Scouts invade the countryside for massive challenge!

Posted by Blyth Valley Scouts on Oct 19, 11 07:33 PM in Clubs/Societies

BlythValleyScouts_Twilight

Over 400 scouts, explorer scouts and leaders from across Northumberland flooded to the countryside last Saturday (15th October 2011) for a huge scouting event. The scouts were taking part in 'Operation Twilight', which is a enormous evasion exercise, becoming more popular and growing in numbers each time, with record breaking numbers this year. The young people, from Blyth, Cramlington, Seaton Delaval, and the surrounding areas, met at St Mary's Church of England Middle School in Belford to register, have their kit checked and a quick safety briefing.

The scout teams then jumped on busses and were then dropped off at secret location, given a grid reference so they know where they are and told to hike their way back to the muster point at Belford and be back at the school for 8.30pm. On average they had a 10 mile hike back to the muster point, in which they used advanced navigational skills and teamwork to complete the trek. If that wasn't enough, a number of catcher teams were released later in the day, with the aim to catch the teams and take a life off them. The team who made it back to muster point with the least lives lost was the winner! The event is basically a massive game of hide and seek, in which everyone had a adrenaline filled adventure.

The winners of the Scout Competition this year were 4th Morpeth Scouts, with Whitley Bay Unit winning the Explorer Competition.

Mathew, aged 13 added "Being a scout has given me life changing skills and information I wouldn't have known otherwise. Operation Twilight has been so much fun, working with my team to get back in time, and of course beat the leaders and not get caught!"

"This has to be the only event I know when you can truly say it's not the winning that counts, it's the taking part. What an adventure!" said Paul from Cramlington, one of the Scout Leaders taking part as a catcher.

Bear Grylls, the UK Chief Scout said: 'Two things matter in life: following your dreams and looking after your friends. This is what I love about Scouting. It's about doing great things, loving and enjoying the great adventures and helping others to do the same. I want the public to know how Scouting continues to open young people's eyes to a world of extraordinary promise and possibilities.'

For more information on joining scouting in the UK go to www.scouts.org.uk/join

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