Water Adventure Cadre

(WAC)

Basic Information:

• Meets Friday 7-9pm at Millennium House
• Members are girls and boys aged 10 plus
• Activities include archery, camping, hiking, kayaking, orienteering, pioneering, shooting and team building.
• For more details contact Mrs P Desborough 07986387503

History:

WAC started on 20^th January 1989 at the Avenue Club. It was organised by Nigel and Pat Desborough, with support from friends. Six people joined on the first night. WAC has no “umbrella” organisation so is free to choose its own activities and focus. The group has always tried hard to be involved the community and has entered the Biggleswade carnival and paraded on Remembrance Sunday every year since 1989 and added it’s support to charities such as Red Nose Day. It has also taken on smaller projects and events such as a sponsored litter pick in 1990 and entering and winning the 1991 “It’s a Knock Out” organised by the Scouts.

The annual camp is an event that is much looked forward to by members. Each year the activities evolve and even those who have been year in and year out have never had an identical experience. In the early day much of our equipment was borrow, now with years of fundraising we are proud to own our own kayaks, BAs, Safety boat and much more. Though constant fundraising is needed to update, replace and buy equipment for regular or new activities.

Fundraising events have included a sponsored kayak from Biggleswade to St Neots, Night Hikes, a Monopoly Run in Stevenage and a sponsored abseil in September 2007. WAC has also been helped with donations from organisations such as Biggleswade Carnival Committee and Biggleswade and District United Services Association. We also take part in the Biggleswade Chronicles Cash Point scheme, send out Yellow Moon fundraising catalogue and have a Webshop

We have had a number of Junior Leaders and Instructors pass the St John’s Lifesaver and Lifesaver plus courses and are looking in to training opportunities in a range of outdoor activities.

We try to keep people informed about what we are doing through monthly reports in the Biggleswade Chronicle.

As WAC has developed we have been proud to see many members through our doors, some have stayed longer then others. Recently this has lead to new generations of instructors (18+) and Junior Leaders(16+) who have progressed from cadets and wish to stay to take on more responsibility with in the group, which enables us to evolve and develop. Currently we have 14 cadets, 6 Junior Leaders and 7 Instructors.