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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does MegaCamp cost?
A: £35 for Cub Scouts, £10 for Leaders/Young Leaders/adults
Q: Is there an early booking discount?
A: Yes, Cub Scout places booked before 14th February will be charged at £30, saving you £5 per place
Q: What happens about Young Leaders?
A: Young Leaders are very welcome at MegaCamp, just as any other adult Leader, and will need to pay the adult/Leader fee of £10. Adult Leaders in the Pack must be responsible for any Young Leaders as they are still young people. It is important that all Young Leaders complete the same health/parental consent form as the Cub Scouts. Young Leaders cannot be counted as part of your adult: Cub Scout ratio.
Q: What about Leaders’ children who are not Cub Scouts but are in Scouting?
A: Leaders are more than welcome to bring their own children to MegaCamp. If they are of Beaver, Cub or Scout age and wish to take part in the activities then they will need to pay the full child price (£35). Parents will need to be responsible for them throughout the camp, and they should not be counted in your leader : child ratio. For those children who are in the Scout section and will have been to GigaCamp the previous weekend, you should just be mindful that there will be similarities across the two events and we wouldn't want that to have a negative impact on the Cubs for whom it will all be new.
Q: One of our Cub Scouts can’t get there until Saturday; can they still come to MegaCamp?
A: Yes. You will need to advise us of any late arrivals / early departures before the event and be prepared to meet them at the site entrance security station. Unfortunately we cannot offer any discount for late arrivals or early departures.
Q: How will the sub-camp allocation be done?
A: There are four sub-camps at MegaCamp and Districts will be kept together on a sub-camp so as to make it easier for Packs in a District to share equipment and/or catering etc.
Q: What does the programme for MegaCamp look like?
A: We are currently working on the programme so as to make this the best MegaCamp yet. All the information will be made available as and when it is ready via the MegaCamp website at www.essexscouts.org.uk/megacamp
Q: What do adults get for their £10 fee?
A: As with any event there are some standing costs that have to be covered, for this event these include the site fees, cost of sanitary facilities including port-a-loos and water. Throughout Saturday there is a Leader’s sanctuary available to all adults who need a little time away to relax. There will be complimentary refreshments, and the County Training Team will also be present to provide a drop-in service for people to take advantage of. Don’t forget that all Leaders will get one of the fabulous MegaCamp Badges!
Q: What will Leaders be expected to do at MegaCamp?
A: Apart from arranging transport, food, and tents for everyone in your group, we would like your assistance in making this event run smoothly. There are a huge number of different activities on offer throughout the camp and we would like your help for some of the time with these. There are three different time slots (Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning) and you would only be asked to work during one of these.
The activities are run by experienced teams. Some of these are from within Scouting, whilst others are hired in especially for this event. Most Leaders will be asked to help control the flow of children onto the main activities run by contractors; help run arts & crafts bases; help run science experiments bases and run on site activities that don’t need permits. If you have a permit for shooting, climbing, archery or canoeing then please let us know if you would prefer to assist in these activities. Young Leaders will be of great use. Please let us know if they are prepared to help during more time slots.
If you would like to make a request or you have a reason that you are unable to assist in the running of certain activities then please let the management team know before the event. All requests made before the event will be taken into account, but requests made on the day can not be guaranteed.
Q: Do I need a Nights Away permit to bring my Cub Scouts?
A: No. You do not need a Nights Away permit to bring your Pack to MegaCamp. However, you do need to let us know if this is the case so that your sub-camp team can support you appropriately. Each Pack will need to complete a NAN Form and submit to your DC prior to the camp. We are currently looking into having Nights Away advisors available to assess your physical camping skills as part of the assessment for the permit scheme.
Q: Is there a park and ride scheme in operation?
A: No. We will be allocating Packs an arrival time for Friday and it is important that these are adhered to. Where possible we would encourage Packs and Districts to arrange private coach travel to and from the site as this will help reduce congestion. Please let us know if you are planning to arrive by coach.
Q: Can I cook on an open fire or a barbecue?
A: No. The only heating medium permitted for cooking at camp will be LPG- Butane, Camping Gaz etc. Our Safety team will be visiting each site to check and advise you.
Q: There's no facility on the booking form to put young leaders - how do I book them in?
A: Young Leaders should be booked on as Leaders, just put 'Young Leader' in the Membership number section
Q: One of my young leaders will be 18 by the time of the camp (and therefore count as an adult leader) but obviously currently doesn't have a membership number - how do I book them in?
A: You will need to ensure that your Young Leader who will be 18 by the time of the camp has a valid CRB disclosure and hopefully a full adult appointment. At this stage please put 'Currently Young Leader' in the membership number field.
Q: What about food and cooking? Do we provide cooking utensils, eating utensils and our own food or do you do this with our help?
A: Cub Packs will need to manage their own catering and provide cooking utensils and food for their Cubs. Most Cubs are asked to bring plates, bowls, cutlery, cups etc when they go to camp, although some groups have a centralized supply, which they use. Some Districts are organizing central catering for the Packs in their District; other Packs are pairing up with other local groups to do this. A useful resource sheet is available to advise you on food hygiene at camp (Camp Food Safety – FS320004). This can be found in the member resources section on www.scouts.org.uk or can be ordered from the Scout Information Centre (0845 300 1818).
Q: I am not confident that my Cub can swim 50m as required on the form, if I tick No how will this impact on the activities that they can take part in?
A: The water activities that will be on offer will be canoeing and pond dipping on a small lake at Skreens Park (you may want to have a look at the website for more info: www.skreenspark.org.uk). If you do circle 'No' then they will be unable to take part in the canoeing, however there are lots of other land-based activities to keep them entertained and amused.
Q: What about accommodation? Do we bring tents and sleeping bags or is this an on site facility?
A: Accommodation will be in tents, which Packs need to bring with them and put up and take down. Cubs will need to bring appropriate bedding (sleeping bag, pillow, roll mat/thermo rest etc). Packs will usually bring tents for their Cubs and Leaders, a kitchen tent and a dining shelter to eat in.
Q: What do the cubs and I need to bring along?
A: Cubs will need to bring clothes for the weekend suitable for being outdoors and all weathers (including wet gear if they want to do canoeing), wash kit, towel, eating implements, water bottle, camp blanket if they have them (I can provide more advice on these if interested), sleeping bag, pillow, roll mat/thermo rest, outdoor footwear, rain coat. I usually ask Cubs to bring a cake or biscuits to be given to leaders at the start of camp for sharing (helps with catering costs for snack breaks etc). Leaders will need to bring the same plus first aid kit, cooking equipment, spare sleeping bags (for any potential accidents). There is a really good book that The Scout Association produce called 'Nights Away' (www.scoutshops.com/acatalog/resourcesforalladult.htm) which is worth having a look at if you are new to camping.
Q: Is the weekend programme already planned for us? Do we select activities and what are they? Are the activities tan extra cost? Do you have instructors for us?
A: Yes. The programme has all be planned, with all the activities are included in the cost and instructors will be provided. We will be asking each Pack to supply some Leaders at various points during the weekend to help with activities; including manage any queues, help with harnesses, help with crafts, science bases. If any of your Leaders have specific activity permits/qualifications then let us know and we can use you appropriately. We are currently working on how the activity allocation will work, but there will be opportunity for everyone to take part in every activity.
If you have any further queries about MegaCamp itself please contact the team by emailing: megacamp@essexscouts.org.uk
If your query relates specifically to your booking then please contact: megacamp.bookings@essexscouts.org.uk