February 2011
Sandy Scout Group are currently looking to recruit volenteers to assist with the running of the club.
A letter has been posted out to parents asking for help in the following roles, to see the letter please click here:
· Maintenance assistance—Looking for volunteers willing to assist with essential HQ repairs for a maximum of 2 hours one Saturday per month.
· Executive members— The group desperately need more members to assist the Group Scout Leader with the general running of the club. The Executive is responsible for the following:
• the maintenance of the Group’s property and equipment
• the raising of funds and the administration of the Group’s finance
• the insurance of persons, property and equipment
• Group public occasions
• assisting with the recruitment of Leaders and other adult support.
The committee currently meets on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 8pm for between 1 -2 hours.
If you feel you can assist us in either of these activities please email the group Chairman Nigel Bubbear on rjjl72@hotmail.com or speak to one of the group leaders.
February 2011
LEADERS REPORTS
Kestrel Beavers – No report.
Swan Beavers – We had 8 Beavers attend the Christingle service at St Swithun’s Church, which all the Beavers really enjoyed. We celebrated Chinese New Year when the Beavers had egg fried rice, noodles and prawn crackers. They tried to use chop sticks which was good fun to watch. Joe explained all about Chinese New Year. We have started our Healthy Eating Badge. We will not be at Beavers on Wednesday 23 February as it is half term. We will return on 2 March. We have some dates for the Beavers days out. March 12 Sponsored hike Danish camp back to Scout HQ (9am Danish camp). May 13+14 sleepover at Wicksteed Park. 9 July District hike. 10+11 September District Family Camp (Henlow).
Viking Cubs – Vikings have had a busy month starting with our Wymondley Wood indoor “camp”. The theme was TV programmes so the Cubs had lots of challenges to do. They all took part in “Vikings Got Talent” and we were entertained with violin, guitar and recorder solos, quizzes and even a magic show. We really appreciated Dave King coming along to help out and Joe and Stephen, our two Explorers were very supportive. 9 Vikings took part in the Group Hike and really enjoyed the experience. Samuel Pond and Oliver Simmons were in the winning team so the Monday night compass practice must have helped! Two teams took part in the District Bowling Competition when we came 4th and 7th. Oliver Simmons received our Bowling Trophy for scoring the highest amount of points. We also attended the Christingle Service at St Swithun’s Church. On Cub nights we celebrated Chinese New year by learning how to use chop sticks, hearing the Chinese Horoscope story and decorating dragon magnets. We have also learnt about Patron and other Saints and the Cubs designed and flag or shield for their own made-up Saint.
Saxon Cubs – We have spent 4 weeks doing badgework, chef, DIY, map reading, personal safety or scientist. As part of this work we have been visited by the Firemen and the PCSO’s,and 4 service personnel from RAF Henlow who came to eat the meal cooked by the 3 Cubs doing the Chef badge.
We have now started on the Fitness Challenge with a visit from Ian Papworth, who came to teach us about American Football. He is a trainer and referee for the game.
4 Cubs took part in the Group Winter Hike and really enjoyed it. Thanks to all who organised it and those that helped on the day. The next day we joined in the Christingle Service at St. Swithun’s. We entered a team in the District Cubs Bowling competition at Eat n’Bowl on Saturday 12th.
The Wing Commander at Henlow has invited us to attend the Home Coming Parade to be held in Bedford on May 22nd and we hope to make this a family day. We are also arranging a visit to the Houses of Parliament in the Easter holidays at the invite of Alistair Burt.
We continue with our monthly report to parents and we have sent out letters re the Membership Subscription. We are doing our Hike with the Scouts on 16th April and apologies for not manning the Cake stall, but the hike was arranged at the beginning of the year as it was the only day our Leaders could make.
Norman Cubs – The year has started slowly. Dave and Thomas had to hold the fort whilst I was away on holiday. During that time they undertook making bird boxes that were finished off when I returned. This will go towards their DIY badges. We had 3 cubs take part in the Late Christmas Hike. Thanks to all the organisers. Unfortunately I was not able to help this year as I had a previous engagement on the Saturday morning. Congratulations to the winning teams. We currently have 5 invested cubs and 2 boys that are under 8 years. We have had an enquiry passed on to us by Tom Thompson but unfortunately the child can not join our pack as he has already got football training that evening!
Scouts – This term we have been working on the Promise Challenge, starting with the creation of a code of conduct for the troop. A session on Doing Your Best had the Scouts thinking about the benefits to themselves and others. Also, we are now incorporating a reflection or “thought for the day” at flag break. An evening was spent on map and compass work and what to pack, in preparation for the Group winter hike. There was a good turn out of 14 Scouts – well done to Becki Bodi and her winning team. In preparation for the District Survival Skills weekend we practiced a knot a week and model shelter building. 11 Scouts attended the weekend (there was no Troop meeting on that Friday) The weather was not too bad – one warm but wet evening and one cold, but not the frosts and snow we have experienced in previous years! The Camp had a slightly different format this year with a quiz on the Saturday evening and a new presentation – the Roy Snell Scout of the camp award. Scores were given by leaders for the top 3 Scouts as they visited each base – this resulted in a best Scout for each troop which, for Sandy, was won by Jonathan Hibberd and an overall winner (from Potton) who received the trophy. The survival skills of rabbit skinning, fish gutting and cooking, camp dustbin ovens, water purifying, fire lighting, use of knives and direction finding were all available and much enjoyed, as usual. Last week the patrols cooked a variety of pancakes using the lovely non-stick pans from the kids voucher scheme and evaluated an activity (Promise Challenge again). With 2 new starters (one joining us from Viking Cubs), and 2 leavers, our numbers remain at 23. Thanks to Andrew and Tom who have been helping with troop nights. Roy Snell helped out one week too.
Explorers
Explorers over the last month have been planning D of E hike with a silver team setting off tomorrow. Explorers Disco has been moved to 5 March and letters have started to be distributed. Sorry for the lateness- it’s been difficult without a photocopier. Some Explorers attended the Late Christmas Hike and enjoyed themselves. We also invested 4 more Explorers.
December 2010
LEADERS REPORTS
Kestrel Beavers – We made our annual visit to Biggleswade Hospital where the Beavers sang Carols
and distributed presents to the patients.
A very big thank you to Luke, Tom and Jodie for running the evening for me in my absence.
We held a Christmas party and Awards ceremony on the last evening. We had a full turn out of parents.
We started back on the 17th January and have taken on 2 new boys.
Swan Beavers – During December the Beavers made Christmas gifts for Mums and Dads.
We practised for the carol service and had a good turn out for the service, the Beavers really enjoyed it.
We broke up for Christmas on December 15th when we held our Bingo party. Thanks to Andrew for
being our bingo caller for the night. We ended the night with party food and then gave out the presents
and cards to the Beavers and Leaders.
We returned to Beavers on 13th January.
Viking Cubs – Viking Cubs attended both the District Carol Service held at Potton and the Group
Carol Service in December. We made Christmas cards and Christmas pudding cakes for the Cubs to
take home. We held a Christmas party when both Malcolm Campbell and Rod Wilders came to make
presentations to Edward Simmons for Cub of the Year, Joe Bryan for highest inspection points and
Dylan Boucher for Attendance.
We have made a New Year’s resolution chain and will see how long it is before it is broken.
We are discussing foods and healthy eating and have had a fruit and vegetable tasting session. Each six
has presented to the Pack one of the various food types which make up a balanced diet and have shown
examples of this.
We are due to go to Wymondley Wood on 28-30 January.
Saxon Cubs – We held a Super Cub evening where the Cubs took part in 7 different activities to earn
points towards our Super Cub Trophy. The following week the Explorers gave a presentation and then
we had 2 weeks making Xmas decorations.
Our Christmas celebration had the theme ‘Nativity’ and most of the Cubs and their families came
dressed accordingly. The Leaders put on their own version of the Nativity!!
Our annual prize giving was held at the end of the evening when engraved glasses and certificates, all
decorated and donated by Karen, were presented to the winners of the 7 Awards.
The winner of the Super Cub Trophy was Bethan Atkin. Well done Bethan.
Gifts were then given to all Cubs. £38 was raised in the raffle for our Pack charity ‘Children in Need’
Thanks Karen for another successful evening, she also wrote and produced the ‘play’
3 Cubs accompanied by Paul represented our Pack at the District Carol Service and 5 Cubs attended our
own group’s service. We didn’t expect many as 2 schools had productions on the same night.
We then had a 2 week break and started back last week with a ‘back to basics’ evening, which included
ironing and folding neckerchiefs.
This week we replied to letters we have received from servicemen and women serving in Afghanistan,
the result of our books that were shipped out there. We have also received replies from Cubs in Bartonle-
Clay, with whom we have been corresponding as part of the Communicator badge.
6 Cubs have left but only 2 decided to go on to Scouts
Paul has been for his interview and is now known as ‘Bagheera’ and Aden has chosen the name
‘Wawbeck’
Norman Cubs – No report
Scouts – No report
Explorers – We held our annual Christmas party with a Chinese meal. We broke up for Christmas on
12th December. We met back on the 18th January and planned and set the programme for the New Year
We are planning our fund raising Disco for 26th February. Letters will be out next week for all sections.
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