SCOUT UTSomerset Scout Newsletter

September 2010Issue 4

PLUS...

summeryscouting

Feeling windyCamelot’s first ever SAS

outing to a windy location!

WSJ edges nearer

Life at the WSJ training camps

and why we bother with them

Exploring abroad

Meet the Explorers who

travelled to Serbia in August

Ben and Bear survive

A lucky Somerset scout meets

Bear Grylls at Bear’s survival

skills camp in Wales

We were sent this picture of three network scouts and a monkey...

Well actually it isn’t a monkey it’s an orang-utang and he is called Jaffa. It’s just a snap really, taken at the end of Network’s summer camp this year, but the snap says a lot. Goodness, grown scouts old enough to be leaders playing around with a cuddly stuffed orang-utang under the trees at Braggers Wood camp site in Dorset, what is the movement coming too? It seems these 18-25 year olds are in touch with their childish side and why not! We are a movement set up for the youth of today however youthful we choose to be.

In this, the 101st summer of scouting, young people across the county have relished the opportunity to get away on summer camp experiencing some of what those few boys did 101 years ago on Brownsea. Whole camps of teamwork, challenge and adventure have been

taking place but perhaps in modern scouting we are able to offer something more besides: the opportunity to be young.

This month we visit World Scout Jamboree training camps, interview Explorers who’ve been to Serbia and find out about Ben Shattock’s adventure on Bear Gryll’s survival camp in Wales. And that’s not mentioning our five featured summer camps. It’s a full eight pages of extraordinary opportunities given to young people in Somerset.

So get reading but, before you do, perhaps the county’s Networkers have a point: Jaffa is a symbol of how our older scouts can support the younger ones. We carry them on our shoulders passing on skills and our own time with which so many can have scouting adventures. But perhaps more importantly the networkers have made the point that you are never too old to play and have fun on scout camp. Thankfully Somerset is full of scouting fun and, of course, ScoutOut is too.

this month...

The Editor

check out what groups across

Somerset got up to at their

summer camps this year

O

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Taking summer in their stride Beavers from 1st Coleford in Frome went for

a summery paddle in July. With nets to hand the eager Beavers paddled and fished about in the river Elm at Frome. BSL Karla March said: “We had a brilliant evening and found lots of interesting things in the river.” Interesting isn’t the half of it. 1st Coleford’s Beavers found two American Crayfish in amongst the usual rocks and other wiggly watery things that were coming up in the nets. Chuffed with their find the Beavers then gave these imposturous American Crayfish the barbecue treatment. Once the Crayfish had met their sizzling end, everyone on the river bank tucked into their barbecue and enjoyed awarding five, count them, five nights away badges to some of the older adventurous Beavers.

With the wind at their backs twelve cubs from North Taunton experienced

sailing at Sutton Bingham in July. Three of Sutton’s scout sailing boats took to the water and darted about the reservoir with the cubs on board. The cub’s time afloat gave them the chance to learn how a sailing boat works and to experience this often extreme sport. Winds blew at four knots so there was certainly enough gust to keep excitement levels high. As the boats tacked cubs soon learned to replace the words ‘ready to tack’ with ‘we’re under attack’. Sutton Bingham has never been so noisy with the cubs cheering as a splashing contest took place between crews. If you would like to experience sailing at Sutton Bingham near Yeovil contact Paul Holbrook on paholbrook@btinternet.com.

FROME & DISTRICT

TAUNTON DEANE

CATCHING CRAYFISH

UNDER ATTACK

In common with many people, my introduction to water activities was through Scouting – canoeing on a scout camp when I was a very new ASL. I have mainly been involved with canoeing and kayaking (British

Canoe Union level 3 coach in both) but I have participated in many other water activities at various levels.

I see my role as ACC Water activities as one of communications, introducing potential participants to willing instructors and suitable equipment, and putting potential or existing instructors in touch with training opportunities.

We have some wonderful opportunities for water activities within Somerset. Canoeing and kayaking are available at Taunton, Yeovil and Langport, and Sailing at Sutton Bingham reservoir, near Yeovil. 1st Watchet Sea Scouts operate sailing and canoeing on the sea. For proficient paddlers, an introduction to white water canoeing can be experienced on the River Barle around Dulverton.

We support groups choosing to do Duke of Edinburgh expeditions by canoe, but at a more basic level, water activities can be undertaken by all sections. Special Needs can be accommodated and this can give a sense of inclusion to all.

As a canoeing instructor, I come across many adults who tell me “I used to do canoeing in the scouts” - there are few who did not enjoy the experience. If you or your group have not been involved yet, why not? – If you have, do you want to take it further?...

Water...Sam Wilkinson, our new ACC Water Activties,

tells us how she will make wetter better.

To celebrate the start of the Camelot Scout Active Support Units in July, 18 members of the two units headed out on a social outing with a historic twist. The outing began at a windmill at High Ham. The

National Trust property is only open three times a year so is a must for windmill spotters. One of those present, who’s previous generation had owned and run the Mill, had not been back since she was a child. She is now 89 years of age.

After the mill Camelot’s SAS visited Low Ham church… which is in a field. The services of a guide made the event informative and the addition of a restful cream tea after the day’s excitement made it an enjoyable one too. Chris Jones, manager of the Camelot SAS, said: “It was a great outing in super company.”

Windy...Camelot’s Scout Active Support went for a

spot of windmill watching in August.

AwardedNita Buckler awarded by the community for

thirty years of service to Beavers in Sedgemoor

Nita Buckler, from Burnham on Sea, received a civic award at a ceremony in Burnham on Sea in August. The award was given for Nita’s thirty years of services to her community and Nita was

honoured, in particular, for the countless hours of support she has given to the 1st Burnham on Sea Beavers.

Nita started her scouting career in 1987 with the Burnham and Highbridge Scout and Guide band which were called the Musicmakers. Further to this, Nita selflessly completed many hundreds of hours of community fundraising which helped complete the building and furnishing of the headquarters at the BASC ground in Burnham on Sea.

Group scout leader Dave Burland said: “Nita is a well-known character throughout the group with members and staff alike and has always been known for her passion for the welfare of our members. Particularly for her domestic role of keeping us all fed and watered when out on activities!

“This civic award is testament to the tireless effort Nita has shown in these roles has added to her irrefutable success in scouting.”

you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you scout you

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Beavers from 1st Castle Cary scout group were caught mistreating

a tennis ball in July. The tennis ball had selflessly stepped in to help out by replacing a cricket ball for a game of cricket on the Castle Cary Primary School playing fields. Beaver leader Jean Bradfield let her male leaders do the batting while the youngsters were taught how to bowl, field and knock up runs but it seems the batters were rather too rough. As the cricket game progressed and the beavers found the whole experience more and more fun the poor tennis ball split in half and eventually fell to pieces on the pitch. With leaders rolling about laughing and the beavers left with nothing to throw, this evening of bright, jovial and sporty scouting came happily to an end.

South Somerset enjoyed its district camp in July. Over a hundred scouts, cubs

and beavers filled the Dillington Farm Estate for the weekend event and there was no shortage of exciting activities. The assault course challenged while the camp’s cardboard oven experiments intrigued. A visit by a local Mini car enthusiast club interested all as fifteen Mini Coopers arrived on site for a demonstration and the washing up liquid tarpaulin water slide made sure there was plenty of fun to be had. Attendees camped in competition and to commemorate the camp, cubs branded pieces of wood with ‘Dillington 2010’. Each camper was also given a badge which was designed by a cub on the camp. The young designer was even given a framed badge to cherish for ever!

Nether Stowey’s cubs had an opportunity to find out about farming in July but not

from a farmer. In fact, cubs from 1st Nether Stowey found out about rural agriculture from television’s Country File presenter John Craven. The cameras were in the county filming for Country File on the subject of County Council farms and plans to sell them off and the cubs decided five minutes of fame was what they were after. John Craven did his bit for the cameras and then spent time talking to the youngsters about farming as they peppered him with questions. The programme, in which the cubs did not appear, was aired on the 25th of July, the date of 1st Nether Stowey’s cub camp. The cubs all tried to watch it on a laptop but it didn’t work so they huddled around a mobile phone as live commentary was provided from home.

Josh Lee, a scout with 1st Watchet Sea Scouts, has spent eight weeks near the

sea on an epic 630 mile hike along the South West coast path. His adventure began at Sandbanks near Poole on the south coast where he travelled west towards Dartmouth and Plymouth. He then walked around Cornwall and finally along the north coast to Minehead. Along the way various family and friends joined Josh for his walk as he meandered around and over the cliffs of the South West’s coast and he made sure there was plenty of well-earned surfing and large Cornish pasties to keep up the spirit! “I’ve been left with a feeling that I can achieve anything” said Josh, who has raised around £2500 for charities in West Somerset through his adventure along the coast path.

Somerset’s Network members were challenged with staying dry while

kayaking in July. They failed, as one kayak actually sunk and several others capsized during an energetic team sponge-throwing game on the water. Richard Hunter took the six networkers onto the River Parrot at Langport in both kayaks and open canoes and just as the sunken kayak was recovered the paddler went and submerged his boat again. Something to do with it being a low volume kayak supporting a big paddler. Anyway the trip was a splendid display of fun but some Network members have decided to take kayaking quite seriously by heading back to Langport for several more sessions. To join them contact Clare Grant on networksomerset@hotmail.com.

CAMELOT SOUTH SOMERSET SEDGEMOOR

WEST SOMERSET YEOVIL & DISTRICT SOMERSET NETWORK

PLAYING BALL DISTRICT DELIGHT CRAVEN AND CUBS

COASTING ALONG KAYAKING PARROT

3

A survey of village telephone boxes was conducted by explorers in August. A

team of six hikers, three from the Martock Explorers and three from the Lendiniae Explorers, set out on a ramble around Little Windsor just south of Crewkerne. The purpose of the survey was to collect photos of telephone boxes, record their telephone numbers and assess their state of repair. But the effort was not solely for the benefit of telephone box users everywhere, the hikers were in fact completing the survey as part of their Bronze DofE award expedition. The two day expedition covered 28 miles in circular routes around Little Windsor. Hiker Matt Hoskins has now completed his award and has been presented with his badge, the other five hikers should complete shortly.

TELEPHONE TOT UP

Somerset’s Summer

Determined not to miss out on their summer camp this year 1st Watchet Sea Scouts headed to Sutton Bingham

reservoir for a weekend of camping and sailing in August. The group had planned to

sail out to Brownsea island from Poole and

camp there but rough weather prevented the

sailors from leaving shore. Instead everyone

went and had fun at Sutton Bingham honing

and practicing their sailing skills. The nine

scouts and four leaders used our Somerset

and Dorset scout sailing boats to dart about

the water. Everyone got fairly wet practicing

capsizing and working towards RYA sailing

qualifications. “Everyone had plenty of fun.”

said leader Simon Bale. 1st Watchet Sea Scouts love their sailing and would also love

to share their skills with you. For a tidal sailing experience this year or next contact

1st Watchet Sea Scouts to arrange.

Summer camp is always a fantastic way to start the school holidays and Central Taunton Scout Group did just that taking

27 cubs and scouts to Cheshire for a week

of water activities. The main attraction was

kayaking 1760 yards around a lake and the cubs managing to build rafts that didn’t

sink! Meanwhile the scouts had a splashing

good time sailing and windsurfing in the rain.

There was literally water everywhere, in the

lake, in the sky and in the programme. Once everyone had dried off, however,

the campers headed to Alton Towers which

went down with a scream… Brave cubs and

Scouts lined up for the park’s thrill rides that can reach speeds of up to 110km per

hour and some even send you plummeting

down 60 metre drops. But the fun didn’t stop

there. The youngsters tried their hands at

ice skating. The cubs and scouts spent most

of their time sitting on the ice rather than skating on it but overall the experience was

hailed a great success. Once warmed through the campers visited

Chester Zoo where Central Taunton adopted

an Orang-utang. Their name is now on display at the zoo and the money donated,

by the group, to Chester Zoo will play a part

in conservation by helping to save species

of animals from extinction. After the camp

Young Leader Matt Ellett said: “It was a truly

amazing week that made lots of happy faces

and lots of fun.”

Forget work, study and clubbing Somerset’s Network members enjoyed their first ever scouting summer camp

in August. Organisers cut their teeth on a two day, three night trip to Braggers Wood in Dorset. The event was full of new

experiences as Network’s two brand new eight-man sleeping tents went up and the

section’s new petrol stoves were pumped and lit. Ten campers then split into two

teams of five for a game of Rounders before

heading to a water park near Poole to sling

themselves down water slides and make conversation in the jacuzzi. Refreshed, the networkers set out on a time trial ‘Top

Gear’-style car treasure hunt around the Isle of Purbeck. They finished in Swanage

just in time for a huge fireworks display. Day two of this epic summer camp was

spent crate-stacking in the woods and riding the New Forest open top tour bus before visiting the geologically stimulating

Lulworth Cove for a well-earned glass of grape juice. Network continues to grow as

more Explorers make the transition at 18 to

the section and the number of activities on

offer in the programme increases. To join,

contact the lovely Network Commissioner Clare Grant:networksomerset@hotmail.com

your summer of fun, adventure and scouting

Sail away with me

Network’s first time

Water water everywhere!

Somerset’s Summer

Explorers from Wellington journeyed to the Channel Islands for their summer camp. Not too far, but just far enough

that they couldn’t use mobile phones without

taking out a mortgage. Eight days in Jersey

saw much fun in the sunshine and on the island’s beaches but two activities have stuck in the explorer’s minds: blokarting and

coasteering. Coasteering is an adrenaline pumping

experience. It involves jumping off large rocks into the sea and swimming into water

filled caves. Blokarting on the other hand

harnesses the somewhat drier wind. It’s combination of sailing and go-carting with

a sail attached to a go-cart. There was also a visit to German war tunnels, a day in

St.Helier, a day’s cycling, a day in the island’s

maize maize, a trip to St.Gorey castle and a

short hike.

your summer of fun, adventure and scouting

Cubs from 1st Burnham on Sea Kingfisher cub pack spent a few days glugging down the ginger beer on a

‘Famous Five’ themed summer camp in August. The nine cubs, nine leaders, five young leaders and seventeen scouts all camped lakeside at Buddens campsite in Dorset and got up to all sorts of Enid Blyton

themed capers. The weekend kicked off with a wide game around Buddens after pitching camp. On Saturday there was kayaking, raft building and tunnelling in Budden’s purpose built three storey tunnelling complex and in the evening several bottles of ginger beer were popped

open around the camp fire.On Sunday the campers had an adventure

to Corfe Castle in which the National Trust

laid on a ‘Jester Day’ with lots of comic activities. The cubs, scouts and young leaders were let free to explore the old castle and afterwards they all visited the Ginger Pop shop to buy ice creams!

On Sunday the scouts built a bridge across

to Buddens’ lake island and some were invested half way across. That evening there was a midnight feast and a night time

adventure walk before the ginger beer was

cracked open again! If you’ve never read Famous Five check it out, the books are by Enid Blyton and are all about outdoor adventures, ginger beer and midnight feasts!

Five go mad in DorsetWater water

everywhere!

Jumping for Jersey

Did you know Earth’s World Scout Jamborees are bigger than the Olympics? Neither did I but if you

were aware of that dazzling statistic it won’t surprise you to learn that, like the Olympics, the participants of World Scout Jamborees must prepare and train tirelessly before the event itself takes place. 54 young people from across Somerset’s scouting form two world jamboree units that will visit Sweden in 2011.

Sue Ovenden, leader of the Somerset Apple Unit which has 27 young people from Somerset within its rather convivial ranks, makes a cup of tea for me and herself before we talk business. This World Scout Jamboree stuff is serious. For these 27 young people, their three leaders and ten extra participants joining from Gibraltar for the jamboree itself, 2011 is a very important moment. It is the one chance participants will get to go to the Swedish jamboree and squeeze every last drop of opportunity out of it.

It’s like going to the moon, you only get one shot so preparation is everything. One other thing about lunar landings that is not dissimilar from World Scout Jamborees is

the teamwork. If nothing else it’s essential each unit’s young people and leaders are completely comfortable with each other. Feeling confident and friendly in your own unit is the first step to being in the right frame of mind for getting the most out of the World Scout Jamboree. It’s a big place with endless opportunities and our units of young people are building their outgoing confidence with which to grab those opportunities.

Somerset’s Cheddar Cheese unit (which includes 10 guest Guides) headed up by Stephen Fry has also been hard at work on training camps and events since the unit selections were announced in May this year. Friendships are being made and skills are being developed. At their camp in August Stephen set the youngsters a formidable challenge: to de-camp and re pitch in as short a time as possible. The exercise was blamed on some very deep but imaginary mud. The exercise helped develop teamwork and leadership skills within the young people and in under an hour and a half the whole campsite had been dismantled and reassembled.

With 40,000 people expected onto the jamboree site in Sweden space is at a premium and camping is minimalist. Our

Sweden’s world scout jamboree is just 11 months away and Somerset is busy getting ready. But they haven’t started packing yet, first you need friendships and skills...

wsj...

apple cheddar cheese

“They’ve only got

one crack at this”

units have pitches roughly 23 by 28 metres big and into that space is being squeezed a dining shelter with 12 sleeping pods erected around it. Good camping, hygiene, pioneering and organisational skills are essential to get right and that’s why the units are so busy practicing. When we visited, the young people in the Somerset Apple unit were gaining their 1st Response

First Aid qualification for use on jamboree. Stephen Fry summed up the need to get the camping skills right before heading to Sweden: “Three or four days into the jamboree when everyone is surviving on two hours sleep a night you don’t want to have to think too much about the camping…”

But it’s not just practical skills that are so important. Good time keeping: “we are still working

on that!” says Sue Ovenden and good communication skills are also essential. Apple are going to be learning how to speak without words with Somerset Total Communication and have been playing games without using words to describe the rules just to get use to the language barriers they will come up against on camp.

Whilst Jamboree is everything scouting should be, exciting, fun, challenging and adventurous Sue says the experience is not simply a jolly: “You learn so much. You can get talking to a scout from a war zone or to a scout who has no possessions to their name. Jamboree is life changing, it truly is.”

Training continues for Somerset’s two units right up until the jamboree in 2011. Sue says it’s a continuous rehearsal for the main event: “They’ve only got one crack at this, myself and all the crew are here to make sure the young people get the most they can out of this experience”.

100 MILES ON FOOT. SLEEPING WHEREVER.LEARNING A DIFFERENT CULTURE.EXPLORER BELT: SERBIA

A hundred miles is a long way by any

standards let alone if you are doing

it on foot. But this is exactly what

three intrepid explorers from Yeovil District

did in August when they embarked on a

hike across the sunny European country of

Serbia. George Bayles, John Holliday and Zac

Tredger are all working towards their

Explorer Belt. The award is an opportunity

for explorers and network to undertake

an international expedition over ten days

that brings to them a real understanding

of a different country, its people and way

of life. It’s not just a long walk, it’s a walk

that has been described as ‘the antidote to

the package holiday’ and our team of three

from Somerset experienced all sorts on

their Explorer Belt adventure.

In between laughing about all the funny

recollections of his trip, team member

Zac Tredger managed to give me this

quote when I asked the question why do

your Explorer Belt award? “Basically [the

Explorer Belt] is a big adventure. We

were attracted to the idea of speaking a

different language and to the challenge of

experiencing differences in cultures abroad.”

The trip as a whole lasted 18 days. The

first four were spent planning routes for the

100 mile hike and acclimatising to Serbia’s

30 degree climate. The lads picked up

some maps at the airport in Belgrade but

they weren’t what, these already seasoned

hikers, were used to. Zac describes them

as showing most major roads and most

villages but certainly not all of them.

Luckily Zac had packed a compass and by

communicating frequently with the locals

our explorers found their way easily.

Before the team set off they were set a

series of challenges. Designed to further

submerge participants deep into Serbian

life, the challenges ranged from taking

photos of interesting buildings to milking

a goat. The latter proved tricky as the

farmers spoke less than no English and

Getting a haircut was easier though,

both George and Zac managed to get

trims in Serbian hairdressers. The lads

were even invited to a wedding which was

handy because another challenge set was

to attend a community gathering whilst

on their travels. When asked how they

managed to get an invite it seems walking

past the wedding and simply saying hello

was enough to get welcomed in.

Whilst Serbian hospitality seems to have

known no bounds there were still some

uncertain moments. Day six saw the boys

wandering around for two hours trying to

find someone to take them in for the night

before a policeman offered the local park.

The park was nowhere to be found so the

lads asked another man. He was drunk but

offered them a room. When he finally led

the three hikers into his house and pointed

at the cellar Zac, George and John knew it

was time to leave: “He said cellar and we

just ran, George was screaming I’m not

sleeping in a cellar! It was so funny. We

camped in an abandoned house in the end.”

Of course the event was well organised

but I wondered how the team coped with

not knowing where they would be sleeping

come evening: “We dealt with it with

humour and light heartedness. We’ve been

through a lot with scouts and we had to

have faith in ourselves. It couldn’t have

turned out all that bad.”

The team’s route of 100 miles started in

the south of Serbia at a place called Sabac.

They headed West for two days then went

north through the Fruscgora national park

towards Norisad before heading south again

to Ruma. As a further part of the Explorer

Belt experience our team were set a main

challenge: that of researching the Serbian

education system. By simply talking to

people, young people mostly, the guys were

able to piece together some case studies.

One of the more thought provoking case

studies was the story of the retired farmers

and their two sons. To make a living the

18 and 20 year old sons worked on odd

jobs around the towns, looked after their

small pig farm and tended to their frail and

ill parents. To make you feel even more

humble these hard working chaps gave

up their beds for our three hikers. Zac

was indeed humbled: “We were all pretty

shocked but admired what they did. They

had to do whatever they could to survive.”

These types of experiences, happy, sad

or thought provoking are what the Explorer

Belt is all about. Getting a distinct flavour

of life in a different country to your own

and learning from it. It’s also about having

a brilliant time with your team mates and

enjoying the challenge. As Zac recovered

from Gastric Flu (his mum reckons this

came home with him from Serbia) he had

this to say about anyone considering taking

on the Explorer Belt challenge: “Serbia was

a big adventure to have but so long as you

have a sense of adventure and a sense of

humour you’ll be just fine…”

“hand gestures for milking

just didn’t cut it conversationally...”

THE COUNTY DIARY

MON27/09

FRI01/10to Easter2011

SUN10/10

FRI24/10

SAT13/11

SAT20/11

48scoutsnewsletter@googlemail.com

Written and Produced by

Richard Shepherd for the

Somerset Scout Council.

Images reproduced with the

permission of the owners. Copyright

Somerset Scout Council September

2010.

Check it out... www.somersetscoutsinfo.org.uk

for the online County Diary,

downloadable event application

forms, health forms and kit lists.

County AGMCelebrate a year of Scouting in Somerset. Join us at the Standerwick Centre, Frome Market, Frome BA11 2QB7.30 pm - 9pm

We want your stories please!

Our deadline for content is

Wednesday 20/10/10. Issue

five will be published

November 1st. ScoutOut

...AND HIS SCOUTSOne of Somerset’s Chief Scouts Benjamin Shattock

learns survival skills Bear Grylls style...

THE CHIEF

Just eight lucky youngsters from the whole of the UK’s scouting population were given the chance to spend the

weekend surviving with Bear Grylls in August. Benjamin Shattock from Somerset was one of those lucky campers as Bear whisked his scouts off to an island just off the coast of North Wales. But Ben, a Chief Scout from 1st Taunton Wilton, has gained more than just a celebrity signed knecker after his survival experience.

The trip out to sea on Bear’s 600HP speed boat to go seal-watching, the pitching of tents on an island devoid of trees and shelter, the abseil down an 80ft cliff and the climb back up a marine ladder are all adventures worthy of a Chief and his scouts. Bear was on the front line of

scouting during the weekend and even gave Benjamin a flint to carry on practicing his survival skills once he got home. The youngsters learned fire-lighting with charcloths and flint before cooking pigeons and rabbits they had plucked and gutted themselves. Island life offered up plenty

of other wildlife too, a gang of woodlice seemed to

take over everything in the tents. Benjamin,

however, is braver than that: “Woodlice don’t

bother me” revealed Ben, “anymore!”

As Benjamin returned to the mainland he made sure his knecker was signed by our celeb Chief Scout but the scout from 1st Taunton Wilton brings home so much more: real, practical survival skills, friendships and the adventure of a lifetime to remember.

Benjamin’s brilliant charcloth

12345

Ben learned charclothing and firelighting on Bear’s camp and

now’s your chance to pick up the skill from the boy himself...

Find a big airtight tin. One of those festive biscuit tins works well. Make a tiny hole in the lid

and seal an old cotton cloth inside. Fill the tin with cloth but make sure there is still air in there.

It’s a chicken and egg situation next because you will use your supply of charcloth to light fires

but you need a fire to make the charcloth in the first place! Put your sealed tin into a very hot fire

and bake until smoke stops coming out of the hole in the lid.

Now you should have a lot of very black and flammable charcloth. Brilliant, it

will last for ages and you only need a little bit at a time to start your next fire.

Bundle together some tindle. Dried grass / hay works really well. Place a

scrap of charcloth into your tindle and strike your flint over the cloth. The

charcloth will start to glow.

Tend to your glowing charcloth by gently blowing on it. Stand

with your back to the wind and between breaths move the

bundle up and down to further aerate. The charcloth heats up

and will set fire to your tindle if you are careful. You can now

insert this flame into your fire structure and get the kettle on...

PowWowAn annual meeting for Training Advisers from across the County. To meet, update, refresh and remotivate. Compton Dundon near Somerton.

County ChallengeHuish Woods. Are you feeling challange worthy? If so book now.

County Cub QuizShepton Mallet Scout HQ. Fingers on buzzers please cubs with your thinking caps on.

County SAS MealWine, dine and talk scouting. 12.30 pm at the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport. £13,Contact Joan and Chris to book.candj.jones@talktalk.net

Paddle TrainingA series of training events to cover the requirements of the kayak inland and open canoe 3 and 4 star awards.For more information contact:Jim Padfield 07830249390 Andrew Wilkinson 07818091152