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...

Is the group leader with the phone an adult? I imagined they travelled in groups without adults. No issues with them not phone gazing.

And i realise people wouldn't have had mobiles in the past. Just asked as maisy mentioned an emergency number.

How would they call an emergency number as we were told at our info meeting for bronze that they will have to spend a day in isolation when they get back if they take a phone with them. Just interested to know how it works for when dd goes
The way we run it students aren't allowed their own phones. (D of E talk about emergency contact only). Our line is that smartphones are smart, students don't need them, using one not in an emergency can get the whole group failed and there is a risk of loss and damage.

We issue then with a PAYG school phone with the number of the on duty member of staff pinned in and stuck to the phone and it's in their expedition packs.

It is for emergencies only.

I've had one student use it in the last few years because on their mock expedition they fell and injured themselves (bit of a bumped ankle but a bit of a hyperchondriac - we had a parent volunteer who was a medic).

Honestly, bronze D of E is walking around low lying foot paths which are easily accessible. It's not thr same as ten tors or idiot adults going up Hellvellyn without crampons or winter climbing gear. Some people are being a bit daft on here.

Thank you. They said one year someone felt ill and phoned their mum then got back to camp and ate and drank and were fine, but there was no reception in the camp so their mum was panicking!

Ours have PAYG Brick Phones with a 2 week battery life.

They have a laminated sheet with all the adult staff numbers, the other groups numbers and the county staff numbers.

Our lot text us at each checkpoint.

They are not allowed to call parents - because the parents tend to go into panic mode & start calling all & sundry.

We also meet up with the groups at random checkpoints, remotely supervise them & will wander along with them if we're bored or if they're near what we consider to be "risk" areas - rivers with stepping stones, dodgy road crossings etc.

Absolute worst case scenario they're told to just stop where they are, put the tents up & have a warm meal - we'll find them, they're only ever between checkpoints.

Thanks. It sounds good

For Bronze I wouldn't be worried. They won't be hill climbing and so long as they have good equipment and an emergency phone they will be fine.

My DS did his Gold in torrential rain and his Silver in a heatwave (came back sunburnt and badly insect bitten despite suncream & insect repellent), but it's not meant to be a walk in the park. On the other hand it will have been risk assessed to the nth degree.

Of course the two week phones will be tiny and robust. It is the smartphones that are the bricks. With short battery life, fragile screens , dodgy connectors and bad reception they are a classic example of fashion over function.

Never rely on a whizzy brick as any kind of safety aid.

It is the smartphones that are the bricks.

I'd disagree, the reason we refer to these non-smart phones as bricks is because they last forever, can be dropped, thrown etc & still keep working.... They're ugly & clumsy but do exactly what you want them to.

I'd disagree, the reason we refer to these non-smart phones as bricks is because they last forever, can be dropped, thrown etc & still keep working
Agreed.

Surely it's also because the older style phones look a bit like bricks?!

Well ours has now been cancelled.

Ah, i see. Yes, that would make sense.

Lugging chunky fashion jobs about looks such a chore. Good for the manufacturers though, absolute gold mine of endless failures and upgrades. Less good for the planet but who cares about that?

Ours is still going ahead and I sent my dd off this morning wearing lots of layers, ski jacket, waterproof trousers and walking boots, hat, gloves etc. Hopefully she will be OK - she was super excited! However I was unimpressed when the lady at the school told me she wasn't aware the school even had a risk assessment for the trip!!

However I was unimpressed when the lady at the school told me she wasn't aware the school even had a risk assessment for the trip!!

Who was the lady? A teacher? Support Staff? There will definitely be a risk assessment-the trip would not be authorised otherwise. However, it is usually only the organisers and person in charge of trips who would see a risk assessment prior to the trip. Please try not to worry!

As long as she has a proper snow jacket, snow trousers, snow boots, plenty of layers-thermals, hat, gloves proper snow ones, etc then she'll be fine.

However I was unimpressed when the lady at the school told me she wasn't aware the school even had a risk assessment for the trip!!
Who did you speak to?
No trip can go ahead without a risk assessment. They are written by trip leaders and share with SLT and staff on the trip. Someone you call up and speak to on the desk probably wouldn't ve aware.

She'll be fine - hope she has a brilliant time. In the meantime and for you until you can pick her up!

One thing I'm going to say here - if you're all so bothered about these sorts of details, rather than grabbing your kids & legging it after a session or sitting in the car park waiting for them, come in & have a chat with the staff and ask us face to face.

We're only too happy to answer your questions & are overjoyed when a parent actually shows interest in what their children will be doing - it doesn't happen too often!!

IllustriouslyIllogical
Or help out!
We have an awesome team of parent helpers. When the students are doing the more independent walks it's great to have adult company on our wanders.

Or help out!

I wanted to keep my post realistic!!

My son too is out there in the wilds sleeping under a tarp!!! Hard-core. I'm on the sofa in my pjs with the heating on and a blanket School did do a risk assessment and changed location and the teachers leaders went a night earlier to "try it beforehand " and further assess the situation.

He'll remember it for the rest of his life - and fondly!!

IllustriouslyIllogical
Helping out is a very realistic prospect at our school.
But I appreciate I'm in a very fortunate position.

DS had a fab time. I have spent the last 2 days drying stuff out and cleaning up mud!! He is looking forward to his Swedish kayaking/camp trip that this was preparation for!