Delftsche Zwervers - Housing and Activities

Housing and Activities

Since the mid 1960s, the Delftsche Zwervers, together with some other Scouting Delfland scout groups, are housed in the Scout Centre Kruithuis in Delft. The Kruithuis is the 17th century gunpowder ammunition dump of the Dutch Republic, designed in 1660 by Pieter Post. The walled and moated complex consist of a gatehouse, a former guardhouse and various outbuildings, formerly for gunpowder handling and packaging, around a large central pond with two gunpowder storage towers in the middle. In 1998–2000, the Kruithuis complex was restored. The Delftsche Zwervers are housed in one of the gunpowder storage towers.

From time to time, each member of the Delftsche Zwervers organises an evening programme of his or her personal interest. As a result, the activities are diverse, including soldering with LEDs, playing with old computers, role-playing games, painting, sculpting in cellular concrete, pioneering, canoeing. Members frequently go outdoors, for example camping and doing odd jobs on the Scouting campsite Gilwell Ada's Hoeve or in the winter hiking in the Ardennes.

One recurring activity is the organisation of the annual camps for children on the Scouting campsite Gilwell Ada's Hoeve in Ommen, The Netherlands. Since their establishment, the Delftsche Zwervers have aimed to contribute to society by organising activities for children in hardship situations. Beginning in 1922, members went camping with children from the Martha Stichting children's home in Alphen aan den Rijn and later with other groups like refugee children from East Germany. However, presently members organise and lead school camps for children in special education from The Hague. These camps are two weeks long. Each week a group of approximately 28 children and approximately 14 leaders. The children are divided into groups of three to four, a "tent". For each tent is one leader directly responsible. The other leaders are two cooks, one "manus" (handyperson) responsible for the equipment, two leaders responsible for the games, one to two leaders as backup and one leader to keep order.