Society Training Weekend 2023
When and Where
The Society Training weekend will be held at Grafham Water Centre, Chichester Way, Perry, Huntingdon PE28 0GW
Make sure you are heading to Grafham Water Centre, not 'Grafham Visitor Centre'.
Camping is from 11am Friday 7th April (Good Friday) through to 4pm Monday 10th April.
Its position is approx 2 miles away from the A1 at Buckden.
Entrance to the site is through a residential street. there will be a One Way system in place for entry and exit. The centre is in a residential area and all Vikings are expected to be conscious of noise whilst they are near the neighbours and boundaries of the site. There is to be no amplified music. Please support each other with reminders about this requirement if required.
It has semi hard standing for caravans and camper vans, All the available spaces are now booked for these. If you haven't booked in, please don't bring a camper van or caravan.
The majority of the locations for tentage will require people to unload in the carpark next to the Sports Hall and carry their gear to their tent location. No vehicles are allowed on the grass. When you arrive if this is going to be a problem, let someone know and we will assist where possible.
Part of the camping area is close to the lake. The lake edge will be marked with a rope line, below which there much be no camping. Families with small children will be given priority at the top of the quiet camping area, furthest away from the lake. See the Site Map for the location of the quiet area.
Running behind the quiet camping area is an obstacle course, please ensure that someone responsible is directly supervising young children using this area, as it it hidden by trees/bushes.
The site also has 44 bunk beds in dormitories of up to 6 people. Some rooms are smaller. there are a few bed spaces remaining. 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 to move around in some of the bedrooms.
To book in indoor accommodation please email konungr@vikingsonline.org.uk
There will be another group of young people on site whilst we are there. They will be using the water and one of the accommodation blocks. There will be signs on any doors or areas which are out of bounds for Vikings. Any disregard of these signs will be treated very seriously and as a breech of safeguarding. Vikings are expected to behave wholly responsibly if our paths cross.
There will be a talk on Saturday evening on the finds from Torksey given by our very own Trix Randerson. The location of the talk is the Sailablity Cabin.
There will be an Althing and Awards Ceremony on Saturday at 6.30pm in the Sports Hall. See the Wiki for further events and timings.
There will be a Bring and Buy Sale on Sunday Lunch time 12.30-2.30pm
Safeguarding - if you are responsible for children or vulnerable adults at the event, please take time to walk the site with them, drawing their attention to the 'no go' areas (near the lake, high ropes frames, climbing wall) and let them know where they can go but need to be supervised: the low ropes frame, beyond the yellow fence near the water, the obstacle course beside the Waterside Field.
Amenities
- There will be wheelie bins for landfill and recycling spread around the site. Please keep the site scrupulously clean. Please be very careful with glass. Usually the site does not allow glass at all, but we have a special dispensation.
- Smoking and Vaping - As the site is a County Council site, it is Smoke Free. The three fire pits have been designated as smoking areas. The site staff will challenge you if you are seen smoking elsewhere, especially moving around the site or in view of the other centre users. There is no smoking or vaping allowed in the Sportshall. Please be discrete.
- Crafts will be carried out in the Sports hall and the main bushcraft area.
- There is a permanent small marquee suitable for meetings/socialising.
- There is an outdoor kitchen next to the combat field for use by anyone on site. This will be the location for people using the indoor accommodation to cook.
- Showers and toilets with access from both indoors and outside are adjacent to the Sportshall.
- Outside sinks with taps and water points marked on the site map.
- The Stagger Inn will be providing the bar in the Sports Hall. The Society will benefit from a profit share on the takings form the bar. Please drink accordingly .... and responsibly.
- People who wish to bring a coracle may do so. There is small circular pond (10m diameter) suitable for paddling and coracle races. This can be used at any time at your own risk. We have no access to the main water during the weekend. Please do not swim, paddle board etc.
- Small, cooking fires in raised boxes may be located in your camp. Firewood will be provided and each fire box must have its own firefighting equipment. There are three fire pits on site which may be used for socialising. these are the only places where a larger fire may be lit.
- The site does not normally allows dogs, but we have been given a dispensation. Dogs must be kept on a leash around the site. Dogs must be kept under control at all times and the owners must clean up after them. There will be a bin designated for dog waste in the central rubbish compound. No dogs are allowed in the accommodation block. Well-behaved dogs may come into the Sports Hall in the evenings only.
- There is a small store in the village and a pub. Please do utilise it. They are looking forward to serving us. Opening times are limited: Fri 5am-12pm, Sat 5am- 12.30pm, Sun 5am-10am, Mon 5am-10am
- There are local shops including takeaways and a small coop in the nearby village (back to the crossroads turn right)
- There will be 2 high ropes courses run on Sunday afternoon, from 1pm. This will cost £10 per person. Adults and children over 8 may book onto this by emailing konungr@ There are places remaining.
- Nearest Hospital is 9 miles away :-
Hinchingbrooke Hospital Parkway Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon PE29 6NT
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 Lunch Break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2
Bar Opening Times
Fri 7th – 2pm to midnight Sat 8th – 12pm to midnight Sun 9th – 12pm to 10.30pm
Specific Days
Saturday
9:00am - 10:00am Officer Meetings :-
• Combat meetings on training fields
• Missiles range available for practice
• 9:30 am LHE meeting In the Sports hall
• Acting meeting at Marquee 2
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• Combat Training on training fields
• Missiles warm-up and training: all weapons
• LHE Surgeries in the sports hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting session, Marquee
• First Aiders and H&S Officers meeting - bar 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 sports hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting session, Marquee
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 Sports hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting session, Marquee
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 Sports Hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting session, Marquee
4:30pm - 5:30pm Armourer's drop in session, Marquee
5:00pm - 6:00pm Combat - Alley Brawl - training field
6:30-7:30 pm ALTHING - Sports hall
7:30 -9pm (or earlier if short Althing) Trix Randerson talk
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 Sports hall if required
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting testing, Marquee
11.00 am Easter Egg Hunt for children under 12 and their supervising bigger person, for pre booked people only.
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 Sports hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting testing, Marquee
12:30pm - 2:30pm Bring and Buy Sports Hall
1.00pm - 2.30pm High Ropes activity for people who have pre booked only
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 Sports Hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting session, Marquee 2
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 Sports hall
• Crafts demos etc. in Sports Hall/as listed here
• Acting session, Marquee
5:00pm Golden Javelin competition Missiles area
Monday