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Like shiney things? Have your vote towards which colour 2008-2009 hoodies are! =D Voting box at the side.

Slight Disclaimer: While I’m sure committee will look at the results and most possibly likely follow them, in case everyone votes for like bright pink or something unfeasible, the majority of the poll may not be followed. This vote is just for fun more than anything.

20th – 22nd October

On a cold, Friday evening in October, the SCOGUI boys and girls met outside the Union to go to camp.

We were soon to be transported by various cars to The Oaks campsite where we were to have a fantastic two nights (and days, sorry). On arrival, various members put up their tent and we began the weekend by chatting as a group in a rather cramped mess tent. Our only light source was from Brewers gigantic torch.

Saturday morning, everyone got up by 10 for their cooked breakfast which was expertly cooked by Wilsher and Chappers and soon the activities were to begin. There were lots of activities that were organised by Wilsher, which most members took part in. First of all, there was mountain boarding down the campsite, which was really really good fun apart from when you fall off when your heading towards Becky or some Brownies in their sleds!! After that, the adrenalin was kept pumping by the climbing wall, which at 20 foot high was scaled by the experienced SCOGUI in little time. There was another 20 foot on top but the weather prohibited use. The abseiling was particularly amusing as the ground was slippery so when you touch the floor you slipped across the floor into the tower (however, I did not go down fast enough to slip at the bottom!).

After that it was back for lunch, sandwiches and crisps, and then SCOGUI were let loose on the assault course and the archery! The assault course was wet and muddy which pleased some of the members (but not the others). Archery, run by Mike and Jen (SCOGUI members) was very good fun, with most members improving through experience (except myself who managed to miss the target and the netting behind it and leaving the arrow lying at the foot of the brick wall 10 metres on! We were then treated to the Black Hole, basically a man made cave within which various games were played.

For dinner on Saturday we had Wilsher’s and Rich’s spaghetti Bolognese which was another good meal before an evening of singing around the campfire.

On Sunday morning, we were treated to another fantastic cooked breakfast before the remote controlled car racing which saw SCOGUI let loose with cars that travelled at pace and 3 cars were broken within 20 minutes!! Our attention was lost when a sofa was burned causing a large amount of black smoke to decrease visibility on the track. At midday the tents were taken down and SCOGUI had their traditional photograph taken before everyone headed home to catch up on some sleep.

Thanks and congratulations must go to Wilsher for organising such a good event and all those people who helped with the running of activities.

Written by James Walter

Friday
Well, Me, Edd, Mike, Jen, Em, Rich, Lindsey, Andy, Simon, Kate and Dr. Tom met at the Beam Engine and travelled all the way up one of the motorways (you may be able to work out which, I can’t) to Lancaster. We got there late-ish and got given badges with musical instruments on them. I was a ‘Bongo’ and we even got to colour them in. After kicking the snow off the grass we pitched temporary homes, me and Edd hoping the Scogui tent wasn’t the one with the hole in. And it wasn’t.

By this point, Yvette le Riche (v. posh) and Barry (not so posh) and Charlie and Steve had joined us and we all left the field and went to find the campfire. That was lots of fun; I was introduced to lots of SSAGO who I had heard of but hadn’t met, like (let’s see if I can remember the names) uh… Helmet and his girlfriend, she was very nice. In fact all of SSAGO I met were very nice, if a bit weird. All quite bizarre, although I think that makes them more interesting, and they’re all really friendly.

Charlie was being very generous with the vodka she’d brought with her, and I have no idea how much she put in my coke, but I think it was quite a lot. It felt that way anyway as I became nicely warmed up and found I could sing and talk very LOUDLY. I think Jen experienced it too. And I’ve not much idea about anyone else; all I know is that we sang a lot. Oh, and there was a lovely person from St. Andrews who’d come on her own and had a bottle of Aftershock. The guy we were talking to managed to hold it in his mouth for a staggering six minutes, beating Edd’s mates’ record. As the night wore on Steve, Edd and another bloke entertained us with all the campfire songs they knew.

Saturday
After most of us waking up late and nearly missing breaky we split into teams (musical instruments, cunning eh), and then proceeded to do an incident hike (whilst poor old Edd and a few others went to a lovely meeting). This involved face-painting, croquet with a football and two big sticks tied together, the ‘polo on a matchstick game’ and the ‘eat a whole packet of crackers as fast as you can game’ (the incident hike that is).

After lunch, we went on different activities including a brewery trip, a pub crawl (of course), a cave trip and a waterfall walk. The waterfall walk was excellent, if a little icy. Kate and some of the others were understandably a little worried about slipping and falling over the edge down the bank and into the torrent of waters below, so we waited for them. Lots of photographs were taken at opportune moments, i.e. the waterfalls, and we were very well looked after by the people from Lancaster.

After falling asleep on the coach, we arrived at Lancaster University and were taken to a large room which was rather similar to a school hall, where we were told we couldn’t come in until we had taken our boots off! This was of course a good idea, but from the groans around me, I got the idea that all everyone else wanted to do was sit down. On anything.

We were well catered for in a place that I, Edd, Jen, Mike, Kate and Yvette agreed resembled a 1980′s style leisure complex entertainment room. We were however, quite put out that there was no pud.

Anyway, the barn dance thing was great, loads of fun, most people getting very confused as is the way, providing lots of laughing and joking. How merry! I think we were all amused by watching Mike counting religiously the steps during every dance, bless. I must’ve looked funny myself though as I kept getting caught up in my furniture wire (thank you Amy!), that is, my net skirt with a hoop in the bottom.

I have to say that everyone looked amazing in their outfits- special commendation must go to Kate who stuck all of the sequins on her Dorothy shoes and looked fantastic. Also, I think I should take some of the credit for finding Edd his tale from the market. The judges were, of course suitably impressed when we paraded past them showing off our gorgeous costumes, while singing ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road’. We were dressed up as the Wizard of Oz in case you didn’t already know, which seemed quite a popular choice as there were other SSAGO groups with who we shared the theme!

Sunday
Every one slept in on Sunday morning, most had breakfast and then it was the AGM. Not a huge amount to say about the AGM I think you’ll be pleased to know, except that it was very interesting and informative and the new committee were elected with Helmet as Chair- well done. Then we all went back to Loughborough having had a very enjoyable weekend!

Written by Lucy Giles

Click to Enlarge

This report is based on my personal experience but I hope that most people can relate to it in some way shape or form

By 20:30 all the tents had been pitched, teams were registered and shadows were assigned. After the kit check all the teams were raring to go. My team just got a map by this time, not the best start!

Then they were off, well at 5 min intervals anyway! After a wait of what seamed like an eternity we were off. The walk was 11km long and interesting, we did 14km taking in the much recommended sights of Coalville and its neighbouring village. I must say that Coalville is a “Brilliant” place. On the way there we “broke out” of a quarry, and panicked when a police car came past us and slowed down!

The decision not to use torches was a good idea, navigation was technically easier, could see for miles and we were able to walk past teams that then could not follow us.

My team set off at a brisk pace in the wrong direction. Upon checking the location on the map we put ourselves on the right path 800m to early, missing checkpoint number 1 (unmanned so did not matter).

After a chilling session we quickly found ourselves passing the team who left before us. This raised our spirits. We successful completed the first task and were on our way. This is the point we went to Coalville, and navigated the quarry. After our sightseeing tour we found that we had lost no time on the team just behind us. What a relief! By this point there were 3 teams very close together. We were just in the lead time was looking good and spirits were high (we did not realise that we missed a checkpoint – whoops!). It was then we picked up the pace to lose the teams “following” us and ensure we arrived at the checkpoint first as to not get delayed behind the other teams. The plan worked as we arrived at the checkpoint first of 4 teams one coming the other way. We were told that we missed a base. Unfazed by the news we continued with as much vigour as before, shear momentum took over. We soon found ourselves at the finish – relief! I thought that we put in a gutsy and highly technical performance. We got back in 3rd . We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The event was not with out drama, we had the police called to the scene of a driver slumped over the steering wheel of his car, he was in shorts and T-shirt on a road to nowhere. Several teams had to drop out of the competition for varying reasons.

After a quick nap it was time for breakfast which was cooked – and tasted lovely. Then the presentation followed, our team did not win, but learnt a lot from the experience.

I’d like to take my hat off to the base staff, you did a very hard job. The event was a huge success and will continue to be in the future.

Written by Lee Dunnett