A successful Silver DofE Training Weekend...

In spite of plenty of rain in the days and indeed hours leading up to our Silver DofE training weekend, remarkably once we all arrived at Farr Field ready to camp at 4.30pm on Saturday 14^th October, there was not a single drop of rain for the remainder of the weekend. The night of camping was a real success. All groups showed a willingness to engage in good campcraft and teamwork, and there was a lovely vibe as pupils gathered and chatted until it really was time to get to bed! We all awoke in the morning to a thick ground frost and temperatures that we have not been used to for quite a while. Impressively, however, everyone was quick to get up and get warm through cooking up some delicious, hearty breakfasts. By 8am when the Gold DofE ‘mentors’ arrived, groups were putting the finishing touches to their packs and gearing up for what we now knew was going to be a glorious day in the autumn sunshine.

The five groups of 5^th Form Silver DofEers were set a 12 mile route which passed via King Alfred’s Tower, the designated picnic lunch spot. With the guidance of their Lower 6^th  Gold DofE comrades, navigation was good and the pace at which they walked was impressive. Following lunch at the tower, pupils were offered the chance to climb to the top and take in the breathtaking views of Somerset. Once back on their respective routes, the 5 groups continued at good pace and arrived back at school between 3pm and 4.30pm, bringing to a close a very enjoyable and successful training weekend. And though there are areas for improvement, about which groups will be debriefed in our session on Wednesday, the early signs are positive.

Huge thanks must go to the Lower 6^th pupils who walked and assisted each group, and who shared their knowledge, wisdom and expertise with the year below. They really were fantastic and we will look to do more of this in the future. My thanks also go to Miss Flavell for her hard work in the build up and during the expedition, and to Mr Wilmshurst, who bravely offered to come and camp with us and help us all get away in the morning on Sunday. On to Exmoor in March…

Tom Loveless - DofE Coordinator

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