Varied activities at Brigade camp

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 17

Varied activities at Brigade camp

The thrills of a “flying fox,” the Tarzan rone, diving boards at four different levels, rafts, and a good deep swimming pool have all combined to make the pool the best feature at the eight-day Boys’ Brigade summer camp at the brigade’s new campsite on the south bank of the Waipara River.

I About 200 boys, officers. ] land officers’ families are at) the camp, the first to be held’ on the new permanent site. )Boys are attending from Neilson, Ashburton, and Fairlie, as well as from the central' Canterbury area. i Boys questioned yesterday lon the features of the camp preferred various activities, (but were all unanimous in their thoughts and praise of Ithe swimming pool. During | spare time, the pool is the

best-patronised activity. The camp has beeh organ-: lised to enable the boys to l I have a holiday—there is ) ample free time for them to

explore, swim, play games such as cricket, miniature golf, and softball, and to make friends with boys from other companies. Each day starts when the bugler sounds Reveille at 7 a.m. and concludes when Last Post is played at 9.15 p.m. The boys are sleeping in tents, and are grouped into 1 three companies. The campers have been divided into groups of first-year campers.’

second-year campers (14' years), Campers’ Badge campers and seniors (15 and: over). Activities are graded for the ages of the boys, and the experience they have had ip those activities. “This year we are continuing with small-group camping for the seniors,” said the camp commandant (Mr W. Pearcy) yesterday. “They are isolated from the main body of the camp, in an area we have called the Corral. Each of the seniors is a member of a small group. They had a free hand in setting up their tents and cooking facilities. “They have been preparing their own breakfasts, but join the main camp for most) lunches and evening meals, and for most of the important activties,” Mr Percy said.

Activities at the camp include bridge-building and raft-building, hut construction, a cross-country traverse,

building and flying kites, mountain rescue work, building and running the obstacle

course, go-karting, and Duke of Edinburgh award scheme expedition training, for the seniors. A new activity this year is instruction in car driving., Second-year campers, and ithe boys on the Campers’ ’Badge course, will have an I all-night traverse, outdoor ’Cooking, camp craft, cycle 'racing on the velodrome, an

assault course, a geological hunt, first aid, water sports, and river-crossing exercises. First-year boys are learning ;tent craft, billy cooking, making gliders, having a survival exercise, and studying wildlife. They will also take part in an obstacle course and ! water games. Leisure time is well catered for with a games tent iwhich includes activities such )as table tennis, table soccer, [chess, board games, and a ’trampoline. As there was an insufficient (flow of water in the Waipara | River yesterday, seniors spent the day at the Hurunui River (training in all aspects of ] river-crossing. The rest of the camp spent the day on a 'cross-country hike of several |miles. i Many parents and old boys are expected tomorrow,

| which is visitors’ day. On Saturday evening, the camp concert will be held. I The camp will finish on (Monday afternoon.