Brentwood Preparatory School Magazine

72 Brentwood School Preparatory A Fly on the Wall - Year Six Tuesday 23rd May: We woke up after a freezing night at about 5 am when the sun shone through the tent. At 8 am we had breakfast and started learning about fires. My favourite thing at bush craft was the fires to be made on Tuesday and Friday. After making the fires we then made lamb kebabs on the fire we made. After lunch we learnt about first-aid in the forest which I loved. In the evening after dinner we went for a walk (which was a set up by Sam) and we heard lots of screaming and it was a fake plane crash and we had to do first-aid. Wednesday 24th May: Today was the day we went for the swim in the freezing cold lake. We walked to the lake and because there were so many of us we had to split up. My group firstly went fishing then for a nature walk and finally swimming. (For those going next year, it’s FREEZING COLD). When we got out we walked to the changing rooms and heard a drop bear. (Lots of people say it’s a myth but we heard one and they apparently can kill you by jumping on you). When Sam went to check he put his knife away so that if a drop bear saw him it would think he’s harmless. That night we set traps for different animals. Thursday 25th May: Today we checked our traps and skinned a rabbit. Lots of the group didn’t watch (including me) as it was too gruesome and disturbing. We also went on a hunt for a drop bear. We kept a close eye and found one. We didn’t see it but we saw the tree viciously shaking. After that we had to walk with sticks on our heads to blend in with the trees. We also used knives to make a stick into a sharp peg. Friday 26th May: After a long week I think we all wanted to go home and that was the day we did. I do miss Bushcraft because it is definitely a memory of my life. By Jacob Leslie Bushcraft was a fun and entertaining time with all of your friends. During Bushcraft we had two groups which were your tent and tribe. Your tribe was the group that you did all of your activities with. Our tribe was called the RAINBOW FALCONS. Sleeping: Every night you had the choice to either sleep in an open shelter that the tribes made when we arrived or to sleep in the tents that you got put into at the beginning. For the first night I slept in the tent because I thought it would be so much warmer in the tent with walls and a zip door than a shelter with just tarpaulin on the roof and a few sticks holding it up but it proved me very wrong. For the last three nights I slept in the shelters. Activities: We did a lot of activities such as first aid, a plane crash, The Bushcraft Challenge which was a mix of all the skills that we learnt in the time that we were there, Tribes Got Talent was where we rehearsed a performance in our tribes and we showed them to everyone else. And best of all skinning a rabbit to the bone that we caught in traps that we made the day before. Overall, Bushcraft was so much fun!!!!!! By Jed Southgate 6AM As I arrived at Brentwood Prep School I was bursting with excitement and hurrying along to meet my friends. I was informed to head towards the library where everyone waited until all were present in the quiet room (which was nowhere near quiet!). The coach journey was three and a half hours long; I had brought a delicious packed lunch (which mostly contained chocolate based items) including a packet of Kinder bon bons, which were gone in five seconds! Eventually we approached the Bushcraft entrance of glorious greenery, I could hardly wait to reach camp. Our enormous bags were transported on a carriage to campsite, whilst we had to walk. This journey took us half an hour, as there were steep hills and uneven tracks. At camp we were introduced to Sam (chief leader of tribes), Ambera, Nu Nu, Tish, Helen and Betty, then placed into tribes, mine was called ‘The Rainbow Falcons’. We created a flag and invented a tribe story, including details of how we formed a tribe. Our story was about a falcon that flew into a rainbow and thirteen feathers fell off and they formed humans…. Thereafter we were allocated group tents, of which I was in a tent with Edie, Flora, Grace, Ellie and Khairah. In addition we built a secure shelter in our tribes and had an opportunity to sleep in them throughout our stay, what a fabulous experience. The songs we learnt during our week were catchy and infectious, as we would be heard chanting them daily, whilst on the lookout for drop bears. This guaranteed to create a happy atmosphere on camp at all times. Camp menu was varied and healthy, but most of all caught, prepared and cooked on site by Elliot the Chef. This included a demonstration on how to debone a fresh salmon, which was amazing, although I did manage to come across a fine bone in my dinner later! Other exciting activities included skills to start a campfire, on which to cook delicious kebabs, and administer first aid by saving the teachers from an aeroplane crash! Then sadly learning to skin a rabbit, which was awful and extremely upsetting experience for quite a few of us, something I will never forget. One of the highlights of my stay was when we had permission to jump into the surprisingly cold lake. The water was freezing cold, so much so, that it completely took my breath away and I struggled to talk moments after I had plunged in. This didn’t dissuade me as the sheer thrill of it made me want to repeat this challenge many times over. Ater a fuelling breakfast, during the day we were involved in many fun survival activities and games, Tribes got Talent for which my group produced a street dance routine and an inventive bake off. In the evening we tucked into a hearty dinner, scrumptious snacks and hot chocolate by the campfire, after a fun filled day of laughter and adventure. This Year Six Bushcraft trip has created many unforgettable memories and experiences, which I will cherish fondly for as long as I remember…. By Maia Parma