Field Weekend Fun
Between last Thursday evening and Sunday, pupils went away to various locations and spent their evening sleeping under canvas for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards or with the CCF Army, Navy and RAF Sections for their Field Weekend.
INTREPID GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD PADDLING IN NORTH WALES
29 Lower Sixth DofE students set off for North Wales to have their first taste of kayaking as part of the Gold Award. They were in high spirits with few of them having kayaked or canoed before. Their spirit was not dampened by the wild weather that welcomed the group as they got off the bus on arrival.
After their first night in tents, everyone ventured to Llanberis lake where each had a taster session in sea kayaks and two-person canoes. The wind made for some challenging conditions initially as all got to grips with manoeuvring and controlling their craft. There was no shortage of volunteers when it came to capsize drills, with all returning to the campsite invigorated – and wet!
The following day involved the first part of a small journey along a river under the shadow of Moel Siabod. This required negotiating various rapids and faster flowing currents. The learning curve was steep throughout, but all coped with the challenges presented admirably.
On Sunday morning, the intrepid pupils were up and out early for the journey down the Menai Straits, including the Swellies. The currents are notorious in this area and enabled students to practise their paddling skills. All had to work together as a group, as well as clearly communicating with their partner in open canoes.
All of the pupils came away from the experience with new found skills and fond memories. The students were impressive, throwing themselves into unfamiliar situations and working together to make excellent progress. The next expedition will be in the Lent term, giving time and opportunity to work on other parts of the DofE Award.
Mr Gwilym Batchelder, Head of Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award
SILVER DUKE OF EDINBURGH HONE NAVIGATION, CAMPCRAFT AND OUTDOOR SKILLS IN SHROPSHIRE
49 Year Ten pupils embarked on their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award training in the picturesque Shropshire Hills. During this adventurous journey, the pupils hiked across the stunning, but bleak, landscape of the Long Mynd, honing their navigational skills using maps and compasses. Facing the elements, they displayed remarkable resilience, overcoming challenging weather conditions including poor visibility, strong winds, and rain. Alongside developing their navigation abilities, the Year Ten group received campcraft training, learning essential outdoor skills for the expedition element of their Award. This expedition not only tested their physical endurance but also fostered teamwork and camaraderie among the participants, setting them up well for future success on their Practice expedition in April.
Mr Dominic Jay, Head of Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award
ROYAL NAVY SECTION COMPLETE AQUATIC TRAINING
The Royal Navy Section had a terrific day on the water at Aztec Watersports in Pershore where all were involved in aquatic training. Instruction was given in kayaking, Canadian canoes, Kata canoeing as well as the mega large stand-up paddle board which took six cadets. This activity was a challenge in terms of communication as well as balance, in which the Cadets naturally excelled. The final event was the raft challenge which proved a tremendous success as all manner of constructed rafts took to the water.
Throughout the day and through the challenges set by the staff, it was encouraging to see the Section begin to unify. This was the first opportunity to witness the new recruits in action and observe how they would integrate with the well-established members of the RN Section. The future looks bright and promising for the RN Section this year.
Commander Shorrocks
ARMY CADETS PARTICIPATE IN RESILIENCE AND TRAINING EXERCISES
With our usual Army training area haunts being utilised by other interested parties, the Army Section migrated to Top Barn (Lakeside Campus) for a two-day, one-night leadership and resilience training exercise. Activities over the two days included blindfolded climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, archery, orienteering and kayaking.
Activities culminated in a team challenge, where strength, agility, speed and teamwork were challenged. In between the activities, the Cadets set up their bashas for the overnight stay and experienced the culinary delight of an Army ration pack!
Major Smith
ROYAL AIR FORCE SECTION COMBINE LEADERSHIP AND HISTORY
Cadets from the RAF Section experienced a two-day event: a mixture of leadership training and military history. At the residential camp at Top Adventures in Stottesdon, Cadets participated in a range of team-building activities, including climbing (blindfolded), archery, laser tag, water sports and bushcraft.
The group then visited the RAF Museum at Cosford for a fascinating guided tour of the exhibits, focusing on the history of the Royal Air Force, Cold War exhibits and iconic aircraft.
Flight Officer Webster
Thank you to all the accompanying staff who made each of the Field Weekend trips so successful and well done to the pupils for braving the elements and taking on the activities with such enthusiasm.