everyone has gone home....

and so this years SWInG camp is over. We've all had a really great time!

There will be some more photos added here in the next week or so, and lots more will be added to the main SWInG website very soon - www.swing08.co.uk

Thank you for coming.... it wouldn't have been the same without you!

Camp is nearly over.....

Camp is nearly over with just the packing and closing ceremony left to go.

Today we had the grand final of the It's a Knockout competition. A new course had been set out for the sub camps to race around. London Zoo came 3rd, Big Ben 2nd and the winners of the competition were Kew Gardens!

The Service team then had their own little competition against the Senior Section Team, and after just a tiny bit of cheating the Service Team came out as winners!

This afternoon we had the opportunity to visit the other sub camps, enjoying the chance to meet our International visitors and see some of the things they had brought from home to share with us. We followed this with an evening of culture performed by representatives from each of the countries.

It’s a Knockout: Great fun for us leaders to be guides again!

It’s a Knockout: Great fun for us leaders to be guides again!! We played our joker on the duck race as we had excellent technique, great getting wet and were the fastest. The scout course was a challenge as I got stuck going down the tunnel! Then the other obstacle course? where we went under, over, under over and ended up with sore knees, all in the name of team work and guiding!
(Natalie, Windsor Castle).

It's a Knockout

Its a knockout was a really fun day. Its a knockout is lots of challenges which were timed. In the morning it was all about having fun and a practice but in the afternoon it was the real competition. The games were really hard but fun. Our favourite games were sumo and the bungee.
Maeve , Helen and Louise. Big Ben

Creativity and Performing Arts Zones

street dancing

simulated wounds

craft

Swing is so fun

Swing is so fun I can’t wait to go to Thorpe park as well xxx
By Taylor –Tower of London

SWInG is great

SWInG is great, we have had so much fun with meeting new people from different countries and all the activities offered. A particularly memorable day was our on-site activities day. We started with the pedal carts which where really fun at first... until Emily G (Hampton Court) wanted to go over the see-saw, Emily F (Hampton Court) who was pushing the cart ran to the other side of the see-saw and jumped so the cart would roll off safely. But unfortunately and she jumped the cart turned over with Emily in it!! Emily wasn’t hurt but got very, very muddy. Meanwhile our friend Emily B (Hampton Court) was going down the ditch. As she went down she lost speed and toppled out of the cart. Everyone was laughing and that day will defiantly will be remembered.
By Emily and Emily
Hampton Court Palace

The disco

The disco was probably the best I have been to (not that I’ve been to a lot). There were a range of songs including old and new ones I knew and ones I didn’t! It just so happened that the song I asked for song and the time I wasn’t there it was played.
Emma, Hampton Court

My favourite thing so far....

My favourite thing so far has been meeting my friends and spending money. I met Amelia in It’s a Knockout and now we are best friends.

Emma C – Tower of London

We are both from Japan...

We are both from Japan and are really enjoying SWInG! We took part in It’s a Knockout, which was funny. We did grass sledging which was scary at first but then great fun! We also went on the surf skis which we had never done before. We didn’t get too wet although some people in our group did!

Mami, Tower of London and Nanako, Hampton Court

Was it the weather or was it the noisy Guides....

Was it the weather or was it the noisy Guides that made Sid the snake slither off? Was he helped? Was he kidnapped? Or had he gone on vacation? This is what we wondered at London Zoo until we received a ransom note. Poor Sid was being held captive. Negotiations continued throughout the week. We supplied a health and activity form to make sure he was cared for. The offer of cake was made and accepted. By the end of camp, Sid was returned to his rightful place. Happy again with all his zoo friends.

Sue, London Zoo

Sssssid the ssssssnake

On a cold dark night a group of kidnappers awoke Sid from his slumber on the London Zoo gate. He protested but no-one from London Zoo stirred. The kidnappers left a ransom note saying they were the Order of the Knights of the Royal Garter. The ransom fee was lemon drizzle cake. London Zoo quizzed the whole camp in an effort to locate Sid. Could it be Windsor Castle who were the kidnappers? London Zoo sent a missing poster and Sid’s health form to the sub-camp, to appeal to their better nature: “Sid is allergic to fire and sheds his skin 3 times a day” they wrote. On his health record, it says he injured himself getting bashed by a mallet and to feel better he ate the Guide that did it. Eeeek thought Windsor Castle! After considering holding out for 2 lemon drizzle cakes or even sending Sid back in bits, Windsor Castle decided it was time for Sid to go home alive and well. He only ate the one Guide, which was lucky.

By the Order of the Knights of the Royal Garter

The S.W.A.T . Team of Hampton Court

The S.W.A.T . Team of Hampton Court consists of; Emilie, Emma, Ellie, Rosie, Abby and Lucy. We go round our sub-camp saving the innocent guides from wasps. S.W.A.T stands for SWInG Wasp Activist Team. We capture wasps in cups and set them free so they can go round other campsites and annoy them. We are free or charge to any Hampton Court guide, but for other sub-camps there is a small fee. We would like to celebrate wasps, especially Floyd and Yellow George.

I have enjoyed SWInG so far.....

I have enjoyed SWInG so far. I have done Singing, Jazz dancing, drama and casualty simulation.
I share a tent with some friends of mine and we tell each other scary stories and we have midnight feasts. We also have lots of earwigs and spiders in our tent.
I have also been Do-nutting. It was really great when we went done in a big group spinning. I got quite dizzy.
I enjoyed rock climbing. Me and my friend did a race to see who could get to the top of the big boulder first. It took me a few attempts but then I got to the top first. (But then I couldn’t get down afterwards!)
The best thing about SWInG is meeting new friends. I have made friends from the U.S.A and France.

Jasmine, Kew Gardens.

When I did Drama at SWInG

Monday morning, period 1,
And I was late for Drama,
I didn’t really want to do it,
But I had to do something.

I arrived with my sister and friend,
Everyone had already started,
We put down our coats and bags
And joined in the starter.

After the starter we got into pairs,
I was with an American girl,
I changed three things about my appearance,
And then she had to guess what they were.

Time was running short,
Only fifteen minutes left,
Everyone got into groups of five
And put together a play.

I did the three little pigs
And I was the narrator,
It went really well, everyone loved it,
And then it was time to go.

By Jessica

A warm and sunny hello from the California Crew!

SWInG has been amazing the past couple of days! We’ve all agreed that camp has been fun and very wet! Very different from the sun and the sand back home, but really it’s the rain that makes things more fun. Like do’nutting for example; let’s just say we slid right into that activity! It may have been our first time, but hopefully not the last one! It was very interesting! The second Buckingham Palace group had a fabulous time with each other as well as the boys in charge of it! We had spinning contests and races and got to see the boys race each other at the end! That was worth it! They had all gotten on their stomachs and raced down to the end! It left us laughing and them a little banged up! From the rain to the friends we’ve met, this experience will stay with all of us for the rest of our lives! So thank you SWInG for all the memories and oh yeah the rain as well! So as we say in Cali, Peace out!
- Shawni, Lisa, Eila, Adelle, Leaders Jane and Karen
Buckingham Palace sub camp
San Diego California
U.S. of A

Ellie and Hana’s favourite activity was the music machine

Heyy, mum and dad, missing you loads – we have done lots of different things including this music machine thing – where you could make your own music and me and ellie made some songs that are good for relaxation!
Meanwhile – in the tent we have a bit of an infestation of flies! Not to good! It is Tuesday – so my birthday is tomorrow and we are going to Thorpe Park! We went do’nutting at Aldershot on Sunday. On Monday {yesterday} we did casualty simulation – which is like stage cuts and burns and BIG bruises! We also did jazz dancing and singing and the music machine that I mentioned. I am missing you and Max and Gillian and Rachel and Sarah and Grandad – but Ellie is here so that is GREAT {so is Louise – which is also gr8} I am missing my bed as well – a ground sheet and a soaking wet bed mat is NOT comfortable. We are all frightened of the wasps – Ellie especially – I miss you guys
LUV YHOOOO
Hana

Hi mum, hi dad hi snowy and hi socks.
I am really missing you guys but this is really fun! Hana is here to keep me company and I see Athol almost every day. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing socks again. We have made a relaxing music CD that I am sure you will enjoy {meditation}
Yesterday {Monday}, we did casualty simulation and jazz dancing and music machine AND singing!I am having a really good time
Love you x Ellie x

my favourite thing so far was casualty simulation....

To my mum - my favourite thing so far was casualty simulation.
On Sunday we went do’nutting that was really fun. On Monday we went and did lots of things around the campsite, it was fun that’s when we did casualty simulation. Then today we are doing crafts. But tomorrow we are going to Thorpe park and I can’t wait. Then I don’t know what were doing for the rest of the week. Were having a bit of trouble with the tent but apart from that I’m having a great time. Also...... make sure my beds nice and comfy for when I get home!

Rhiannon
Kew Gardens

My Swing Acrostic Poem

SWInG is such a lovely place, there’s lots of stuff to do.
We all love it here,
In the fantastic place we’re never bored or blue,
Now the time to go is here.
Going to see our families we all shout and CHEER!

By Anna
Sub camp: Windsor Castle

The wide game, a game played over a wide area...

On Monday evening we got into groups of 6 for the wide game that had a James Bond theme. We set off to the woods, excited about what was going to happen. Not only did we have to look out for CD discs with letters on them, we also needed to look out for the Senior Section walking around with black masks on and water guns. We found the first 3 letters in 10 minutes, then the screaming started. We weren’t sure in which direction to go as we didn’t know where the screaming was coming from. We guessed people were screaming because they had been caught by the black-masked people.

I then noticed two people walking along the path with black masks on. We ran away but they followed. We kept on running until we heard screams behind us, guessing that other people were caught. We carried on searching through the woods looking for these discs, which was hard as it was getting dark. After about 5 minutes, we were cornered. We couldn’t run anywhere but then another group came the same way as us, so they were in the same situation. We then ran around the black-masked people and got away, but one of our team members was left behind. We went back for them and found all the letters, then made our way back to camp.

Each letter had a number to it, to work out a code. The Japanese girls count up the letters. It was amazing to see how they worked it out. They are funny and so interesting. It turned out we had got some of the letters wrong but it didn’t matter that we didn’t win, as we had loads of fun. We then learnt origami from the Japanese and made flowers, a heart and crane. I found Monday so much fun - Not only because I had new friends, but because I learnt a lot about the Japanese. I would love to come back and do it all again.
Hannah, Big Ben

SWInG is very, very fun.....

SWInG

SWInG is very, very fun,
To get to the activities you have to run.
We did some drumming on the very first night,
The volume of the noise gave me quite a fright.
Delicious food we ate today,
Then on our beds we went to lay.
Early in the morning I read some of my book,
Then our breakfast we had to help cook.
This morning we had to find a white tent,
So that we could do crafts till we were content.
That brings us up to were I am now,
I have to go so I’ll take a bow.

By Gemma

Sub camp: Windsor Castle

I’ve only been here for a day and a half and......

have already made some new friends from Canada and Ireland, who are the people staying with us in our sub camp. Last night we did crafts for our day bags, where we made fabric name labels and we also sewed on our patrol signs, mine is a zebra. The food is great and today for lunch we tasted some of the most delicious crunch cake I’ve ever had (made by our cook SANDY!!). The opening ceremony was very good and the dancers and singers were brilliant. My favourite part of it was the flags because I was able to see all of the nationalities that are staying at camp. Today we had a day of crafts and I have made some nice things, like, a necklace, a bracelet decorated mugs, plates, and hama beads.
Eleanor and Lydia, London Zoo.

Our first days at SWInG

Charlie 14 years old
London Zoo sub camp
I am doing Craft, Looking forward to the outing (Thorpe park). My favourite thing at camp is that meeting new people. My favourite food at camp is breakfast which was cereal and cooked breakfast which was yummy.
I have made new friends they are : Beckie, Megan and everyone in my tent. Megan was sleep walking in the night but she was faking it and she kept whacking us too (which hurt)
Have a great time and enjoy yourselves to EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

Beckie 10 years old
London Zoo sub camp
I am doing craft. Looking forward to the outing (Thorpe park). Favourite thing at camp is meeting new people. Bacon from the cooked breakfast (yummy).
Yes I have made new friends they are : Charlie, people from Ireland and Cananda
Have fun at all the activities to EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boris the badger and the lemon meringue pie.

Location: Windsor castle sub – camp.

It was a quiet morning on Windsor camp and an unexpected visitor was heard in the food tent. A 4.30 wake up call for our dear cook Margaret. With torch in hand she thundered out towards the food tent. There was Boris. Eyeing the lemon meringue pie which he had somehow masterfully got out of the cool box. With a twitch of the tent flap Margaret appeared and the pie was gone. Margaret saw Boris. Boris saw Margaret. They stared into each others eyes with fear and hatred. With a sigh of despair Boris toddled off back to his set and Margaret back to her bed!

By Louise, Emma and Caitlin. Windsor

It's a Knockout.... what's that?!

It's a series of silly games, based on the popular TV programme of the 70's.
There are such games as Duck Rescue, Fancy Dress and Bungee!
Each day the girls are organised into 7 groups, which take it in turn to win their game. At the end of the day the team with the highest points in each sub camp get a prize. At the end of the week each sub-camp winner get a chance to battle it out for the ultimate prize of being crowned 'It's a knockout' champions.
There is also much fun with adults in fancy dress, warm up dancing and water pistols.

Activities

Hi, my name is Muriel

I'm leading the activities. The fantastic activities team have organised the activities for SWInG 08. The activities are many and include, surf skis, climbing boulder, grass sledges, assault course, trampoline, inflatable, Irish dancing, maypole dancing, jazz dance, music machine, casualty simulation, singing, handbells, karaoke, drum jam, wide game, It's a Knockout, outings Thorpe Park and Windsor, craft and photography, video films, blog, do'nutting, hiking, archery, shooting, disco, international entertainments and campfire.

Everyone having a great time and enjoying all the fun.

I have sore feet, but still enjoying it all.

Day three - day off from Creativity Zone!

It has been a bit quieter from the girls today as it was the day of rest for the Creativity Zone. I'll find some adults to give us their comments on the camp so far.... having just returned from running the camp wide game!

Day two.... some of the activities...

We are three guides from Surrey West (Woo Hoo) and are camping on Windsor sub - camp.

Our day started with Chris banging on the tent side to wake us up.(I do do Mornings but only when the mornings starts at 11) We then attempted our duties half asleep (Which is not good over a camp fire) and managed to get breakfast ready. We were sent out to do our creativity and this is how the blog started. From the challenge book we made each other friendship bracelets (they are very groovy) and wrote our story 'Boris the badger'. this will be published on the site.(its worth a look )we had a sneak preview of activities on the site that others are taking part in. such as its a knockout! street dance and fake wounds.(WOW THEY LOOK COOL)

It's a Knockout! consists of a number of activities which all look really fun. These include Bungee cord water carrying, Puzzles and a blind folded course dressed as a sumo.

By Louise, 15 from Staines, Emma, 14 and Caitlin, 12 from Sunbury.

Day one!

Our first official day started with a very carefully orchestrated entrance by all 360 girls from around the world. We have people from Pakistan, Ireland, France, Taiwan, Nigeria, USA, Canada, Japan, London and of course Surrey West!

Tents had to be pitched first in their sub camps - (Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Kew Gardens, Stonehenge, London Zoo, Hampton Court and Big Ben), and thankfully the weather began to clear for us, so that by the 4pm opening ceremony the sun was shining brightly :o)

The flags of the countries represented were paraded to start the opening ceremony, with songs written especially for the event, and a special performance by Isabella our 'Guiding Star'.

Then followed the Drum Jam sessions, creating quite a rythmic noise!

A view across some of the campsites

Surrey West International Gathering 2008 - UK

This camp is for members of Girlguiding from around the world. It will run from 2nd to 9th August 2008 on the Surrey West County campsite called Herons Wey, which is near Farnham in Surrey, UK.

The girls who are on the camp will be invited to add their own comments on this blog. They will be able to share some of the things that they have been doing and some of their own thoughts on the camp. They will also be sharing some photos of what is happening.

Karen (chief blogger!)