Last week Scouts from Swift, Chapman troops at the 4th and 9th Sevenoaks Scouts took their summer camp at the Kent International Jamboree (KIJ) at the Kent County Showground in Detling.
What is KIJ
Kent International Jamboree is an activity camp for scouts from around the world in the heart of Kent. With over 3,500 young people from coming together to take part in activities and celebrate scouting.
A Jamboree is an opportunity and an experience like no other. Most Scouts and Guides get to experience many different forms of nights away experiences but a Jamboree, whether it’s a local, national or international Jamboree is the kind of camp that will live with them forever.
Ten of our older scouts undertook their Expedition Challenge at the weekend.
To complete their challenge they have to plan an expedition, including destination, means of travel, routes / itinerary, food planning and then carry it out. They only thing they don’t have to do is carry all their camping equipment with them.
Both groups successfully planned their journeys and navigated their way from Sevenoaks to Malling District’s campsite at Comp Wood.
This activity was made possible in part by a grant from Kent County Council, which paid for leader training and equipment, and by the adults that supported the activity.
The group held its first in-person Annual General Meeting last night for three years,
We welcomed a number of members to the Group Executive Committee (most of whom are also Trustees of the group charity). Tony Mann as Group Chair, Catherine Martin as Group Secretary and officially elected JoAnn Etherington as Group Treasurer.
Thank you to all the parents that joined us for this important part of being a charity.
At the end of the AGM we presented a number of Chief Scouts Awards, including our first Acorn Awards to some of our Squirrels.
We also caught-up on some awards that were delayed from last year.
For the jubilee the Swift Troop patrols competed to see who could build the highest flag-pole in the allowed time, and who could paint the best union flag.
All four patrols made a good attempt, with some higher than others.
Our planned microlighting session during camp unfortunately had to be cancelled. After a quick reassessment of our weekend, we decided to relocate the camp to Hamlet Wood scout campsite near Maidstone.
The camp was a patrol camp, with scouts doing just about all the catering for the whole weekend, including cooking for leaders!
We tried a somewhat different menu for a change.
Supper: Sausage-in-a-bun, hot chocolate
Breakfast: Full English (choice of egg, beans, mushrooms, bacon, sausage, toast/eggy-bread)
Lunch: Chicken or haloumi fajitas followed by campfire doughnuts
Dinner: Spaghetti, tomato sauce and meatballs and pineapple fritters for desert
Sunday Breakfast: Breakfast burritos
Eleven o’clock snack: Smores
We did manage to squeeze some activities in-between the cooking and eating – we threw tomahawks, ran a catapult shooting gallery (only tin cans and chickpeas were hurt) and ran some wide games.
We have masses of photos and videos – there are a sample below but you can view them all in the shared album
We are very pleased to announce that Jo has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the Jubilee honours list for all the work she did for young people during the pandemic.
Well done Jo!
I would like to thank all for your support. Without all who volunteer your support and your enthusiasm, Scouting would not happen at the 4th, Seal or in Sevenoaks.
In my youth I was a Guide achieving my Queens Guide award, then a Venture Scout. The adults that supported me, of which there were many, inspired me to be the person I am today.
Scouting has had a profound impact on my entire life and all I wish for is that we all are able to have the same impact on the young people we care for and of course I hope, to ensure all of us adults have lots of fun as well, as find reward for yourselves along the way as I certainly have.
Jo Brookbank
In addition to being the Groups Scout Leader at 4th Sevenoaks (St John’s) Scout Group, Jo is Joint District Commissioner for Sevenoaks District Scouts.
Providing fun and adventure for boys and girls 4 years old and up.
