Not quite so sharp with a bit of padding

AIR MATTRESS OR PAD

You will be warmer and more comfortable in camp if you use a foam sleeping mat or pad or an air mattress. The foam pad is not quite as comfortable as an air mattress but will give you better insulation and hence greater warmth.

Air mattresses are bulky, heavy, need to be blown up and may puncture. If ycu use an air mattress, make sure your ground sheet is a little larger than it is so that the mattress will not get damp.

Ground sheet

Next you will need a ground sheet made of any sort of waterproof material. You can buy ground sheets from a camping store, use heavy weight plastic or builder's plastic or an old shower curtain. Your ground sheet will need to be about 2 metres x 1 metre, a little longer and wider than your sleeping bag when it is rolled out.

When you are sleeping, your ground sheet protects your sleeping bag and sleeping mat or air mattress from moisture and protect you from the cold. The warmth of your body draws the dampness up out of the ground and the underneath of the ground sheet will be quite wet in the morning even if the ground appeared dry when you laid the ground sheet down.

During the day your ground sheet will form the waterproof outer layer of your bedroll.

Snuggles at night

When you go camping one of the most important things is to have a warm, dry bed. If you have the right equipment and look after it properly you will always have a snugly nest ready at night.

Sneeking in a pillow for camp.

PILLOW

Some people can manage without a pillow at camp, others can not. You can make a pillow by putting your spare clothing inside a pillow case and resting the case on your shoes. You can also get blow-up plastic ones which are light and small, or, you might like to just take a pillow with you. If you take a pillow be sure that it is protected from the weather. Put it into a garbage bag sealed with an elastic band until you use it at night.

Toss the bedroll.

Learning to make and tie a bedroll properly is a challenge that once achieved few Guides will ever really forget.  Playing 'throw the bedroll' [of course it' s to see how well the tying of the packers knot actually is!!] is met with cheers when the ting bounces and rolls or merey  wobbles and then topples.  Cheers and laughter with an appreciation of a job well done or groans and a determination to do better nest time.  But the learning is there.  When the 'next time' rolls around so too is the determination to 'do her best'.  And this best is better than the last one.

Starting out as a young Guide the Guide learns and participates in Secret Good Turns.  Moving on gaining the skills and confidence to Lending a Hand, through Being Prepared, and taking the service into the wider community.  WAGGGS offers opportunities to participate in service through out the World.  Either staying at home or visiting the country/ies concerned.

There are now three Service Flashes (1,2, & 3).  These have miminum ages and hours of service.
The 1st Flash starts at age 7 and goes in incriments for up to nine hours.
The 2nd Flash starts at age 9 and is up to fifteen hour service over three months. [about 1 1/4 hours per week]

The last Service Flash minimum age starts at 12 years old. A mininum of twenty hours over three months.  [1 3/4 hours per week].

The syllabus is found on pages 82 to 84 in the reprinted Look Wide 2009 edition.

The Australian Guide Program

Made up of: 

• 4 elements 
• Physical
• People
• Practical
• Self
• and 7 fundamentals
• Promise and Law,
• Outdoors, 
• Service.
• World Guiding, 
• Guiding Traditions, 
• Leadership Skills,
• Patrol