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1997 July / August This year a team of 47 went out. The camp started with a Scout training week, followed by a week with 98 boys from the Boys’ Home. Then a week for 120 girls from the Girls’ Home. This will be followed by approximately 475 handicapped children coming on day trips out, also another first, we had 5 hospital children allowed to sleep on camp. Also on the Sunday, we had approx. 100 children from the surrounding villages for a Fun Day. Unfortunately, we cannot have them for longer as they have to work on their parents’ smallholdings during the week. The boys now are marvellous; we cannot believe the change in attitude. This is the first year we have had a Girls’ Orphanage on camp and it was found that they were in very much the same condition as the boys were the first time we went. Our medical team was over worked with impetigo, sores, cuts and bruises. The girls had never seen a tent before and were unruly and greedy, BUT, after two days, when they understood how we worked and that there was enough for all it was grand, enough to say we will definitely have them next year. 1997 Sept We invited four Romanians, including the President of our Romanian Charity, over to see how Scouting and our charity works in England and also to meet people who support us and can have a chance to talk to them. This was a huge success and Janneta, after seeing campsites in Merseyside and West Lancs. Has, as she said, “ Going home with idea’s of what can be done and what is needed 1997 June Pandoro tell us that, unfortunately, they will not be able to help us this year. (We thank Pandoro for all the help given over the past years, and we are sure that their help has played a very significant part in our success) 1997 July We commence the run up to our SEVENTH camp. It is decided that, as we are having no success at this late hour to get transport, we will use our 10 tonner (which we had decided to scrap this year). It is 16 yrs old) and the 7 1/2 tonner which we acquired to replace it (15 yrs old). These vehicles would take all the equipment for the camp and the medical equipment for the Medical Centre and hospitals, and that this year we would buy the majority of the food required in Romania, through our sister charity. Unfortunately, our large wagon’s engine “blew up” on the M 25 and is beyond repair, so the drivers had to quickly change some of the load, so that the essential items on the large wagon were transferred to the small wagon, and vice versa, and the unessential put on the large wagon. This meant that only the medical equipment for camp, the food we had purchased or been donated, plus the equipment for camp could be sent. The large wagon had to be brought back at a cost of £750 by recovery, the small wagon will take the medical equipment and other equipment out by the end of October, as it is felt unwise for it to go any later. The camp itself was a huge success once again. The first week we had the handicapped children from Siret Neuro Hospital and the Hospital at Sasca, followed by the boys (and girls) from the Boys’ Home (Casa di Copii) Siret and lastly the girls (and boys) from the Girls’ home (Casa di Copii) Gura-Humorului. Owing to Ill health I only went for part of the camp as an observer. My observations were. (1) Most important, the children were thoroughly enjoying themselves. (2) The co-operation and help given by our Romanian team this year working with the English team was tremendous, I felt. The comradeship was better than it has ever been. (3) Though this was the smallest English team we have had on camp, with 30% who had never been before, they worked together giving the children a wonderful time. Last year we welcomed 18 sixth formers and adults who joined us for the hospital week from Gordenstoun Public School, Elgin, Scotland, to help with the hospital children. (4) Alex (our warden) has tiled the cooker, and this has reduced the amount of waste heat tremendously.
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