Historic scout camp to be spruced up
Steve Camp, chairman for BP Camp, said vandalism is a thing of the past as security has improved dramatically at Burman Bush.
A R1.6m revamp project is in the pipeline at Baden Powell (BP) Scouts Camp in Burman Bush. After years of vandalism and ongoing repairs, the camp is set to return to its former glory with funds donated by German Rover Scouts, Dorothée and Dr Michael Boecker.
Steve Camp, chairman for BP Camp, said the extensive repairs will amount to about R1.6m.
“The dining hall and kitchen is being given a total revamp – this includes new roof trusses and a new roof as well as new windows and flooring. BP Camp is off the grid and uses solar energy and gas so all the refurbishment is being done with this in mind,” he said.
“Vandalism is a thing of the past as security had improved dramatically at Burman Bush since the fencing of the perimeter and increased guarding in 2017,” added Camp.
Nestled in the scenic Burman Bush, BP Camp offers scout groups the perfect setting.
“Most of the provincial scout adult training is done at BP Camp. Having a proper dining room and kitchen will make a massive difference. This will also accommodate the many large groups of scouts that visit the camp,” he said.
Camp added that scout and cubs camp takes place at BP Camp most weekends.
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“Scouting programmes are designed to develop life skills, self-confidence, leadership skills and interpersonal skills. There is a strong focus on the outdoors with camping, hiking and environmental projects. Scouting is perhaps more relevant now than ever before. In an age when parents are wary about letting their children out on their own. Young people spend hours inside, in front of TVs or computer games and scouting offers a fun life changing alternative,” said Camp.
The revamp project has been made possible by German Rover Scouts, Dorothée and Dr Michael Boecker, who have raised funding for several projects at the camp in recent years. This is one of three charitable projects the couple is involved in under their organisation, Entwicklungshilfe Don Bosco eV (EDB). The German word, Entwicklungshilfe, translates to ‘development assistance’ in English. In addition to revamping BP Camp, the couple has assisted KwaZulu-Natal-based NPOs, Siyabathanda Don Bosco Children’s Home and Banomusa Health and Welfare Care Centre.
The couple first visited the camp in 2003 when they spent a week camping in the forest setting.
“We came here as scouts from Germany and were invited to stay at the camp,” said Dorothée.
“We fell in love with the place,” added Michael.
The couple saw the camp’s potential and suggested a hostel be built on the premises. While building started in 2012, rampant vandalism left the site in a sorry state in 2013.
“Everything was destroyed. We made the decision that we should not only build a hostel but that we would need to renew the whole basic infrastructure,” said Michael.
“the camp was stripped. Everything that was made of steel was stolen, including the roof,” added Dorothée.
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Despite these setbacks, the German couple continued to raise funds to rejuvenate BP Camp, to ensure it could be used for generations to come.
“We really liked the idea that scouting gets people involved with all sorts of themes like nature and social responsibility. Scouting in South Africa offers this to everyone, and even beyond scouts, every school should be able to come to the camp to use the space,” said Dorothée.
The site is steeped in history: Scouts leased the site from as far back as the 1930s to be used as a training camp. Dorothée noted that the ashes of several senior scouts were buried in a chapel on the grounds. Camps added that the founder Lord Robert Baden Powell visited the grounds in the early 1930s.
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