Recent News

Efforts continue to get The Park ready for this year’s camping season. Work has been going on in the ‘Activity Valley’ and the Air Rifle Range is now up and ready for use (many thanks to Martin Vinton & his team). We are trying to track down the old rifles that were at the Park but if we cannot find them then we shall have to purchase some new ones.

• The Climbing / Abseiling Tower base area has been cleared of undergrowth and rubbish and new fence posts have been erected ready for new fence panels and a gate to be fitted. Then the tower can be brought back and re-erected.
• The Archery Range is the next project to be tackled – a bit more to be nibbled out of the back wall and the spoil to be dropped into the hole that was under the old decking, a new ‘Straw Wall’ and the range could be back ready for use.
• The Caving System is awaiting cleaning, but before that can be done it has to be secured and new gates / doors are going to be produced soon. Once that has been done, and the manhole covers replaced and re-secured over the escape hatches, we shall be running some familiarisation courses for those who wish to become Caving System Leaders (a Form ‘C’ is not required as it is a manmade system).
• A new Orienteering Course is in the process of being designed and once maps are produced that will be another activity available to groups camping at Buckmore Park.
• In addition; the ‘G Line Toilet Block’ is getting attention intended to get it back up and working. The roof has been repaired and the services are being sorted out, we know that the electrics work up to the building and more importantly that the sewage pumps work. Once the electricity is on inside the building we can get the ceiling repaired and the place cleaned up; and once the gas is turned on and the boiler serviced and running again we can once more offer a modern toilet facility to our campers.

All of the above activities will require a team of volunteers to run them; even when the Park is fully operational we shall still need to encourage people to come along and help by volunteering. To that end we need to compile a register of people who would be willing to join the volunteer register; so if you hold the necessary permits to supervise or instruct Air Rifle Shooting, Archery, Climbing, or Caving within The Buckmore Park Cave System or would like to become an instructor in any of these activities please let me know so that your name can be added to the relevant list.

Lots of hard work has been done over several working days to clear sites of leaves and get the sites that we are able to currently use for use or reseeding. That work is almost complete and it is hoped that (weather permitting) we shall be seeding on the next working party day which is planned for Saturday 12^th April from 10 am until 4pm. If you are not members of Strood or Medway District Scouts and you would like to help please contact parkmanager@buckmorepark.org.uk in advance.

We need vehicles and trailers to move stuff about The Park as we have to: -

• Shift an amount of ‘type one’ road stone to outside the current toilet bock to try and consolidate the mud back into a road surface.
• We also need to shift a quantity of hexagonal road surface panels to help the work on the tracks in this area.
• Shift more type one which is needed to go down to the Climbing Tower Site to make up the surface of the new steps there.
• Shift an amount of wood bark onto the old assault course field.
• There is a car Park to be cleared and loads of rubbish to be collected and burnt up.
• There is also quite a lot of litter picking to be done.
• There are also some new paths that need to be opened up or old ones that need to be rediscovered to assist those moving about the site.

We also need lots of people with shovels and wheel barrows to move stuff, and then others who may be able to keep the tea and coffee coming and help in less physical ways.

We are also very aware that we need a proper Service Crew, a dedicated team of people who are willing to take on the tasks of keeping the site running when people are camping and to help keep things moving during the course of the year. To that end we are opening a register of those who would like to be included in that Crew. We intend to ask the two Districts first and then open it up to the rest of the County. Ideally we are looking for some people who can spend the occasional weekend camping up there when others are using the site, so that there is a recognised presence, someone / people who can help keep the place clean and functioning as well as being on site to resolve any issues that may arise.

There will be opportunities for anyone who wishes to be involved, to do so at whatever level of physical ability or amount of time that they are able to commit to; so if you would like to be part of the team that is going to get Buckmore Park back where it belongs as being one of the best Scout Campsites in the South East (to start with) then please drop me a line with a brief note of what skills you have and the level of commitment you are able to consider giving (remember making tea and coffee is a very important skill).

So to recap: -