Survival Tin

For many people Scouting is connected with Bushcraft and Survival skills.

Take one look at our chief scout, Bear Grylls and you will see that this is encouraged as an image choice too. Take part in a scouting skills day and you would think you are in a bushcraft show.

One thing we need to remember is that as well as feeding our inner child it is imperative as leaders to be able to program those skills and experiences to our scouts, beavers, cubs and troops, in a safe and exciting way. 

This is evident in those scouting skills days as all the instructors made it clear with additional information on how to run a program with those skills.

I have received a survival tin, as a prize in a competition! It is so exciting and thank you to the good men at Urban Bushcraft.

First a few lines about these good folk. 

Ray is a scout leader with 5 years experience on the field and an inexhaustible supply of enthusiasm and excitement. He is the man behind Urban Bushcraft an online resource for all urbanites!

Please find your way to their excellent site at: http://urbanbushcraft.co.uk/

Take your time to listen to their podcast, download it on your iSomething for your commute maybe.

The great outdoors is here all around us. 

More and more, on my daily commute, I see people in their urban survival gear; back packs, water bottles, alcogel hygiene packs, GPS and Comm Devices (aka Mobiles) and "who knows what" in their bags, leaving their abodes to tackle a 10-12 hour day (at least, some last for more than 24h!). We are wired to be prepared once we are faced with a hostile environment.

It's not that dramatic, I know... But to see each day as an adventure and the city as a jungle is more appealing.

Back to the tin! It's not so much for the day to day commute, its geared towards the wilderness.

How many more things can you fit in?

As you see from the picture, it does exactly what it says on the tin! It has a load of stuff inside that excite the imagination. Wire saw, a small pen knife, a whistle etc.

Am I ever going to use it to save my life? 

I hope not. 

Am I ever going to use it as a scout leader? 

You bet!

It is an amazing activity for any young'n to find the tin and equip it with what they think they need for when out and about! You might want to be cautious with their choices but explaining why they picked what they picked is a great exercise.

Having said all that, next time I am going camping, I'm just gonna pop it in my bag. You never know when you might need to setup a snare for a bunny stew!

Cubs Program Planning

We the Cub Scout Leaders know how to plan a program!

We met at my kitchen all 7 of us and planned for Term 6 of 2011-20112 and Term 1 of 2012-2013.
It took us about 3 hours to fill in the 14 weeks worth of activities and events, including a hike and a weekend away camping with the Cubs!

It is the school summer holidays that separate these two terms so prepare and assign a summer scrap book challenge!

One of the last meetings of Term 6 to prepare a scrapbook, a bit of bookbinding for the 30 odd A4 pages should be enough for each Cub, and the first meeting of Term 1 will almost run itself.

Welcome back from Holidays, let's see what the scrapbooks tell us!

We have a hike and a weekend away camp planned for Term 1!!!!

But hey, enough of what's on September and October, we haven't had the summer yet!

Today we got the first taste of a warm weather, it was hot and stuffy, no breeze and the little bugs do fly in and out of the house being more annoying than ever.

Term 6 is a very exciting one.

Our AGM, the Queen's Jubilee, the Olympic Games, Summer Holidays and the sort of weather that begs us to go out and play!
You can not lose!

So with our program planned based on ideas and activities it is time to make the calendar that will remind us the notifications that need to go out to the parents.

Now with a more Zone oriented eye we can begin the meeting details for each Monday, how easy is that?

Risk Assessment - A stress free approach

A sensitive subject which made me think a lot. Obviously the following are just thoughts over the matter, trying to figure out what's important and what's impossible.

As a scout leader I have to prepare the odd Risk Assessment whilst I know I am not a Risk Assessment expert. Being new to the role, I know I am not even experienced enough. At least that comes in due time and practice, and int he mean time, after all, I am part of a team with accumulated experience of more than a century!

So this is what I have figured out.

When you are asked to do a risk assessment you are only required to apply your common sense with care for those who participate to a specific activity. 

Your common sense - not THE common sense!

Do not try to act like a Health and Safety executive or a stunt man coordinator about to shoot a scene!

Not an expert! (it's the glasses right?)

Let's put things straight. 

What they asked us to do is to put some thought on the risks that might be involved for that particular activity and NOT the perils of life where everything can become an instrument of death!

Yes a door can trap a child's finger with devastating results and water spilled from a cup can prove to be a death trap! If the activity is a lot about, say, testing doors at the local door factory or running around with cups of water for sport then please by all means do come up with a risk minimizing perl of wisdom for that!

Back to Your Common Sense, which I am sure it's not so common...

All we need to do is spend some time thinking about the activity. Spend for example a good 30 minutes or an hour if need be, preferably with your eyes open during a short visit to see first hand the "where", "what" and "who" is involved. Just interact and see what pops up! Then write it down and think what can be done to minimize risk, just don't go desperate to solve complex problems or have all the fixes for when it goes wrong. To minimize risk most of the times all it takes is to point it out!

Recognize the classics!

• Return with the same number of Cubs as we started with, preferably the same faces too... Do head counts, know your numbers.
• We cross roads, be visible.
• We climb walls, wear a harness and get some instructors.
• We light fires, prefer the outdoors...
• ... and always supervise during the activity

Don't forget, to communicate your assessment! Brief leaders and young members on what's planned.

Do not stress too much about it! Remember it's better than not doing one at all!

Even when you fail to notice something in your assessment, you have demonstrated honest pure care;

Reviewing is important here! Remember the Review? 

And why is it that the review is more important than the initial Risk Assessment?

Let's unlock the mystery. 

What actually went wrong on a bad day? Maybe not a lot of people could have seen it coming, if they did would they go? If you don't write it about it no one will know of it either! 

And where is the best place to write about it? 

On the risk assessment form, under the initial risk assessment!

Risk Color Matrix

Be the methodical person with an established process, the one who does things with care and follows the procedure that was asked to follow. Don't hide the fact that you are not an expert, it's a good thing!

But it does go beyond the "Cover Your Butt" principle, which never-the-less is a wise principle. 

It gives you the way to become experienced, a tool that allows you to spend time thinking not only about the good times ahead but prepare for the unknown to prevent the bad times!

So treat the Risk Assessment based on your own personal ability and care, it needs to be done and not stress about it, or even worse, decide that things will be OK and it's not needed!

Communicate it, even to those who roll their eyes.

Review it, it only makes it better!

And have Fun doing it! (I only put this in for poetic finale)

Scouting Skills Day, Additional Notes

Extra info I researched from the experience on that day.

Hammocks & Tarps

UNASHAMINGLY I have a dormant Amazon Associate account, so the pictures are all from there and you can buy them too! 
A quick way to make me rich beyond my wildest dreams!

Hammocks and tarps
Keith our instructor mentioned DD Hammocks, a one stop shop for all hammock and tarp you need. He was not joking!

Find them at www.ddhammocks.com

Tautline Knot

We used many knots but it is easy to forget how and why we used them so here is a list for reference:

Sheet Bend - Connects 2 ropes together. Learn
Timber Hitch - The "Head" side of the hammock. Learn
Round Turn & Two Half Hitches - The "Legs" side. Learn
Tautline knot - Slide and hold, for guy lines and the tarp! Learn

Remember we had few variations, the taut line was a temporary and a permanent finish, (leave a handle) and the round turn working part came back over the main line for pulling power.

The Learn links above will jog your memory!

Fire Lighting
Lighting a fire is as simple as stricking a match or using your lighter. But that's boring!

Fire nest & Stick

The exciting thing is to try new things and we did!

We used two fire starters, the Cotton with vaseline and the charcloth.
Scouting Magazine has an interesting article on how to make your own charcloth.

Cotton buds and vaseline is as it says on the tin, rub some vaseline on cotton buds and they will go light up with one spark and stay alight till you make your little tinderstick pyramid over it.

Using a firesteel and keeping your firestarting kit in a small tin box, preferably water tight, is a cool idea!

Make your charcloth and keep it rolled in there too!

The Scouting Magazine Article is here!

Cooking Stoves etc.
Trangia Stoves, where were they all my life? We had the 25 model which is larger than the 27, for those who can see it working as their family stove when out and about! I found them cheaper on Amazon with the amazing methilated spirit bottle!


The spirit bottle made sense! I think the 500lt one made more sense for backpacking rather than the 1lt one. Mine is at home right now, arrived today and I can't wait for the weekend to try it out, best to try it out home and play with some recipies rather than the outdoors when hungry and without many options!


The Kelly Kettle! I loved this! it is a very clever and back to roots way to boil a cup of tea! They are a bit pricey but what a piece of kit to have and use with your troops and or at the BBQ, when it adds to the whole outdoors feeling!

I bought those as soon as I discussed it with the chief! so I am so excited we are gonna use it thsi weekend! Plus we are going camping this year so they definitely come with us...

Foldaway Oven! wow, I never knew this existed! Try to search for Coleman Oven, I think that's the brand we had there. And also we had the Dutch oven, Definitely on my scope for the near future!

Best Saturday Ever

I want to start my blog entries with the best Saturday Ever! It was an experience to shout about!

But first I realise that keeping this blog all this time without an entry is a bit wastefull, so in the next few posts I will backfill some of the info i wish to keep here even if it is not 100% timely to the current events in my scouting life.

So with this out of the way let's shout about the amazing Scouting Skills Day!

Organised by the Berkshire Scouts, our county, it took place just outside Reading at a place called Paddicks Patch (Norris's Copse) in a small woodland area. A marvelous day out in the woods with the weather playing game, keeping dry after the wettest April for a long time.

Main Site

Scouting Skills
The skills on offer were many!

Hammock and Tarpoline, Staves and Woggles made from sticks coppiced fresh, Rope making from twine, Pioneering structures and Knots, Firelighting skills and open fire cooking, Camping cooking equipment, Tent pitching and Facilities setup (like toilets and kitchens etc).
There was also an ad-hoc request for axe handling and use that was met!

We were free to group up and go to each station as we liked, no need to formalities as the day was long and there was enough time to cover at least 3 or 4 skills.

It was a good thing that we did not feel presure to attend at each skill for a set time as we found that when we enjoyed something we could spend extra time on that!

Yes I missed a few stations/skills but there's always next time!

Fire Circle

Fire Circle

At lunch time we all gathered around the fire circle, some food was on offer but we mostly had what we brought with us.

If you never had lunch around a fire circle you are missing out big time!

Ever since I was a young scout I always remember that the fire circle was the heart of scouting.

This one was part of the local scouts group, the 3rd Woodley, and I wish we had one outside our scout hut!

What I took out of this experience?

Lots of new friends in scouting, some i knew from other courses and some i met now. All a very good bunch of people with their priorities right, If I may add!

Axe Handling

A lot of good tips and advice on how and why we use hammocks and tarpouline covers! Knots that slide and hold, tree hugging knots and techniques that keep you safe when suspended, ways to keep you warm at night and dry when the rain comes.

I got to practice and learn first hand on how to light a fire with a strike, tools and quipment you need to do so and advice to make a fire happen without the dissapointment that comes with a burned twig that doesnt light!

Lots of good advice about camping equipment, the amazing Kelly Kettle and Trangia cooker system!

And a stick! I love that stick! I will finish it off and stick a picture up here at a later post!

Check out my other blog entry here where I have researched what we did and kept notes on where to find equipment and tools.


And thats all from the amazing Saturday Scouting Skills!