The Salisbury and South Wilts District Scout Grose Trophy took place earlier this month. 

The trophy is named after Lt Col D.C.E. Grose DSO who presented the trophy in 1929 'For annual competition by Troops' (Scout Troops).

The first competition was held in 1930 and was won by the 3rd Salisbury. The competition also ran through the Second World War years except for 1939.

Over the years the competition has taken several forms including a two-day expedition.

Mini Shelter Building  (Image: Paul Prince) This year’s event took place on Sunday, October 13 in the Abbots Well / Frogham area near Fordingbridge, and was the 94th year since the competition started and involved Scouts in Patrols taking part in an ‘incident hike’.

This is navigating between checkpoints and at each of these checkpoints the Scouts are given a task or challenge to complete on which they are marked out of ten points. The winner of the competition is the Patrol who completes the most checkpoints and gains the highest total of points.

The checkpoints were divided into three colours (Red, Blue and Green).  The Scouts first had to complete the checkpoints of their starting colour which was allocated to them at the start of the event.  For example, if a team started at Red 2 they completed Red 3, 4, 5, and 1 in order.  The Scouts could then attempt any checkpoint of which there were fifteen available in total.

This year fifteen teams competed meaning that around eighty local Scouts took part.

Represented were Scout Troops from Bourne Valley Idmiston and Figsbury, 8th Salisbury, 1st Laverstock, 1st Amesbury, 2nd Bulford, 1st Boscombe, 1st Alderbury, 3rd Salisbury (Sea Scouts), 10th Salisbury and 4th Salisbury (Harnham).

This checkpoint bases at which there was a 15 – 20 minute activity included Five Knot Challenge, Building a Stretcher to carry a Scout, First Aid, Navigate the Minefield, fire lighting with flint & steel to boil some water, get the equipment across the swamp, pioneering – Make an A Frame, Observation, Construct a mini shelter in order to keep a marshmallow dry, and Build a Mini Catapult.

Each team had to carry:

  • At least one copy of the appropriate Ordnance Survey (Outdoor Leisure 22)
  • Suitable map case
  • At least one compass (Silva type)
  • At least one mobile phone with What 3 Words App, number disclosed at check in (packed away in bag for emergencies)
  • Survival Bag or Group Shelter (Instruction on use before event)
  • Copy of route card (issued at start)
  • At least one high visibility bib
  • Team first aid kit.
  • Pencil and paper

The fifteen check points gave a possible total of 150 points.

The winners of the competition were a team from the 1st Alderbury Troop who scored a total of 90 points from 11 checkpoints.  The runners up were a team from the 4th Salisbury (Harnham) Troop who scored eighty-three points from 10 check points.

Mark Warner Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts) said ‘’This really is a great test for the Scouts combining orienteering with good knowledge of Scouting Skills and working out the best route to cover as many checkpoints as possible. #"Each Team of Scouts covered somewhere between 8 to 10 km during the day and completed checkpoints and this is a very good effort by everybody.  Many Thanks to all of the Leaders and helpers who assisted with organisation and running of checkpoints’’.