The Scouts of 1st Midsomer Norton and 2nd Clutton Scout Groups have returned home from their annual summer camp. This year, over forty leaders and young people camped for a week at Harry’s Island in the New Forest, participating in activities including cooking, pioneering, archery, kayaking and sailing.

Highlights from the week included the use of newly-purchased tomahawks, which were thrown at targets to see who could score the highest number of points, and the building of kites which were flown at Hegitsbury Head.

The week was finished off with a trip to the New Forest water park, followed by a barbecue and camp fire, which saw many of the Scouts demonstrating their entertainment talents.

The young people camped in Patrols of six, one of which was made up of five girls, who showed their resilience on the first night when a thunderstorm flooded their tent. With smiles, they relocated to a dry area and used spare sleeping bags for the rest of the night.

The first Scout camp took place on Brownsea Island in 1907, when, on 1st August, Robert Baden-Powell took twenty boys from Poole Harbour across to the Island for a camp.

During the trip, Baden-Powell trialled the ideas that would lead to the formation of the Scout Movement the following year.

On 1st August 2017, 110 years later, a group of twelve Scouts from 1st Midsomer Norton and 2nd Clutton took the same journey on the ferry across to Brownsea Island, where they joined Scouts from across the world, including a large contingent from Hong Kong, at the very site where the first camp was held. They participated in a short commemoration ceremony, renewed their Promises, and went on to spend the night camping on the island.

Despite very wet and windy weather, the remaining Scouts joined them the following day, and three of the newest Scouts were invested and presented with their scarves by the Scout Commissioner for Brownsea, Kevin Phillips.

After participating in activities similar to those Baden-Powell ran for his twenty Scouts, the first group returned to the main camp whilst the second remained on the island for the night.