Lord Baden-Powell described the Patrol System as "a real co-operative matter." Both Walpole and Pitshanger Scouts put that idea to the test this week.
We started by splitting the group: Patrol Leaders and APLs in one corner, working through what their role actually demands — organisation, delegation, keeping standards up, passing on skills to the Scouts coming up behind them. They set the tone for their patrol, and it was good to see them taking it seriously. Meanwhile, the rest of the troop were getting to grips with the patrol structure: understanding what a PL, APL, and Quartermaster are each there for, and what it means to pull your weight as a patrol member.
Outside, we put together an obstacle course and the patrols took turns. Each Scout was blindfolded — no peeking — and had to navigate the course guided only by their PL calling directions from the centre. The winning patrol was the one who got everyone through fastest. You could hear the concentration in the PLs' voices and the trust from the Scouts following them. A good test of whether a patrol is actually listening to each other.
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Walpole |
Pitshanger ran the same course after dark — which, as the photographs suggest, adds a certain quality to the experience.
Pitshanger
Leadership and teamwork skills help the troop every week, and will be especially important during Summer Camp in Wales. The Scouts picked up some useful skills
and had a lot of fun doing it.
Pitshanger 
Full uniform please next week.