Climbing Beavers

This week as part of our Outdoor Challenge Badge our Beavers tried out a couple of new activities, they learned two Knots and put on the climbing gear and tried out the wall in our Scout Hut under the watchful eye of Richard, our Explorers Leader and Akela our Cubs Leader, both trained in the techniques of climbing. Thank you both for making the evening go so well! Please follow the link below to see more actions shots of all our Beavers learning a new skill.

Click here for the full set of photographs

Ardsley Scout's Got Talent - Call for all sections

Have you got it?

If you have any talent(s), want to earn your creative badge and be selected to represent Ardsley Scout Group for Barnsley's Got Talent at the Barnsley District Camp's Big Adventure! - this is your chance.

Auditions will take place on Wednesday 15th June 2011 at 7.15 PM, at Ardsley Scouts HQ.

You've all seen the show by now, but anything you think is a talent will be good, we're looking for singers, dancers, musicians, magicians, jugglers, acrobats, clowns and comedians and the like.  Sorry no pets or livestock!

Anyone can enter the auditions and the crowd will be made up from our Scouts and Explorers section plus anyone who wishes to come along to support the acts.

3 live judges, just like on TV!

Open to all sections, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers, either individuals or groups may enter.

You can only be put through to represent Ardsley at the District Camp if you have purchased your tickets, more information about the camp can be found at this location:
http://ardsleyscouts.blogspot.com/2011/04/big-adventure-camp-1-3-july-2011.html

If you are not attending the camp you can still join in the auditions and this will work towards your creative badges and awards.  And it will be a lot of fun!

You need to have emailed me with a description of your act by midday on Wednesday the 8th of June 2011. 
Please email ed@ardsleyscouts.org.uk

If you need any more information please speak to any of the leaders.

Ed.

Big Adventure Camp, Update

So far 63 people have signed up to go on the BIG ADVENTURE CAMP in July, which is absolutely fantastic. And it's great to see so many parents wanting to get involved.

Reminder:-

The LAST DAY to book and pay for this camp is THURSDAY 2ND JUNE.

Unfortunately, no bookings can be accepted after this date.

We have spare booking forms if you need one.

May Beaver of the Month

A little late this month but here's our Beaver of the Month for May. Super little member of the colony, always friendly and enthusiastic, Ardsleys most Eager Beaver! Well Done.

Summer Fair - 11th June

This year our annual Summer Fair is on Saturday 11th June from 12 – 3pm.

As usual we will be trying to raise funds to buy new equipment for our beavers, cubs, scouts and explorers, so we hope you’ll support this event.

Donations of books, toys/games, and items suitable for a Tombola stall (e.g. bottles, toiletries, unwanted gifts) would be greatly appreciated. We’ll also be running a crockery smash, so please clear out your cupboards and let us have any old crockery. You can send these items in now.

We’d also appreciate donations of home-made cakes and buns on the day.

If you would be willing to help run a stall, that would be great – please let us know, or you can just turn up on the day and enjoy the fun and games.

Last year we raised £695, which was absolutely fantastic. We hope to raise a similar amount this year with your help.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Sign up for your 15% discount card at Blacks Outdoor Specialists

As members of the Ardsley Air Scout Group, you can sign up to receive a Blacks Outdoor Specialists discount card.  This card entitles the holder to save 15% on any purchase (excludes SatMaps, GPS and giftcards), but includes sale items.

In order to receive this discount card, you simply need to email me with the card holders details, this can be either in the Scouts name or in the name of the parent/guardian;

Full name of Card Holder :

Address including post code :

Contact Telephone Number (if over 18 years) :

Contact Email Address (if over 18 years)  :

This information provided will be shared with the Blacks Leisure Group in order to process your application and the card will be posted to the address provided by you free of charge.  The card will be valid until the end of 2011 when you will be invited to renew it for another year.  Offer is limited to 1 card per member/subscriber.

You have until midnight on the 22nd May 2011 to apply.

Email your details to ed@ardsleyscouts.org.uk

Ed.

Scout Camping and Cooking Competition and Explorer Expedition Preperation - 13th to 15th May 2011

There were 2 scouting activities on over this weekend;
For the Scouts (Aged between 10 and 13) there was the district camping and cooking competition.

Competing against other Scout groups from across the Barnsley district a team of 4 worked were judged 3rd in the Cooking section and a credible 2nd in the Camping Competition.  The challenge was to run a camp from scratch -  setting up from 7PM Friday evening, cooking their own meals until striking camp at 2PM on the Sunday afternoon.  All of this whilst having regular kit inspections and spot checks by the judges.

These Scouts did the group  proud, working very hard all weekend to keep the kitchen, the camp and fire all running, without input from any adults (apart from feedback from the Judges).  Well done lads!

4 Ardsley Scouts receiving their 2nd and 3rd places

2 Ardsley Scouts receiving tips about running a camp kitchen from one of the judges

Breakfast was another meal being judged in the cooking competition.  Ardsley making sausages, bacon and mushrooms for a sunny, breezy Sunday morning.

The four Scouts taking part over the weekend will each be awarded with two badges:

Camper Activity Badge

Camp Cook Activity Badge

The Explorer section enjoyed another weekend of expedition training, the worst of the weather was right at the start of the weekend on Friday evening, where they were dropped off at Oxspring and hiked to the camp site.  In preparation all the explorers had full back packs with everything they would need for a 2 day adventure.

Ardsley Eagle Explorer Unit in good spirits ready for their first walk of the weekend

Even though it was a very wet start, the Explorers were well prepared with good waterproof equipment and the weather did not beat them.

On Saturday the Explorers spent most of the day out of the camp on what should have been a 5 hour hike, after more than 8 hours they returned up to base camp.  Too many comfort breaks taken along the way was the reason why they were so late apparently...

Ardsley Eagle Explorers ready to depart on Saturday morning,
who knew it would be so long before they returned!

All in all in was a great weekend for Scouting across  Barnsley, whether you were a Scout, Explorer or a Leader.  The weather behaved itself better than initial forecasts predicted, so we were all glad of that. 

All of the pictures from this weekend are available at the following location:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30263703@N04/collections/72157626602181433/


Cheers

Ed.

Cubs get damp with a twist

As the rain came down on Thursday night I thought it only fair to let cubs go outside and try their hand at a bit of backwoods cooking. Well the rain wasn't part of the plan and the BBQ's were in a sheltered spot.
.
Damper (bread) twists were on the menu, a nice messy mix of flour, sugar, salt and water made into a dough and wrapped around a stick.

Hope these cook soon before the other eat all the jam!

Just time for a game of Queen of hearts lead by our young leader before a quick presentation and thank you to the kids who attended our District St Georges Day Celebration last week.

Scouts May Day Camp at Walesby Forest International Scout Activity Centre

On Friday 29th April, 2011, well before William and Kate tied the knot, a group of 20 Scouts, Explorers and Leaders set off to the old hunting ground of Robin Hood.  Ian's merry men (plus 1 dog) were located on a site close to a river and it wasn't too long before the Scouts and the dog had made the river a new playground.

The camp was quickly established and after pitching tents and eating, the site was explored, which was no easy task as it is 250 acres!

Towards dusk the camp fire was lit and we made use of a lot of the fallen trees to make fuel for the fire.

On Saturday, the group enjoyed another day of clear blue skies and made the best of the weather and the company.

Some hold hands introduced horse-shoe pitching to the younger ones.

In the afternoon the Explorers and Scouts built their rafts and took to the water, with varying degrees of success...

One or two found the freshair and the activties exhausting...

The rest of Saturday and Sunday morning was spent in each others company, some went fishing, exploring the woods, playing cards, keeping the fire in or cooking;

On Sunday the group took to the aerial assault course.

Later the Explorers made up a new game as they tried to batter a Spike into the ground :-)

They were still all friends at the end of that.

We thought we had a visit from the US special forces unit, but it was just one of the Explorers in their 2011 camp outfits.

As we packed up on a bright and breezy Bank Holiday Monday (after a very cold night where frost formed on the outside of the tents!) we had the traditional game of "this doesn't fit into the bag I brought it in" competition.

After striking camp, we quickly gathered for a photo next to Robin Hoods statue near the entrance to the camp.

It was a great camp, thanks to everyone who came and supported it and those in the background who all made it a very worthwhile event.

There are a load more photos that you can see from our Flickr website, where you can also see pictures from our other events too.

To view the photos from this camp follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30263703@N04/collections/72157626515875153/

To view photos from all the other camps goto:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30263703@N04/collections/

Cheers

Ed.

p.s. If you enjoyed this camp, there are 2 places available on our 2011 Summer Camp which is from Saturday 23rd July to Saturday 30th July 2011 at the Waddecar Scout and Activity Centre, another great site that we have been to before.  http://www.waddecar.org.uk/  Please let the leaders know if you want to go or need more information.