Virtual Scout camp sees 200 Gosport children enjoying fun activities from home

Around 200 members of the organisation were due to head off on their annual district camp on the first weekend in June, but instead they got stuck into online activities together to get into the spirit.

The camp was officially opened by Tim Kidd, the lead volunteer for Scouts in the UK, who encouraged them to enjoy the new experience and thanked the volunteers for their hard work.

Young people across the town packed a bag, joined in with crafts and bingo, as well as practising skills such as knots tying and mastering cooking cakes in a mug and breakfast pancakes.

They also designed paddle boats and junk cars and tested their knowledge in an online quiz while enjoying The Great Indoors event.

Fancy dress, T-shirt design and Stem activities were also provided along with a disco and the classic Scouts campfire, with a special badge to commemorate the innovative camp.

The weekend was a roaring success, and Georgie Carter from the 1st Lee-on-the-Solent Beavers enjoyed meeting up with everyone on Zoom, the disco and singing and dancing at the campfire.

Seven-year-old Oliver Cripps from the 5th Gosport Beavers enjoyed making and sleeping in a den and all of the science activities, while Archie Gasser, 11, from the 6th Gosport Scouts enjoyed the campfire.

Robin Peddell, lead volunteer for Gosport Scouts, said: ‘Gosport Scouts is run by volunteers to support our local community and it’s amazing to see how much support we had from our youth members and volunteers for this virtual activity.

‘Scouting may be suspended for face-to-face activities but is very much alive undertaking virtual activities for our local community and providing much needed relief during these difficult times.’

Gosport Scouts continues to meet virtually - for more information on volunteering and helping to deliver skills for life for young people or if you have a young person interested in joining, contact Robin on [email protected]

The Great Indoors is an initiative launched by the Scouts to continue to provide activities for those young people in and outside the movement, visit scouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors for more details.

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