RHU Scouts have carried on through the worries of the coronavirus pandemic by holding a Bear Grylls-led online weekend activity camp to add to their Summer of Scouting packages.

The 1st Rhu Scout Group were left disappointed as summer, their most fun and busiest period of the year, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic - but that hasn’t stopped the young adventurers from picking up and carrying on through these difficult days.

James Harrison, Rhu’s group scout leader, told the Advertiser: “Rhu Scouts began around 85 years ago, and in its time has been a Sea Scout group as well as a normal Scout group which is what we are now.

“We are lucky to have a purpose-built Scout Hut in the centre of Rhu and deliver a wide range of activities for young people from six to 18 years.

“We usually have a weekly meeting for all of the sections (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers) and various camps throughout the year.”

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Though eventually taking to virtual scouting, with learning online the new norm, James was apprehensive about leading the kids straight from online classroom teaching into online scout activities.

“It wasn’t felt that that would be fair on the young people.” James continued,

“After several weeks we ran some fun evening online activities to provide a safe place for the young people to meet up with their friends.

“From the start of the summer holidays however, we ramped up our activities to provide something to stave off boredom whilst families couldn’t get away - this was a combination of activity packs and virtual online activities including videos and Zoom meet-ups.

“We have covered a range of traditional Scout activities including carving (wood and soap), knotting, tree and bird identification and fire-lighting so far.

“This has been on a weekly basis and we have navigation and den building still to come.

“These activities are also available to others in the local area or siblings and parents if they would like to get involved.”

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The most exciting part of virtual lockdown was yet to come for the Scouts, however, with the annual big weekender - an annual UK Scout Headquarters-led activity camp - taking place online this year with celebrity woodsman Bear Grylls leading the fun.

James said: “After signing up online everyone could take part in a variety of activities like things they would do on a normal camp.

“Our young people, about 23 took part, did activities led online by people such as Bear Grylls (Chief Scout) and Ed Stafford (Scouting Ambassador) and organisations such as European Space Agency, Rolls Royce, the RAF, and Raspberry Pi.

“Activities included tower building, rocket building, paper helicopters, origami, navigation, computer coding, cooking, a virtual campfire, den building.

“For the older sections there was an all-night programme including virtual escape rooms, Zumba, climate change activities, a 24-hour taskmaster and chill out areas.

“This has allowed many young people to achieve a number of badge requirements including leading a camp for their siblings.

“Hopefully it won’t be long before we can restart our activities and get camping again.”

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