The blue peter camp
When Blue Peter dedicated a whole show to Scouting, 120 Scouts decided to show them just how adventurous we are. Presenter Andy packed his rucksack for his first Scout camping experience and Hilary Galloway was behind the scenes to see how he fared
‘I wish I had been a Scout,’ says Blue Peter presenter Andy Akinwolere, as he sits by the campfire. He has just finished filming and it is 11.30pm on the first night of the Blue Peter camp at Youlbury Activity Centre. Over 120 Scouts took part in the camp, which was followed up with a day in the TV studio, where they broke a new Guinness world record. Andy was assigned to the Bear Patrol and Cub Scout Grace his leading lady – and she took Andy under her wing. Her first time in front of a television camera, Grace took to it like a duck to water, and like her namesake, Grace Kelly, may have found a new career path. She told Andy all about Scouting (‘it’s really exciting and you have lots of adventures’) and helped him master the challenging camp activities, including Youlbury’s new High Ropes course – an assault course 14 metres in the air.
Ollie, a Scout from Sevenoaks, added: ‘The great thing about Blue Peter filming our Scout camp is that it is a chance for other children to see that Scouting is not just about history and tying knots; it’s about climbing, camping and making new friends. I love the social side of Scouting. I was on a survival camp recently and made two really good friends. I may never see them again, but that is what Scouting’s about. Whether it’s for a year or a day, it’s still good to make new friends. It’s really, really, really, really cool!’
The following week everyone boarded coaches again, but this time to BBC Television Centre and the famous Blue Peter studios for the rest of filming – a slightly warmer affair. Chief Scout Peter Duncan felt particularly at home, having been a Blue Peter presenter in the 1980s. ‘It feels great to be back,’ he told Andy’s co-presenter Gethin Jones.
Half the show was filmed live out in the Blue Peter garden, where two teams of Scouts eagerly competed in a tent-pitching competition, captained by Peter and another of the programme’s current hosts, Zoe Salmon.
Peter’s green team was the first to erect the tent and hoist the flag. This was despite being forced to face all the elements, courtesy of a wind machine, and strategically placed
buckets of water.
Everyone then went inside to smash a world record live on air, with 108 Scouts, Leaders and presenters becoming Guinness record holders for flipping pancakes continuously for 30 seconds – without dropping them. When not filming, the Scouts enjoyed talking with Andy, Zoe and Gethin. Ten-year-old Rebecca, who was sitting with her friends during a break, said: ‘All the presenters have been really nice, we’ve loved today.’ She added, ‘Me and my friends all go to different schools, so Scouting gives us a chance to all hang out together and have fun. And doing that at the Blue Peter studios is even better!’
Scout Parminder had been on Blue Peter before, but last time as an audience member. ‘This is much more fun,’ he said, while pinning his Blue Peter badge to his uniform.
Since the whole programme was dedicated to Scouting, it was only right that even the programme’s animals, dogs Lucy and Mabel and cat Socks, had their own neckerchiefs.
The show ended with Peter being presented with a coveted gold Blue Peter badge and a celebratory 100th anniversary birthday cake featuring the Scout and Blue Peter logos.
