So I’m in a podcast..

So it’s been a short while since I’ve last posted and I’ve been very busy. I am currently writing this blog from Switzerland after traveling back out here this summer for work. However that’s not what I am hear to blog about!

A few weeks ago I was interviewed on Tent Talks Podcast by my friend I met at Coronation Camp. We talked all things from my World Scout Jamboree experience to our Scouting experiences. If you would like to give it a listen it can be found on Spotify or on YouTube.

It’s insane to think that 4 years ago I was in attendance at the 24th World Scout Jamboree and how much the world has changed in these past 4 years. I am very thankful still for my Jamboree experience and I miss it everyday. For those who are out this summer, enjoy yourselves as it’s a once in a lifetime experience.

Operation Golden Orb

Wow wow wow. What am amazing weekend I have just had celebrating the Kings Coronation with the Scouts. This blog is about my experience of the Coronation Camp.

sunset on Thursday night

After arriving on Thursday afternoon with lovely weather, we caught the shuttle bus to site. On route we stopped at a petrol station before continuing to head off to Gilwell. Once now at Gilwell, we registered in before putting up our tents and then going on a wonder. I helped with some cleaning before changing into my uniform for the briefing and uniform checks – as I did not have the Coronation badge, I asked the valet team for one. We then ate dinner before I headed off for an early night.

Briefing

Friday was a very chill day. I waited about in the breakfast queue talking to some Australians and Canadians before grabbing my breakfast. I then sewed my coronation badge onto my uniform before handing it to the valet team to iron and then headed to our safety briefing. Here we learnt some basic safety training on how to look out for “HOT bags”, the procession route and how many horse drew each carriage as well as the name of the operation… Golden Orb. We then headed out for a walk around site with our Team Leader, Larry, before playing a Scottish game of “run, haggis, run”. We then grabbed a warm lunch before afternoon activities.

Blue in ‘The Lid’

For the afternoon we could drop into varying activities, there was The Lid open with a climbing wall, ladders, a mini Jacobs ladder and other mini ropes courses. This was great fun as we queued and got to know one another more and played some cards. We then did some tomahawks before helping the valet team with sewing some badges.

Campfire!!

In the evening, there was a small campfire and Blue and I, with my new friends, got to learn some new international songs such as “Hello Mr Worm” and the German Bear Hunt. We then headed to Buffalo Bar to compete in the Quiz, where we got 10/10 on the cryptic TV shows round, before heading for an early night to wake up nice and early Saturday Morning.

Good Morning!!

Saturday consisted of an early start at 4am to have a quick shower before heading to meet the rest of my group and grab our breakfast. We then walked to Chingford train station to grab the first train into London. The early morning tiredness was real as we made our way into London and headed for Green Park Station.

We shortly arrived in St. James Park and set up our base. At first the weather was gorgeous however soon it started to rain and proceeded to not stop raining throughout the rest of the day. We soon saw the King’s Procession towards Westminster Abbey before watching the main coronation at Westminster on the big screen. It was amazing to watch in a crowd with others cheering when he was crowned and joining in singing the national anthem, a lovely atmosphere. Before the Coronation Procession left the Abby, we headed out towards The Mall to get a good spot to watch. We then saw the Coronation Procession including the Golden Carriage and once the procession had finished we queued patiently to walk towards Buckingham Palace to view the Balcony Wave and watch the Fly Byes. As the weather was still very much raining, we only got to see the Red Arrows and I saw two of the Royals, who weren’t obstructed by the Victoria Memorial.

Blue Watching the Coronation

After queueing for the longest of time to escape The Mall we travelled to Victoria station to head back to Gilwell. There underground was long with delayed signalling and silly people obstructing the doorways we eventually made it back to Chingford before slowly walking back to site. I swapped out of uniform and played some cards before a delicious meal of lamb stew and then headed back to the Buffalo Bar. We did the macarena, cha cha slide and listened to music before heading to sleep.

At the Scouts Own/Closing Ceremony

Sunday morning was more relaxed, I said goodbye to my Scottish friend before heading to the Scouts Own/Closing Ceremony. We reflected on our Scouts Promise and how we did our duty to our country and King over this weekend whether it be by Stewarding or just being a friendly face. After some reflection and thank you, it was time for goodbye’s and Operation Cornetto. I finished packing my kit away before catching the shuttle bus to Chingford to head home. As I was early to my train, Blue and I went via. Liverpool Street to catch the Elizabeth Line. We then made it back home to Sunny Brum.

Gangshow Week 2023

This Easter I helped with my districts Gangshow again, helping out all and about backstage. Unfortunately I was unable to help with Fridays get in, due to travelling down to the seaside to get my dad’s new car. However, I was back for Saturday!

Saturday consisted of finishing assembly of different sets and then setting each set. For each set we’d move the rostrum into place, add stationary scenery followed by the hanging scenery. I got to help with lifting and tightening clamps on the rostrum as well as the wire clamps. At lunch we got chilli before getting back to work before leaving.

Sunday and Monday were both dress rehearsals with the cast and music. This was exciting as it was the first few times the show was performed on stage with lighting, sound, props, set and cast. It was very fun and I got to be on curtains again!

Tuesday was crew only rehearsal and this meant we had no cast on stage. We got to practice setting each set and had a bit of fun dancing on stage. It was a great evening before the official shows started on the Wednesday.

On Friday evening, Blue came along to watch the show with Mum84 and Dad84. He has a great time watching sis84 in the show, laughing and having a sing song. On Saturday, Blue came along and helped us backstage. He had great fun messing about on stage and helping to move scenery.

Oktoberfest Rally

Recently, me and some of my SSAGO friends have run a bid to host and run Oktoberfest rally next Autumn. As part of this we spoke in an EGM at Welsh Rally which I blogged about here!

Today we received the results and we won!!

The votes came down to 3 votes split between our winning bid and the following bid. I am looking forward to running this next year and will keep you updated with this event.

My First SSAGO Rally

After a kerfuffle with cancelled trains, I made it to Newport ready for my first ever national SSAGO camp. Luckily when I arrived on the campsite, our tents had been pre assembled due to the freshers arriving earlier with them. I unpacked before discovering dinner and then shortly the Quiz!!

En route to Rally ft. Blue the bear and Orinoco

Just as I settled into my tent, one of my tent buddies felt sick so we addressed this and got her to the first aid tent before heading to bed again. It was a very cold night and I was happy when I could wake up and grab a warm breakfast. However, luck was not on my side. When I reached the front of the queue, C and I got stopped as they needed to let those on the early coach through first (is it not there fault for waking up late?). When they finally let us go to the front of the queue they had ran out of beans and hashbrowns so we had a pity breakfast of bacon and eggs.

Saturday Morning Sunrise

After breakfast we grabbed our lunches before waiting for the coach. We nearly got a lift on a minibus to the coach however the minibuses clutch failed and we started rolling backwards. We then walked to the coaches to head into Cardiff.

During Saturday morning, I partook in the monopoly run. I was in a group with other SSAGO clubs and we ran around Cardiff. Cardiff was heaving with people due to the Tonga v. Wales rugby match happening later that day and we saw the Tonga coach arrive.

Orinoco in Cardiff

At lunch, we sat and I spoke to some of my Scouting friends from home which I did not know were in SSAGO. This was very nice to catch up with them and it included one of my Jamboree friends.

Amazing bread at St Fagans Outdoor Museum – 5/5 cheesy baps!!

After lunch, I booked onto the St Fagans Outdoor Museum. I fondly remember visiting here as a child and one of the houses had my nans old kitchen cupboards. I enjoyed exploring the museum and looking around the old buildings as well as hearing the stories behind them. As an afternoon snack, I bought a cheesy roll and it was gorgeous. I then visited a castle before catching the coach back to the campsite – I don’t remember this journey as I had a well deserved nap.

Blue the Bear in my Nans old kitchen

After arriving back at the campsite, we grabbed dinner before getting ready for the ceilidh (a highlight of any SSAGO camp). This was so so fun and the caller had been on Stacey and Gavin and worked with many cool clients. After the ceilidh, it was time for the silent disco before heading to bed after a midnight Welsh cake!

Sunday morning was a much better breakfast as I woke up early to head off to reps. Reps was full of all the SSAGO gossip news and election details. Following this was an EGM and I was running on behalf of the Oktoberfest rally committee. This would be held in Autumn 2023 and I had to speak and answer questions (see photo below of confident 84 in front of over 100 people!!).

Speaking in front of over 100 people (I am the one in grey!)

After EGM it was time to pack away before we caught the last minibus (due to 3 minibuses breaking down over the weekend) and headed back to Newport. Here we headed to spoons before catching the train back to Uni.

It was a really enjoyable first rally and I am already looking forward to Centenarally in March next year (hopefully we will have received our Rali Cymru merch before then though – edit 12.3.23 ‘we still have not received our Rali Cymru merch’).

I’m a SSAGOer get me out of here

This month, I have helped to plan and organise the Midlands Freshers Camp for SSAGO. On our small committee, I took on the role of being logistics and as such, I ensured we had enough equipment, helped here and there as well as create a timetable and ensured we kept to timings.

Friday evening rolled around and first I had to catch a train to Tile Hill with other BUSAG members – as I had a Friday late lecture 🙁 and would not be able to arrive early. As soon as we arrived, I got straight into helping, from annoying the kitchen staff to pitching tents to attending the quiz late to washing up. There was a small campfire before I headed to bed, ready for a long Saturday ahead + an early morning as I agreed to help make breakfast.

Sunrise on Saturday Morning

Saturday morning was an early rise, waking up at 6am, prepped to cook breakfast. After a well deserved cuppa (and watching the stunning sunrise), I started cracking eggs for eggy bread. Shortly, the campers started waking and breakfast was a go! It was one of the best camp breakfasts I have had in a long while.

After breakfast, I ran capture the flag. With a little bit of cheating here and there (I never said in the rules that I could not tell the opposing team where the other teams flag was hidden), we then stopped briefly for elevenses. Then, we had a mini firebuilding workshop before lunch.

Afternoon activities consisted of backwoods cooking or a rotation of an “eating challenge”, guess the object, free time and my base of the “elephant/monkey game”. It was a very fun afternoon before the rain came in. I then went on a campsite explore before heading back for a gorgeous dinner of dhal, rice and naan.

Dinner + Orinoco

After dinner, we had a campfire. Due to it raining, it started off quite small as we created two smaller fires before combining them together once more of the wood had dried. We sung songs before many retired to bed. I agreed to stay up and watch the campfire die out (which meant I did not have to be on breakfast cooking duty Sunday morning). A few other SSAGO member stayed with me watching the fire and it was nice chatting and making new friends. We talked into the early hours of Sunday morning before deciding that we would head off (as the campfire was just now embers and ensured they were cooler). As soon as we reached back to camp, it started raining again which was typical.

Saturday Evening Campfire

Sunday morning was a later start where I ate breakfast before, visiting the amazing campsite shop. It was then time to dismantle camp and tidy the hut we had been using. We had a lovely leftovers lunch before walking back to the train station to return back to Uni.

It was a very rewarding camp, and I thoroughly enjoyed being behind the scenes this one time.

Gangshow Week 2022

A few weeks ago, I helped out with my districts gangshow. The following is what I got up to over the week helping as a member of the backstage crew.

On the Friday, I helped with the get in process. This required moving all the scenery from the districts hall into a lorry which would then be driven to the theatre. We had lots of Timbits to keep us motivated before then driving to the theatre to unload. I then helped the scenery crew completing some laminating (to make smiley awards) as well as tying lots of paper cranes onto string. At the end of the day, I had blisters after tying over 300 knots!!

On the Saturday, I helped to tie the previous paper cranes with string onto another piece of string in order for them to hang in rows on the stage. I then started helping on the stage where I found out my role was to move backstage staging and scenery – whilst also checking the staging was secure with tight clamps. We went through all the sets to check there positions with the producer and chair of the show, and when we were given the all clear, we marked the position of the set with tape. When setting hanging scenery, I got to help screw some wire rope clamps onto the metal wire which would be hung from the bars via. a carabiner: we had to make sure that this set hung evenly and was not wonky. At lunchtime, we had Chilli for helping out all day.

Over the Sunday and Monday, it was dress rehearsals with the cast. I became an honorary curtain puller, due to the designated curtain puller being unavailable. Luckily, I only went wrong once during the two rehearsals. On top of this, I helped to move set and was given a radio where some funny radio chatter happened.

The Tuesday consisted of a crew only rehearsal, where the musicians practiced whilst we quickly changed sets to become more efficient. It was a lot more relaxing during the practice and so we could get away with messing about in between.

Wednesday through to Thursday was the full show and it went well without running too far behind. On the Wednesday, I was given my new gangshow red necker which I was very excited for. I missed the Friday due to my university friends coming to visit however, this was when I made my gangshow newspapers gossip columns debut – all for hanging up some of the fallen set backstage in the wings.

Saturday was the longest day of the week but Blue came along for the shows. It consisted of two shows with a dinner break in between. We got free ice cream from the local ice cream factory during the break which was very kind of them. During both shows they were filming and so at the end we had to go on stage for our bow/ wave. The final show was the best show as we hid a pineapple during each singing number – it was a tradition dating back older than me. After the final show we had to have the get out process where we removed all the items, loaded up the lorry and unpacked at the districts scout hut.

Overall, it was a very fun week volunteering and I am already looking forward to next year!

hi 2022.

So a new year, a new resolution. I would say my resolution for 2022 would be to be more frequent in my blog writing but with university exams throughout January, I knew this would not be the case. I do not really have a resolution for this year other than to wake up earlier and be more productive during the day. My university semester starts back on the 31st so I currently have a week of ‘freedom’ and during this I am exploring the city.

This past week has been semi eventful. On Tuesday, I had the last of my exams after which I had my booster jab (as an end of exam present). On the Wednesday, I went on a walk along the local canals before starting season 2 of Cheer on Netflix (and subsequently finishing it by Friday). (see photos of canal walk below)

Catapult

Thursday was a quiet day, however in the evening I had Beavers and Scouts. The Beavers learnt all about Australia to help them with their international badge whilst the Scouts made their catapults in their patrols. I made my own catapult at the same time (which worked better than the Scouts’ catapults!). I was then invested as a leader into the Scout Group which I definitely was not expecting – I now have another neckerchief to add to my collection.

On Friday, I choose to go on a mini hike around Lickey Hills where I walked over 22,000 steps (around 15km). It was a very therapeutic walk even with the strong winds and in the cold. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to wander around the woods and find look out points to try and spot my University’s clock tower (Old Joe). As I was returning back onto campus I was proud of myself as pre-WSJ, 84 would never have done anything like this. (see photos of Lickey hills walk below)

On Saturday, I tagged along to visit the Guide shop. I found some old badges in a lucky dip bag as well as the county Guiding badge which I had to buy. I avoided saying the banned word Scouting in the store – though it may not actually be banned, I didn’t want anyone catching on that I was an imposter! I got back to my flat and one of my flatmates had returned from the Christmas break. We caught up before going out shopping to grab some food before watching the Incredibles 2 (I worked out the villain within the first 30 mins – my flatmates can back me up) and an episode of Dawson’s Creek.

Winterbourne House and Gardens

On Sunday, my flat and I headed to the Winterbourne house and gardens; where Blue has previously gone on a Bear hunt. We then ate some food before tidying the flat to have a small party in the evening. Look out for Blue’s blog where he heads on a Bear hunt!!

What does the Fleur De Lis mean to me?

The following blog has been sitting in my drafts for a few years now. I still agree with what I have written so it is as below.

The three leaves of the trefoil represent the threefold Scout Promise – Duty to God and Country, Duty to Self and Duty to Others. To me they also represent the 3 sections of Scouting I have already been through – Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.

The two small five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge but to me they also represent the two hours of volunteering I participate weekly.

The reef knot represents the strength of World Scouting but to me this also represents badge work such as the pioneering badge where I first learnt all of my knots.

The rope around the Fleur De-Lis represents units but to me it also represents the beginning and ends of the meetings where we face the flag and perform flag break.

The ring holding the petals together represents the bonds of brotherhood and so to me it represents my Scouting family. Hence all the friends I have made and met through Scouting.

Simple views but with my own personal connotations. What does the Fleur de Lis mean to you? let me know in the comments below.

Hi again

Hello blog, recently I have not been very active with my blog due to being back at school (in real life) rather than on online school. This has meant that I have been very busy, especially getting back into the school routine, as well as preparing for exams. Hopefully, by the end of May, I should be back to blogging weekly as I should be finished with school for the Summer.

snail shield

On Monday the 19th of April 2021, we had our first Beavers meeting outside in over a year after being on Zoom since March 2020. This was really enjoyable and the Beavers seemed to enjoy the evening playing games, sat at a safe distance apart, as well as learning about the patron saint of Scouting, St. George. We played games such as Splat, Heads and Tails and Simon Says before finishing the evening by designing our own shields – which mine had a snail on.