2nd newsletter – Participants – EN – foreign groups
In this newsletter:
- Which countries will be coming to Flamboree?
- Info packages on their way
- NSO confirmation request
- A first scope on the subcamps
- Rough schedule of the program
- Logistics: about equipment and arrival
- What equipment do you have to bring along yourselves?
- HoHo (Home Hospitality) deadline
- Highlighted workgroup: program!
- Calendar
Which countries will be coming to Flamboree?
A lot, no doubt. But how many different nationalities will attend? Let’s list the countries that will be represented coming summer:
- Peru
- Spain
- Ghana
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Denmark
- Grand Duchy of Luxemburg
- Armenia
- Austria
- Turkey
- Ireland
- The Netherlands
- Tanzania
- Taiwan
- Zambia
- France
- Finland
As you see, world’s ready to welcome you. Of course, no question other countries will lengthen this list during the weeks to come.
Information packages on their way!
Since we want to make sure you receive all the information we’ve been publishing about the preparations and particularly about Flamboree itself, your responsible will be receiving a large envelope around mid-March. That’s the so-called information package.
This information package contains a written summary of everything you need to know about the preparations. Also included is a short overview of our expectations towards you for the coming months. The second part covers Flamboree itself.
Arriving at your doorstep soon!
NSO confirmation request
We would like to remind you that all Flamboree participants must be part of a group of scouts or guides which is member of an association recognized by WOSM or WAGGGS. Every participating group and staff has to send us a proof of membership. Please ask your association to send us a confirmation that you are a member by post, fax or e-mail. A model of a Confirmation Request can be found here.
A first scope on the subcamps
The Flamboree hosting terrain will be divided in different regions. First of all, we distinct the central parts, where activities, shows, the market,…will take place. Yet, another part is going to be your home during this eleven days lasting camp. We mean to say your subcamp. Four subcamps will be installed, each of them hosting about three hundred participants. A place for your group to cook, to sleep, to relax, to make new foreign friends, …
Each subcamp will be supervised by the subcamp staff. They make sure you’ll be welcomed properly, answer any questions concerning practical issues,… In the evenings, a lot of activities will be at stake too. Perhaps a good opportunity to get to know other groups living at your subcamp.
As explained above, participants will be hosted on one of the four subcamps. Service will be staying at another. The question to be answered: “what are the names of the subcamps?”. The moment of the revelation has arrived, you may catch a first glimpse of them. For the first time announced in public:
The participants’ subcamps:
- Subcamp 1: Taurus (bull)
- Subcamp 2: Leo (lion)
- Subcamp 3: Scorpio (scorpion)
- Subcamp 4: Aries (ram)
The service subcamp has been named 'Polaris'. A shining star, around which the entire universe seems to circle. Of course, you’re all remarkable stars on Flips’ journey. All of us together, we’ll live this sparkling adventure.
Rough schedule of the program
During the last months, the workgroup Program has been working intensively. They have been working out the whole concept of the activities to be offered to participants and their leaders during Flamboree.
The Flamborean program consists of three parts. The first part will be occupying day two till five, the sixth day is the central day. From day seven on until day ten, part two will be executed. Not to forget the arrival and departure day (1 & 11).
Every part of the program contains different sub modules, spread in a most ingenious way. Every subcamp will be able to follow all of the activities covered by a particular module, but each at a different moment. The exact time schedule can be consulted on the website.
Part one contains the following modules:
- Outdoor: do you like the taste of on open fire cooked food? Aren’t you afraid to become dirty or are you a technical genius? It’s all about adventure and techniques here!
- Back in Time: back to the old Flemish life. Popular, tasting your own freshly baked bread,…
- Future life: what’s life going to be like in the future
- Global life: ethics at Flamboree
Halfway, we organize a special day, featuring among others:
- Reflection moment
- A city in which everyone visits each other to taste, play, dance,…
- A mass game. Coordinated chaos uniting over 1200 players.
- Carnival and party
Part two features following modules:
- Simply scouting: the real Flemish scouting experience: typical games such as “duifje, duifje”, “dikke Berta” or “Schipper, mag ik overvaren?”,...
- Fashion: what does a wedding dress produced out of plastic bottles look like? What do you look like when wearing a turban? What are Scottish people wearing under those quilts? Already curious?
- Waterworld: action and fun, on or in the water. Soaked to the skin or just a welcome refreshment after a steamy summer day.
- City life: a cool city trip to Brussels. Dreaming of climbing on buildings or playing in the metros. In short: Brussels as you’ve never experienced it before!
Of course, each subcamp provides an extended evening program as well. A camp fire with sing along, a subcamp game, a film, a street party,… Your subcamp staff will make sure you won’t feel bored in the evening!
Logistics: about equipment and arrival
A question you’ve perhaps already been thinking about: “How do I get to Flamboree?” There are several options to get to the Flamboree terrain (Hopper youth accommodation “De Kluis”). What are the possibilities when using public transport, particularly when bringing all the desired equipment along? What will the total cost amount to? Where can I find the necessary information to plan the journey? All these questions will be answered once you’ve received the information package. We’d like you to arrive before 3PM on the 29th of July 2009. Doing so will give you more time to comfortably install at your subcamp, cook your first dinner,.. The crown event will take place in the evening. A whirling opening show in which we’ll officially declare an unforgettable Flamboree to be opened.
If you are unable to arrive before the time stated above because of logistic errands, we offer the opportunity to arrive at Flamboree a day earlier. So, you can already arrive starting from the 28th of July if this suits you better because of transport etc. No program has been worked out for this day. You can spend it building up your subcamp and taking a well-deserved rest after a possibly long and tiring journey. Groups choosing to arrive earlier pay an additional sum of €2,5 per person per meal. The information package can provide you with more detailed information.
What equipment do you have to bring along yourselves?
Beneath, you’ll find a list of items every participant or servicer should bring along. A separate list of the required group equipment is included as well.
All groups are supposed to bring their own equipment with them (pioneering wood, ropes, gas cookers and gas cylinders not included).
Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen Groups are asked explicitly to provide all the demanded equipment twice. This is because the additional equipment could be used by a foreign group. For some of them, it might be difficult or even impossible to transport e.g. tents, cooking materials, shelters etc. That’s why all Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen groups are linked to a foreign group. This project will run under the name ‘Buddy project’. More about this can be read in the HoHo-brochure.
This weather forecast may be a useful guide when packing:
- In Belgium, summers can be hot, as well as cold or rainy.
- Especially in the evenings temperature may fall quickly.
- For some activities, specific clothing is required: walking shoes, swimming trunks,…
- Make sure you bring enough clothing. We recommend to label it, mentioning your name and country.
- De Kluis is a region with high degree of forestation, so rain results in a muddy terrain.
- It rains on average one third of the days of July-August.
- Average temperature during the day: 22°C
What does every participant bring along personally
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat
- Cutlery
- Plate or other food container
- Towel
- Pocket torch
- Long trousers
- Short trousers
- T-shirts
- Underwear
- Stockings
- Water proof walking shoes
- Sandals
- Swimming wear
- Toilet kit (personal medication, washing equipment, deodorant, aftersun,…)
- Sun creme
- Bug spray
- Sewing equipment
- Rain coat
- Small backpack
- Drinking-bottle
- Sunglasses and sun-hat
- Money
- International Passport
- Medical insurance documents
- Warm sweater
- Uniform and scarf
- Outfit to become dirty
- Sleeping wear
- Subcamp-coloured T-shirt
- Leo: yellow
- Taurus: red
- Scorpio: green
- Aries: blue
- Laundry bag
- Feel free to bring a musical instrument
- Cards or other small games
Group equipment:
- Cooking equipment: 1 patrol box containing:
- 1 big roasting tin
- 2 frying pans
- 4 saucepans with lid (1*15l, 2*10l, 1*5l)
- 4 drinking jugs
- 4 small washbasins
- 1 large washbasin
- 3 ladles
- 3 skimmers
- 3 mixers
- 2 bread knifes
- 4 potato-peelers
- 4 peelers
- 3 spatulas
- 2 mashers
- 3 wooden spoons
- Detergent
- 2 dishcloths
- 4 sponges
- 10 kitchen towels
- 1 tin opener
- Matches or lighter
- Sleeping tents: enough to host all of your group members
- Enough tent pins
- Ground sheet
- Tent poles
- Cooking shelter, eating shelter
- ‘Little show’, to be performed during the ‘city event’ on the central day (something cultural, regional dishes,…)
- Water containers
- Decoration material for your own group terrain
- Country flag
- Small first aid package
- 1 shovel
- Rubber hammer
What will be provided by the Flamboree staff
- Food: all meals
- Water during the meals
- Gas fires and gas bottles
- Pioneering material to build a patrol quarter
- Sleeping tents for service
- Drinking cup
- Toilet paper
What will be sold on regular moments:
- Drinks
- Cola
- Fruit juice
- Ice tea
- Lemonade
- Water
- Some small snacks
- Basic provisions:
- Soap
- Tooth brush
- Sleeping bag
- Batteries
- Postal cards
- Stamps
Deadline for HoHo (Home Hospitality)
We’d like to offer foreign groups the opportunity to spend some more time in Belgium before or after the actual Flamboree. To make this possible, Belgian groups have offered to host foreign groups. Perhaps your group would like to live the experience? The ideal way to find out there’s more to Belgium than just scouting.
Home Hospitality (HoHo), what’s this all about? Would we be interested? What additional international dimension can result out of it? Read the HoHo brochure and you’ll know it all. We hope you get the ‘international fever’ and joins the HoHo adventure.
HoHo is possible from the 22nd until the 29th of July and/or from the 8th till the 15th of August 2009. You decide in group or individually how long you want to stay in Belgium during this period.
Any questions left? One address: hoho@flamboree.be.
Highlighted workgroup: Program!
Who are they?
It’s an enthusiastic bunch of people, willing to offer a lot of activities, parties, exchanges, games and much more during Flamboree. Never a dull moment when team Program is around!
What do they do?
They work out the activity program, at scout/guide level, taking into account the concept of Akabe. The program varies from morning programs over daily programs to rainy programs and the evening program. Add to this a walk-in program, badge-activity program and religion program. Besides, they give a hand in working out the service program and lots more…
It all comes down to this: refreshing, varying, intensive, special, stimulating, motivating, moving,…
The first results of their superb labour can be found elsewhere in this newsletter, where the first details of the Flamboree program were revealed. Now you have at least a clue of what sparkling adventures may expect at Flamboree.
Take a look at the website for more information!
Calendar
- Mid-March: information packages arrive
- 15th of April: all information forms must be returned to the organization
- 29th – 8th of August: Flamboree!!
Next newsletter
The next newsletter can be expected towards the end of March, covering following topics:
- Update on the participating countries
- Program by subcamp
- Information concerning leader activities
- More on the evening activities