To worry that my 14 year old daughter is going on DofE bronze practice expedition this weekend?

[Stargazey44]

Given that the weather forecast is still for snow and freezing temperatures? They are no longer camping but will be overnighting in scout huts, which is a shame but surely necessary in this weather. They are city kids, and so might be less prepared than some for the conditions. When I emailed the organisation to ask if it was still going ahead they said yes because it would be difficult to re-organise! Maybe I am overreacting but would love to have some reassurance that DofE accredited companies can be trusted to make sensible decisions when it comes to the safety of the children in their care? At the moment I am not even sure the trains will be running to get them to the meeting point...

How much snow is there where you are?

If it is a couple of inches then YABU, if it is a couple of feet then you may have more of a case...

Do you really think they would take them if its unsafe?

Really?????

My son does scouts and has camped in the snow. Providing they are correct wear and thermals it will be fine.. Ime some scout huts are cold too, he has said colder than the outside in tents lol

When I did it, we set off in nice sunshine - soon found ourselves in snow, much to our disgust! It was all fine - we'd been taught to pack for it and you get checked on regularly along the way.

Honestly, they'll postpone if they think it's even remotely unsafe. But you'll worry anyway, because you're her mum (or dad)!

Stock her up on thermals and pack her off. She will be fine it will be throughly risk assessed. Whereabouts in the country is she doing it? I have a friend that runs gold expeditions and they don’t stop for pretty much anything but do a lot behind the scenes to make sure the teens don’t come to any harm

Surely it’s been risk assessed?

Where are they doing it? Bronze doesn’t tend to go too far from the beaten track. Plus there’ll be plenty of checkpoints so they will be monitored.

(Unhelpful anecdote: 20+ years ago I did my Gold practice in February in the snow - in Snowdonia. As well as the snow, there was wind, and one group’s tent blew away overnight. Thankfully, as it was the practice, everyone was camped in the same area (a small valley between the shoulders of a mountain - in retrospect an excellent wind tunnel) so the tentless ones were able to bunk in with other groups.)

It'll be a much better adventure than slogging round in the usual March mud!!

Bronze will be fine, no difficult terrain & only 1 night. They've changed them to huts rather than tents, so you know they'll be warm & dry at night.

Just make sure all clothes, sleeping bag are in waterproof bags (Tesco have 3 for a £5 in the camping bit at the moment).

Thermal underwear, woolly socks, warm gloves, hat. Make sure she knows how to watch out for signs of hypothermia. But snow is no more likely to cause h. than rain and/or wind in just-above-zero temperatures, in fact probably less so.

10 years ago I did my bronze d of e in 75mph winds. It was very tough, but but the time of the expedition you've been taught a lot about how to be prepared. If it's really dangerous they will cancel it, but dealing with adverse conditions is really all part of the experience. Hopefully she will enjoy it!

Ask to see the risk assessment, and make decision based on that and further discussion with leader. Personally if I had no confidence in leader I would be reluctant to let DC go.

I should add I'm old enough to remember the Cairngorms disaster of 1971, but things have changed a lot since then!

"Do you really think they would take them if its unsafe?
Really?????"

There's teens killed on Trips every year. Likewise there's experienced Adult Walkers/Climbers/Swimmers who underestimate the conditions and die, get injured.

I'd want to know the full details and have an Email trail that it was questioned.

I'd also check the travelling advice for where they are and are going.

"Too difficult to organise" isn't a reason to put Teenagers at risk.

They are city kids, and so might be less prepared than some for the conditions.

Isn't that kinda the point of DofE?
Make sure that she has lots of warm clothing (layers) and a change of clothing. Ditto the rest of her group.

Do you really think they would take them if its unsafe?

Was just coming on to say what birds said. Even rough tough soldiers have been known to die on training exercises. Yes I would be worried OP and probably wouldn't allow it.

The best DofE stories are where they have overcome hardships.

Where are they going? We haven't got much snow here though it is very cold.

The official advice says that it probably shouldn’t have been planned for the end of February in the first place if possible.

Hiking in weather like this will require much more specific equipment than a typical expedition, meaning more expense for participants which isn’t what D of E is about.

Thanks for all the reassurances and advice. Its a good point about the risk assessment Vangoghsear - I will ask for that. They will be in Sussex, so not in the wilds of Scotland, and she'll have proper waterproof boots and my warm ski jacket. The weather forecast is currently around -3 degrees with more snow and wind forecast. She is super excited and very disappointed not to be actually camping - its only her mum that's concerned...

Yes I would be worried OP and probably wouldn't allow it.

Way to clip those wings.......

Some oldish figures to put minds at rest -

How Deadly is DofE

I'm a pretty relaxed mum but there is no way I would let my child go. Can you ring the coastguard or mountain rescue or other similar organisation to get their view.

It sounds crazy to me.

I’m surprised it’s going ahead. I’m a DofE leader and have just cancelled an expedition this weekend. Snow is not the issue but low temperatures are. I did have a group out last weekend which was v marginal - most enjoyed but it was cold.

Can you ring the coastguard or mountain rescue or other similar organisation to get their view.

Hmm, No Mountains is Sussex, and they're walking not boating.

Sadly many many more teens will die in road accidents. But you wouldn't stop them crossing the road or getting in a car.

OP, your daughter sounds fab. Whether she goes now or it gets postponed, hope she enjoys it. I think just a bit of common sense - if you don't have much snow, they'll be really well supervised, checked on very regularly, and will have mobile phones. They'll have a great time. We did - even the things that were miserable at the time (like the snow that belted down, of the cow in the field next to us that bellowed its head off all night) were something to laugh about afterwards. BUT if you do have a fair bit of snow, or more is forecast, then that's different. Have you heard anything from the organisers?

As a mum it’s our job to give them wings to fly but it’s also our job to worry.
My 20 yr old DS has done Gold DoE so I understand the worry. He’s presently out on exercise as part of his army Reserve training. I’m trying so hard not to panic. His last text to me was ‘I’m a British Army soldier mum!’.
Do we ever stop worrying??
Whilst you still have some control listen to your instincts.

Way to clip those wings.......

Eh? Have you seen the news? People have died this week because they've underestimated the weather, and gone out anyway. And these re experienced adults who've gone out with the right equipment, not 14yo's who have no real concept of what to do in snow storms or blizzards.

I don't really think it should go ahead. I'm in Cumbria (okay, it's not Sussex, but still) and the advice is not to go out on the hills at all. It's just too risky - it's blowing a gale out there today and it's about -4 without the wind. The ground is icy and still covered in snow in lots of places.

It's just a DoE award - not worth it, in my opinion. I'd expect them to postpone it.