Special Features

The Camp Chief

This is John Kennedy's third Blair Atholl Jamborette as Camp Chief. His first involvement was in 1976 and has attended all of the 14 camps since and has thoroughly enjoyed himself at every one.

John told us that he really enjoys that he really enjoys being Camp Chief and he would hate to give it up. John told us that he has about 340 staff supporting him with the camp and he is very happy with the running of Blair Atholl - "I have such a great team".

What does the Camp Chief do? He co-ordinates all the teams to make sure everything runs smoothly over the duration of the camp.

When not planning Blair Atholl, John is the District Commissioner for Leith, near Edinburgh.

Adam and Paul from MacDonald sub camp

Site Services

What, who, where, when? - All you ever wanted to know about the group in control of many jobs around our camp!

We went round the camp finding out more about the important things that happen behind the scenes and hold the camp together. After a while we finally found two of the silent team, Toby from Scotland and John from the U.S.A who work for site services.

They were visibly very busy but found time to answer a few questions. The first thing we wanted to know was what they did and and we were quite surprised at the long list which followed this question: collecting the rubbish, cleaning the toilets, building showers and toilets, building gates, gas and the all important electricity without which we wound'/wouldn't have the wonderful disco lights!! So clearly we have a lot to be thankful for! When asked what they think about their jobs their thoughts were clear "just great!"

We then went to meet another member of the site services who was a little less busy than the others. He chatted to us for quite a while about the good and bad points of his job. The working hours are very long from 8a.m. until 10 PM but on the upside he says the job can be "very rewarding"." They have encountered a few problems along the way, for example there has not be a lot of firewood and there have been a few technical problems with the showers but nothing that this hard working team could not tackle.

From our activity we have learned that the site services team are very busy and work extremely hard. They have just one message to all the happy campers here Keep the toilets clean!!!

  
Three of the hard working team of 12 from Site Services - The only reason they are sitting down is because we stopped them to ask what they did on site - now we know.

Karlie and Maxine from MacLean sub camp.

The Quartermasters Store

This morning we visited the quartermaster and his store. His team of people were preparing the rations for the day and this included 250 kilos of turnip and 250 kilos of haggis for this evening's dinner.

Typically there is a provisions delivery every two days. The perishable food stuffs and kept in a freezer/chiller lorry - the freezer compartment has a temperature of -3 degrees centigrade. The Quarter master told us "every time you open the door of the freezer, you think it's snowing".

360 litres of milk are delivered every day,1000 toilet rolls will be used during the camp, and there will other deliveries such as 1000 sticky buns, 4500 packets of crisps (chips), 210 swiss rolls and 900 apple pies.

The stores	Rations for this evening meal.
The staff preparing rations	The freezer truck, on loan for the camp.

The quartermaster has a team of 22 people working for him for the duration of the camp.

Karlie and Maxine from Murray sub camp.

The Camp Hospital

One important feature of such a large camp is the medical support and there is a fully supported medical center on site supported by doctors who are on call 24 hours a day.

The 'hospital' comprises of a large marquee with a wooden floor and comprises of a reception area, a treatment room and a rest room, should it be needed.

There are three doctors on a rota system, some paramedics and numerous fully qualified first aiders.

On talking with the duty doctor and asking if they had been busy, she told us that there had been 28 injuries on camp since it started ranging from cuts and bruises to one requiring stitches in a wound.

A word of advise from the Doctor- "Be careful of what you do - think before you do something because you could seriously injuring someone."

The picture to the right shows the duty doctor when we called, in the treatment room.

Andrew and Gian.

The Reception Area

As you enter the gate into the field there is a large marquee which houses the reception area and a display on the history of the Blair Atholl Jamborette.

Reception is manned every day of the Jamborette and as well as meeting guests to the site, signing them in and out for security reasons, they handle incoming telephone calls to the site. They are also in radio contact with the main team leaders should there be a need to contact them. They also handle lost and found property, help overseas scouts with any questions they may have. And in their spare time they prepare things for the Jamborette on a day to day basis.

Some of the reception staff on duty when we called.

Another individual you will find in Reception area is David Jeffries. David has attended every Jamborette since they started in 1946. The cost of the camp then was only £5. There were 421 Scouts from around the world and 52 leaders and staff took part. In reception David has a marvellous display of old and new pictures and a display of every Blair Atholl badge.

A view of David's display on the history of the Jamborette

A closer view of the array of badges that he has collected over the years at 28 Jamborettes.

Andrew and Gian.

The Staff Club

While we have our Kross and all it's facilities the Staff have their own club where they can drop in for a cup of tea or coffee as and when. It is their social centre, where they can chat with each other and relax without any Scouts around them. We were privileged to be let in to interview the team leader, Wendy, who has a staff of 12 working with her.

They have similar things as we have in the Kross, but a lot better. There is even a pond inside the Staff Club. it has chandeliers and a big cover inside so you wont see the big marquee from the inside. If you did not have to walk through the front, you would never know it was a marquee.

Inside the Staff Club

Four of the Club Staff

In the evenings they have their own entertainment programme including an ongoing quiz, ceilidhs and if a leader has any spare time there are a few afternoon excursions available.

There is a staff notice board inside that keeps them informed on al that is going on.

Adam and Paul from MacDonald sub camp

Administation

The folk in the administration team based in a cabin beside the Reception area have the responsibility for checking everyone's details when they come on site and the keep this on a database so that they are aware of who is at the camp. They also have the responsibility of arranging the home hospitality with the Scottish families at the end of the Jamborette. This is quite a task as the visiting Scouts will be scattered all over Scotland and they have to co-ordinate this and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to live with a Scottish family for a few days.

The Administration Office (nearest) and It cabin behind it.

A few of the Administration Staff

Lisa and Stephen

Activities Office

The Activities office is managed by Pat and Stuart and they have the task of ensuring that all the activities happen on time ( or as near as) and that the allocation to activities is managed efficiently.

They gather in all the information forms and then allocate the various activities to each sub camp. Each day the sub camps get different bases to try out. For people who did not put there name down for an activity, the Activities Office will allocate them spare slots in an activity.

If you don't know where you should be for an activity Pat and Stuart can sort you out and tell you where you will find your activity.

They process the data and then give activity sheets to the cousins who run the bases - and they in turn go to the sub camp and pick up the people for the activity.

Pat, busy working out the next sequence of activities for tomorrow. Stuart, the second -coordinator, had escaped when we called.

Lisa and Stephen

Staff Catering

The catering team - without whom the Staff would not survive. Lesley heads a team of 18 people who cook and serve meals three times a day for the duration of the camp. That is roughly 1000 meals per day, all prepared in a small portable kitchen unit. Inside the Dining Area there is a chill unit from which the staff can help themselves for cold starters and sweets. The Dining hall is equipped with units to keep the food hot and the meals prepared are not just take what you are given, there is a a full breakfast available and a selection for lunch and dinner. Well done to the cater staff for keeping the leaders well fed.

Lunch in preparation for Tuesday.	One of the team checks the soup.
The portable kitchen unit
The chiller Unit in the dining hall	Staff lunches