Post by JEM on Nov 20, 2005 12:41:12 GMT
THE WHITECLIFF WATCHER
CAMP ARCHIVAL REPORT 2004
The 1st Saffron Walden Boys Brigade Company and supporters camped at Whitecliff Bay Bembridge Isle of Wight from Aug 21st - 28th 2004 with a complement of 43 campers aged from 2 to 66.
We travelled in convoy with 3 minibuses and 4 staff cars with the CO going over on Friday and the Catering team preceding the main group.
Several boys took tubular construction camp beds and Andrew Jardine took an inflatable easy chair.
It was a beautiful sunny weekend when we went, and when we returned. It was also probably the wettest and most windy camp we have ever experienced. We had three12 hour gales, and long periods of torrential rain.
On Wednesday most people went on outings leaving John at Camp deputising for the Duty Officer and Jamie rehearsing for the worship session he was to lead in the evening. It is just as well they were there. At 2pm the heavens opened with thunder and lightning and torrential rain for an hour.
Two streams formed on the camp sight making for the marquee’s 2 main entrances and water stood on site forming a small temporary pond so saturated the turf already was. One third of he marquee became water logged,
John had just collected salad from the stores and nipped in the shower block to wash his hands as the storm began.
Jamie raced round putting the amplifiers on tables and removing electric cables from the floor. Half an hour later John rejoined him using a metal wash bowl as an umbrella, and they set to, moving tables and benches, closing entrances and opening up new ones with duck-boards. 24 hours later we were able to “regain the lost ground”
This year’s casualty list included Charlie Wicks rushed to A & E from the Ice skating rink at Ryde accompanied by Jamie having injured his knee muscles in a fall. Ben Butcher also got well bruised. Joel, Colin and Luke Anstead were stung by wasps, the latter on the lip.
Charlie was on crutches but as he is so used to getting knocked about he got around pretty quickly, but had another fall when they all went to Robin Hill Theme Park. But a mixture of prolonged sleep and determination had him on his feet within 3 days. Jonathan managed to fall into the boating lake at Ryde.
The weather only stopped one programme item, Head Hunters, in a wood with laser guns. We replaced that with 3 hours of “Lord of the Rings ” from a DVD, while the rain fell.
At sport Sam Nash excelled winning 5 medals. Inter tent pudducks was played with a 3 day interval due to bad weather. Campers went Ten Pin bowling, ice skating, swimming, boating, playing golf, fishing, walking,
and engaged in draughts, table tennis, pool, chess, dominoes, snakes and ladders and various card games.
Kathryn Pantry organised an exciting “It’s a Knockout” .Lyndsey & Rachel organised a jolly interesting Quiz, and on another evening after dark a wide game “In search of the rings” at the end of the field. The Catering team, Jill, Paul, Glenys and Clifford, excelled themselves again with excellent wholesome food. including with plenty of vegetables, roast beef, roast chicken, fish, sausage rolls, quiches, salads, crumbles, peaches and ice cream, bread and butter pudding, jam tarts, and lots of cakes. Porridge and fried breakfasts.
Our chaplain was Ged Pearce assisted by his wife Sue, and Kathryn Pantry and together they presented some excellent evening worship and teaching sessions. based on “Walking with Frodo” from Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings”, “The Fellowship of the Ring”. After the communion service at the end of the week each camper was presented with a key ring with their name on along with a picture of Frodo’s foot.
Excerpts from the “Lord of the Rings”, were also shown most evenings using a DVD through a laptop computer and a computer projector.
On Saturday night Mike set the tone for the week by telling us the story of a young man who for his birthday wanted a car and was promised one by his Dad.
On his birthday he received a rectangular parcel. When he opened it he found his Dad had given him a Bible. He went berserk with anger and railed at his father and walked out, and never came back. For the rest of his Dad’s life he never spoke to him.
After his Dad’s death the son was clearing up his Dad’s home and he came across the Bible and it opened to his touch to reveal an envelope. Inside the envelope was a cheque for thousands of pounds, enough to buy the car he had set his heart on. What a fool he had been. Mike urged us all not to ignore the Bible this week lest we should lose something precious by doing so.
Other staff members did morning “Thoughts for the Day” and then led evening Staff Devotions which included open prayer sessions.
John caused a lot of hilarity with sharing the meanings of our Christian names which led on to the meaning of the name Jesus Christ, and Christ’s assertion that He is the Good Shepherd and we are his flock and he knows us and calls us by name. Which led on to prayer and the song “There is power in the name of Jesus”. The catering team on a theme “Love one another” presented a humorous sketch.
This year’s camp appeal was in support of Leukaemia Research.
Geoff was in charge of canvas and maintenance. Simon organised Inspection. Colin was Fire Officer, Sue was MO. Lynda dealt with first aid. In addition to Fatigue groups there were fatigue staff leaders. Rosemary dealt wit Finance and Geoff with Bank. Dawn was Music
Co-ordinator. Mike was Activities Co-ordinator and organised swimming and used his dingy.
The staff had a social evening and formed two teams to play “I want to be a Millionaire” using a DVD. Team One stopped at £500,000 Team Two went to the million pound question but got the answer wrong.
Most of the Seniors did not go this year, and we had no problems of trying to bend or extend the rules. Those Seniors who did go were given a day to go out themselves and went by hover craft to spend the day in Portsmouth.
Matthew Player did a day as Duty Officer and as it was one of the worst wet days of the week his performance was particularly good and both he and his brother Darren worked tirelessly all the week to help make the camp a success. Darren also did a stint as deputy Duty Officer to enable John to go Ten Pin bowling. They both ran the Tuck Shop.
The other Duty Officers were Andrew Turner, Colin Douglas and Lee Kitchener. Mini-Driving was divided up between Colin, Geoff, Ged, Kathryn and Simon
The tent commanders were Ben Butcher, Andrew Jardine and Stuart Smith and all did a good job.
There were 3 new campers this year added to the Company of Helpers And Revellers In ‘Erts and eSsex,.. proper CHARLIES. Bringing to 215 the number added to the Saffron Walden Court of the order since1981.
These were Sam Flicos, Ansley Gilder, and Philip Jones.
The Fun Run held on Tuesday to the Monument and back involved 14 participants. Andy Willitt started it and John timed it.
Over All winner was Darren Player in 12 minutes 13 seconds
He also won it when we were last there in 2002 but we have no record of the time that year.
Veteran winner was Andrew Turner in 13 minutes 45 seconds
Seniors winner was Ben Butcher in 13 minutes 55 seconds
followed by Jonathan Vickery and Joel Williams 2 and 3 seconds behind him.
Juniors winner was Philip Jones 14 minutes 40 seconds
Andrew Jardine and Liam Mandy took 52 minutes each but they took a picnic to eat on the way.
The favourite Matthew Player, tripped on the upper chalk path, rolled down the hill through some stinging nettles and hobbled home..
The traditional Rounders match was dropped this year from lack of interest. Another tradition came to an end as Mike & Lynda decided not to do the CO’s Camp Song this year. This turned out to have been preordained as on Friday afternoon they were summoned home, by their son in law Mark Gardner being rushed to Addenbrookes Hospital.
They were told there was no place on the ferry, but they told the company why they needed to go, and prayed about it, and because someone failed to turn up they got on board. Mike was at Addenbrookes at the time he would have been singing the CO’s Song.
Mark had numerous tests and is out of hospital but to go backto Out Patients for further tests,
The 16 item Camp Concert was organised by Liam Mandy as Concert Director and John as his assistant. Liam is leaving the Company as his family are moving to Hunstanton .Liam is an accomplished actor and is playing the role of a soldier in the County High School production of “Henry the Fifth” in September as is his tent commander Ben Butcher
John in a Lincoln green sweat shirt with white trousers and white tie opened the show, which was thereafter compered by Liam, Darren and Matthew.
Andy Turner with his family presented “Captain Beaky and his band”
Mike’s grand daughter Eve made her solo break in the concert as a Scooby Doo Dancer.
Rachel, Lyndsey and some boys gave us “Man on the Moon”
Ged, Kathy and Sue gave us a moral poem “The Mask”
John gave us a poem “The Sun is shining somewhere” written by the late Reg Offley, aged 23,min1841 serving with the Army as a medic in Egypt. and “Ged Pearce’s Old Minibus” to the tune Widdicombe Fair naming all the campers, and “Old Cap’n Turner had a Camp”.
Liam and company presented the skit “The Porridge is Cold” and a sonnet “I dunn it again”.
Stuart and Darren gave us their pots and pans band playing “Revolutions”.
Joel presented “Camp Tips”
Liam and company presented “The Everley Brothers in Concert”
John gave us a monologue “Jack and the Box of Matches” with the moral “Always Think before you Act.”
Dawn & Lee gave us “Words of Wisdom” by David Brent.
Charlie, Luke and volunteers gave us Amazing Magic
Tent 1, being Stuart, Jonathan, Sam Philip, Ansley, with Ben Nash, and Joel gave us the action musical song Mambo No 2 from Bob the Builder Man with the words on the screen so we could all join in.
Cliff and Andy Willitt sang choreographed by Glenys presented Farm Yard Frolics with “Old MacDonald had a farm” with animal noises.
The show ended with Liam and Ben Butcher and hostages Cliff, Simon, and Lyndsey in “Dr Evil’s New Beginning”
This was followed by Presentations and Hot dogs.
List of Presentations
presented by Lieut Andrew William Turner. Deputy C.0.
Juniors Table Tennis lst Sam Nash 2nd Philip Jones
Seniors Table Tennis lst Stephen Timms 2nd Matthew Player
Junior Golf 1st Sam Nash 2nd Sam Flicos
Senior Golf 1st Matthew Player, 2nd Darren Player
Draughts 1st Sam Nash 2nd Joel Williams
Chess 1st Sam Nash 2nd Darren Player
2 Yearold 10 metres Sprint Grace Turner
2½ yearold 10 metres Sprint Madeline Kitchener
4 yearold Sprint Eve Turner
Under 6’s Sprint Bethany Kitchener
Veterans Camp Run Andrew Turner
Over all Camp Run Darren Player (John Marshall Shield)
Seniors Camp Run 1st Ben Butcher 2nd Jonathan Vickery
Juniors Camp Run 1st Philip Jones 2nd Sam Nash
Quiet Efficient Camp Workers Matthew & Darren Player
Bowling. Stephen Timms (138)
Longest Serving Camper Andy Willitt
Concert Director with 10 years service in BB Liam Mandy
Catering Team Jill & Paul Player, Glenys & Cliff Goodwin
Chaplaincy Team Ged & Sue Pearce and Kathryn Pantry
Quiz Winner Colin Douglas
Tent Inspection Tent 1 won the Gregg Moss Shield .
each member received a tea towel
All the boys got a stick of rock
Andy Turner said that all the staff deserved a medal..
We say he did too.
Lieut Andrew Turner took over as CO on Friday evening and organised our breaking camp excellently and efficiently. having cleared the site of everything movable, litter, bins, ground sheets, marquee furniture, to help Ben from the Bromley Battalion to get on with dismantling tents, ”
Before we left Saturday at 9am, we had the Camp Group Photo.
Andrew and Emma and the girls left as rear guard and brought Emma’s Dad, Ged home when he was taken ill at the wheel. Kathryn took over the wheel, and Ged stayed with Colin and Kathryn Turner until AWT arrived, This mean the luggage mini bus arrived back about 2 hours late than planned.. As it was arrival at Walden was about an hour late due to heavy congestion of the M22 and M25 and closure of the M11.
The Sunday Service was well supported by campers and their parents and emphasised our involvement this year in VBS, Camp and Soul Survivor Week at Shepton Mallett, Bath to which several of our teenagers went including David Timms, who gave a full interesting and humouress report to the congregation, in which he reminded us older ones, not to write off our teenagers, who are committed to Jesus and His church. This is true that we do have a growing group of committed teenagers who regard themselves as very much the church of the present rather than just of the future, although none of them have yet become full church members.
CAMP ARCHIVAL REPORT 2004
The 1st Saffron Walden Boys Brigade Company and supporters camped at Whitecliff Bay Bembridge Isle of Wight from Aug 21st - 28th 2004 with a complement of 43 campers aged from 2 to 66.
We travelled in convoy with 3 minibuses and 4 staff cars with the CO going over on Friday and the Catering team preceding the main group.
Several boys took tubular construction camp beds and Andrew Jardine took an inflatable easy chair.
It was a beautiful sunny weekend when we went, and when we returned. It was also probably the wettest and most windy camp we have ever experienced. We had three12 hour gales, and long periods of torrential rain.
On Wednesday most people went on outings leaving John at Camp deputising for the Duty Officer and Jamie rehearsing for the worship session he was to lead in the evening. It is just as well they were there. At 2pm the heavens opened with thunder and lightning and torrential rain for an hour.
Two streams formed on the camp sight making for the marquee’s 2 main entrances and water stood on site forming a small temporary pond so saturated the turf already was. One third of he marquee became water logged,
John had just collected salad from the stores and nipped in the shower block to wash his hands as the storm began.
Jamie raced round putting the amplifiers on tables and removing electric cables from the floor. Half an hour later John rejoined him using a metal wash bowl as an umbrella, and they set to, moving tables and benches, closing entrances and opening up new ones with duck-boards. 24 hours later we were able to “regain the lost ground”
This year’s casualty list included Charlie Wicks rushed to A & E from the Ice skating rink at Ryde accompanied by Jamie having injured his knee muscles in a fall. Ben Butcher also got well bruised. Joel, Colin and Luke Anstead were stung by wasps, the latter on the lip.
Charlie was on crutches but as he is so used to getting knocked about he got around pretty quickly, but had another fall when they all went to Robin Hill Theme Park. But a mixture of prolonged sleep and determination had him on his feet within 3 days. Jonathan managed to fall into the boating lake at Ryde.
The weather only stopped one programme item, Head Hunters, in a wood with laser guns. We replaced that with 3 hours of “Lord of the Rings ” from a DVD, while the rain fell.
At sport Sam Nash excelled winning 5 medals. Inter tent pudducks was played with a 3 day interval due to bad weather. Campers went Ten Pin bowling, ice skating, swimming, boating, playing golf, fishing, walking,
and engaged in draughts, table tennis, pool, chess, dominoes, snakes and ladders and various card games.
Kathryn Pantry organised an exciting “It’s a Knockout” .Lyndsey & Rachel organised a jolly interesting Quiz, and on another evening after dark a wide game “In search of the rings” at the end of the field. The Catering team, Jill, Paul, Glenys and Clifford, excelled themselves again with excellent wholesome food. including with plenty of vegetables, roast beef, roast chicken, fish, sausage rolls, quiches, salads, crumbles, peaches and ice cream, bread and butter pudding, jam tarts, and lots of cakes. Porridge and fried breakfasts.
Our chaplain was Ged Pearce assisted by his wife Sue, and Kathryn Pantry and together they presented some excellent evening worship and teaching sessions. based on “Walking with Frodo” from Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings”, “The Fellowship of the Ring”. After the communion service at the end of the week each camper was presented with a key ring with their name on along with a picture of Frodo’s foot.
Excerpts from the “Lord of the Rings”, were also shown most evenings using a DVD through a laptop computer and a computer projector.
On Saturday night Mike set the tone for the week by telling us the story of a young man who for his birthday wanted a car and was promised one by his Dad.
On his birthday he received a rectangular parcel. When he opened it he found his Dad had given him a Bible. He went berserk with anger and railed at his father and walked out, and never came back. For the rest of his Dad’s life he never spoke to him.
After his Dad’s death the son was clearing up his Dad’s home and he came across the Bible and it opened to his touch to reveal an envelope. Inside the envelope was a cheque for thousands of pounds, enough to buy the car he had set his heart on. What a fool he had been. Mike urged us all not to ignore the Bible this week lest we should lose something precious by doing so.
Other staff members did morning “Thoughts for the Day” and then led evening Staff Devotions which included open prayer sessions.
John caused a lot of hilarity with sharing the meanings of our Christian names which led on to the meaning of the name Jesus Christ, and Christ’s assertion that He is the Good Shepherd and we are his flock and he knows us and calls us by name. Which led on to prayer and the song “There is power in the name of Jesus”. The catering team on a theme “Love one another” presented a humorous sketch.
This year’s camp appeal was in support of Leukaemia Research.
Geoff was in charge of canvas and maintenance. Simon organised Inspection. Colin was Fire Officer, Sue was MO. Lynda dealt with first aid. In addition to Fatigue groups there were fatigue staff leaders. Rosemary dealt wit Finance and Geoff with Bank. Dawn was Music
Co-ordinator. Mike was Activities Co-ordinator and organised swimming and used his dingy.
The staff had a social evening and formed two teams to play “I want to be a Millionaire” using a DVD. Team One stopped at £500,000 Team Two went to the million pound question but got the answer wrong.
Most of the Seniors did not go this year, and we had no problems of trying to bend or extend the rules. Those Seniors who did go were given a day to go out themselves and went by hover craft to spend the day in Portsmouth.
Matthew Player did a day as Duty Officer and as it was one of the worst wet days of the week his performance was particularly good and both he and his brother Darren worked tirelessly all the week to help make the camp a success. Darren also did a stint as deputy Duty Officer to enable John to go Ten Pin bowling. They both ran the Tuck Shop.
The other Duty Officers were Andrew Turner, Colin Douglas and Lee Kitchener. Mini-Driving was divided up between Colin, Geoff, Ged, Kathryn and Simon
The tent commanders were Ben Butcher, Andrew Jardine and Stuart Smith and all did a good job.
There were 3 new campers this year added to the Company of Helpers And Revellers In ‘Erts and eSsex,.. proper CHARLIES. Bringing to 215 the number added to the Saffron Walden Court of the order since1981.
These were Sam Flicos, Ansley Gilder, and Philip Jones.
The Fun Run held on Tuesday to the Monument and back involved 14 participants. Andy Willitt started it and John timed it.
Over All winner was Darren Player in 12 minutes 13 seconds
He also won it when we were last there in 2002 but we have no record of the time that year.
Veteran winner was Andrew Turner in 13 minutes 45 seconds
Seniors winner was Ben Butcher in 13 minutes 55 seconds
followed by Jonathan Vickery and Joel Williams 2 and 3 seconds behind him.
Juniors winner was Philip Jones 14 minutes 40 seconds
Andrew Jardine and Liam Mandy took 52 minutes each but they took a picnic to eat on the way.
The favourite Matthew Player, tripped on the upper chalk path, rolled down the hill through some stinging nettles and hobbled home..
The traditional Rounders match was dropped this year from lack of interest. Another tradition came to an end as Mike & Lynda decided not to do the CO’s Camp Song this year. This turned out to have been preordained as on Friday afternoon they were summoned home, by their son in law Mark Gardner being rushed to Addenbrookes Hospital.
They were told there was no place on the ferry, but they told the company why they needed to go, and prayed about it, and because someone failed to turn up they got on board. Mike was at Addenbrookes at the time he would have been singing the CO’s Song.
Mark had numerous tests and is out of hospital but to go backto Out Patients for further tests,
The 16 item Camp Concert was organised by Liam Mandy as Concert Director and John as his assistant. Liam is leaving the Company as his family are moving to Hunstanton .Liam is an accomplished actor and is playing the role of a soldier in the County High School production of “Henry the Fifth” in September as is his tent commander Ben Butcher
John in a Lincoln green sweat shirt with white trousers and white tie opened the show, which was thereafter compered by Liam, Darren and Matthew.
Andy Turner with his family presented “Captain Beaky and his band”
Mike’s grand daughter Eve made her solo break in the concert as a Scooby Doo Dancer.
Rachel, Lyndsey and some boys gave us “Man on the Moon”
Ged, Kathy and Sue gave us a moral poem “The Mask”
John gave us a poem “The Sun is shining somewhere” written by the late Reg Offley, aged 23,min1841 serving with the Army as a medic in Egypt. and “Ged Pearce’s Old Minibus” to the tune Widdicombe Fair naming all the campers, and “Old Cap’n Turner had a Camp”.
Liam and company presented the skit “The Porridge is Cold” and a sonnet “I dunn it again”.
Stuart and Darren gave us their pots and pans band playing “Revolutions”.
Joel presented “Camp Tips”
Liam and company presented “The Everley Brothers in Concert”
John gave us a monologue “Jack and the Box of Matches” with the moral “Always Think before you Act.”
Dawn & Lee gave us “Words of Wisdom” by David Brent.
Charlie, Luke and volunteers gave us Amazing Magic
Tent 1, being Stuart, Jonathan, Sam Philip, Ansley, with Ben Nash, and Joel gave us the action musical song Mambo No 2 from Bob the Builder Man with the words on the screen so we could all join in.
Cliff and Andy Willitt sang choreographed by Glenys presented Farm Yard Frolics with “Old MacDonald had a farm” with animal noises.
The show ended with Liam and Ben Butcher and hostages Cliff, Simon, and Lyndsey in “Dr Evil’s New Beginning”
This was followed by Presentations and Hot dogs.
List of Presentations
presented by Lieut Andrew William Turner. Deputy C.0.
Juniors Table Tennis lst Sam Nash 2nd Philip Jones
Seniors Table Tennis lst Stephen Timms 2nd Matthew Player
Junior Golf 1st Sam Nash 2nd Sam Flicos
Senior Golf 1st Matthew Player, 2nd Darren Player
Draughts 1st Sam Nash 2nd Joel Williams
Chess 1st Sam Nash 2nd Darren Player
2 Yearold 10 metres Sprint Grace Turner
2½ yearold 10 metres Sprint Madeline Kitchener
4 yearold Sprint Eve Turner
Under 6’s Sprint Bethany Kitchener
Veterans Camp Run Andrew Turner
Over all Camp Run Darren Player (John Marshall Shield)
Seniors Camp Run 1st Ben Butcher 2nd Jonathan Vickery
Juniors Camp Run 1st Philip Jones 2nd Sam Nash
Quiet Efficient Camp Workers Matthew & Darren Player
Bowling. Stephen Timms (138)
Longest Serving Camper Andy Willitt
Concert Director with 10 years service in BB Liam Mandy
Catering Team Jill & Paul Player, Glenys & Cliff Goodwin
Chaplaincy Team Ged & Sue Pearce and Kathryn Pantry
Quiz Winner Colin Douglas
Tent Inspection Tent 1 won the Gregg Moss Shield .
each member received a tea towel
All the boys got a stick of rock
Andy Turner said that all the staff deserved a medal..
We say he did too.
Lieut Andrew Turner took over as CO on Friday evening and organised our breaking camp excellently and efficiently. having cleared the site of everything movable, litter, bins, ground sheets, marquee furniture, to help Ben from the Bromley Battalion to get on with dismantling tents, ”
Before we left Saturday at 9am, we had the Camp Group Photo.
Andrew and Emma and the girls left as rear guard and brought Emma’s Dad, Ged home when he was taken ill at the wheel. Kathryn took over the wheel, and Ged stayed with Colin and Kathryn Turner until AWT arrived, This mean the luggage mini bus arrived back about 2 hours late than planned.. As it was arrival at Walden was about an hour late due to heavy congestion of the M22 and M25 and closure of the M11.
The Sunday Service was well supported by campers and their parents and emphasised our involvement this year in VBS, Camp and Soul Survivor Week at Shepton Mallett, Bath to which several of our teenagers went including David Timms, who gave a full interesting and humouress report to the congregation, in which he reminded us older ones, not to write off our teenagers, who are committed to Jesus and His church. This is true that we do have a growing group of committed teenagers who regard themselves as very much the church of the present rather than just of the future, although none of them have yet become full church members.