For our Group’s Summer Camp 2026 we returned to Thriftwood #InTents# having had previous great experiences. With 15 Scouts fully prepared and ready to go…
Saturday 8th August
With the summer heat wave continuing we utilised our new party tent (12mx6m) donated from KIJ, along with a new Ice Plunge Bath, and camp shower. After a supper of burgers, mash & beans; the opening ceremony on the Archery field got ~ 280 Scouts together and celebrating the start of the week, with the leaders meeting bringing all the leaders together and updated on the latest arrangements.
Sunday 9th August
Breakfast – Porridge or cereals with the scouts preparing their own bacon sandwiches
Survival skill day including – Orienteering course as to familiarise all with the camp site, Cordage making from nettles, Fire lighting, Knife skills, Hot Chocolate from the pond via the Kelly kettles, Water purifications, and then cooking of either bread twists or pigeon breasts steaks.
Dinner – Curry night – Beef Madras / Chicken Korma, onion relish, popadom, nan bread
Evening – A wide game hunting the site crew members hiding in the woods, in an endeavour to locate as many as they could find.
Monday 10th August
Breakfast – Cereals, Porridge followed by fried egg sandwiches.
Morning – Hydro Zone – All and everyone down to Sapper Lake for a great event of all things water: Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Rollers, Giant Slide, Bouncy Castles, Hungry Hippos, Bungee run and Giant paddle boards.
Afternoon – The Chariot competition was held on the main event field with every group submitting at least one entry and competing in time trials in the arena. With our chosen theme of Pirates and all of us dressed to suite with theme music in the background, accompanied by metal buckets and wooden spoons! This year the chariots were based on the Scout Activity Pioneering badge, taken from the classic Scout Master Leadership training module. With the Scouts building their own chariots using an array of knots and lashing (Sheer, Snake, Square & Diagonal. The presentation of pirate theme and pioneering design was well received, with 5th Dartford being awarded ‘Best Chariot’!
Dinner – Pizza Night, home-made dough at lunch and then needed and added topping of their choice and then cooked in the wood fired ovens
Evening – Lip Sync Battle/TW Got Talent – With our Scouts actively joining in with duets and solos including a rendition of ‘Billy Jean’
Tuesday 11th August
Breakfast – Even more porridge being requested with less cereals along with sausage sandwiches.
Morning – Challenge – Tie Dying, Woggles, Glass Etching, Memory Wall, Pyrography.
Afternoon – Challenge – in teams of up to six completing various challenges as set by the service crew located trough the 98 acres of wood land.
Dinner – Ready Steady Cook in patrols – ‘Fajitas’ were cooked and enjoyed by all…
Evening – Fancy Dress Disco for the Scouts continuing the theme of Pirates with Ewan win first place with his representation of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Wednesday 12th August
Breakfast – An early start of cereals and bread & jam, along with an assembled packed lunch.
All Day – Southend, Adventure Island – With an all-inclusive ride pass and a packed lunch, with all the fun of the fair, running between the rides, squashed sandwiches, fizzing drinks and candy floss the day was quickly gone.
Dinner – Chips from the local takeaway Tommy Tuckers, with pies and sausages being cooked in the camp ovens.
Partial Eclipse of the Sun – With 95% eclipse scheduled for 19:13 we settled the far side of Sapper Lake in order to get the best view, making pin-hole cameras to observe the planetary alignment. This led to the following evening of camp star gazing and watching the Perseid Meteor shower after hot chocolate & cake.
Thursday 13th August
Breakfast – The Scouts all opted to cook Pancakes as a treat after the standard cereals and porridge.
Morning – Rise Zone: Climbing, Abseiling, Jacob’s ladder, Crate stacking, Sky-hi walk, Vertical assault course, Leap of faith, Postman’s walk, Zip-line & Assault course.
Afternoon – International – African drums, Aboriginal dot painting, Highland Games, Yoga with mediative breathing practice and The Great British Sports Day. With Toby winning first place in the Welly Wangling…
Dinner – Spaghetti Bolognese with cheesy garlic bread
Evening – Chill-Out a new addition to the #InTents week, where all the Scouts met on the event field for an open fun and games session with a pop-up tuck shop.
Friday 14th August
Breakfast – Porridge & cereals followed by the Scouts cooking their own bacon sandwiches.
Morning – Target Zone: Archery, Cross-Bows, Nerf Guns, Laser Clays, Axe Throwing, Cats-Splat, Speedshot, Air-Rifles, Clout Archery
Afternoon – Carnival and fun time: For the first hour all folk on the activity field running charity stalls charging 20p for Thriftwood partnered charity. With 5th providing shove Coin Drop, Stocks and wet sponges as well as the three bucket challenge raising ~£30 for the local charity. Followed by all the camps activities being opened for a final have a go session, of the favourite site activities: Cave Bus, Kayaking, Paddle Boarding, Cresta Run, Zip line and inflatables.
Dinner – A celebration of BBQ type food (sausage, burger, chicken wings cooked on the field kitchen) was enjoyed as we all received the Government Warning Notification of Wild-Fires, with the camp declaring a stop to open fires and BBQs.
Evening – Closing Ceremony where the winners of the weeks competition were announced. Followed by a traditional campfire hosted by Colin and Bradley.
Saturday 15th August
Breakfast was served only after all the Scouts had packed their bags, cleaned and vacated their tents – The last of the porridge and cereals, along with a smorgasbord/Cleanse the Camp of the remaining food, resulting in some interesting sandwiches.
Morning – Strike Camp and go home, leaving only our footprints, good memories and the pool (which we sold to the Scout Group that are camping on the site next)!
Thank you to the leadership team who made the camp possible, with its early morning, late nights, long days in the extreme heat, providing a safe, engaging, experience for all out members. A thank you to the parents who drove the hire van there and back, helping with loading and setting up. As well as our executive members: treasure keeping our books and finances straight, the chairman as always supportive.
Until the next time
Paul Boreham
Adult Lead Volunteer
All sections of 5th Dartford Scout Group: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Adult Volunteers and Family and Friends taking part in Dartford District organised event, Trail-Jam 3 – 2026.
uipment back in our stores – Thank You.
On Friday 12th December, thirty members from the Earley Scout Troop and the Johnston ESU, accompanied by 4 adult volunteers, attended the Miskin Theatre’s production of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. As always it was an enjoyable night out and fantastic value and it was nice to see former members in the audience and in the cast too.
We once again celebrated our 109th anniversary at the Methodist Church, Spital Street being warmly welcomed by the congregation and John H-B who was leading the service. Starting with all things bright and beautiful, the Scouts performed the reading of Gospel and prayers, with John providing the sermon of John the Baptise, with the Scouts sampling the delights of dried Locust and initiate ways of baptism with the use of water pistols. The Scout presentation was provided by the Scouts memories of the past year (as below), with the service ending with Jerusalem and flags being paraded back to the Scouts Hall. The activity for the afternoon was at Gravity Bluewater, with 50 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers making full use of the trampoline park.
Scout Best Bit of the Year 2025
