Dilemma - Cub Camp

BernadetteN

We have 2 boys aged 8 and 10 years old who have been in Beavers / Cubs for almost 3 years now. Last year dh went with them to Cub camp. Dh found it all very unorganised and a feud between the adult helpers (dh not involved) led to one adult being asked to leave and the Beaver Leader resigned.

This year Cub camp has been booked for a week in Nottinghamshire from Saturday 26th May, during half-term week in Kent. The initial letter was sent out in January and dh was ecstatic because the letter stated that the main day out would be to Alton Towers. He and the boys have been really excited ever since and there have been emails and discussions with the Cub Leader about the visit to Alton Towers.

One complication is that dh went to work in Moscow in March and he decided to book a week off so that he could go with the boys to Cub camp as he has waited years to go to Alton Towers. He therefore spent £225 on a flight back from Moscow to London and has joked several times to the Cub leader about his expensive trip to Alton Towers.

Tonight arrives a letter from Cubs to say they are going to BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH. I was stunned and walked back to Cubs. I talked to the overall camp leader, the Scout leader, who tells me there has never been any intention of going to Alton Towers and that the plan has always been to go to Blackpool, despite the many conversations and previous letter stating the Cubs are going to Alton Towers. There are many reasons why I and dh are angry :
1) he has booked a flight home because he thought he was going to Alton Towers
2) Alton Towers is 65 miles from camp and Blackpool is 135 miles from camp, over the M62 during a holiday period!!!!! This will mean so much extra time on the road and also I have a son who does not travel well (he already has to endure the trip up from Kent to Nottinghamshire)
3) it is far too late to be telling the children 4 days before leaving that the venue for their day out has changed.
4) there are still other alternatives to Alton Towers whic are nearer to Nottinghamshire,
5) it seems ludicrous to be spending extra fuel money and extra time on the road taking the kids to somewhere I feel is far inferior to Alton Towers.

So do we :
1) cancel the Cub camp and ask for our money back
2) go to Cub camp and get dh to take the car and drive the kids to Alton Towers whilst the other 50 kids go to Blackpool
3) hide our disappointment and let the kids join the others in Blackpool????


I am sorry if this seems petty but we all feel quite gutted that the camp that we paid for feels spoiled before it has begun and I personally fear that the camp will end up again in fighting between the adults.

Any suggestions are welcome thanks.

Gingernutmeg

To be honest, if I thought that the camp would end up in a feud betwen the adults then I'd be a bit worried for the welfare of the children, regardless of what attraction they were going to ... It's a bit off to change the plans though, I'd imagine quite a few of the children are disappointed, and again if the plans keep changing like this then I'd be a bit worried about how organised the rest of the camp is.

If your sons aren't really that bothered about the camp, then why not organise a family trip to Alton Towers during the week that your DH is off? Or, let the children go and do Alton Towers another time? I'd be concerned that you might not get your money back, and it might cause a bit of bad feeling ...

ckerrd

Get the money back and take the kids to Alton Towers. Your family will be happier.
Write to tell the cub leader(s) why you are doing this and how disappointed you all are.

djtonyb

Not sure how much money you would get back at this late stage.

As A Brown Owl who has taken girls away on Pack Holiday on many occassions I would think that a lot of the money will have been spent already - deposits/food/booking fees etc.

I'd personally let the kids go and have great fun with the rest at Blackpool. The cubs will have great fun no matter where they go

nickyhutch

Let them go on camp (a great experience for kids), and take them to Alton Towers another time.

amberviolet

Ask your boys where they would rather go. I personally would cancel and take them to alton towers.

Smashing

What do you children want to do? Would they like to go to Blackpool pleasure beach? I agree with one of the above posters who said that camp is a great learning experience and that you can have a family day out at alton towers anytime. It would be a shame for adult politics to ruin a potentially great time for the kids, but if they genuinely don't want to go then a copy of the original letter stating the intention of going to Alton Towers should be sufficient evidence for you to be able to get a refund for the cost of the camp.

How do the other parents feel? Surely if enough people are against it they would think again?

BernadetteN

Thanks for all the replies - it is nice to see it from other perspectives.

After a rather restless night for me in Dover and husband in Moscow, we both decided this morning to ask for a refund. The children are so upset that they don't want to return to Cubs or go to camp (they went last year and will go next year if they decide to remain in Cubs). We can't just do Alton Towers on a day trip as it's just not feasible with a family of 6 travelling such distance. The adults have been to Blackpool and I've been to Alton Towers before so I know Blackpool would be such a disappointment and just too far to travel from camp. Husband just feels like he would rather now spend time at home than at a Cub camp with adults who have twice lied to us in the last 20 hours about the details and also the other boys and girls are going to be so disappointed that this camp was sold to them on the idea of Alton Towers and now they are not going.

Thankfully, the Cub leader, after first refusing to refund any money on the grounds that camp had been paid for already (which I know not to be true as I phoned Walesby Forest camp this morning to find that the pack had only paid a £30 deposit for the whole group), he later phoned me back and offered a full refund..... good result on the money side. Now I just need to search for something alternative to do as husband is flying back from Moscow and we can't just sit on our Dover bums all week. I feel a ferry trip may be beyond the horizon, or if we are lucky, some trip to Thorpe Park or Chessington instead.

I do feel sorry for the other disppointed kids. I have already spoken to 2 sets of parents who are quite stunned about the change of plans. I really hope the camp leader changes his mind once they get to Nottinghamshire now so their week is not ruined.

bumpybecky

what a sorry situation

Bernadette I've got 3 vouchers for free entry when accompanied by a full paying adult to Thorpe Park / Chessington / Warwick Castle / Madame Tussards / Alton Towers (sorry!). If you'd like them please Pm me your address and I'll post them later today

pulliptears

If you still wanted a trip to Alton Towers there are many places to stay outside of the park itself

As for the cubs thing, I have to say Im a Tawney Owl with the Brownies and I feel that you cant afford to be disorganised while taking a group of kids anywhere. We specifically take adults with us who we know can deal with all the problems kids can throw at us, adults who we know well and get on with. Afterall, by far the best part of camp is settling down with a glass of wine when the kids are all asleep!

I can see how the children would be incredibly disappointed, Blackpool Pleasure Beach doesnt really compare with Alton Towers for me. I think you did the right thing asking for the refund.

If you do decide to head for the Towers and are struggling to find places to stay drop me a PM. Im just down the road from there so I may be able to point you in the direction of a B+B
Jane
x

nickyhutch

Have you asked why there was a change of plan?