Focus Magazine Summer 2022

Adventurous Activities

Bronze DofE

On the weekend of 14 May we had our largest ever Bronze DofE Expedition Weekend. 130 Third Year pupils in 19 teams planned and completed their hike and camp across various regions of the South Downs National Park. In a weekend where temperatures soared into the twenties on Saturday followed by a whole day of heavy rain on the Sunday, the young explorer/ adventurers had plenty of challenges to tackle and overcome, but in true DofE fashion they raised their game and completed their expeditions in style. With plenty of wet tents and wet clothes the groups returned to base on the Sunday afternoon, tired but happy and successful.

Gold DofE

Following the most atrocious weather in Snowdonia in October, for the Gold DofE Practice Expedition, the Lower Sixth teams experienced the renowned 'majesty' of the Lake District (which they renamed the Mountain District!) for their Assessed Expedition. The fine weather meant that all high-level routes were possible including climbs to the top of Helvellyn, Scafell Pike etc. However, this did also mean that the students were challenged by long days with steep climbs on uneven ground while carrying full rucksacks. All groups did brilliantly, completing their expeditions with confidence and high levels of

achievement plus lots of happy smiles too. Routes include wild camping at idyllic and remote spots - a really exciting feature of the Gold Award at Churcher's.

Before......and after

Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race

This year has seen a welcome return to the DW race. This year’s squad of 30 pupils in 15 boats is the biggest entry that Churcher’s College have ever had. Since October pupils have trained every Sunday on the Basingstoke canal, making huge progress from first sessions where the main aim was to stay in the boat, to paddling the full 50km of the Basingstoke canal on a Sunday at the end of January. Over a sunny Easter weekend all 15 boats completed the race, supported by teams made up of parents and siblings. Our crews won the fastest junior ladies’ team and Schools Team Trophy, as well as coming second in the junior team category and third fastest junior ladies crew, making this one of the most successful DW squads we have ever had.

2 • FOCUS

Senior

OSCA

On two fabulous Sundays in May, our OSCA Second Year adventurers took to the water in Chichester Harbour. Rafting, canoeing and kayaking were the main challenges and they all came through in style. Clearly there is lots of talent and spirit amongst the group which bodes well for our OSCA residential trip later this term!

Ten Tors

On the first weekend of the Easter holiday, three Ten Tor Teams (two teams of Fourth Year CCF cadets and one team of Lower Sixth pupils) travelled down to Dartmoor for the final compulsory training weekend, including wild camping. The teams then returned to Dartmoor on Friday 6 May to take part in the main event itself. Lining up on the start line at 0700 on Saturday morning, Churcher’s teams were excited and ready for the demanding challenge that lay ahead of them in this particularly special year, celebrating 60 years of the Ten Tors challenge. All three teams performed wonderfully well completing these long challenge distances, carrying all kit and food and independent of all staff. Although it is most definitely not a race, crossing the finish line in extremely good times on Sunday, our three teams can rightly feel wonderfully proud of themselves for what they had achieved.

First Challenge - Croatia

Beginning in Split in the early hours, as our intrepid Fourth Years pitched their tents in a field of wild flowers on the banks of the Zrmanja River; the start of an adventure on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast which promised spectacular scenery, friendly locals and challenging trekking for our First Challenge teams. Over the course of the following 10 days, the groups enjoyed kayaking, wild camping and trekking. On to the mountain phase of the trip and Paklenica National Park where they had our first cool wildlife

spot: a striking fire salamander. They conquered the Velabits in the snow and disappeared, deep into the gorges of the Velika (Great) Paklenica and the Mala (Small) Paklenica, discovering houses carved into the landscape as a place to hide when the country was besieged. A last day was spent in Zadar with the teams exploring this small, but perfectly-formed coastal town. Everyone gathered for the sunset, and to listen to the haunting sounds of the ‘sea organ’.

FOCUS • 3