Organising a District Scout Camp for over 400 people. A how-to guide (how I did it, anyway!).

 Around October or November the previous year:

• Get some agreement on venue.

November:

• The District Commissioner resigns, so as Deputy, you're now responsible for organising the camp
• Make a proposal, with some costings and put out to the Groups
• Based on feedback, amend proposal.
• Book the campsite and pay deposit, book lots of activities
• Apply for some funding to help with the cost

March:

• Leave ADCs to sort out the programme for their own Sections.  Except where there's no ADC
• Ask for a deposit from everybody for camping, so that you can pay the next installment to campsite, and can amend the activities you've booked once you know how many are coming.
• Get turned down for funding
• Break the bad news to everybody that you will want the full amount you've asked for.

April:

• Buy and book any equipment needed.
• Build a team - one person in charge of allocating camping spaces - not you!  New District Commissioner to be camp chief.  He starts chasing for volunteers for bases and for numbers and money.  Yay, you're not alone!

May:

• Get final numbers and money in from everybody.  Send next cheque to the campsite.
• Send out Leader briefing with programme, health and safety information and anything else you can think of that they might ask.
• While chasing up the final couple of Scout Groups for their money and numbers, expect the numbers to fluctuate a little over the last couple of weeks.
• Print out all paperwork to take with you, including programmes, activity sheets for Scouts, feedback forms, scavenger hunt sheets etc.
• Put in your order for sunshine (or at least no gales or rain/sleet/hail/snow) over the weekend.
• Gather your own camping kit (and for your two small children).

The camp:

• Get there early to set up the District Tent so that if you've left anything behind in District Stores, you've time to go and get it.
• Arrive.  Let the camp happen.
• Be there to make sure that everybody knows where to go, pick up and deal with any problems. 
• Take photos to upload to District website and Twitter feed.
• The sun is shining, everybody's happy
• Run the campfire.
• Drop into bed exhausted each night ... aahhh... not so easy, its got your three and four year olds in it.

After the camp:

• Litter sweep.
• Go home.
• Enjoy a glass of wine and a bubble bath, and an early night.
• Finalise all numbers and activity numbers with the campsite so that they can invoice the District the final amount.
• send out feedback homes.
• ensure that all bills are paid.
• Get photos up on website.
• Collate feedback forms.