November 11th - Lest we Forget

In my youth, one of the early books I collected to learn more about bushcraft and survival skills was Lofty Wiseman's SAS Survival Handbook. This led me down a path of enjoying the outdoors and engaging in adventure sports / activities through my school's Army Cadet program. Through University I was confident that I would join the military, with the ambition of serving as an Officer in the Royal Navy. However, life is a journey and I took a different path, when almost 18 years ago, I came over here to the U.S. to teach at an outdoor experiential education facility for youth and family groups in North Carolina.

U.K. Remembrance Day

Living in the U.S. for almost two decades has not made me completely forget all the British traditions. On November 11th, we remember those that served to protect the country during the Great War - World War One. We call this Remembrance Day and we show respect to the men, women and families through wearing a poppy and observing a minute of silence from 11:00 a.m. through 11:01 a.m. The minute of silence and tradition of Remembrance Day in the U.K. came from the recognition of Armistice Day.

Armistice Day is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. The date was declared a national holiday in many allied nations, and coincides with Remembrance Day and Veterans Day, public holidays.

U.S.A. Veterans Day

In the U.S.A. November 11th is recognized as Veterans Day. In the U.S.A. this day has a 'slightly' different meaning. In the States, Memorial Day, recognized in May, is the day of respect for men and women that have fallen in service to the country. Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.

My interest in the outdoors, in bushcraft & survival skills, stems from a childhood interest in serving in the military. As a youth, the opportunity for me to learn kayaking, rock-climbing, back-packing, firearm safety, shooting and a variety of other outdoor sports was because of the influence of the U.K. military cadets program at my school. When kids in my neighbourhood were 'hanging out in malls' or running around in the streets, I was on weekend or multi-week field operations.

Throughout my career, I've valued the experiences I gained from having the opportunity to be outdoors. I started New England Bushcraft Organisation to help more families get access to the programs in our region. I hope we see more families and kids get outdoors to both develop a connection with the real-world, but also to build their own strength of character.

Equally, I've have realized that these programs are valued by our active and returned service men and women. They value the family and camaraderie within the bushcraft community. They enjoy the sharing of knowledge and experiences. Being outside in the wilderness, whether making friction fire or exploring in an overlanding vehicle - it is an emotional connection to earth that is valued.

50% Discount to the New England Bushcraft Show to Veterans

To show our respect on Veterans Day, starting at 11:00 a.m. U.S. est New England Bushcraft will release 50 discounted tickets to the New England Bushcraft Show for our service men, women and their families. Use this URL to secure your Veterans Day discounted ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-new-england-bushcraft-show-tickets-37328950897?discount=Veteran2017