May Day Camp - Correction

For scouts going on this weekend's camp to Walesby Forest, you can find a kit list here. Don't forget to bring your permission to camp form and a packed lunch with you tomorrow (friday). We're aiming to set off at 9am.

St. Georges Day Celebration 2011

Just under 50 Ardsley Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and Leaders turned up to make up the 1200 strong number inside Oakwell football ground tonight to celebrate St.Georges Day as part of the new Barnsley District.

The scout band played as the flags entered the stadium and then the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers shared their reasons why they enjoyed scouting so much.

Along with some fun activities as we played the odd game of audience participation, everyone enjoyed the singing and hearing about Eric Billingham as Adrian Eggleston paid tribute to this life long Barnsley Scout.

After renewing our Scout promises, the District Commissioner Bruce Meek handed out awards and certificates to several members including 20 years service award to our own Ian Wroe!

All the images are available from the flickr site, where you can see all our Scouting photos from events over the years. http://www.flickr.com/photos/30263703@N04/sets/72157626593475992/


Here are a few of the Ardsley Group;

Thanks to all the leaders who helped keep the kids organised.

Ed.

This Week

A reminder that there are no section meetings this week! Instead we have the District St George's Day Celebration TONIGHT (Wednesday) at the Oakwell football stadium, for Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers. We'll be meeting at 6.15pm in the Car Park at Oakwell. Approximate finish is at 8.00pm. Please wear full uniform. Parents can stay and watch if they wish.

Note to Scouts & Explorers going on the royal-wedding-avoidance camp this weekend - we'll be giving out Permission to Camp forms tonight. Please bring the balance of any money you owe.

Gift Aid Reminder

Just a quick reminder: If we've given you a Gift Aid form in the last week or two, could you please let us have it back this week - filled in of course! Thanks

The next Scout Camp is fast approaching!

We've had a great response to this next Scout camp, which is open to Scouts and Explorers.  Setting off on Friday 29th April returning Monday 2nd May, it promises to be a great long weekend.  With so much interest we have hired a mini bus and a van for all of the equipment.  This means that we have a few seats available on the mini bus.  The cost is £65, see any of the leaders if you would like to go.

The website for the campsite we are heading for is http://www.walesbyforest.org.uk/

Regards,

Ed.
ed@ardsleyscouts.org.uk

St George's Day Celebration

This year the District St George's Day Celebration will take place on Wednesday 27 April at 6:15pm at Oakwell Stadium home of Barnsley Football Club. The event will finish at approximately 8.00pm.

Parents should park in the main car park (CAR PARK 1) and make their way to the EAST STAND Entrances / Executive Car Park where the different sections and Leaders will be gathering. Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers should wear their full uniform. Marshals will be on hand to assist you.

The service will give us a chance to celebrate Scouting, renew our promises to the Scout movement and give out awards to youth and adult members. Parents are very welcome to stay and take part in the service and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee afterwards.

This event will take place instead of the usual Beaver, Scout and Explorer meetings on Wednesday 27 April, and there will be no Cub meeting on Thursday 28 April

The Chief Scout's Bronze Award

Our Beaver Scouts Group celebrated one of our number, Bethany Aspinall, being awarded the Chief Scout's Bronze Award. It's the first one to be given out this year and the lucky recipient will be appearing in the local newspaper. Well done Bethany! Andrea. Beaver Leader

Beaver Fundraising for Japan

As part of our Friendship Challenge Badge work our Beaver Scouts have talked about the disaster that recently hit Japan and how many children are now homeless and maybe without parents and friends. We have decided to have a small sponsored event to raise some funds to send over via the British Red Cross Tsunami Appeal. Each child has received a small candy stick box and their challenge is to fill it with as many different items as they can. Because we are celebrating 25 years of Beaver Scouts in England, we thought 25 items would be our ultimate aim per box. Please support your Beaver Scout and get as many people to sponsor them as you can and please have your boxes and forms in for the count by the 11th of May 2011. Thank you to all taking part. Andrea Beaver Leader

Six new Beavers and One Beaver of the Month!

Do you recognise any of these? We have six newly invested Beavers and on the left is our April Beaver of the month. We are doing really well with recruiting new members to our Beaver Colony, numbers are up to 22. If you'd like to come and join us, don't hesitate too long to contact the Leaders!

Andrea - Beaver Leader

Scout Camping & Cooking Competition

A District Camping and Cooking Competition for Scouts is being held at Silverwood Camp Site from 13 – 15th May. Teams will consist of 6-8 Scouts aged 10 to 13 years from Scout troops across Barnsley. Teams will camp separately from Leaders and prepare all their own meals, including a competition meal on the Saturday Evening consisting of: a starter of home-made soup; a main course of meat or fish and at least two vegetables; and a dessert. All cooking will be done on wood fires - gas may be used for suppers and emergency backup only. The winners will be announced and prizes presented at 2pm on the Sunday.

If you've camped as a Scout before and you'd like to be considered to represent Ardsley, let us know in the next week or so.

Coming up this week

Scouts - weather permitting, this Wednesday we're going to do a wide game in the woods. Please wear suitable outdoor clothes and footwear - there's no need to bring your uniform.

Explorers - this coming weekend our Explorers will be doing another DofE practice hike, camping overnight at Hesley Wood.

Reminder: April subs are due this week.

Finally, a big thank you to those who turned up for the Mothering Sunday Church Parade on Sunday.

Mothers Day Sleepover

We had 7 Beavers attend a sleepover this weekend. We put up our tents and then potted up some plants for Mothers Day. We enjoyed a hike on the trans-pennine trail before Pizza and a movie to finish off the evening. Thanks to all the other Leaders who helped and the two Young Leaders who's skills in pitching tents were passed on to the young Beavers.

Full set of photographs are available by following this link.

Andrea, Beaver Leader.

Big Adventure Camp, 1 - 3 July 2011

For the benefit of those who weren't able to make it to one of our Big Adventure briefings, here are the key points:-

What is it? - A massive camp to celebrate the merger of the three Barnsley Districts. Well over 1000 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers are expected to take part. The camp starts on Friday evening (1 July) and runs to Sunday afternoon (3 July) at Silverwood Scout Camp, near Silkstone.

What's happening? - The camp starts on the Friday evening with a 'Beach Party', a massive Wide Game in the woods, and a Disco. On the Saturday there will be four programme zones: Adventure; Community; Creative; and Scouting Skills, followed by a Barnsley's Got Talent competition. On the Sunday morning there will be an Olypmic-themed competition.

Who Can Go? - Cubs, Scouts and Explorers can camp for the whole weekend. Beavers can go for the Saturday only, or camp for the whole weekend with their parents in a designated area. Any parents who would like to come can take part/help out can camp in a designated over-18s area. Any brothers and sisters of members of the Group can take part, provided they are under parental supervision.

What does it cost? - For all youth members camping for the weekend the cost is £35. For Beavers coming for the Saturday only the cost is £15. For adults camping for the weekend the cost is £15. For any brothers or sisters (non-members) camping for the weekend the cost is £35, unless they are under 6 years old, in which case the cost is £10.

When do you need to know? - We need your booking form and payment by the end of May.

Big Adventure Camp

A big thank you to everyone who came to one of our Big Adventure briefings - it was great to see so many of you there. If you would like to take part in the Big Adventure Camp, please let us have your booking form and payment by the end of May, latest. That will give us time to confirm the booking by the deadline.

Reminder - there is a Church Parade this Sunday - please meet at the Scout Hut in full uniform at 10.15am. This is for all sections: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers.

And it's the Beaver Sleepover Tomorrow.