Scouts Complete Award by Sleeping in Aircraft

A group of Scouts and their Leaders from 1st Shiplake Scouts have just completed their Scouts Cymru Bronze Dragon Award by sleeping in unusual places.

The Dragon Awards recognises the importance of outdoor nights away experiences for Young People. These experiences include camping, bivouacs, and expeditions in different, challenging and sometimes unusual environments throughout the year. This Award encourages Scout Troops, Explorer Scout Units, Scout Network
and their Leaders to camp more in unfamiliar places.

1st Shiplake Scouts thought that completing the award with a last camp in Wales would be appropriate and wrote to South Wales Aviation Museum in Barry.

Fourteen members of 1st Shiplake Scouts were the first group to ever stay overnight in the Museum.  Half of the group slept overnight in a Sea King Helicopter whilst the others slept in a Boeing 737. The cold temperatures were of no concern to the hardened campers and the lack of wind overnight meant the hangar was remarkably quiet.

The Scout troop had a special celebration ceremony before they left.  Each member was presented with their Dragon Awards from Robert Redmond, South Wales Scout commissioner as well as special South Wales Aviation Museum Night at the Museum certificates and Jessica Martin was also presented with her Chief Scout Gold Award (the highest award in Scouts).