Survival Skills Tin - Bring in next week 7th March.

Earlier this month, the Scouts were given a chance to start collecting items to build up their own survival tin.  Scouts are asked to bring these tins in with them next week on the evening of Wednesday the 7th March where they can be judged and a winner will be picked that represents the most useful items in the smallest amount of space.  A chocolate prize is up for grabs!

Subs are also due next week for March, can you please bring them with you.

Thanks.

25th Beaver Birthday Party

On Saturday 25th of February, 61 Barnsley District Beavers joined in together to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Beaver section within Scouting.  Ardsley supported the event really well with 3 leaders and 15 Beaver Scouts.

We made crackers, played fun games, made party hats

 and a 61 coach cake train.

Brown Beaver and Akela Ann served up the cake.

And here are 2 of our newest recruits, preparing to head to the camp fire

to be entertained by Camp Fire Dave.

Everybody had a fantastic time, thanks to the hard work of all the beaver leaders especially Brown Beaver and Akela Ann.

Breeze.

Scouts Go Kart Project - Get's Rolling

Hi, we've had a couple of donations pledged of equipment to make some go karts. Including this set of awesome wheels;

Exactly the type of thing we needed to get us started, thank you!

But we need more, can you help, with any wood for the frame, metal poles or bars that could act as axles - perhaps you have some large bolts, nuts and washers that you can afford to give us? Can you lend us tools and time to help the Scouts build a winning go kart?  Building up the Karts will be on Troop nights of the 7th and 14th of March, from 7pm to 9pm.

Please contact me by email or telephone if you can help out in anyway.

Ed.

ed@ardsleyscouts.org.uk
07778 000934

Beavers Fire Station Visit

On Wednesday 23 Ardsley Beaver Scouts visited the fire station on Broadway in Barnsley and were given a tour from Fireman Phil from Whitewatch.

We were given a tour around the engine.

And a flash from Phil's dragon lamp.

And formed an orderly queue to have a sit in the drivers seat.

Here are 2 of our Beavers doing just that.

A few other Beavers got to grips with some of the firefighting equipment.

We had whirlwind tour and thanks to all at White Watch for making our trip so enjoyable!

Breeze.

Help with building go kart/soap box trolley

Scouts will (hopefully) be building a push go kart or soap box trolley on the meeting nights of the 7th and 14th of March. We desperately need your help. Can you provide materials such as wood or metal, old pram frames with axels and wheels? And are you or someone you know willing to lend a hand and help our Scouts build a winning machine? Please let me know via email or phone;
ed@ardsleyscouts.org.uk
07778 000934

T4 Challenge Camp - 23rd to 25th March 2012

Scouts have the opportunity to join in as part of a challenge camp, working in teams of between 4 and 6, there are a number of tricky, tactical, testing trials (that's where the 4T comes from) planned, with an overall prize for the winning team, plus a few special awards.  Camping at Silverwood Scout Camp the following programme is packed full of fun adventure for Scouts of all ages;

Friday 23rd
Midnight Trolley Race

Saturday 24th (each task worth different points, and take various amounts of time, Scouts must choose carefully)


Geo Caching
Fire lighting
Giant Chess
First Aid
Mini Raft Building
Fish for a Duck
A walk to the shop
A4 paper challenge
Quoits Making
Quoits Throwing
Lego Challenge
Gutters and Pipe Race

Wide Game

Sunday 25th
Obstacle course
-Cargo net in the trees
-Cargo net in the ground
-Walking the Plank
- Rope bridge
- Tyres

Incongruous (you might have to look that one up!) items game
Colours game

and then the results...

The cost of the weekend will be £25, inclusive of all camping and activity fees and food.

If you are interested in attending, print out the reply slip, pop this along with £10 deposit into a sealed envelope marked with the scouts name and "T4 Challenge Camp" by Wednesday 14th March 2012.

__________________________________________________

I ________________________(Print Scouts Name) would like to attend the T4 Challenge Camp, 23rd to 25th March 2012 at Silverwood Scout Camp and I enclose my £10 deposit.

__________________________________________________

Police Visit Ardsley Beavers

Wednesday night saw the local Community Police visit our Beaver session to help the Beaver's learn how to keep safe for part of their Safety Activity Badge work. We had a great time and would like to thank both officers for coming and talking to the kids about Stranger Danger and treating them to a look inside their Police Car!

Scouts - This Wednesday

Last week, the Scouts planned a short circular walk from Scout HQ. This Wednesday the Scouts will follow that route as part of the work required to get their Navigator badge. So please turn up in uniform as usual, but with appropriate outdoor wear suitable for the weather, including walking boots or strong shoes. Thanks!

Build your own survival tin

Scouts, don't forget to bring an old sweet or tobacco tin (or similar) to begin building your own survival tin. You can bring some contents as well
, if you have extra items you may be able to trade with another Scout.

District Cooking Competition

In what seemed to be the coldest Saturday morning this winter, 7 scouting chefs, made an early start to make the journey across to Barnsley Central to engage in a district wide cook off.  With a late addition, two teams of 4 cooked the same menu of;

Carrot & Coriander soup - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/richcarrotandcoriand_84723

Meatballs in Tomato sauce - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/meatballsandtomatosa_90717

Potato rosti - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/rosemarypotatorosti_90573

A little heat in the kitchen...

The competition  was strong from the other groups, they even managed to have cooking aprons and everything :-)

Home team at their stations

The food that Ardsley prepared was really good, cooked properly and according to the judges perfectly edible, we know it can't be that bad, when the Scouts themselves polished the lot off.

One of the Ardsleys teams meals served up for tasting

It's the first cooking competition of this type for these Scouts and their finishing position of fourth (the highest of the 2 Ardsley Teams) was a great start.  The leaders were proud of their effort and commitment, there's a lot that learnt from the day that can be used in future camps and competitions.

Scouts Investiture

January saw our first Scout investiture of 2012.

Our newest member receives necker and woggle during investiture

We have really welcomed our newest member and he has made an excellent start to Scouting life, always willing to participate and join in the work and the games.

Making the promise

With a number of cubs ready to make the step up to Scouts this year, we hope it will mark the start of a steady stream of Scouts being invested into the troop and it will allow it to continue to develop and prosper.

CUBS - DIARY DATES
We have an action packed program over the next few weeks, here is a taster and some dates to keep in mind. Letters will be sent out to parents prior to each event:

DATE	ACTIVITY
16TH FEB 2012	Entertainment Badge – A guest dance instructor will be giving us all a street dance lesson which we will perform at the end of the night.  Make sure you wear trainers and comfortable clothes under your uniform!
23rd FEB 2012	Pancake backwards cooking – bring your favorite toppings!  Also, investiture night for our new Cubs
08th MARCH 2012	Star spotting outside and making/cooking dampers over a fire, (weather permitting) – Make sure you wrap up warm!!
29th MARCH 2012	NO MEETING – this is due to the observatory visit and sleepover
30th MARCH 2012	Visit to Observatory with Sleepover at the Hut

 

District cooking competition

For those taking part report to Ardsley Scout HQ for 08:30 Saturday 4th Feb. Remember your necker and your packed lunch.

Scout Cooking Competition - Change of Venue

URGENT NOTICE for those Scouts taking part in the District Cooking Competition this Saturday: The venue for this event has changed. Due to the forecast bad weather the event is going to be held indoors at Wilthorpe Scout Hut, not at Silverwood as originally planned.

To make things simpler we have decided to meet at OUR scout hut at 8.30am, and travel through to Wilthorpe in Leader's cars. We will bring the Scouts back to Ardsley when the event is over.

Please spread the word, as not everyone gets blog updates.