Join Hampshire Scout Expeditions for their long weekend over Easter to the Lake District and stay at Great Tower. Over the weekend there are opportunities for climbing, hiking and adventurous activities. This (along with a second HSX weekend) can count as your Gold DofE residential.
Dates: Travel up in the evening of Thursday 29th March, returning Monday 1st April.
Cost: £220 (or £165 for Self Drive).
Payments to be made by BACS to the HCSC account:
BACS: HAMPSHIRE COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL
Bank: HSBC
Sort Code: 40-46-39
Account Number: 51260936
Please include HSX and your name in the reference (I.e. HSX SMITH) and send email confirmation to Tom ([email protected]).
Travel: Collection points are either Ferny Crofts, Eastleigh train station, or Tesco Winnall. Please identify at sign up which collection point you require. Please also identify if you are willing and able to drive a Torneo (25yrs + only) to support with transport.
Kit: A kit list is attached to the event on OSM that will detail what you need, however if you need access to any kit from stores please let us know via the sign up for the event.
Deadline: Please sign up by Friday 8th March.
Questions: Get in touch with Tom at [email protected], or by calling 07935070136.
If you are interested in using this (plus one other weekend run by HSX) as a residential, please copy [email protected] into your email for more information and an approval form.
We are excited to invite all explorers and scouts aged 13+ to the next Hampshire Youth Council at Cricket Campsite from 10th to 12th May. We'd like to see as many young people from different parts of the county as possible.
Youth Council is a brilliant opportunity for Young People to develop leadership skills and engage with mature themes to make a difference in scouting within Hampshire. At this Youth Council, we will focus on an important issue within Hampshire, which will be provided to us by the County Leadership Team.
Furthermore, the Youth Council provides a platform for Young People to voice their opinions, wants and concerns to senior Hampshire Volunteers and sign up for several Youth Rep roles within the Hampshire volunteering structure.
Key details:
We will be in contact in early April with more details for those who sign up.
Signing Up instructions:
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Zara Seymour
County Youth Commissioner
07716 493 985
Hampshire Camping Challenge
The camping challenge is a great excuse to get more nights away as an Explorer Scout, Scout Network member, or adult volunteer. It is also a fun and exciting challenge that can be made more difficult with the progression to the extreme camping challenge.
What do you need to do?
The camping challenge requires participants to camp for a total of 12 nights over a year. We would like to see the nights spread throughout the year - 2 nights per season (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) plus an additional 4 at any time in the year. Groups can keep their own records and buy the badge and individuals can submit their own logbooks. To start you can register with us and we will keep you up to date with opportunities.
How do I get the extreme camping challenge?
You need to complete at least 6 challenges during your nights away. A list of suggested challenges is below, but you can make up your own too! There will be a special prize for the most challenging or challenging camping idea.
FAQs
Sleep Out does not aim to replicate homelessness, but rather provides an opportunity for those taking part to learn more of the stark reality faced by thousands of young people each year, whilst also raising funds for Centrepoint’s vital services. By sleeping out, Explorers will widen their awareness of youth homelessness whilst exercising their fundraising skills.
Please ensure you make it clear that rough sleeping is not the most common cause of homelessness - people often end up staying in
Why do a sleepout?
Holding a Sleep Out is a perfect way to involve both leaders and young people in organising, implementing, campaigning and fundraising activities. The more involved staff and students are, the more enjoyable and fulfilling an experience it will be.
You could also fundraise for another local charity e.g. Step by Step in Aldershot, who also organise a sleepout every November,
Any questions or suggestions, please email Hampshire Explorer Ambassador Team on [email protected]
What is HSX?
Hampshire Scout Expeditions (HSX) is a county-based organisation specialising in youth development through mountainous activities and international expeditions. Throughout the year we run numerous weekends across the UK to adventurous locations such as the Breacon Beacons, Lake District, Snowdonia and the Cairngorms.
As well as our regular training weekends, we also have a track record of leading international expeditions to all corners of the globe, running trips places such as Nepal, Peru, Patagonia, Belize and Cambodia, as well as placing members on the summit of Mount Everest and the South Pole!
Challenge Yourself in 2024
HSX are launching their 2024 programme, which is open to Explorer and Network Scouts from across the county. Throughout the year HSX will be running weekend trips to some of the country’s best mountain ranges, offering you the opportunity to challenge yourself in some of the UK most remote (and scenic) terrain, learn new skills and meet some new people.
Each trip will offer participants the opportunity to put slightly different skills into practice, as well as offering more experienced members the chance to start honing their skills to becomes leaders of the future.
Our first trip of the year will see HSX return to the Brecon Beacons over the weekend of the 19th-21st January 2024. This trip will be focusing of teaching the basics of UK hillwalking, offering the opportunity for young people to put their navigation skills into practice in some challenging terrain, whilst allowing some of our more experienced members to practice leading groups in the mountains and teaching navigation skills. This year we will aim to explore the Black Mountain area, offering opportunities for challenging navigational terrain and micro-nav practice.
As always, as part of the trip HSX will be providing transport, food for the weekend, indoor accommodation at the 1st Brecon Scout Hut, and qualified instructors. We offer pick-ups from Ferny Crofts (leaving at 18:00), Eastliegh train station (18:20) and Tesco Winnall (18:30). Cost is £85.00 and accomodation is sleeping on floor in Scout HQ.
Following the success of the 20th Birthday Camp - Ferny Fest 2024 is back!
Bookings are open on the Ferny Crofts Website
Date: 23-25 February 2024
Location - Ferny Crofts (of course!)
Cost: £50 per Explorer (includes activities, camping and badge) - you will need to add on catering & other costs. Leaders £7 to cover camp fees & badge.
Camping : Explorers to camp with their groups and complete their own NAN form. We encourage groups/districts to camp together and share catering.
Each participant shall receive a special Ferny Fest Explorer Camp badge.
There will a range of activities for your group to partake in and experience throughout the weekend. We shall have a range of our onsite activities running including Climbing, Quick Jump, Leap of Faith, Archery, Rifle Shooting to Crazy Golf, Adventure Course, Go Karts and Bushcraft to name but a few.
There shall also be a variety of different activities that do not normally take place on site throughout the year, such as a selection of Inflatables Games, Fair Ground Games and an Arcade Area.
There shall also be evening activities taking place during the camp. Friday night will consist of movies and Live Bands performing for you. Saturday night will consist of a Disco and a Campfire.
Friday - Groups can start to arrive to site from 4:00pm to start setting up camp, followed by an opening ceremony at 8:00pm. Movies and Live bands shall then start at 8:30pm. Please note that groups within the same district shall be camped together.
Saturday - Daytime activities shall start at 9:30am and will finish at 4:30pm. There shall then be a dinner break and free time until 7:30pm. Evening activities of a Disco and Campfire will then start at 7:30pm.
Sunday - Daytime activities will start ay 9:30am and finish at 12:30pm. There shall then be a closing ceremony between 1:30 - 2:00pm, with departure from camp between 2:00 - 3:00pm.
Food and Refreshments
Groups shall have to self-cater during the camp. Any food deliveries can take place from 4:00pm on the Friday. Please ensure that a member of your group is onsite to meet the drivers and that group names are included on the booking details for these.
Booking are open on the Ferny Crofts Website
An opportunity for Explorer Leaders to get together and share skills and experiences
Date - Sat/Sun 2/3 December 2023
Location - Ferny Crofts
Cost - Free of charge (except optional catering below)
This camp will include a number of skills on the Saturday between 10 & 4pm eg navigation, bushcraft, OSM, and expedition skills.
Sunday morning will be a social session finishing at lunchtime.
Accommodation is booked for Saturday evening - camping or indoors for those who don't want to camp. You can camp in Friday evening if you wish.
Food can be provided on Saturday evening / Sunday breakfast for a cost of £10 by booking below. Payment via BACS or cash on day.
Account: Hampshire County Scout Council
Sort code: 40-46-39
Account no: 51260936
Reference: 73ELC-Surname
The County Kudu is an overnight hike aimed at Explorer Scouts. Teams of 4-8 hike through the night completing challenges.
When? Sat/Sun 18/19 November. Teams arrive between 5 & 8pm on Saturday evening and depart before 10am Sunday.
Where? Vernham Dean Pavillion, (SU 346 564) The Football Pitches, Vernham Dean, North of Andover. SP11 0JY
Cost - £7 per person
Competitions - Bronze - 6 miles, Silver - 8 miles & Gold 10 miles. Each level has it’s own competition with more bases on the longer routes. The Kudu trophy is issued for the Gold competition.
Booking form: please complete this form to book your team:
Help: we need help with a variety of tasks from catering - if you can help please sign up here.
Queries: [email protected]
or Mike Baxter 07979 334679.
On behalf of the Explorer Scout Youth Team, we are proud to present... Chaos Camp! This is a camp planned by Explorers, for Explorers. Chaos Camp is all about teamwork and problem solving, with lots of team-based and challenge activities over the two days. This camp runs along the lines of 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here' and teams will have to complete activities in order to earn points. Activities are still being finalised but we've planned a range of activities that we hope everyone will enjoy, from Climbing to Tomahawk Throwing and even Orienteering in the middle of the night!
When is Chaos Camp?
Chaos Camp will run from the 29th of September to the 1st of October.
How Can I Sign up?
Step 1) Fill out the leader sign up form to create a Patrol name and provide us with the names of all the members of your patrol. (Don't worry if this changes, we'll ask you to confirm everyone in your patrol closer to the event.) Patrols are capped at 8 members, if you have more than 8 members interested in attending then please create more than one patrol. Please give them the same name but with a number at the end, e.g., "Bananas 1" & "Bananas 2". Don't worry if you don't fill a patrol, we will fill them up with Explorers who are not attending in Patrols. .
Step 2) That's everything you need to do! We will be sending regular updates out with things such as personal consent deadlines, camp updates, finalised program lists and much more!
We are limited to the number of Explorers we can have on camp; we highly recommend you sign up ASAP to avoid disappointment!
Extra Details
This email has been sent out to Explorers; however, we encourage you to talk to your Explorers about the event as not everyone is on the mailing list. The more Explorers, the more fun! This camp is only open to Explorers (aged 14-18), we are unable to accept any non-leaders over the age of 18.
We are also looking for Adult Leaders (18+) to volunteer during the weekend. If you're interested in volunteering, please email [email protected]
We hope to see you on camp!
If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
The Army in the South East Challenge Day is a Multi-activity event that highlights the diversity of military roles and personnel, allowing participants to develop teamwork and leadership skills by competing in military tasks and challenge stands whilst learning about the Army.
Participants will work as part of a team from different organisations to solve a range of mental and physical challenges. You will learn more about the Army and its people and it will provide an insight into how we get the best out of our people. You will have the opportunity to develop leadership and teamwork skills and consider how you can build confidence, resilience and courage in yourself and others.
The event is taking place on the 25th and 26th March at Longmoor Training Area. It is open to Explorers aged 16+ and is free to attend. Full details are available on the Army Headquarters South East Eventbrite page. You can also find more information on the event flyer.
