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The
Beaver section has 20 Beavers.
During the spring and summer
the Beaver Meetings have been on a Fire theme. They have learnt about
lots of aspects of fire safety, and made a very realistic fire
collage.
The Beavers
have also continued with the Outdoor Challenge with games evenings
up at the park, and have completed the Experiment Badge.
Activities included various experiments using balloons, and
rocket making, from a kit. The rockets took about 3 weeks to finish
and were then launched at the HQ. A new behaviour initiative was
launched
using pieces of pasta! This proved very successful. Each Beaver
earning or losing pasta pieces according to their behaviour. A
badge presentation
and prize giving ceremony took place at the last meeting before
the summer holiday.
The
Cub section now has 20 Cubs. Pack meetings have included work
on our Global, Creative, Caring and Environmental Challenges. We
have enjoyed an Easter egg hunt, games up the park, a Morse code
evening, a mini hike with the Beavers, and a games evening with the
Scouts. We also had a visit from an Explorer Scout who talked about
his experiences at the last World Jamboree. Badge work has included
the Handyman badge, where we made 8 bird boxes, and the Athletes
Badge.
In May the District ran a sports activity day at a local
school where the cubs tried out 8 different sports over the
course of the day and this was very successful. During the
May Half Term we held our annual Cub Camp, at Ecclesden Farm
in Angmering. With 10 Leaders, 15 cubs and 6 other children
in attendance all had great fun. We enjoyed archery, backwoods
cooking, hiking, swimming, and visits to the beach, banger
racing, Arundel Park and Butlins. As a result many of the
cubs have now achieved their Outdoor challenge. In July we attended the District Adventure camp for older cub scouts
where they took part in archery, craft, map reading, pioneering,
first aid and cooking their own dinners.
The
Scout section now has 19 Scouts, 6 of which are due to
move to the District
Explorer section by Christmas.
Troop nights
have included camping skills, camp hygiene, camp cooking
training, map reading skills, a mini hike, games up
the park" and
camp preparation. The Scouts also served at two Jumble
Sales providing
invaluable help. In March we went caving in Merstham Mines, which was quite exciting
for those who had never been underground before.
We held a Patrol Expedition Challenge at the beginning of May,
which was well supported. The scouts hiked 15 miles over two days,
carrying all their equipment, and then lightweight camped at Park
Farm for one night. At the end of June we attended Scoutabout at Ardingly in Sussex.
This was a County camping event attended by over 4,000 Scouts and
Guides. Stuart, Denis and Tim ran the Amateur Radio Station over
the weekend whilst Paul and Janice did the catering. 16 Scouts attended
and enjoyed a choice of over 200 activities, plus discos and other
evening entertainment. Scout
Camp in August was held at Herne Bay on a small secluded scout
site, next door
to a wildlife park. (So close the wolves
could be
heard howling at night). We enjoyed a cooking competition,
rifle shooting, climbing and abseiling, swimming, hiking,
and visits to
Wildwood, RAF Manston Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum,
and Planet Laser in Canterbury. 14 Scouts attended, 8 leaders
and 2 other
children. Group activities have included a Headquarters Maintenance Day in
March, the St Georges Day Parade in April and our Group AGM in May.
Other news: We have just celebrated our Group
60th Anniversary.
We have found a company that makes indoor
flagpoles
and hope to have this installed in the Vallins HalI by Christmas.
Our youngster numbers are very healthy but we are still looking
for more adult assistance, particularly in the Beaver section.
Janice Barber
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