27.06.14 WiseUp school course and Bushcraft Club with Black Wolf Survival

Stayed at Craigs last night due to an early start today, he drove us to an east London school where WiseUp had organised a bushcraft day course with 4 work stations, one covering Fire, another Shelter, Water and Paracord Brackets.
Richard who runs WiseUp arranged for me to run the water station, with the plans for each session to run for an hour, I had not led this course for over a year so read up on my old notes and remembered as much as I could from the session we ran with the bushcraft club recently.
I covered all the points on the first session, but felt I'm presented it in a slightly disjointed manner, but from there each one improved until session 4 felt very smooth.
I'm hoping to do some more sessions with these guys soon.

We went straight from there to Tunbridge Wells for the last session from the bushcraft club that we had been running, we found that most of year 6 were not going to be attending this week as they had just got back from a week away and we thought that this might impact on the rest of the group as this year group had no been an integral part of this course, but what an exciting week it turned out to be, the kids did a treasure hunt, finding items in the woodland finishing with the kids making a picture of me or Craig out of natural materials (see attached photo).
After we had organised certificates for each of them, the kids loved these and applauded each other when they were given out.
As we went to drop the kids back various parents asked if we were running more of these courses as they all said there kids had really enjoyed it.
Craig has been in continuous contact with the school and it look like we will be running a more advanced course in September for year 5 and 6 of 4 weeks and an overnighter in there woodland, another course next year for years 2, 3 and 4 aimed at being more playful and working with the senior school running a more advanced course to run alongside there curriculum.
So although we were sorry to see this course finish it has left us both with a lot of hope for future adventures.
I would also like to thank Craig and his Mrs Jo from Black Wolf Survival for asking me to help him out with this course, and running me around especially in the lats few weeks without a car, collecting me from the train station etc.

20.06.14 Bushcraft Club with Black Wolf Survival

Busy one this week, still using the train to get to Craig, when Craig arrived at the train station he said he had to pick something up from the post office, it turned out to be a TBS BOAR folding knife that he gave to me for the extra help I had given during this club, full review will be made once I've abused it for a while.
We had planned on doing navigation with the kids so after discussing specifics we collected the kit together and left, arriving early at the school to set up.
Once all the kids were here we talked about navigation, and different methods that could be used.
Then took them around the activities showing them a sun stick, with a marker on its shadow, then when we stopped off at this at the end, marked again at the next shadow placed your right foot on the first marker left on the second, this leaves you facing south(ish).
Next we took them to a giant circle explained that we were demonstrating a clock face and demonstrated the hour hand and the sun to give direction.
Then to a load of tin foil plates laid out as the big dipper star shape and explained how to find the north star.
Lastly we took them to the running track and worked out how many paces they each do in a hundred meters, then asked them to work out how many meters back to the playground where their parents collect them,  they did very well with this, most getting within 20 metres.

http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/tbs-boar-folding-pocket-knife---matt-black-micarta---perfect-edc-knife-16343-p.asp

13.06.14 Bushcraft Club with Black Wolf Survival

As my car is now extinct, I got the train to Ashford then was picked up, we dropped back to Craigs house to prep for the day as the school had contacted him and asked if we could do today's lesson in  two groups as 12 of them had a drama production to attend, so after checking and packing the kit we left for the first group of 12 and we're ready for them by lunchtime.
The class went very well, teaching the kids how to make a basic water filter using a plastic bottle, cotton wool, coffee filter, charcoal and gravel (we were going to add sand as well but found it discoloured the water).
After the lunchtime club we went into town for our lunch then came back an did Safeguarding Children Training with the deputy head, this was something I had done previously but it's always good to update as although their is a standardisation with this training their is also individual adaptations for the environment such as in this case a whole section for external teachers within the school.
We then did the second half of the club with the remaining children, this also went well, and over the lessons we were able to explain about waterborne diseases etc, and describe other ways to make water safe, also the importance of hydration and dangers of dehydration.
To demonstrate dirty water we used tap water with some twigs in and added glitter this demonstrated very well as when the water had drained through we were able to take the filters apart and look at the glitter and how far it got through.
The only issue with the glitter thing is that glitter is EVIL and I look like a disco queen and probably will for days after.

06.06.14 Bushcraft Club with Black Wolf Survival

Getting ready for another week of bushcraft club, I arrived at Darrens house early, Craig was away with other commitments so Darren and I said we would run this week, Darren drove to the school and we checked out the area for the class as it was a glorious sunny day, either in the wooded area or over to the benches, upon checking the benched area was nice and shaded surrounded by trees.
Once we collected all the kids we showed them that we were making cobra stitch survival bracelets, we had 45 kids this week and after Darren demonstrated how to make them with me talking through it we let them have a go, the next hour was extremely hectic, with Darren and I starting off and helping nearly everyone, a few of the kids got the hang of it quickly and they helped out as well so by the end of the club nearly everyone had a bracelet and those few that had not had friends that would help them during the week.
On the way home Darren and I chatted we will arrange with Craig to get out for a personal overnighter away from kids, Craig rang us and told us that he had received an email from the school they had said today had gone very well.
Happy with that.

Back at Darrens I jumped into my car to drive for some other work, about half way a knocking noise started from the engine, then BOOM my exhaust blew out and tons of smoke started to billow out, I pulled over to the hard shoulder and the engine was definitely not happy steaming and smoking away.
I turned off the engine, the car was dead, 4 hours later my father in law dropped me home. Will have to have the next few months without a car, until work picks back up.