Jump in and get muddy. Give back and get set. Scouts ignore the butterflies and go for it, and soon so will you.
We currently have 23 Scouts split 1/3 girls to 2/3 boys, and each of the four patrols are mixed.
Our activities this year have revolved around teamwork, with pioneering challenges, patrol cooking, camping, hiking, and each patrol having the chance to organise and deliver an evening’s programme. We’ve covered first aid skills, looked at the biodiversity in our local lakes and woods, hike route planning and map reading, and completed our annual local Chip Shop Survey. We celebrated Diwali and Burns Night, and went bowling. We’ve also had a focus on improving our target skills in air rifle shooting this year, with five taught sessions since September and a competition coming up at the end of the summer term!
We’ve been lucky enough to be able to return to camping and we’re back to our at-least-once-a-term running order.
Last summer, our week-long summer camp was in the beautiful Lake District at Great Tower Activity Centre, where the Scouts camped, hiked, tackled the Via Ferrata, and tried their hands at raft and bridge building, crate stacking, and ghyll scrambling. In November we held a very wet camp at Jordan Heights, where the Scouts learned penknife, axe, and saw skills, and played wide games in the dark.
Then in February we took part in the County Frost Camp at Bentley Copse – very aptly named as it was very cold! – and the Scouts tried tree climbing, zip-lining, Jacob’s ladder and attended a silent disco among other activities. We also attended the Frost Camp campfire, where all the groups came together to sing, watch skits, and enjoy each other’s company as part of the wider family of Scouts. The noise was joyful but deafening!
In May we held a joint Cub and Scout camp at Frylands Wood, and the Scouts cooked for themselves over the fire, threw tomahawks and had a go at beekeeping.
The fun continues in late July, where 13 Scouts are heading out for a week’s camping in the Netherlands – our first international camp since 2018. We have a week planned of water sports, hiking, cooking over fires, and trips to Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam, to the National Military Museum, and to Efteling theme park.
We have more camps planned for next year, and are hoping to get some expeditions underway for the older Scouts too.Please get in touch if you’d like to know more, or if you are interested in joining the leadership team for the Scout section – we have just as much fun as the Scouts!
