Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

up. It was the hope of we leaders that many boys would rise to this challenge and that scouting would move forward with great strides. Unfortunately this has not been the case. There have been a few, a disappointinly small few, who have reacted well, and this was shown by the great efforts of those who completed the Lyke Wake Walk and those who supported them. Otherwise progress has been painfully slow. Apathy seems to reign and this has to be overcome before we can progress at all. A movement which is designed for an 11-16 age group means that if an attempt is made to run it with a range of 13-16 tremendous difficulties are encountered. Scouting demands a costly uniform whereas similar activities do not require a similar parental outlay. Time and manpower are even more important now than before, and because of the weight of school commitments both these are at a premium.

It is to be hoped that the new term will show a marked improvement. If not, then the future is indeed very black. R.H.H.

SCOUT CAMP

Because of the very poor response for camp it was decided that a short, more local one would be the most suitable. In consequence a small party spent a delightful five days at the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors near Helmsley. Here we roasted under cloudless skies in temperatures near 80 degrees. Because of the kind help of a local farmer we were able to have some tremendous canoeing and in thanks for this the party turned themselves into agricultural labourers. An apparently precarious bridge which we constructed over the river proved more secure than its looks indicated and a cool off in the local swimming pool was well received. Finally the party had a day rock climbing, and an evening sitting round a camp fire brought a most enjoyable camp to a close. R.H.H.

EXPEDITIONS, 1969

Candidates for the Bronze, Silver and Gold Expedition Awards enjoyed good weather during their training weekends on the North Yorkshire Moors. The test for Bronze trainees was held in the Ryedale/ Bransdale area and for Silver on the high moors between Rosedale and the Pickering/Whitby road. Gold trainees spent three arduous days and nights in the Swaledale/Teesdale area. For all these tests conditions were very favourable. Successes:

Bronze: K. N. G. Benson, C. T. Bough, T. M. Bloom, A. M. Claybourn, J. M. F. Cluff, S.. A. Coates-Walker, M. J. F. Davidson, W. F. Elsy, P. J. Feasby, I. Gray, A. F. Harben, C. N. Hazel, W. G. Huntley, P. B. Johnston, R. N. Kerruish; R. D. Moore, N. G. Pritchard, A. J. Sargeant, P. M. A. Taylor, J. P. Terry, A. J. Thornton, M. P. Tree, E. J. M. Walmsley, W. R. Westaby, P. A. Winstanley.