I’m a Survivor!
24 hours of non-stop activities, enough rainfall to fill a Well, a chill to make sure your coke is served just right and enough Explorer Scouts to have an amazing time! Who needs X Factor to get them through an autumn weekend?
On Friday 6th November at 9pm, 141 intrepid Explorer Scouts, including some welcome neighbours from Devon, commenced 24 hours of adventurous activities at 9Ashes Campsite. After a day of school, college or work, the young people were in good spirits and excited about the opportunities and challenges in store for them. What first? Would they choose archery, air rifle shooting, climbing, bouncy boxing, or crate stacking or would they head indoors for a Wii challenge or race their friends with the Scalectrix?
Kernow 24 is a 24 hour activity for Explorer Scouts, based on Gilwell 24. Due to our locality, many of our Cornish Explorer Scouts don’t make the journey to London for the original event, but the County Explorer Team have pulled together to run a similar event in house for some 3 years now, each year building upon the previous in relation to the number of participants, activities and unfortunately, rainfall! The success of this event is attributed to the time and commitment given by the Leaders in our County. Some 50 Leaders attended, supporting the activities and Event Team with their individual skills, amounting to some 1200 volunteer hours during the 24 hour event period. What a credit these people are to Scouting in this County!
Three hours in and with the arrival of midnight, all of the Explorers started the Kernow Challenge. This was a 7.5 mile hike following clues and completing a quiz, testing their observation and navigation skills to arrive safely back before dawn. For those with energy, the Arial runway was open for those wishing for an extreme ride by moonlight among other activities and for those wishing to chill, the cinema was open. The arrival of daybreak didn’t provide much more light to us on site as the sky was darkened by thick and heavy storm clouds, however with a new day and a second wind everyone was prepared for the final 12 hours of Kernow 24. Pyrography, Encoustic art, target golf, laser clay shooting, mountain biking and Laser Battlefield were all on offer as well as the more adventurous activities from the night before.
As the final hours of the challenge arrived and dusk turned into an early night, the weather provided enough respite for everyone to raise their spirits as the event concluded with campfire and a fantastic fireworks display. Not one person left the site without stifling a yawn but the weary Explorers had survived! Should you see one of them out and about with a blue ‘I’m a Survivor’ T-shirt, then know they are wearing that top with pride, as they all showed tremendous strength of character, team spirit in supporting their friends and a commitment to keep going when they are beyond their most tired! I fear that we perhaps should have provided t-shirts to the parents too -I am sure they will be the ones having to survive the mounting pile of muddy washing emerging from the Explorer’s bags!