A week spent supporting Poacher International Scout and Guide Jamboree!
Vicky Sanderson (Independent Members)
Sunday 27th of August 2017
Members of SSAGO attended Poacher 2017 and assisted with activities and enjoyed meeting young people from 24 different countries...
At the end of July eight members of SSAGO attended Poacher, an international Scout and Guide Jamboree based at Lincolnshire Showground in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral. Featuring 24 different countries and over 7000 young people, it would be a week full of memories for both staff and participants alike. Vicky (Indie), Anona (HUGS) and Connor (Nottingham) were helping on the Digger Challenge which featured using the digger to lift and move logs into set targets, something which proved tricky for the participants and Anona who found herself spinning around a bit too much for her liking. Luke (Loughborough), Claudia (Indie) and Callum (Keele) were helping run the pioneering and Laura (Oxford) and Jena (UCLAN) spent their week bouncing around on the inflatables. SSAGO and Cambridge Alumnus, Richard was helping to run the shooting range. Each day was spent working hard with our respective teams which we all fitted in with really well. Poacher wouldn't be complete with Vicky "hobbiting" her to her Unit for second helpings of food when staff catering proved insufficient- burned baked beans anyone? Our evenings were spent taking part in staff activities and enjoying the live music in the bar which included a Christmas night complete with Father Christmas! Claudia, Luke and Callum enjoyed taking part in clay pigeon shooting and rifle shooting while Vicky and Anona took part in Tomahawk throwing, which Anona was scarily good at....and also the inflatables where Anona soundly beat Vicky at hungry hippos. Some members enjoyed having an evening in Lincoln, exploring the Cathedral and surrounding areas. SSAGO was well supported with staff asking about SSAGO and our pile of flyers disappeared from the Staff Sub Camp HQ; we were also photographed frequently, featured in Facebook videos and Vicky tried to get some coverage in the Poacher newspaper, "The Daily Arrow". Mascots were also keen to take part in activities with Harold spending the day in a bucket and Ralph attempting to drive a digger. Highlights of the week include spending it with a great group of friends, watching Vicky change tents 3 times, Connor, Anona and Vicky dance in the field to YMCA (or indeed any song if you were Vicky, who insisted she was trying to keep warm) but also spending some quality time helping give young people the adventure of a life time.
