Information pack - Challenger Troop

 3rd – 7th AUGUST 2015 THE CHALLENGER BOOT CAMP
AT OUR OUTDOOR CENTRE, SITTINGBOURNE, KENT
A high-impact 5-day, 4-night residential week of challenging, military-style and
outward-bound activities, survival techniques, and personal development skills
The price for this year’s Boot Camp is £250 (incl VAT) which includes all food,
accommodation, loan of uniform, residential equipment, activities, and transfers FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE CONTACT US ON: Tel 0845 548 5070
Email enquiries@challengertroop.org Web www.challengertroop.org
Challenger Troop CIC is NOT part of the MOD – Reserve Forces or Cadets Forces
CHALLENGER BOOT CAMP A residential week of challenging outward-bound activities, survival techniques
and personal development skills This high-impact 5-day, 4-night residential programme is specifically designed for
young people from the ages of 11-18 years who would benefit from an outdoor
camp experience with military-style discipline, firm structure and behaviour
boundaries. Throughout the programme there will be a focus on respect,
responsibility and resilience. Participants will be asked to push themselves to
reach goals they never thought possible, with the support and encouragement of
our experienced ex-military instructors. The focus of the programme is on challenge and reward, invigoration and
inspiration. It will feature high intensity physical challenges combined with
competitive adventure activities designed to test mental, emotional and physical
strength and stamina. Participants will be expected to work and live together
outdoors for the duration of the programme. Over the course of the week participants will take part in bushcraft, learning basic
survival skills, fire-lighting, outdoor cooking and shelter building, adventure
activities including mountain biking, along with military-style strategy games and
drill exercises. The week will culminate in an Awards Ceremony where parents,
friends and family are invited to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of
the participants. Through the programme participants will develop key life skills including: •
•
Communicating with others including learning the importance of listening A greater sense of self-awareness and self-reliance and an improved sense of
self-confidence and motivation •
•
How to work as part of a team to achieve a set task How to live and work together, including learning consideration and respect for
others and a deeper understanding of how different behaviours and attitudes
can affect those around us •
•
An awareness of safety and risk Appreciation of the natural world around them Challenger Troop CIC is NOT part of the MOD – Reserve Forces or Cadets Forces
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION – All your questions answered
For many parents/guardians, this may be the first time your child has
experienced a residential outward bound course. Below is all the essential
information you need to prepare your child for the week. How much will the course cost? The cost, per candidate, is a subsidised rate of £250 incl. VAT which includes transport to
and from the Pick-Up point to the training centre, food, accommodation, loan of uniform
and boots, insurance, residential equipment and all specialist activity and safety
equipment. When is the course this summer? The course runs from the morning of Monday 3rd August 2015 to the afternoon of Friday
7th August 2015. Where is the course being held? At the Challenger Troop’s Outdoor Centre, in Sittingbourne, Kent. How will my child travel there? We are offering a pick-up service from the designated Pick-Up Point on the morning of 3rd August, and will return candidates to the same Pick-up Point on the afternoon of Friday 7th
August. Alternative arrangements must be agreed directly with Challenger Troop prior to
the start of the course. What are the accommodation arrangements? All candidates and instructors will be camping for the duration of the week, with the
opportunity to develop bush-craft camping skills and field-craft camping skills. All
camping gear, including sleeping bags and sleeping bag liners, will be provided. What about food for the week? All food will be provided for the duration of the course, including bush-craft meals, ration
packs for field-craft meals, and general planning and cooking from scratch, including
learning about food-types and nutrition. A vegetarian option is available on request, and
we are able to cater for special dietary requirements if known in advance. What does my child need to wear? At the Pick-Up Point on Monday morning all candidates will be issued with a full uniform
(t-shirt, combat trousers, fleece and rain mac) and boots, which are given on loan for the
duration of the course. Whilst no other outdoor clothes will be required, please ensure
that your child has packed some spare dry casual clothes (including a warm layer) for
evenings, appropriate sleep-wear and underwear (including spare socks), along with a
wash bag and towel. Parents are advised to bring a change of clothes for their children on
Friday 7th August so they can change into something clean after handing back their
uniforms. Challenger Troop CIC is NOT part of the MOD – Reserve Forces or Cadets Forces
What facilities are in place for personal hygiene? Our Outdoor Centre has on-site toilets. A solar-shower is provided for Day Three (Wednesday), and there will be the opportunity to shower once back at the Pick-up point
on the morning of Day Five (Friday). Can my child bring a mobile phone/device? Mobile phone/devise use during activity time is not permitted. Our instructors will place
all devices into a Safety Deposit Box for safe-keeping during these hours. If phones or
devices are misused during the course they will be confiscated. Our Outdoor Centre has
limited signal strength however students will be permitted to make or receive calls in the
evenings. Phones and devices are brought at the user’s own risk. Does my child need to pack anything else? A small back-pack is all that is required for the course to include the above. Snacks are
allowed, as are non-valuable personal items, brought as the owner’s own risk. Challenger
Troop are not liable for the loss or theft of any personal item brought. Is there anything that my child is not allowed to pack? Non-prescription medication (CT staff must be informed of all prescription medication in
advance), hand-held electrical devices including cameras or video-recorders or gaming
devices; pen knives, lighters or matches; jewellery (with the exception of a small religious
item that can be worn under uniform) What if I need to contact my child during the course? Should you need to make contact with your child in the event of an emergency, please call
our Head Office on 01892 543150 or 07971 139605 (outside working hours) and we will
endeavour to contact the Lead Instructor as soon as possible. Challenger Troop CIC is NOT part of the MOD – Reserve Forces or Cadets Forces
OUTLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME CHALLENGER BOOT CAMP
SUMMER 2015 WEEK LOCATION TRAINING MODULE PICK-UP POINT TBC DAY 1 OUTDOOR CENTRE, SITTINGBOURNE
OUTDOOR CENTRE, DAY 2 SITTINGBOURNE
INDUCTION AND TEAM BUILDING BUSHCRAFT OUTDOOR CENTRE, DAY 3 SITTINGBOURNE
PERSONAL ADMINISTRATION AND ADVENTURE TRAINING DAY 4 ARMY TRAINING CENTRE, FOLKESTONE FIELDCRAFT DAY 5 ARMY TRAINING CENTRE, FOLKESTONE AWARDS
CEREMONY ACTIVITY MODULE WELCOME BRIEF SAFETY BRIEF UNIFORM ISSUE ICE BREAKERS SET UP CAMP GROUP COOKING COMMAND TASKS GROUP COOKING MODULE BRIEF FIRE LIGHTING SHELTER BUILDING WILD FOODS KNIFE SKILLS EX SURVIVAL NIGHT WASH AND SHOWER LAUNDRY ARCHERY AIR RIFLES MOUNTAIN BIKING INTRO TO DRILL GROUP COOKING SAFETY BRIEF KIT ISSUE CAM & CONCEALMENT PATROLING HAND SIGNALS COOKING IN THE FIELD EX FIRST STALK LASER BATTLES BASIC DRILL WASH AND SHOWER HAND IN KIT AWARDS CEREMONY REMARKS MOVE TO THE QUARRY AFTER A BUFFET LUNCH 10 MAN RATIONS FOR MAIN MEAL 10 MAN RATIONS FOR BREAKFAST BAKERY LUNCH RABBIT STEW MAIN MEAL FRESH RATIONS FOR BREAKFAST 10 MAN RATIONS LUNCH AND MAIN MEAL FRESH RATION FOR BREAKFAST 24HR RATIONS PACK BUFFET LUNCH PICK-UP POINT TBC This programme is subject to change dependant on weather conditions etc. –
we will endeavour to inform you of any changes as soon as possible. Challenger Troop CIC is NOT part of the MOD – Reserve Forces or Cadets Forces