Virtual camp fun

By Lily Pix, Scouts

On Friday 10th April, the 69th Bath Scouts participated in a virtual camp and had lots of fun!

Why a virtual camp?

Scouts are known for enjoying the outdoors and being active. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic they aren’t allowed to meet, let alone camp! There were going to be lots of opportunities for campouts this summer, including the annual scouting jamboree. Scouts don’t like to let anything get in their way, though, and so the Scout leaders challenged us to camp at home.

Many of the Scouts are disappointed that the annual scouting jamboree wasn’t allowed to take place, but the virtual camp was still lots of fun and they enjoyed seeing familiar faces, from school or Scouting.

People staying in because of COVID-19

Since the beginning of lockdown, which started on the 23rd March, Scouts haven’t been able to attend their usual meetings with each other, either outside on walks in all sorts of places, or in the 69th Scouting hall. Everyone now has to stay at least two metres apart from each other and they aren’t allowed to mix with people outside of their households.

The camp weekend encouraged everyone to camp at home and get creative. It was a great way to make the lockdown a little bit more exciting, because staying in all the time can get very boring.

Indoor camping

It was a really lovely, sunny weekend but cold at night, so some slept in a den in the warmth of their houses, in cosy dens, perhaps on blow-up beds or mattresses. Alexandra, one of the Scouts, even managed to put a tent up in her house!

Outdoor camping

Others ventured a little further out to their back gardens and slept bravely in the freezing cold of the night time. The Durnfords were worried their huge tent wouldn’t fit in their garden, but they managed to squeeze it in after cutting back some of their bushes.

Raising the flag

Because people can’t meet up, most people are using video calling to keep in touch with their friends. Zoom is a great way to get lots of people on-screen together. Scouts gathered together on Zoom to raise the flag, which was in one of the leaders, Jon’s, garden. Scouts watched him do it from their own homes and made the usual Scouting salute. Most wore their uniforms for the occasion, but, of course, on Zoom people can only see your top half, so only shirts were necessary.

Braving the weather

Overall, it was a nice, sunny evening, but it became incredibly chilly at night. Not everyone managed to stay out all night and came in from their gardens to the comfort of their beds. Those who did stay out needed lots of blankets to keep themselves warm.

Activities and cooking

Great activities took place including stargazing, bat spotting and cooking over a campfire. Delicious delights were cooked over many fires, in and out. Some examples were chocolate bananas, s’mores and marshmallows.

The Scout leaders came up with the idea for Scouts to make up their own design for a virtual Scout camp badge. Kate Hamnett, one of the Scouts, made a beautiful virtual Scout meeting badge with a blazing campfire and nature on it. It was also made eco-friendly, out of a tree cookie!

They also suggested Scouts look at OSM and choose a badge that interests them.

Flag down

The following morning, at 9:00, Scouts met once more over Zoom and talked about what they had done. Most people had managed to achieve the challenges they had set for themselves and everyone had had lots of fun!