I expect that anyone going off to camp will have read, and will have with her at camp, a copy of "Camps and Holidays" published by The Guide Association. So I do not intend to reiterate information contained in that publication. For all the forms you need for camping (A/A, A/P, A/R, A/S, G/C, G/H, G/O, G/P and many others), you can download them from The Guide Association web site Resources, go to "Downloadable Documents", then you need the Acrobat Reader, which you can download from that page. To save each form to your hard disk, right click on the title, then choose "Save Target As..." and choose a folder to store it. Also, if you have got to this web site, then you probably know all about BOGUK, and Dianne's artwork is far, far better than mine could ever be, so I don't intend to try re-inventing the wheel. BOGUK can give you ideas for Camps and Pack Holidays, Readings, Games and Activities, Camp-Fire Songs and skits and Themes. Choosing the Site Remember to check for your own mobile telephone access. The Kit List Well, I always ask them not to bring anything valuable; this includes mobile telephones. Bring nothing they would hate to lose. My Guides have a soft toy as a compulsory item on the kit list, then the ones that are desperate to bring "Teddy", but don't want the others to realise, aren't made to feel different. I say ask, as then if they do bring something valuable they haven't actually disobeyed me. However, they know they can expect little sympathy if they lose it. Tell them not to bring cutlery from a set; it's always those items that go missing. The Bedding Roll This is often a problem. Near here we have a town where all the inhabitants are considered to be frightfully affluent. It's not totally true, but ... One parent. seeing that the kit list asked for a spare blanket, sent her daughter to camp with a spare duvet. Try getting that in a bedding roll. You really have to get the message across to parents that the girls need to build a gadget to get everything off the ground, and the more luggage they have, the more problems this causes. There is also the problem that many girls now have foam underlays (Carrimat of similar), and these need not be within the bedding roll. I have met units that teach their Guides to roll the bedding, so that they just roll it out ready for bed when they undo the cord. They don't have to fiddle and make up the bed at night when it's dark. This sounds like a good idea, unfortunately, it usually means that the bedding roll is bigger than it need be - especially if they put the foam underlay in as well!!! Nowadays, if the sleeping bag is fairly small, and the Guides have either a sewn-in groundsheet, or a big tent-sized groundsheet, it may be possible to let them put their sleeping bag, and so forth, into an orange survival bag - it makes the morning chore much easier and quicker. I personally never take a pillow to camp, I just take a pillow case, and fill it with a sweater or two. Tents & Duties Consider having different sleeping patrols and duty patrols. I tried this for the first time in 1999. All my older ones wanted to share a tent, I said that I didn't mind as long as they helped the little ones with their tent - I only had two patrols camping that year. However, I wanted more than two duty patrols, so I teamed an older Guide with a younger Guide, and it worked brilliantly. The younger ones had been thinking it was a "them & us" scenario, but when they realised that the older Guides were really quite experienced campers, and could help them a lot, they worked together really well. I'm not saying this will work with your Guides, but it may be worth considering. I also varied which big Guide and which little Guide worked together each day. Here is a duty page that I used at one of my camps, when I put a Big Guide with a Little Guide for duties. If we had spent one day fewer at camp, I think it would have worked perfectly, but there was no way in which I could swap both little and big Guides and have a change of duty every day. I normally change duties after Rest Hour. Cook duty should normally follow Wood. Then they cook on what they have gathered!!! The Menu This is a one-off job, if you have a menu for a week, then you can stop worrying, as you can mix'n'match from it. We always ask each Guide to bring a cake to camp. Here is a menu for a week's camp. I'm afraid it was rather tongue-in-cheek about the starters, although the melon was in there for real. It's not perfect, but it gets better each year. I have also put it on this site as menu.doc, so you can download it, by right-clicking on the name, and then "Save Target As ..." At the time of writing this (2001) Guides like to have a light lunch and a larger dinner, so I get them doing patrol cooking at lunch-time, and I serve up the evening meal from a central kitchen. Don't forget the "Brown Sauce", (Did I say the correct thing there, Lucy?) and "Marmite" is always a good standby. I know that I live in South Oxfordshire, which is a reasonably affluent area, and this may not apply so well to your Guides. However, I have found it false economy to buy cheap brands which are not eaten. For example: Cheapo's Economy Cornflakes were a total waste of money, I now buy Sugar Puffs and Rice Krispies - the Guides like and therefore eat them. I try to purchase products which I eat at home, so that any surplus does not get wasted - and I adjust the accounts at the end of camp. Another question to consider, especially for a large camp where passing one bottle round the table takes considerable time, is whether to purchase one large bottle of Tomato Ketchup, or pay more and get several smaller ones. I cannot answer these sorts of question for you, it depends on the finances of the camp and how you feel about it. It's just one extra thing to consider. One problem, for most meals I calculate 100g (or 4oz) meat per person. However, for Spaghetti Bolognese this is about double what is actually needed. The Programme Here is a programme I used at a weekend camp one year. Here is another programme from a longer camp. I always let the Guides do a craft during rest hour. At the moment (2001) they love braiding each others hair. All you need is some embroidery floss and some beads. It might be useful to have instructions, but I find that "If they can, they can. If they can't, then instructions won't help, unless the instructions are for the Guider." This is England, the weather may change. Always have something extra for extreme heat and heavy rain. Try to find extra activities that require small/little equipment. At present my Guides would play Rounders all day - except when eating. A rounders bat and a few balls take up very little room and could be a sanity saver. Unfortunately, if you have the very hot weather of Summer 2001, then rounders probably needs saving until the cool of the evening. Another great "thing to take to camp" is a packet or three of balloons. See my page on games, which includes Wide Games for more information Consider the impact on the camp of a dramatic change in weather This is expected in England, doesn't every Guider have (at least) two sets of activities planned? At one International camp, when I was the GiC of our Division sub-camp, I took a box of craft materials (against the wishes of my DivC). On the Friday, due to rain (well, we never get rain in England, so of course it was unexpected), the afternoon activity was cancelled. The craft barn had already closed. Doreen's craft box saved the day; all the other sub-camps lost their girls to the coke machine - which was a thinly disguised excuse for eyeing up the camp-site's service crew. We all sat in our wet-weather tent and made leather or cord "Turk's Head" woggles, or friendship-knot brooches, or bead flags, and so forth. My idea of a craft box for the odd wet day contains crafts that are small to cart around with me, of which some should be quickies, and others require a more sustained effort. Given really bad weather, all girls should gain a "Traditions of Guiding" Badge and possibly a craft badge. A trip or outing being cancelled (e.g. the coach breaks down …) or last minute changes of plan If the coach has broken down before it gets to the site, then you use one of the extra activities that every Guider has tucked up the leg of her blue knickers. Then you work out what compensation you can screw from the coach company, and get the girls planning a nice expensive day out for the Guides for the next term!!! If the coach breaks down during the trip, you get out your camp-fire song book, and your handy rucksack of crafts, and wait while the coach gets repaired. Either you'll get where you were going late, or you won't get there. That, as they say, is life. Once again, plan on what you can spend the compensation money. In both cases, make sure you buy the Guides something extra nice to eat. For example, if the coach is half-an-hour late, due to the breakdown, then either an ice-cream or a packet of chips should keep the girls happy. Always make sure you have spare cash with you. Crafts Crafts that take up little room are very useful. I have a whole page of crafts, and many of them are probably suitable for camp. However, points to remember are that at camp the Guides are even more likely than usual to knock over pots of paint, and beads seem to enjoy being trodden into grass. Activities On the published "Activity" sheet be vague, then the Guides won't know if you have to change things, then they are less likely to moan. These must be varied, it's no good having similar games morning and afternoon, unless there is a good reason for so doing. See my page on games, which includes Wide Games for more information, this includes the names of several books, available at The Guide Association. Pre-camp Guide Meetings Unless you are lucky enough to have a unit where the majority have camped before, there are certain skills the Guides will need to know beforehand. This is why I was not impressed when The Guide Association got rid of the Camp Preparation Patrol Pennant. Yes, I know there is now a Take Your Toothbrush Go For It!, but as the Guides choose what they do from it, mine would choose the part involving chocolate, and perhaps discuss the Agony Aunt questions rather than practising tent pitching or making bedding rolls. So get them practising making bedding rolls, and pitching tents. Now that the Knotter Badge no longer exists in the Guide section, you will need to teach the girls some knots before camp. For instructions on this visit BOGUK's How To ... page On Arrival Late arrival at a camp site due to traffic/emergencies etc Once again, this is something that every Guider should have considered - I call it "Plan B". Make everything safe, even if you have to bend association rules, and put equipment in the store tent. Get up enough tents for the everyone to sleep, maybe some Guiders will have to share a tent for the first night (but not with Andrea, she snores!!!). Make sure the kitchen is in a state to get them something warm to keep them going, as the girls will be tired, and therefore cold. Niceties like flagpoles can wait for the morning. Inaccurate information regarding shop opening times or early closing days These probably have the largest impact on the catering side. Try to plan the menu, so that tinned or packet food, planned for the end of the camp can be used earlier on. In Oxfordshire we are supposed to have "something" in reserve in case the cook patrol drops "the dinner" in a cow pat on the way to serving it up. As I hate Cup'o'Soup, which was the suggestion when I attended the training before taking my licence, I make sure that any extra food I take is stuff we actually eat at home. You haven't asked about food not arriving at the site as ordered! This happened to us one year, not only did the bread, ham, cheese and tomatoes for lunch-time sandwiches not arrive on the day we were going out (it all arrived in for when we got back), but also the packets of crisps, Penguin bars (or similar) and cans of soft drinks had not arrived at the weekend. I had to treat all the girls on our site to fish'n'chips at lunchtime, and we got them buns in the afternoon. We had checked that there would be a chippie where we were going. I got the money back from Division, but needed 50 quid cash on the day. Discipline Here is a document of Site Rules, you may like to copy it and edit it for your own camp. As usual, right-click on it, and "Save Target As ..." This is not a popular topic, but one you should consider beforehand. Never, ever threaten the Guides with a punishment you cannot carry through. I know Scouters who claim that if their boys are noisy in the tents at night, they get them out and make them run round the field a few times. Don't be tempted to try this. What on earth would you do if the Guides just said: "No, shan't." ? That is apart from the fact that it's dangerous to run around in the dark. One suggested method is to stand outside - or even inside - the tent; see if they want to discuss their boyfriends in front of their Guider. One midnight I just told them they could forget their swim the following day. They thought they could sweet-talk me round, but they couldn't. Once you have stated a punishment NEVER go back on it. On the first night, keep them up until they are really tired; this actually applies to every night, so that they WANT to go to sleep. A wide game in the dark can be great fun. I even used this at a Brownie PHuC. Once I had a QM whose daughter was a Guide. On the second night, QM came and told me that as her daughter felt ill, she had let her sleep in her tent. As the daughter was already tucked up in bed and probably asleep, there wasn't a lot I could do. However, the next morning the daughter asked if she could sleep in her mother's tent for the rest of the camp. Not wishing to have a rebellion on my hands, I gave the daughter several reasons why I did not want her to do so, but left the final decision up to her. Later she came to me and said that she was going to sleep with her mother. I said that was fine, but that once she was permanently in her mother's tent she could no longer go into the patrol tent in the evening or night; I wasn't having the Guides messed about, not knowing where she was supposed to be. Ho Ho Ho - I had discussed this with my staff. On the last night my YLs took great delight in making sure she didn't sneak back for the Midnight Feast. All the other Guides had realised why I let her stay with her mother with that condition - once again, a Guide thought she could get round her Guiders when she wanted to do so. Keep any staff quarrels quiet. The Guides need extra stability, especially as it may be a first time away from home. If it is necessary to "talk to" another member of staff, do so quietly and in private. It is always wrong to bawl out another Guider in front of the Guides. Health Consider keeping the "Treatment Given" information on the back of each Guide or Guider's Health Form. This keeps it more private. One ten-year-old I had didn't want the other Guides to know that she needed quite strong painkillers during her period. Consider the impact of illness (e.g. a "bug" that spreads amongst the girls and/or leaders) on the camp: My answer is to isolate, you may have another. It depends on whether you can send them home or not. We once actually had members of the sub-camp next to us dropping like flies with D&V. We saw their First Aider staggering across the site, at dead of night, carrying rather full lats to empty. We just continued to be extra careful with hygiene, and told our girls not to visit that site. After our First Aider and I visited (when our worst fears were confirmed) we lavished her anti-bacterial gel all over ourselves. Consider what to do if a Guider becoming ill, or having a family emergency at home Considering that my other Guider had a toddler, and she now has a new-born baby as well, this is a situation that I face regularly. I assume that she will not be there, and that if she is, it's a bonus. I realise that I cannot make this assumption and have a back-up for ALL my staff. My actual plan is that Bill isn't normally involved with the camp very much, although he is on my A/A or A/S. If we have an emergency, I telephone him, and he drops everything and arrives PDQ. This has happened. Afterwards I haven't tried this one yet; I don't think Bill would approve: After camp why not clean ALL your tent pegs in the dishwasher; it works for both metal and wooden. Do scrape most of the earth off first. A Week-Long Camp Food For a week-long camp you need to take more care with the menu, however, once you've got a menu, and the Guides like it, you probably won't need to change it very much from year to year. You will need to ensure that the girls get a suitably varied diet. I try to include at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, as well as at least three dairy portions. In fact I have a row at the bottom of my menu where I put these two items. Here is my week's menu, I must confess the only starter I really planned into the camp was the melon, but I can wish. Budgetting For a week-long camp, it is even more important to get your sums right. I always allow a certain amount per day for food and such like (washing up liquid and other cleaning stuff, loo rolls, matches) in 2001 this was £6. It is worth noting that there is a slight gain over a week's camp, as some items, like salt, pepper, herbs, spices and possibly jam, marmalade and sauces, will still require the same quantity as for a slightly shorter camp. Don't forget to work out a "per child" cost of transport, and make sure you calculate using minumum numbers, as well as expected numbers. For example, if the transport is a fixed £200, then if you have your expected number of 16, then the cost per head is £12.50, if the numbers drop to 10, then the cost per head is £20.00. So if you did all your sums using 16, and only had 10 go to camp, you expect to be in the red by £75.00. You may need to start off with a slightly higher figure for your camp, and tell the parents that there may be some over if everyone is able to go. The same applies to any activities and trips you may plan, you need to know what happens if your minimum number attends rather than your expected number. Of course, it is much more likely on a week-long camp that there will be activities and trips. I normally use a weekend camp to teach the Guides about camp-craft, so that when we do go away for longer periods, they will cope with the day-to-day events with ease (Ho Ho Ho, Doreen, who are you trying to fool?) Activities Planning the activities for a week-long camp is probably harder than planning the menu. Normally you will need a day away from the site, this should be somewhere near the middle of the week to form a break. Take this as an opportunity to cook a stew in a hay-box for dinner, it's what we always did when I was a Girl Guide. This really is simple - even I have achieved this. |