Blue Peter

The Troop have been very lucky and were invited to go to Youlbury campsite and join other Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from around the Country to help with the filming of a program for Blue Peter.

The Scouts met with Andy one of the Blue Peter presenters and also with Peter Duncan and Ex Blue Peter presenter and now Chief Scout.

The Scouts were divided into Patrols and were able to take part in lots of activities that Youlbury have to offer. The activities included zip wire , high ropes , archery , shooting, crate stacking ,abseiling pedal carts and more. The film crew were about filming one of the patrols and Scouting magazine were also about taking photos of the Scouts taking part in the activities despite the cold and the snow on the ground. We hope that some of the Scouts will appear in publications and Scouting material in the future.

And yes we did sleep out in the snow well most of us did. A few had to be forced to sleep indoors as there was not enough tents for them all.... shame.

Andy's tent The campsite at 7 in the morning.

We also made it on to the scouts.org website http://wwwwww.scouts.org.uk/Features/Weekend/2007/140207.htm

Our group at the end of the day on Saturday with Andy and the Chief Scout.

And then it was to the Studio on 20th Feb to be involved in the live show at 17:00.

The day started with a commute to London by train and then tube a new experience for some during rush hour.

We arrived and met up with the Cubs , Scouts and Explorers from the other groups and were shown into an empty studio ( 3) which was to be our base for the day. A few minutes to catch our thoughts and have lunch and then it was outside to the Blue Peter garden for rehearsals for about an hour . Back into Studio 3 change of shoes and then into the Blue Peter Studio for a briefing of what we had to do in there. Then a quick drinks break and back out to do a timed run through in the blue peter garden back to change shoes and into the studio . All went well and a quick chat from the Guinness book of records officials to confirm that this was a record attempt and had to be done properly to gain the record. Then change of shoes back out to the garden ready for the real thing.

The Scouts cheered on the tent pitchers and then a quick brisk walk ( about 10 minutes ) back to studio 3 change of shoes and a quite brisk walk to studio 1 silence behind the cameras and then as the program ran a video insert all made their way to the marks and then ready for the record attempt would they make it . The 30 seconds started and the attempt began the horn sounded the end and then another video insert would this be a world record you could feel the tension then back live to the studio and ........yes confirmed that this was a new world record.

Then the Chief Scout was presented with a gold Blue peter badge and the show finished.

Back to studio 3 and and thank you from the chief Scout and then it was all over just the rush hour commute back.

We arrived back and from what I have heard from parents there were a lot of late nights as the Scouts were still as high as kites until late.

A fantastic opportunity and everyone had a brilliant time.

Well done to all that attended.

Look out in future Scouting publications for some of the Scouts that had photos taken at Youlbury. Sophie has already made her debut!

Check out the Bradbourne Gallery for some photos of the camp and the studio days. We hope to have some more up at the weekend and hopefully also some video .

Also check out the report on the district website www.sevenoaksscouts.org.uk . under news section.

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