Buckswood School was recently armed with torches after 76 scouts and 20 helpers turned out for an event at the school. The aim of the event was to stay awake all night – just for the fun of it! So with that in mind, event organisers planned a full programme of high energy activities to keep the scouts on the go from 7pm until 7am the following morning.
The group had full run of the school and used the many sports pitches, large sports hall and dining hall as a base for the night.
The scouts took part in pitch black glow stick cricket, flag raising, Zumba, ramshackle railway making, outdoor games, chariot racing, air rifles, archery and of course a film, which in truth gave a number of the scouts a much needed two-hour doze.
Assistant District Commissioner for Scouts and Event Organiser, Andy Pope, said: “The night started off with several high energy events taking us up to a midway break which we struggled to name, it felt like lunch but at 1am it was far from that. The activities continued right through until eventually we crossed the 7am finish line at a much slower pace and with a few zombies and sleeping bodies scattered around the place.
“I was personally delighted that so many groups were able to join the event and without the support of the 20 leaders it just wouldn’t have been able to take place. It went far better than I had ever expected. I have already been asked to include another such event in the future.”
The ‘Stay Awake’ drew to a close with Bacon Butties cooked by the Buckswood School chef at 7am and then the scouts were free to go home to bed. Buckswood PR Manager, Vicki Ireland, said: “We are so glad that the ‘Stay Awake’ went well and that the Scouts enjoyed themselves. This is the second time we have opened up the school to local youth groups to use to stage large events; the Girl Guides and Brownies celebrated Thinking Day here at Buckswood in February, and the school’s excellent facilities are perfect for such occasions.”
