No doubt we have around 80 exhausted people after returning from our annual family camp!  With 24 families attending, it was sure to be a successful weekend and it didn’t disappoint. 

What an amazing weekend it was!  Our scouting family joined together to make the best family camp so far!  

Everyone has given positive feedback and we all can’t wait to do it again, so we have decided to set a date in the near future for FC2025.  Watch out for it on Facebook.

It was a packed full weekend of games, activities, singing and playing and joining together to embrace unity and nature. 

 

We camped at the amazing Walesby Forest Activity Centre, who have been creating adventures since 1938, is an International Outdoor Adventure Activity Centre set in over 250 acres of forest, with over 30 adventure activities and a range of accommodation for a multitude of visitor groups. 

activities

The weather was kind to us and we had a whole host of activities to join in with and our families made good use of them, trying out new activities, with the young people working towards new badges.

Of course a camp wouldn’t be a camp without a campfire and a few songs, so we invited our very own Ben Widdowson to entertain us, and what a job he did! 

We sang our hearts out to favourites like “Who we are”, “The Pirate Shanty”, “Cecil the Caterpillar”, ” Penguin’s attention” and many more, finishing off with our tradition of kumbaya. Kumbaya refers to moments of harmony and unity, and we certainly had lots of them whilst gathered together around the dying embers of the campfire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Duke of Edinburgh Award

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dofeThe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is something every young person should get involved in. In this article, Elysia Gorman, an active Regional Youth Ambassador for the Cardiff area gives us the background on the award and tips on how you can get started. Elysia is currently working on her Lowland Leaders Qualification and speaks with schools, participants and other leaders to provide feedback and improve DofE experiences.

 

What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?

Since being set up by Prince Philip in 1965, over 3.1 million young people have achieved a Duke of Edinburgh’s award! Prince Philip knew that the programme would help to inspire young people on their own journey of personal development regardless of their background, culture, ability or interests! 

The DofE award is available to anyone between the ages of 14 and 24. Most youth groups, schools and clubs offer the chance to do DofE. However, DofE Direct is available for anyone who is over 18, wanting to get involved with the Gold Award.

How is the Award Structured?

Divided into Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, there are four sections to complete at Bronze and Silver level and awalkers scouts dofe fifth section for those going for Gold. These are volunteering, physical, skills, expedition and for Gold only, a residential trip. 

  • 1) Volunteering section: you can help the community or environment. For example, helping in a charity shop. 
  • 2) Physical section: you should show improvement in a fitness activity. You could choose to play a sport here and improve your skills! 
  • 3) Skills section: you need to choose an activity that will help you increase your expertise in a chosen field. It should not be a physical activity. For example, coaching a sports team would work but not playing the sport. 
  • 4) Expedition section: you need to plan, train for and complete an expedition. 
  • 5) Residential section: you must complete a shared activity with people you’ve never met on a residential trip. 

You need to be over 14 to start your Bronze Award, then 15+ for Silver and 16+ for Gold. Each award level takes a different amount of time, but they range from a minimum of 6-18 months depending on which award you are completing. Once you have finished your Gold Award, you will be invited to a Gold Award presentation at the Royal Palace.

Why Should You Get Involved?

DofE enables young people to give back to their communities. In 2021, young people doing their DofE volunteered over 1.8million hours. That’s about 205 years when you add it all together! 

Also, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards offers young people the chance to gain essential life skills such as: teamwork, problem solving and resilience. While 62% of people had said that completing Duke of Edinburgh had helped them boost their confidence. 

A widely recognised award, the DofE looks great on your CV and can help boost job prospects for young people. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards allow people to form friendships, develop their interests, learn about themselves and most importantly … have fun!

Interested in taking part? Find out more on our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition Page, or visit the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website. 

Gear Up at GO Outdoors

GO Outdoors is proud to be a DofE Recommended Retailer of Expedition Kit. Every year, 300,000 young people in the UK start their DofE and we’re on hand to kit them out with the tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, waterproofs and other hiking essentials they need. Whether you’re looking to complete your expedition on foot, horseback, canoe or bike, we have everything you need to enjoy your adventure. When it comes to preparing for any level of DofE expedition, our top tips are to invest in a quality  rucksack and a pair of sturdy walking boots. You can get them both expertly fitted by us; simply visit us at your local GO Outdoors store.

Don’t forget to take your neckerchief in to receive a discount on all items.

red necker

Introduction to the DofE Award

What’s the point in a woggle?

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Well, there’s many reasons, but it all started back in 1896, when the founder of scouting, Lord Baden-Powell, while off at war was working with an American born scout, called Frederick Russell Burnham, who gave him the idea of the scarf.

Frederick Russell Burnham

Frederick Russell Burnham

Frederick Russell Burnham

A sketch of Frederick Russell Burnham by Baden Powell

 

Where did it come from and why do we have it? Well, when scouting started, it was just a bit of cloth, the scarf or the Necker, with a loose knot. It wasn’t actually anything. And over time, as we know now, the Necker got really creased and it looked ugly with just some random scarf.

 

 

Again, BP went back to America and he got the inspiration for using a bit of bone. So William Hillcourt (August 6, 1900 – November 9, 1992), known within the Scouting movement as “Green Bar Bill” took the idea of the American’s bone ring, but wanted something a bit better. So what he did, he went back to his shed and rustled up some ideas and he went to his sewing machine and he took some leather and he invented this thing as we know, called the Turk’s Head.

The inspiration comes from America and the Americans call it the Boon Doggle, Bill wanted to take the inspiration of America, but didn’t like the word boon doggle. He thought about it and he copied the idea and he came up with woggle because it rhymes with doggle. The Boon Doggle turned into the English woggle. After a few attempts, he made up this Turk’s Head using thin sewing machine leather. And then he presented it to the camp chief and also rumour has it, he gave it to the Chief Scout, and they gave it the all okay.

On the 9th of June 1923 in a scouting magazine, the woggle was born, There was an article in a magazine giving some ideas about having this woggle and it became very popular and very fashionable in scouting. And the scouts loved this idea of having a woggle rather than an ugly knot. They took it on board and it went crazy. But as we know, the Turk’s Head is only actually allowed to be worn by a leader who has done their wood badge. And that Turk’s Head wobble is known as the first Gilwell Woggle.

Baden-Powell references the woggle in the 14th edition  The Scouts magazine in 1929. said, “It, the scarf, may be fastened at the throat by a knot or woggle, which is some form of ring made of cord, metal or bone or anything you like”. Previous editions only refer to it as a ring. The design of the Gilwell Woggle, formally the Turk’s Head knot, as I say, is only really allowed to be worn by members of the first Gilwell Park who have done their wood beads and completed their training. But now it’s fashionable for anyone to do it.

 

There’s lots of different designs of the Turk’s Head, lots of Scouts actually do it, part of their camp craft and make them out of para cord, some amazing stuff  and also some stuff that the Turk’s Head made out of LED lights. And there are hundreds of designs of woggles antler, bone, leather, plastic, many ones that we all do as scouts and make it ourselves to make a bit more personalized. 

It’s a scout woggle woggle, is what we call it. Yeah, but there we are. The history of why scouts wear these, the woggle, or is it the boondoggle? I’ll leave it to you.

Adapted from big man in the woods

Welcome to our virtual camp over

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Scouts camp at home – June 19th – 20th (Or if you would prefer 20th to 21st, just follow the program)

camp overWelcome to 3rd Brampton lockdown virtual group camp.

Camp how you prefer, don’t have a tent? Don’t worry, make a den inside or out, choice is yours only stipulation is that you don’t sleep in bed ?.

Zoom meeting details below…. 

 

You can access the PDF here

Friday    
5 – 7pm Set up tent Take pictures and post on Facebook group page.  Virtual camp albums have been set up for you to post in.

 

Use Hastags

#3rdBramptonScouts

#Campover

Throughout the camp please

 
7pm Activity – Teabag challenge Throw a teabag into a cup from the furthest distance.  Roughly measure the distance and post in FB section album.  Have a forfeit for the one in your family that throws the shortest.
7:30pm Camp Fire

Zoom meeting – details below

 

Bring your best jokes and skits

 

Your sleeping bag or blanket

 

Spooky story for scouts – led by Kev

 Zoom meeting – We will meet on Zoom for a virtual meeting.

 

  Welcome.

 

We can tell each other where we have set up camp

 

We will share jokes and skits and maybe a spooky story (sorry not for beavers or cubs, we won’t them to be able to sleep tonight,  but you could have your own witching story at home, maybe try with one person starting the story and the next person adding to it and so on.

. 
8:30pm Supper time

 

Hot chocolate

 

 

Don’t forget to post pics in the section camp album

 

 Try making camp pizza:

Pita bread, tomato puree, cheese and whatever filling you fancy.  Add your toppings to the pita bread and wrap in foil and put on your fire, (or oven)

 

Or make marshmallow smores

 

Let’s see your pics.
9:30pm Star Gazing Use an app like Star Walk 2 and gaze at the stars.  Identify stars and planets and constellations. Try to spot a satellite
10pm Scouts own Choose to sleep or have a game of cards or play a game with the family

 

Saturday    
08:30 Cook breakfast See recipe card for our choice, or make up your own

 

Don’t forget to post pics in the section camp album
09:30 Zoom meeting details below

 

Tell us how you slept.

 

What did you have for breakfast?

 

Outline of days activities

 

 Let us see how everyone slept

 
10:30 ·         Crawl over the picnic table

·         Do 10 jumping jacks

·         Run around a base and back

·         Hop on one foot

·         Jump over the flower pots

·         And so on …

 

 It’s fun, it’s unique and it burns energy! This particular game could be changed based on what you have around the garden, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
OR Find as many things as you can and build the tallest free-standing tower without anyone holding it.  Measure it and post pics in the section album. Just in case the weather isn’t kind to us!

 

Don’t forget to post pics in the section camp album
  Activity 1 Family sleeping bag race

This is much like potato sack races except you will use your sleeping bags to hop along to the finish line in. If you are worried about getting them dirty or damaging them, using your plastic bin bags can be fun too
  Activity 2

 

Have extra marshmallows from your S’mores? Everyone should put one in their mouth and try to say the phrase “Chubby Bunny.” No problem? Okay, then get another one, and see if you can say it with two marshmallows in your mouth. Keep going until you can’t say it, either because your mouth is too full, or you’re laughing too hard.

 Chubby Bunny Don’t forget to post pics in the section camp album
  Activity 3

 

All you need is a ball to play this game. Everyone stands in a circle except for one player who is in the middle with the ball. The player in the middle goes around the circle saying “catch” or “don’t catch” and throwing the ball. Like the children’s game, Simon Says, if a player catches the ball when told not to or the other way around, that player is out.

 Catch

 

Teenagers especially can be a hard group to tear away from their devices, but games like this could be fun for them too.
11:30 Get lunch ready

Recipe below

 

 Have a BBQ or try out our recipe, Bacon, Beef and Bean casserole

Don’t forget to post pics in the section camp album
13:00 Zoom catch up details below

 

Ryan will be giving out the program for the next 24 hours for if you are camping another night

 

 Camp down if not camping two nights

 

#3rdBramptonScoutsUse Hastags

#Campover

Throughout the camp please

IMPORTANT INFO:

Zoom catch ups

Topic: Welcome & Camp Fire
Time: Jun 19, 2020 07:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73186132914?pwd=clRDWjBWZ1BpNCs1ajJCb0NkNUN1dz09

Meeting ID: 731 8613 2914
Password: 9rb49a

*******

Topic: Virtual Camp meeting

Time: Jun 20, 2020 09:30 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78278016874?pwd=ZUZKSUtUS0laWS9oWkJicHdyQkE1QT09 

Meeting ID: 782 7801 6874

Password: 2hqsUy

*******

Topic: Virtual camp close meeting

Time: Jun 20, 2020 01:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77807827921?pwd=OGMzV29lVmlOMkt5TDk0eGdEK1NlQT09

Meeting ID: 778 0782 7921

Password: 4Ncbgu

 

BACON, BEEF, AND BEANS CASSEROLE

¾ Pound Bacon
¾ Pound Ground Beef
20 Ounces Canned Baked Beans
½ Cup Steak Sauce or Barbecue Sauce
1 Can of Biscuits

This tasty and filling Dinner is just perfect for cold evenings. Grill up the bacon in a skillet at medium heat. Once done remove it from heat, drain, and chop. Now cook the Ground beef until it is just done. Add the chopped Bacon, Baked Beans, and Sauce to the skillet. Stir this until it becomes well mixed and comes to a boil. Take it off of direct fire (think low to medium heat) and layer out the biscuits on top of the Meat and Bean mixture. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the biscuits are golden, brown, and delicious.