1st Wigton B-P Scouts enjoy event filled trip to Germany for Eurocamp

1st Wigton B-P Scouts enjoyed their return to meetings after the summer break, with a German get together after their jamboree in August.

Highlights of the camp included a day spent down a massive salt mine, the International day where Scouts traded badges and tried specialty foods from each country, and the workshop day, where the Wigton Scouts immersed themselves totally in leather craft, with some cracking items produced.

The weather was appalling throughout the camp, with almost constant rain, much of it incredibly heavy, gale force winds causing much damage across the campsite and spectacular thunder and lightning storms.

Klaus talking to new Scouts (Image: Supplied)

Group leader Julie Bryceson said: “Whatever the weather threw at us, the Cubs and Scouts just got on with it, there were no complaints, all were too busy with the activities each day, they really did embrace every opportunity they were given.”

All Scouts and Cubs made friends with Scouts from other countries. The Scouts cooked over fires for the entire camp, tackling Schnitzel and Bratkartoffeln one evening.

Just before the camp closing ceremony, Cubs Evan Wynn, Matthew St. Quintin, Phoenix Evans and Edward Barker were invested into the Scout Troop in front of the flags from around the world, they were then honoured to shake hands and have their photos taken with the President of the World Federation of Independent Scouts, Mr Klaus Tegeder.

All four boys realised how special their investiture ceremony was and will never forget it.

At the same time, Nicole Greenway was invested into Senior Scouts and is now proudly wearing a maroon beret.

Scouts saluting with Klaus at Eurocamp (Image: Supplied)

After the camp there was a day of sightseeing before heading back through Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and France to the ferry at Dunkirk. All went well until arrival at Dover.

Julie said: “There was a horrendous noise when I drove the bus off the ferry, which was not there when we boarded, it was obvious it was to do with the suspension and not the engine, but we were delayed for some five hours whilst breakdown services and our insurers tried to sort it.”

Eventually recovery was ordered, and Scouts travelled back to Wigton leaving their beloved bus behind until it too was recovered a few days later.

The Scouts are now waiting to hear of the venue for the next Jamboree in four years’ time but meanwhile are hoping to plan a camp in Denmark in 2025.