Senior Cub Camp: Transforming the Region
We recently wrapped up our Senior Cub Camp, held from March 14-16, 2025, and what an incredible experience it was! With 49 eager cubs in attendance, the camp was supported by 16 dedicated adults and an impressive 13 scouts. Among them, the 1st Claremont Scout Group made a significant contribution, providing two staff members and four scouts who played vital roles throughout the weekend.
Ian Webb, our diligent administrator, was the backbone of the camp, expertly managing scheduling, registration, finances, bookings, branding, and addressing parent queries and payments. His organizational skills ensured that everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Fraser, our Camp Chief, designed the program and took charge of the camp, overseeing all aspects of the event. He was accountable for all the adults, scouts, and cubs, and his visible leadership was instrumental in creating a positive atmosphere.
Our scouts from 1st Claremont—Laura Owens, Juliette D’Arcy-Evans, Emily Gilham, and Julia Webb—stepped up to take on new roles during the camp. Julia joined the first aid team and made an incredible difference for the cubs in our care. Her presence provided reassurance and support, especially for those feeling homesick. Laura, Juliette, and Emily formed the Quartermaster (QM) team, responsible for setup, build, and tear-down activities. Their efforts ensured that every activity was equipped and ready to go, which was hugely beneficial in keeping the program running smoothly and on time. They also took the lead in running several activities, showcasing their leadership skills.
This year’s camp introduced a new dynamic, as it was the first time that scouts served on the first aid team. This turned out to be a resounding success, highlighting the skills and capabilities learned through scouting.
Julia Webb shared her thoughts on the experience: “I think the cubs really looked up to a Scout first aider, and it was a great opportunity for me to practice first aid in a real-life setting – something that’s not always available to Scouts. With the homesick cubs, I think they responded better to me than they do to adults. I think they view adults as more of a parental figure, which makes the cubs push harder to go home or call their parents. Whereas they were more likely to get back into the activity if I talked to them. I became a safe person for cubs struggling with the camp to turn to. I could easily check in on them without it seeming like an adult was giving them an opportunity to go home.”
The program was designed to challenge our 10-year-old cubs and introduce them to the scouting program and the way that patrols work. Feedback from the cubs was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing pride in their accomplishments and excitement about what they learned.
Interestingly, we discovered from our registration questionnaire that one-third of the cubs attending had either never camped before or had never been away from their parents. This insight has prompted a call to action for other groups to provide more camping experiences for cubs, which will be reiterated moving forward.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the adults and scouts from 1st Claremont who made this camp a success. There is no way that this camp would have happened without your dedication and support, which are crucial to our cubs’ growth and development in scouting. We look forward to continued staffing support from 1st Claremont, ready to introduce another 50 cubs to the scouting programme.
