Some of the Scouts making digging sticks |
The Scouts go on a survival course
On the 10th to 12th of March the scouts went to Scorton were they took part in the tamarack course for outdoor survival which was generously provided free by the owners of a newly opened survival and outdoors activity shop in Gt. Eccleston. The members of 1st Great Eccleston Scouts appreciated this generous Gift.
On this course the scouts learnt knife skills, including, safety and important characteristics of a knife and its uses. We were allowed to keep the knife throughout the course, but had to keep it clean and useable. We were also shown how to turn the roots from an oak tree into string. This was done by constructing a ‘digging stick’ using our knife. We learned how to light a fire without matches by using strikers and silver birch bark, and how to cook vegetable soup, bread, and fish on it. Also part of the course was how to construct a bivouac (a shelter).
By Mark and Ashley
Practising for the Acorn Challenge yet again
Over the past months the Scouts have been practising for one of the most important competitions of the year, that being the Acorn Challenge. The Scouts have hade to earn the right to represent the District in this, a County competition; which means that Gt Eccleston Scouts are representing Wyre District. If they are fortune enough to win this means that Wyre District have also won, something the Scouts of Great Eccleston have done on five other occasions. Never before have the same group won this trophy more than twice, so a lot is riding on this, Great Eccleston's opportunity to have their name on it for the sixth time. If they win or come second, then they will represent the County of west Lancashire, in the Lord Derby competition, again.
Gt Eccleston have represented West Lancashire more times than any other group in the North West of England nine times in total, and putting themselves in the record books once more by having won it twice. Well what have we been practising, Survival that goes without saying, First Aid, Pioneering, Orienteering, Camping or Camp Craft, Mapping that’s reading and making maps, Problem solving, Leadership and Team work, Cooking, Health and Safety, Community and creative skills, Fitness and Global issues, all these things go towards becoming a responsible member of the community or a Scout.
The scouts do their Survival Skills badge
Continuing on from the front page The survival skills badge is split into two parts, the first being survival knowledge this they learn on a Friday night back at the Scout Headquarters. Part two is using all that you have learnt in a survival exercise lasting at least 24hours. In part one the Scouts must learn how to prevent and treat sunstroke and hypothermia, the First Aid treatment of external bleeding and shock, mouth to mouth and the dangers involved in moving injured people. The correct use of rescue techniques and how to build shelters, how to build different types of fire and the burning qualities of different wood. Learn about edible plants and fruit, water filtration and purification.
On Friday the 12th of March 11 Scouts Boys and Girls set off to an unknown destination in Scorton, on arrival they unloaded their bags and after a short hike arrived at a clearing in a small lakeside wood that would be their home for the next two nights and days. Quickly in the dark they put up their tents (something they had done on countless other occasions) and prepared them for the weekend, fortunately some of the group were sleeping in a large wigwam that was already up and waiting, so after arranging their equipment they immediately started to help their comrades. Shortly after the camp was complete they were ready to be introduced to their instructors for the weekend, and the first night of learning bush craft started with health and safety in camp, followed by super and a wide game that went on into the early hours of the morning, this was designed to tire them out so they would get a good nights sleep, but even the best planed things go wrong! Never underestimate the ability of young people to stay awake on the first night of camp.
The next morning started up at 8.00am and breakfast at 9.00am followed by the day’s first introduction to living off the land, and how to use a knife properly. Then they made digging sticks for digging up roots to make rope, followed by the correct and safe way to make a fire without matches. next was lunch followed by building bivouac’s at this point the group was split into separate teams and this was their first opportunity to put into practice what they had learnt about lighting fires with flints. Once each team had a good fire going they had to prepare and cook a trout and bake some bread, ‘no short measures here, and later during the evening meal they had the opportunity to discus the things learnt during the day. No wide game this time hopefully everybody was ready for bed, some even slept out under the bivouacs with the opportunity to return to the comfort of their tents if needed (with the wind chill it was just below freezing). Up early next morning, breakfast and a short hike to the other side of the lake to put into practise all the things learnt during the previous day, each team were given equipment to build a camp complete with bivouac, having lit a fire using the ingredients given, they had to make themselves a meal complete with bread, no easy task considering it never stopped raining all day, once this was done they had to clean up and make their way back to the main camp on the other side of the lake and pack up ready for the journey home. During the weekend not one of the group was heard complaining about the weather or the conditions in which they had to complete their task. Well done.
Continuing with survival tips no 3 Water
Of all the things we depend upon in our day to day living water is probably the most important of all, (we all know that don’t we) but in modern society we take it for granted, its become something that is freely available wherever we go and we all tend to over look it. Only when for some reason or other its not there, it will hit you like a sledge hammer ‘and I mean that literally in some cases’ and you will realise its importance. The human body is 75% water and we use 2-3 litres of it a day, and this water must be replaced each day. They say the average person can only survive for three days without it, but we can do without food for three weeks so how can we minimise its loss in extreme circumstances Minimising your food intake will help because we use water to digest our food, especially fatty foods. Keep cool and stay in the shade, rest and avoided heated surfaces. Don’t drink alcohol or smoke and breath through your nose. Generally speaking in this country only in extreme situations will you find yourself in a situation where there is no water. So we will deal with making water safe to drink, there are 5 basic contaminants 1/ turbidity, 2/ parasitic worms, 3/ bacteria, 4/viruses, and 5/chemicals. To overcome 1/ dirty water, look for the cleanest water you can, preferably moving water full of oxygen, and then filter it through finely woven cloth, sand and charcoal. 2/ 3/ 4/&5/ filtration and boiling will eliminate these, but its better to be safe and use a proper carbon filter and boiling or chemical treatment, chlorine tablets or droplets. Iodine also in droplets or tablets, always uses to the recommended dosage but remember each will leave the water with an unpleasant taste. Normally filtration and boiling will do the trick, but there are a number of good combination filtration and water purifiers on the market.
The Cub section is going from strength to strength
We now have fourteen cubs and the numbers are increasing from week to week, if you are thinking of joining we advise you to do it now before there are no places left. The two new Cub Leaders Paul and Stuart are busy preparing this year’s program and have already got a number of interesting activities planed, to compliment those of the Districts, which include Superteams, Activity Weekend, Cub Camp, District Camp, Cub Football, Swimming Gala, Cub Challenge, Craft Competition, Chess Comp, etc. All this and the Cub progressive training, and Badge work, not forgetting all the fun and games, in keeping with the Cub Scout Law, Cubs always do their best, think of others before themselves and do a good turn every day. No wonder the places are filling fast.
For boys only, from 6 to 8. Fun and Friends.
And promise.
I promise to do my best, to be kind and helpful and to love god.
