Reflections on WSJ Summer 2007
As I gaze out of the window this morning and watch the rain I transport myself back to the summer and a reservior full of young people enjoying water activities. Splash! (’EauZone’) the water activities aspect of the World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) was held at Alton Water, near Ipswich in Suffolk. Every day 4000 participants took part in a range of water activities. A truly memorable experience for all those involved. To see all those happy smiling faces at the end of each session was a really fantastic sight which left you with a really good feeling and made all the hard work and preparation worthwhile.
The setting of Splash! at Alton Water, and especially the location of the bases, was amazing. It would be difficult to think of a more favourable ‘scene’, with beach launching areas and sufficient space to muster and manage more than 2000 people for water activities.
The weather was very kind to us during the Splash! Programme period, although that seemed unlikely during the initial setup and training days when it was very blustery and occasionally wet.
The Splash! Campsite, catering (provided by the Royal Marines) and overall team spirit was fantastic. The sunshine during the programme days helped keep spirits high and generally assisted with the smooth running of the activities. There was an excellent staff team, which pulled together to provide a quality and fun experience for both Jamboree participants and staff alike.
I was lucky enough to get a day off to visit and take in all the sights and sounds of the the main WSJ Camp site at Hylands Park near Chelmsford. I was also fortunate enough to bump into the Chief Scout - Peter Duncan who was busy mingling with scouts and enjoying the atmosphere and activities.
The whole experience of the WSJ definitely restored my faith and hope for the world. To see so many people from different faiths and cultures working together, greeting each other, having fun and sharing new experiences was a heart warming feeling. It is a great thought to know that the 28 million ’scouts’ in the world can all behave in this way.
Have a look at the World Scout Jamboree Web Page at http://eng.thejamboree.org/
The next WSJ will be in Sweden in 2011 and the theme will be the traditional skills and aspects of scouting across the world. Many people (including me) are still recording and reviewing the lessons learnt and evaluating this Jamboree so that the next WSJ can be just as enjoyable and sucessful. It is my hope and wish that all those at 3rd Hampton Hill get an opportunity to participate in an international scouting experience at some point in their scouting lives.