Duke of Edinburgh's Award - Bronze Expedition

Date: Saturday 21 June 2008

After two terms of preparation, the Lower Fifth group who had been getting ready for their qualifying expedition finally went out into the world on the evening of last Sunday, and through the following Monday. Here is Dr Horn's account of what happened!

Duke of Edinburgh’s award – Qualifying expedition

We set off on Sunday 22^nd June with 24 members of the Lower Fifth form hoping to complete their qualifying expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh’s award at Bronze level. Unusually, we returned on Monday with 25 pupils!

They were dropped off at one of four locations towards the bottom of Stone Street and followed a pre-planned route to the camp site at Petham. Worryingly, one pupil asked us where we were taking them as we set off from the School. Another asked what the pans were for.

A glorious day was had by all including a visit to a village fete by one group – the lure of ice-cream and the opportunity to have a clown face painted proved too strong – and the purchase of tea and cakes by Mr Dagley in Waltham Village Hall, unselfishly supporting the local economy. Everyone enjoyed the strawberries provided along the route and at the checkpoints. Some girls had a water fight and another group turned up at Jacques Court, behind us, just as we were about to alert mountain rescue, as is becoming the norm. “Lost? What us?” Madame Micheloud, with much Alpine experience under her belt blew it badly in the foot hills of the Elham valley and went that way rather than that way! And, I watched it all happen through my binoculars from the top of the hill opposite!

All arrived later rather than sooner at the camp site and proceeded to make it a thorough mess which was, twelve hours later, much to their credit, returned to a pristine condition immediately prior to their departure. “I don’t know how they do it but they get there in the end”

Day two is always challenging and it is rumoured that the ‘Gawguss’ girls distraught at the slowness of their progress sought inspiration from Homer …….. that is, of the Simpsons' variety in someone’s home!

One group arrived back in time for lunch but declined the offer admitting that refreshments had been taken en-route – who is Mr Starbuck anyway?

The last group back was that led by Kirkness Jr. who admitted that they had been in a playground for several hours no doubt enjoying more ice-creams on a glorious sunny afternoon.

They are supposed to be self-sufficient and only eat what they carry in their packs so a hard nosed assessor would say “FAIL!” but what is the harm of a bottle of coke and an ice-cream on a hot day? We say “WELL DONE!” Now get those log-books completed and handed in!

JCH

24^th June 2008