Society Training Weekend 2022
Woolley Edge Camp Site Near Wakefield WF4 2LS [see here]
Logistics
Camping is from 10am Friday 15th April (Good Friday) through to 10am Tuesday 19th April (If required)
Its position is approx 1 mile off junction 38 of the M1 (you can see the motorway from the site)
Entrance to the site is off a fairly busy road with a 40mph speed limit (which most people seem to ignore). The turn into the site approaching from the north is almost a hairpin.
We would advise people towing caravans etc to either come off the motorway at Junction 37 and approach the site from the south or go past the site and find somewhere to turn further up the road before approaching the site from a southerly direction. This negates the sharp turn needed to enter. It has semi hard standing for caravans, campers and Vans but you must be aware access to the site is down a fairly steep tarmac road which has no passing places so some caution is needed when entering and exiting the site.
Can people with vans/caravans etc please book in (vikingtreasurer [at]virginmedia.com) so we are aware of whom to expect.
For those who prefer brick camping there is a travel lodge at both north and south motorway services ½ mile from junction 38. As well as a premier inn in Barnsley (junction 37 M1 6 miles from the site) There will be other places to stay.
There is plenty spaces for camping, plastic or otherwise although in some places kit may need to be carried over the grass.
The site also has 20 bunk beds shoehorned into 3 rooms.
4 bed (2 bunks) straight off the main hall (BOOKED)
8 Beds (4 bunks) also straight of the main hall and
Another 8 bed (4 bunks) near the indoor toilets.
We will be offering these at £15 per bed for the weekend and on a first come first served basis, but be aware there is very limited room in each of the bedrooms
Amenities.
There will be a skip on site for rubbish.
There is a hall for crafts/evening catch ups etc and a large kitchen for use by anyone on site.
There is a paved patio outside of the hall for overspill ; we hope to have a gazebo on the patio for shelter if needed
Showers and toilets with access from both indoors and outside.
Outside sinks with taps.
No Bar or shop so bring your own food/alcohol etc.
Firewood will be provided but a raised firebox must be used. There is a traditional scout camp fire pit if anyone wishes to use this and/or have a communal fire.
Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a leash around the site. There is a wooded area where they can be let off lead. Dogs must be kept under control at all times and the owners must clean up after them.
There is an Asda Superstore (open 24 hours) approx. 10 mins drive from the site in Wakefield (WF2 7DS)
There are local shops including takeaways and a small coop in the nearby village (turn left/north out of the gate ; go to the crossroads ; turn right)
Nearest Hospital for accidents etc is 6 miles away :-
Barnsley Hospital, Gawber Rd, Barnsley S75 2EP
Some General Notes.
There is only one hall, and it isn't very big so cannot be used to dump kit and/or crash between sessions. There may be organised activities and/or meetings taking place and which would be disturbed if the hall is used for anything else. Please socialise elsewhere. There is a paved terrace just outside of the hall that can be used for socialising, but you will need your own camping seats etc. We hope to have a gazebo on the patio for shelter if needed. Warriors can leave their kit etc. undercover between sessions during the day at the gazebo. Do not take weaponry/shields etc into the hall.
The kitchen can be accessed throughout the day but you cannot use the hall as a dining room during the day ; please take food outside during meetings and/or activity sessions so as to not disturb any organised activities. The hall can be used for breakfasts in the mornings before formal activities commence at 10:00am, and for evening meals after 6:00pm providing that formal activities have finished. If the weather is bad we can probably use the hall over lunch breaks but only if this does not require the relocation of crafts equipment etc.
There is an outdoor timber shelter but this has been commandeered for the glass bead making crafts sessions.
For evenings the hall will have equipment etc. moved to the sides and the room can be used as a bar and meeting room, with overspill on the terrace with the gazebo for shelter if needed. There was suggestion of a communal fire at the scout fire pit.
Just so that everyone is aware Luke Holbrook AKA The Merchant of Menace will be on site trading for your start of season kit and equipment.
LHE Notes.
LHE Tests : Anyone wanting to do the Basic LHE Skills training and/or testing should bring their own equipment as per the guidance in the Village Guide. If we don't have enough equipment/furniture etc. then you cannot do the test, and the organisers are not providing these for you. You take your own weapons to a combat test so we expect you to bring your own LHE kit to a LHE test.
History Tests : Anyone wishing to do a history test will need to bring a pen/pencil and a clipboard, or something else to write on. The History tests are likely to be done in an authentic tent without any modern tables for support.
RTT-V and trainees : Please come to the initial LHE meeting scheduled for 9:30am on Saturday morning where we can allocate tasks for the weekend.
Anyone interested in joining the LHE team by becoming a RTT-V should attend the above meeting and/or the surgery sessions scheduled for Saturday morning. The surgeries can also be of benefit to group LHE Thegns even if they do not wish to become RTT-V. Any test candidate either for the weekend tests, or wanting to know about other tests that we will not administer at the STW should also attend the LHE surgeries. The surgeries will be tailored to suit whoever turns up and what they wish to know about.
Timetable
Overall
Training - Saturday, Sunday & Monday (probably morning only)
9:00am - 10:00am Meetings
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2
1:00pm - 2:00pm Bathroom Break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2
Specific Days
Saturday
9:00am - 10:00am Officer Meetings :-
• Combat meetings on training fields
• Missiles range available for practice
• 9:30 am LHE meeting at Northumbria Camp
• Acting meeting at Camp fire area
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• Combat Training on training fields
• Missiles warm-up and training: all weapons
• LHE Surgeries at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Bead Making at the timber shelter
• Acting session, Camp Fire area
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 :-
• Combat Training on training fields
• Missiles training: all weapons
• LHE Skills Tests starting at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Bead Making at the timber shelter
• Acting session, Camp Fire area
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 :-
• Combat Training. Larger scale fighting on training fields
• Missiles assessments: display archery & basic sling
• LHE Skills Tests starting at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Bead Making at the timber shelter
• Acting session, Camp Fire area
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2 :-
• Combat Competitions starting (going on till 5:30pm) on training fields
• Missiles assessments: combat archery & metal javelin; specialist sling training
• LHE History Tests at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Bead Making at the timber shelter
• Acting session, Camp Fire area
5:00pm - 6:00pm Authenticity meeting for CATs and group AOs - Hall
5:30pm - 6:00pm Combat - Alley Brawl - training field
7:00pm - ?pm ALTHING - outside of main hall (unless weather is bad - in Hall)
Sunday
09:00am - 10:00am Meetings & kit checks
• 9:15 am Missile trainers meeting (RTTM and MTO)
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• Combat testing. Larger scale fighting
• Missiles display training: all weapons
• LHE Surgeries at Northumbria Camp (if required)
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Acting testing, Camp Fire area
10:30am Easter egg hunt for 12 and unders (contact:eleanorsaxey@hotmail.co.uk)
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 :-
• Combat Testing. Larger scale fighting
• Missiles training: specialist archery, specialist sling & combat rubber javelin
• Junior Missiles training
• LHE Skills Tests starting at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Acting testing, Camp Fire area
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 :-
• Combat testing (if req.) .... or else more training
• Missiles assessments: specialist archery, specialist sling & combat rubber javelin
• LHE History Tests at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Acting session, Camp Fire area
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2 :-
• Combat - Finish of combat competitions if req... finals
• Missiles users: more training or go have fun
• LHE Team meeting at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos etc. in Hall
• Acting session, Camp Fire area
Monday
Locations
Combat - training fields
Missiles - presumably the archery range / combat fields as appropriate
Crafts - Hall for small crafts and meetings
- Timber shelter for bead making
LHE - Outdoors for Basic LHE Crafts tests (starting at Northumbria Camp)
Acting - Camp fire area