This year’s operation sanctuary, organised by Durham Scouts took place in the South East of County Durham – the location of Sanctuary being in Wheatley Hill scout hut. Operation Sanctuary works like this: the teams are taken to the sanctuary location, and then transported by minibus or coach to the starting location. Nobody, except the event organisers know where this location is. Then, they’re released and need to get back to Sanctuary (11 miles as the crow flies) without being caught by the catcher teams.

Here is one of the two teams on the run.

The teams had to move across countryside like this. The second picture shows two of our scouts being stuck in the mud!

This year unfortunately neither of our teams made it back to the finish line, but there’s always next time.

Here’s the scouts and explorers at Sanctuary before the event began.

And of course Leroy Lion who’s sitting on Matthew’s car.

The leaders also took part in Operation Sanctuary. Our role was to be ‘catchers’, and that involved driving around the countryside, stopping suddenly and running after teams of scout and explorers in an attempt to catch them.

One of our catcher teams came first place in the competition to catch the most teams, so that’s some good news!

A great day all around.