Beaudesert - Reserve List

All 26 guaranteed places for next year's Summer Camp at Beaudesert have now gone (in record time!). So we now enter a period of uncertainty where we have more people wanting to go than will fit on two minibuses, but not enough for three.

If you want to go you should still put your name down and pay your deposit. It may take a few weeks until we know for sure whether a third bus is viable, but we'll let you know as soon as we can. And we'll do everything we can to avoid disappointing anyone. If, in the event, we can't justify a third bus we will, of course, refund your deposit.

It's great that we have this problem; we must be doing something right!

Beaver Sleepover - An Exciting Weekend or What?

All those cynics out there thinking that todays’ youngsters are only interested in video games and tv should have come along to our first ever Beaver Sleepover at Silverwood. All but 3 of our “Eager Beavers” arrived on site in great excitement and bagged a bunk bed for the night. Once parents had gone we held our opening ceremony and then got changed.

It was then down to basic team work to shift a load of lightweight pallets down to the campfire circle ready for later. Next, a walk in the woods, the highlight of which was finding an abandoned car at the bottom of a hill. Some of us were excited too at finding pine cones amongst the fallen leaves and learning how to tell if it was going to rain. Tea was quarter pounders with optional cheese or sausages with bread rolls and jacket potatoes plus salad, all followed by yogurt. Don’t think they’d been fed all day!

Then time to grab our torches and make our way down to the campfire circle where Ian lit the fire. After a few songs we sat and watched the fire in all its’ glory with its’ sparks dancing like fireworks in the darkening sky – well that’s how the kids described it anyway. Next, we made necklaces and bracelets and even light sabres with glo-sticks and spent a happy time running around the field with Jaye and Amy, in all the colours of the neon rainbow like huge fireflies. A spot of stargazing followed before meandering back to the building for a colouring competition to start winding down for bed. Well that was the theory! Hot chocolate and marshmallows for a nightcap and then teeth brushing and changing into jimjams before the “disco.”

Ian and Richard brought out their guitars and the buzz about the “disco went round like wildfire! The boys taught us “Puff the Magic Dragon” and we all joined in the chorus. After a few more songs the theory was working and lots of little heads were nodding so everyone went to bed. That was the cue to start over wide awake and it was a good hour or so later before most were asleep.

Everyone was awake by 7.20 next morning and after breakfast we set off for our hike through the woods.

Along the way we stopped off to play in a sleepy hollow climbing out of it with tree roots as a natural ladder. Loads of fun! We found the car again and enjoyed lobbing sticks at it for ages! Back on site we had Milky Ways and apples with a drink and then got our bags out ready to go. Then we formed a huge circle to finish our camp off.

The winners of the colouring competion were announced and prizes given. Katie came 3^rd; Jessica 2^nd and Amy 1^st. Don’t know what happened to the boys but I think they need to practise a bit more. Everyone was given a Nights Away 1 badge and a Hikes Away 1 as well. These can be worn all the way through Scouts until they gain the next stage. Amy was handed her Swimming Stage 2 badge and William his Imagination badge.

Then, our Group Scout Leader, Ian, made a special presentation to William and Niall of the Chief Scouts Bronze Award. This is the highest award a Beaver can gain and they had to complete 2 challenge badges and a personal challenge to earn it. Finally a group photo session for the blog and then we climbed trees and chatted before parents started to arrive.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable camp for both Beavers and Leaders and we will do it again next year. As Beaver Leader I would like to say a very big thank you to Ian for all his hard work and support prior to and over the weekend and a very big thank you also to Richard for his help and support with Beavers over the summer as well.

Finally, a special thank you to our Scouts Jaye and Amy, who are an enormous help to me every Thursday but especially this weekend. Thanks girls.

Kim

Spooktacular 2007

News just in via owl: On October 20th, Hesley Wood is hosting the Tri-Universe Conference of Wizards, Witches and Warlocks. Harry Potter has been invited to attend and all cubs have been asked to bring their magic wands, cloaks and spell books to join the great spell competition. Be there and be scared!

The cost is £4.50 per cub and £1 per adult. Places are limited and must be booked in advance. It will be up to parents to arrange transport to and from Hesley Wood Scout Camp, near Chapletown. The event starts at 5.30pm and finishes at 9.30pm.

If you'd like to go you need to let Kim know as soon as possible, preferably by text. Alternatively you can drop an email to the address in the sidebar of the blog, or use the 'comment' link below this post.

Beaudesert - Limited Places

After just one week of taking bookings, 22 of the initial allocation of 26 places for next year's Summer Camp have gone. There are just 4 definite places remaining!

Lost Property

We still have a few items of lost property left over from Summer Camp. If you haven't already, could you please take a look through them to see if any belong to you. This is your last chance to reclaim your kit!

Weekend Patrol Camp

This weekend saw a patrol of Scouts invade Silverwood for what was (for most of them) their first patrol camp. All the tents were put up in time for dinner on Saturday, where bacon sandwiches were prepared on open fire.

After dinner the Scouts headed up to Penistone show, which had loads of exhibitions and stalls to explore. The group managed to locate each other when it was time to leave, which was an impressive feat considering the number of people at the show.

Once back at camp, a meal of Lamb Stew and Pancakes was prepared, once more on open fires and then began to settle down for the night. Of course this cannot be achieved without first playing with the fire for at least an hour or two!


Sunday dawned and the Scouts prepared a hearty breakfast, then decided it was probably time to get some practice in at preparing fires, again! From one element to the next; an impressive water fight followed. Actually the word fight doesn't do it justice; it was war. The Scouts even managed to get the Leaders involved, which led to almost every single person getting wet, with most people even managing to get soapy, chocolaty and even floury!


Once everyone was cleaned up, it was time for lunch and time to pack up and get ready to leave. Morale was high and I think it would be safe to say that everyone had a great weekend!

Cubs

Hello Cubs, It was great to see most of you back after your hols. We postponed our badge work for another week to take advantage of one of the last lovely evenings of this summer and played wide games in the woods. However, this coming week we will begin working on our brand new Rolls Royce sponsored Scientist badge, which comes with a certificate as well as a badge. See you Thursday......
Kim

Beavers

Hello All, Beavers started work on their Healthy Eating badge this week with 2 groups making a fresh fruit salad, peeling and chopping all by themselves, and the rest making some really delicious flapjack. Next week we'll swap round so that everyone gets a go at both activities. The following 2 weeks will see us making sandwiches and healthy eating posters before the badge presentation on the final night. Next weekend we also have our sleepover camp (you don't need to bring carrymats for this after all) with fun activities there as well. So, an exciting start to the new "term." We also said hello to Sophie, James and Chloe who have just joined.
Kim

"New Term"

Next week sees you all back to school and it's the start of a new season of fun and activity at Beavers and Cubs. We will start working on a range of badges this week. Healthy Eating for Beavers and Cubs will have to come along to find out their badge! Beavers also have a sleepover camp to get excited about. Cubs, if you haven't attended through the summer then you've missed a whole range of fun games and activities including building your own assault course, hiking for your Adventure badge, wide games, pillow fighting and your favourite Ripple Tipple!

If any of your friends would like to join in the fun ask me for an application form.