Archive for the 'Member Reports' Category

Summer Term

Member Reports, June 24, 2010, 10:39 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: Vicki, Tags: , .

Here we are, at the end of the 2009-2010 academic year. For some people, it’s been another amazing year with SCOGUI, but for me, it’s been my first. It’s been a fantastic year and I hope everyone who has been involved has enjoyed it!

We’ve done a huge variety of activities this term, which have included:

  • Rock Climbing
  • Progressive Supper
  • Camping Barn
  • Geocaching
  • Pub Quiz
  • Go Ape
  • BBQ
  • SCOGUI-opoly round campus
  • and more!

    • It’s not over yet though, as still to come there is Summer Camp, SSAGO Summer Rally and Seaside Camp!

    I personally can’t wait until October, when we can welcome all the new Freshers and get ready to have another amazing year!

    Anyone who might be interested in joining, please look around the website and don’t forget to see us at the Fresher’s Bazaar in October for lots more information (and free cake!).

    Hope everyone has a wonderful summer.

    Vicki
    Publicity 10-11
    xxx

    Freshers Camp Report 16/10/09-18/10/09

    Member Reports, October 28, 2009, 2:38 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: DHendy, Tags: , , .

    Going on my first scogui camp I really didn’t know what to expect I suppose I really expected it to be like all the other camps I have been on as leader. I have to say I was completely wrong.

    Anyway on the Friday I only just made it to the swimming pool for 6:00 in time as I decided it would be a good idea to start packing at 5:15 but I made it. I was driven to the oaks campsite about 10 minutes from Loughborough by rich and I have to admit I was feeling very apprehensive about the whole experience. When I got there I found that I was sleeping in the nice big new 12 man with mostly other fresher’s. Once we were all unpacked Wilsher decided to come and introduce himself in the form of fresher’s poses, embarrassing stories and a game of I’ve never. (So the drinking began). After this we went over to the alpine hut to have ourselves some very nice pizza after which we played a few more games and generally got to know each other. I ended up going to bed around 4am quite merry (after a brief period of gazing at the stars in my sleeping bag).

    On the Saturday morning I walked into the alpine hut to the nice smell of a cooked breakfast thanks to some of the committee and associate members. After which we had the chance to do archery, mountain boarding, black hole and table tennis. I myself just did archery and table tennis. I was going to do the other activities as well but a football match against the explorers on site was arranged in which scogui fc did very well and despite being outnumbered about 3 to 1 only lost a very respectable 3-2. Soon after this it was time for a very nice dinner of spaghetti bolognaise again cooked by a mixture of the committee, returners and associate members. The final event for the evening was the highly anticipated scogui campfire which was absolutely fantastic! And after hearing some of the best campfire songs I have ever heard, (seeing a rather funny dance from Megan) and making a couple of new friends I went to bed very happy and quite jolly around 5ish. (Last one to bed again! Serious lack of sleep)

    On the final morning I was awoken by a ringing in my ears, oh wait that is just Wilsher standing over me with two metallic objects smashing them together rather quickly. Thanks for the wakeup mate! After breakfast we did shooting and climbing before having lunch and starting to take down camp. I would like to say I helped here but the one of the best thing about fresher’s camp as a fresher is you actually get shouted at for trying to help which is very hard to get used too after being a leader by the way. I got home around 3 o’clock after being driven home by Megan and found myself missing all my new found friends.

    There was no need to worry though as we all went for a nice dinner at the amber rooms that evening, although I did scold my hands which kind of put a dampener on things.

    All in all I can honestly say that in all my many years in scouting this was the best camp I have ever been on and would like to thank everyone  that helped run it, committee, associate member, returner or otherwise I had an amazing time and would do it all again in an instant.

    Written by a true fresher

    David Hendy

    Barn Dance Takeover at SSAGO Leeds Rally

    Camps, Member Reports and SSAGO, November 7, 2005, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin, Tags: , .

    The 2005 autumn rally was held at Bradley Wood camp site near Huddersfield on bonfire weekend and 16 members of Scogui attended. The fun bus left about 6:30pm and we were all treated to firework displays all around on the journey and a game of text eye-spy between the minibus and Daz’s car. We arrived at a reasonable time, especially as people from other clubs were arriving up until 4am!

    There was a small camp fire on the Friday evening (rumour was that there was no wood to burn!) and a sober Scogui started off the singing.

    Despite the weather forecast, Saturday got off to a bright start. The camp site was woken up at 7:45 for breakfast and although the early birds had to wait a while before the food was served, we were glad we didn’t come down late and have to queue up for an hour! After breakfast the activities began and, unusual for me, there were two activities to choose for morning and afternoon. Scogui was well represented at the ‘Extreme Pub Quiz’ held in the afternoon in Brighouse (probably called extreme because the walking around was around 6km!). All of the pubs visited had character, be it the ‘Retro disco with Daz’, the Ukrainian satellite TV or the church organ in Weatherspoons and it was a really great afternoon out.

    The evening meal and barn dance was held on site and members of staff from the camp site served us copious amounts of alcohol throughout the evening. The food was very nice: chicken of some sort followed by pie for desert. The barn dance band were good as always and the accordion players seemed to be enjoying themselves a lot. The highlight of the dance was when 3 members of Scogui started dancing Saturday Night to the barn dance music, only to find after a revolution that all 227 dancers had decided to copy them. Afterwards they proceeded to start a conga round the building which at one point emptied the dance floor.

    Unfortunately the fancy dress competitons were not won by Scogui although many people commented that our miner’s strike costumes were excellent.

    After the music stopped, everyone made their way down to an improved camp fire where much singing took place (often being run by Scogui and Medic Mike) and almost record breakingly long renditions of Chicago department store and a song about animals..

    Sunday was showery which meant all our kit had to be packed away wet and covered in bits of forest. Many people did not make it to breakfast so everyone that did turn up got seconds, and thirds and the rest was served up as extra lunch. After an exciting EGM where the new SSAGO constitution was approved, silly games took place in which many people ended up getting very wet, very blue and very floury. The closing ceremony was held afterwards with many thankyous being said and modified mascots being returned before we all set off home. After an excellent weekend, it was nice to be able to have a nap on the bus home!

    Written by Pete Everett

    Fun and games at Warwick SSAGO’s challenge evening

    Member Reports and SSAGO, November 25, 2004, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin, Tags: .

    Furthering the cause of inter-SSAGO relations SCOGUI and SLUGS headed off to Warwick for an evening of fun, games and ‘bonding’. After a slightly messy start with one of the SSAGO clubs not turning up things were in full swing with everyone wondering round trying to find people who could answer the age old question of what IS the name of STINGS mascot and trying to find anyone present who actually didn’t like marshmallows. With questions answered and new names learnt everyone split off into teams to prepare themselves for the nights challenges. In an interesting twist of making an activity of finding the activities all the teams headed off with campus maps in hand to find their first challenge. Once found, participants enjoyed such games as camp song charades, newspaper survival skills, the foil litter pick and my personal favourite, the m&m cocktail stick movey plate acrossy thing which culminated in me consuming the vast majority of the remaining m&m’s. With all the challenges complete and despite some quite obvious bribery the winning team was declared and rewarded in the traditional manner, receiving a box of miniature heroes. All in all a good night was had by all with new friends made and m&m’s eaten. And no doubt everyone concerned would once again thank Warwick for putting on a great challenge evening.

    Written by Mark Perman

    Progressive Supper

    Member Reports and Tuesdays, May 9, 2004, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin, Tags: .

    This was my first progressive supper so I didn’t really know what to expect but now I can say it was really good fun and I will defiantly be going again next year.

    We started the evening at Richer Brewers house where we had French toast with PAte and vegetable soup. We heard of a telephone convocation between Kate and Richard involving PAte and a lot of giggling. There was some discussion over what French toast actually is and if Richard had created it I have absolutely no idea if he had but all I can say is it tasted good. There was also excitement at Richards over and inflatable sofa; as when you sat on it you could raise the person at the other end up in to the air.

    The next course was at Em’s house and I left early with Kate and Martin to help Em however due to Kates ‘shortcut’ we ended up arriving only 2min before the others but this was just enough time to grab a seat as the others piled into Em’s lounge. The meal was a pastry roll with tomatoes and onion then either cheese or bacon, which came with potatoes and veg. it was all really nice. The potatoes had been cooked across the road so before they could dish up an expedition to retrieve the potatoes occurred with the aid of oven cloves, Em’s house mates and a large sheet of cardboard.

    Pudding was at Edd’s so we didn’t have far to walk to enjoy amazing deserts. First there was strawberry mess which was strawberry’s, cream and meringue then chocolate shortbread and mint custard. Whilst we were enjoying food Richard spilt red wine quickly followed by lots of salt which he had great fun writing words with on the carpet. But before we left he did do a great Freddie Mercury impression with a vacuum cleaner.

    We finished the evening off with cheese and biscuits at Andy’s and all huddled round the TV to watch Parkinson, then got bored so some people went the park and the rest of us sat round talking. It was all really good and I can’t wait for next year.

    Written by Ashleigh Filtness

    District Night Hike 2004

    Community and Member Reports, March 22, 2004, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin, Tags: .

    Arriving in the early evening at Sutton Bonnington Scout HQ, Scogui began preparing busily for the Annual District Night Hike. Sutton Bonnington offered a Scout HQ, and sports field which doubled as a camping field for the evening.

    By 6pm the Scouts and Guides started arriving, and Scogui got themselves organised. As the Scouts and Guides were arriving and getting set up, the heavens opened, and the wind got up causing some of the tents to journey to the other end of the field. Once the tents were replaced, the shadows and bases were briefed, and released.

    From 7ish onwards groups of 4-7 were released at timed intervals, in both directions. The idea being that bases would recieve an initial rush, then have a couple of hours without any groups then the last few would come through on the way home at least that was the plan. Fortunately the weather improved as the the teams were leaving. By 8.30 all teams were realeased, so the remaining staff started getting themselves organised and the fully utilising my laptops music collection.

    Me and Simon then started on the minibus, visiting each of the bases every 30 minutes or so, to monitor the progress of the teams. Unfortunately the navigation skills of the Scouts and Guides were not great, so some bases were missed and the route often ignored.

    At each of the bases was an individual incident, or activity. For example, a Kims Game, or first aid simulation (which included interest from local motorists who thought it was actually a real accident – doh).

    By midnight the first groups were coming in, but two groups needed picking up including one that was impressively 3 miles off the map in East Leake when found. By 2:30 all the groups were in, and Scogui did what they do best relax and argue that black is white.

    In the morning it was an early start with the Guides woken up early, so the Scouts could come in. Food was courtesy of Ashleigh and Chappers, and sport provided by Barry. The morning was concluded with Ken Gee presenting the winning team (Castle Donnington, Sea Lions) with certificates, and the promise of a trophy to come.

    Written by Martin Whelan

    Market Rasen Camping Barn

    Camps and Member Reports, March 16, 2004, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin, Tags: .

    Friday 12th March
    We meet at the union at 6pm and loaded the mini bus. Then travelled to Lincolnshire in the dark in a mini bus without a radio so we sang instead. Once there (after zooming past the entrance) we enjoyed some economy soup and bread followed by large amounts of alcohol before slumping down into the sleeping bags in our camping barn.

    Saturday 13th March
    A nine o’clock start with a tasty cooked breakfast followed shortly by a scramble for the mini bus, and off to Hull. Once in Hull we made our way to “The Deep”, the deepest aquarium in the UK. An amazing place with some very unusual fish, including the Finding Nemo tank. Scogui Bear took some deep sea adventures as well. After a quick packed lunch and a short drive we pulled up in a country park which opened out on the Humber Bridge and the river. After a brief and very cold photo section with the local life boat team and a nice walk, it was back to the bus for the return trip to the camping barn. After an interesting vegetable bolognaise we made our way out into the cold to sing and shout around the nice warm fire. The perfect end to a great day.

    Sunday 14th March
    Another nine o’clock start was followed by another yummy breakfast and a complete blitz of the camp site and barns. The morning activity entailed visiting Lincoln and some people looking around the castle. Then setting off after lunch we arrived back just before 4pm to unpack and minibus and go home to a nice warm shower and a fresh change of clothes. To round off a cool weekend away, we all had dinner at EHB to laugh at the funny events of the weekend and to talk about our next trip into the outdoors!

    Written by Richard Brewer

    Scogui’s 50th/ 21st party!

    Member Reports, February 7, 2004, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin,

    Scogui bear’s diary: Saturday 7th February 2004

    Well, after all the preparation, it’s my twenty-first party! It’s also a celebration of fifty years of the mighty Loughborough Students Scout and Guide Club (aka Scogui!). I’m very excited – there are special bear shaped balloons, maroon and white table napkins and a giant portrait of me on Cayley Dining Hall wall! Cakes have been baked in my honour – one of them has even been made to look like me, after the cook fought dissolving rice paper to dye it the blue of my eyes! It’s great to see lots of my old friends after a few years as well as the current members of the Club, all tucking into their tasty buffet meals and seeing who can eat the most chocolate mousse! They all seem to be enjoying themselves and as I’d expect! I’m wearing my special camp blanket, retro t-shirt and international neckers; my guests look like they’ve successfully interpreted the smart/casual dress code.

    After the mingling and the munching it’s time for a few of my favourite campfire songs and some tried-and-tested line up silly games! There’s a raffle adding to the party spirit – a bear-headed bottle of wine, After Eights, Chocolate Goo and a random chicken hat are won by appreciative members. Having watched the scrolling photo CD through the evening, we made a new image for the archives with a group picture! I peeped over the banner at the front with my usual bear-faced cheek! After the party, Scogui headed en masse to the Union to watch Chesney Hawkes, or dispersed back all round the country. We’d all had a lovely evening (hic!) – thanks to all past and present members who helped with preparation and the atmosphere – here’s to another fifty years of Scogui!

    Written by Scogui Bear (with the help of Kate Sharp)

    Christmas Meal 2003

    Member Reports and Tuesdays, December 10, 2003, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin, Tags: .

    In true tradition the Scogui Christmas meal, an evening consisting of lots of beer/wine/cider and a nice big Christmas dinner – although I’m not quite sure about the roast beef option as a ‘Christmas’ dinner but there you go, maybe I’m becoming a traditionalist in my old age :S

    The meal this year was situated in the Warwick Arms – good venue, miles away for all the poor people who decided to walk! Thankfully we decided on a spot of pre-dinner sherry drinking and a nice taxi ride to the pub (although the taxi firm turned out to be somewhat useless). More drinks then followed and a damn good meal, with all the trimmings. An interesting game of musical chairs was played at the tables between courses (without the music) – thus keeping track of your drinks and spoon was a tricky business.

    With hardly any room left for desert we soldiered on… The deserts consisted of a choice of Traditional Christmas Pudding, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Mulled Wine Terrine. From the photos it is clear to see we were full on roast turkey – playing with cracker toys and cream took over. Some lovely pictures on the photos page – who’s the scary man in the photo with a ring through his nose and Elyot – complete with cream and a pink party hat!

    After the meal and several more drinks, you spotting the theme to this now, was a short journey back to the union for yet more drinks and some dancing to work off that dinner.

    Written by Amy Mackman

    Warwick Rally

    Camps, Member Reports and SSAGO, November 10, 2003, 12:00 pm, 0 Comments, Written by: admin,

    Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin

    This rally was my 1st and defiantly not last sago Rally (also mine), Let’s see a few words to sum up the camp ummmmm here’s the report because a few words aren’t good enough.

    For me the rally started a few weeks ago when we decided that rocky horror was our theme for the barn dance and subsequently ended up with my legs getting partially waxed the Tuesday before camp, but we shall get to that later on. (Having not seen rocky horror show, I happily agreed to it, finding out later how little people actually wore! No wonder the blokes were so keen on it, or did they just want to cross dress?)

    Friday night
    Arrived at the beam engine (I arrived at the other side of the car park, all alone! With piles of stuff) on time and had a bit of a wait while everyone arrived, but once we were all assembled we piled all the kit (except Andy’s Hike Boots) into the van on top of what looked like a model building site in the back of the van. Every one in the bus: exits here here and here in the event of a crash assume this position, that’s all I can remember from the journey as I caught up on sum sleep. (I talked allllll the way there to Ashleigh about nothing in particular) When we arrived at the site and we signed in and started pitching our tents rather randomly in the field. I was then introduced to a very good looking pink elephant who was later sum how entrusted to me (big mistake). (I will add here that Paul’s rather nice bunny rabbit teddy was abandoned and neglected whilst paul looked after then lost the elephant, poor bunny spent the entire weekend in my tent.) Well the bar was open so we started drinking in the hut while everyone else arrived, (with dodgy soup and cold hot dogs up for grabs camp was well into the swing of things) once everyone had signed in it was time to move to the campfire, which was nearly producing heat. Well scogui been scogui we took control of the proceedings around the fire and started singing and continued singing for most of the night apart from breaks to meet and greet people from other groups, (this was bitterly complained about by the Warwick mini bus drivers on the way back from pub crawl) time for bed and I took the elephant with me, who was to know that she wouldn’t be seen till Sunday afternoon. (Ashleigh and I retired to bed somewhat earlier, but the coldness prohibited our sleep)

    Saturday
    Woke up rather cold due to the fact my sleeping bags zip broke, so what do you do when your cold in the morning? Put on shorts and a kilt. (My sleeping bag was not broke but I was still freezing, my reaction was to wear as many clothes as possible) Once breky was eaten (somewhat disappointing as we only got half a slice of eggy bread and the beans had run out) it was time for a huge wide game unlike anything that I have ever played before just by the scale of it, for the game you had collect items from people hiding in the wood then make a device to propel an egg as far as possible, well my team decided it would be best to just use items found around site i.e. three very long drain pipes hanging from a tree, unfortunately the egg broke in the middle of the pipe and the yoke dribbled out of the end, so surprisingly we didn’t win that game, I think the team who turned one person into a large bird was the best although they didn’t fly very well.(after I found, lost and found my team again we made a plane that looked very pretty but didn’t fly too well.) After lunch, it was time for the activities which for me, meant pub crawl, so time to go back to my tent and put on the shirt and tie along with Taz, Ed, Tom and James, we’re not alcoholics but we do go to meetings. Well it was a very fast pub crawl you only had time to get a drink before it was the five min warning that we would be moving to the next pub so that’s why I was on the doubles with mixer, I think it was a great pub crawl although Taz did win Horis when really the hippo should have been mine to go with the other two that I got. (I enjoyed the general warmth of the pub-crawl, and although my bag gained a few glasses it did mean James carried it for me) Well with the pub crawl over it was time to get back to the site. Well with dinner (very bad dinner which brought back horrible memories of school dinners, arghhhhh) over and done with it was time to get ready for the barn dance why oh why rocky horror. Well with a corset, wig and fishnets you can’t get anymore better looking can you. (I also had a corset and fishnets, but avoided the wig) With the barn dance in full swing it was time for the costume judging well scogui didn’t manage to win the group award but all hope wasn’t lost we did have a winner in the individual competion namely ME. The barn dance then continued with lots of dancing which was great fun especially when you are quite drunk well I had to be to wear what I did. (The barn dance was slightly dangerous, and as Ashleigh experienced dancing with edd was risking death) See the pictures if you don’t believe me. Well once again it was time to go to the campfire, there wasn’t much signing mainly due to the fact everyone was either to drunk or too tired. (Thankfully I rounded up two extra people for our tent to increase the warmth, which worked but not until morning)

    Sunday
    Woke up to the shout you have 5 minuets to get your breakfast so ran for it, although I actually got my breakfast an hour later. (I avoided breakfast and stayed in bed, as I was warm) The morning was full of silly games including England vs. Wales on radio, which was just silly. Well I did my best to do the silliest things in my team including untying a hanging doughnut with my teeth then eating the string and the doughnut at the same time, also the spider web which was broken so as the last person having a go my gap had disappeared which meant I had to do a half pike summersault through a tiny hole damn did that hurt. Well with other silly games involving rugby with balloons and picking up cardboard with your teeth from off the ground, all the games were not only silly but good fun but I didn’t know that the best way to win was to bribe officials what can I say I don’t cheat unlike some people. (I was generally horrified by the fact that cheating was encouraged, and the unfairness of the fact when we did cheat we got disqualified!) For lunch it was the gadaffy plate challenge set for us by Manchester, The scogui team mike on the beans with a cocktail stick challenge, Simon on the marshmallow challenge, jen smarties with chopsticks oh and also some drunk with a hangover eating cream crackers and getting very badly beaten. Well we lost the challenge and it was all due to the idiot with the cream crackers. Well with that over and done with it was time for the closing ceremony which means that Freda needed to be back in the care of James only problem she had been stolen from the inside of my tent after asking every one on camp where she was she was found kidnapped in the back off someone’s car and not a minuet too soon as I would have had to do a forfeit. Well the closing ceremony came thanks went to everyone who had had a part in making the camp the success that it was, I must say that ssago are a bit strange with all of there little customs and awards that’s why I think I fit in perfectly. Well with all that over and down with it was time for the goodbyes and the hugs and we were on our way, unlucky Taz having to leave your car down there. (Bless) Well camp finally finished in EHB later on with a couple of drinks before I started writing this, if you have got to the end of this then well done because its taken me three attempts.

    The last thing I want to say about the camp is I can’t wait for the next. (Me neither!)

    Written by Paul Thompson (comments by Seb)