Explorers Report – November 2014 November 23, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff Currently 14 Explorers, many of whom are helping as young leaders in the other sections. We have just returned from a wet and very windy weekend in the Snowdonia Mountains. With 10 Explorers from the unit participating, a great experience and fun was had by all in the hills, despite what the weather threw at us. There was rumour of a game of Loup Garou in the early hours of the morning followed by climbing on the Sunday, which meant a quiet drive home! The last couple of weeks have been full on making bird boxes and putting decorations in the hall ready for the Bazaar, all was undertaken with impromptu Christmas songs. Prior to this has been a busy term, helping at the Queens Scout Award ceremony, Group work party, running the bonfire drinks stall and attending the Remembrance Day service. One of our weekly meetings involved a dance night and was enjoyed by all. We also had an overnight incident hike including investing our new Explorers Carl, Josey and Max at the Brookwood memorial site. There is a great atmosphere within the unit and to finish off our year we look forward to the Network district wide game, a visit to the London lights and our annual Xmas meal. On a final note, the Explorers have at last agreed a name for the unit: NESU
1st Normandy Explorer Scout Chosen as Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for 2013 August 19, 2012 (updated June 2, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff Congratulations to Romy of 1st Normandy Explorers for being chosen as one of the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey’s Cadets for 2013. Dame Sarah Goad, the Lord Lieutenant, invited Surrey Scouts (of which she is President) to nominate an Explorer Scout as non-military Cadet, and Romy was selected as one of these. All their duties will be in full uniform and the expectation that they will be exceptionally smart as they will be at the forefront of royal and other events. They wear the sash and badge of the Lord Lieutenants Cadet during their year in office. During an event or visit the role of the Cadet is normally to stay close to the Lord Lieutenant and assist wherever possible. At other times they will be expected to mingle with guests whilst remaining alert to what is going on and being ready to help. The Group are very happy that Romy has been chosen to represent not only Surrey, but also Guildford West Scouts.
Explorers Investiture April 28, 2010 (updated June 2, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff On a dark and frosty February night the Normandy Explorer Scout Unit invested 6 new members. We had promised them we would do it somewhere memorable and with lots of people present. Little did they know the venue was going to be Brookwood Cemetary. To be more precise the Brookwood Memorial. This large circular memorial commemorates 3,500 men and women of the forces of the British Commonwealth “to whom the fortunes of war denied a known and honoured grave”. After the investiture the Explorers hiked back to the HQ for pizza and a film. This was followed by very little sleep then off home after bacon butties for breakfast.
TechNoChallenge 2010 Report April 28, 2010 (updated June 2, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff There were six parts to the challenge: Beauty Parade There were varied interpretations of this from a milk float, to a red pig and a space age scene complete with music. One very adventurous device even went with a bang, the fire extinguishers didn’t have to be used as the car was quickly carried outside!!! 1st place Normandy Explorers “B” Great T(egg)chno race After complaints at last years event that using cream eggs meant there was no challenge and mess real eggs were used. Luckily whilst there were a few cracks there was no spillages!!! The methods of placing the egg over the wall varied from remote control tippers to ram the car into the wall and hope the egg flies (and lands). 1st place Normandy Explorers “A” Technosult course The cars had to negotiate skittles, tunnels, ramps, jumps and more. Every car completed the course but only 2 without incurring penalties. 1st place Normandy Scouts “B” Techno drag Pure speed, about the only event where it did matter what the base car was under the covers. 1st place Normandy Explorers “A” Techno push – The vehicles had to capture then push a football into goal. Sounds easy but most teams found it quite tricky. 1st place Normandy Explorers “A”. Techno Sumo The only event where the vehicles are put head to head literally. They had to push each other’s car out of the Sumu ring. Size was not the answer but agility. 1st place Wood Street Scouts. Overall results 1st Normandy Explorers “A” 2nd Normandy Scouts “B” Joint 3rd Wood Street Scouts & Normandy Explorers “B”
Explorers Report – May 2009 May 14, 2009 (updated June 3, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff There are 10 Explorers at present and 3 leaders showing a gradual increase that we hope to continue. The summer term started with the annual camp in the Forest of Dean together with the Scouts and Network. We invited Wood Streets older Scouts so as to introduce them to Explorers in an exciting environment, our aim being to recruit them. This appears to have been a success. The Explorers demonstrated their culinary skills with the help of Jon and Eddie by preparing monster breakfasts for one and all. Canoeing, cycling and climbing were on offer and was undertaken with enthusiasm. The Explorers are putting into place their plans to gain the Scout Platinum and DOE Bronze awards. Amongst other things this will include helping out in the other sections. There is registration and other cost’s that we aim to meet from unit funds. K9 is being looked forward to. We have provisional plans for our own day and have funding in place for this from unit funds and by a donation through helping out at the Cathedral. We are looking forward to our plans for the coming year including:- Young leader training Shooting Over night hikes Survival camp K9 in Switzerland Awesome camp in Wales
Explorers Report – March 2009 March 19, 2009 (updated June 3, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff There are 8 Explorers at present and 3 leaders. We have 4 other potential explorers giving us a try at the moment. Everyone is still full of enthusiasm and it is unusual for any of the Explorers to miss a unit meeting or event. Techno challenge was undertaken by Scouts and Explorers from the district and a great time was had by all with the noise level going sky high as the day came to a close. The level of driving and reliability of the cars was another matter all together! Our Explorers were very dignified in allowing the scouts to beat them. Well done to Wood Street overall winners. Thanks to Peter for organising. Our Monopoly challenge was a great success held over a lovely weekend. We were joined by Peter’s old scout group Explorers from East Anglia. They were all let loose in London with a travel card to find and photograph all the sites and features on the Monopoly board. They all got back to Waterloo on time having had a enjoyable and confidence building day out. We all returned to the HQ to spend the night being amused by pictures taken during the day. We have recently run a base for the District Scout night hike providing a red nose, bomb disposal and a bit of a shock for the Scouts. Network held a quiz evening for us and we have been experimenting with camera techniques. We are looking forward to our plans for the coming year including:- Young leader training Over night hikes Survival camp FOD Camp K9 in Switzerland Awesome camp in Wales
Explorers Report – January 2009 January 21, 2009 (updated June 3, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff There are 8 Explorers at present having gained a scout from an external group and 3 leaders. Everyone has enjoyed their Christmas break and came back full of enthusiasm. It is unusual for any of the Explorers to miss a unit meeting or event. Survival camp was a great success held over a lovely October weekend. They were put in a crash site scenario with the expectation to survive. The Explorers made their own overnight shelters and feasted on pheasant, partridge and orange sponge cooked backwoods style. Network ran an evening for us including other local units. We had our annual meal this year at the Harvester in Puttenham and have just been ten pin bowling. Our plan for the coming year include:- Techno Challenge Youth Leader training Other night hikes including the county challenge Survival Camp London monopoly with a unit from Norwich FOD Camp K9 in Switzerland Awesome Camp in Wales
Explorers Report – October 2008 October 1, 2008 (updated June 3, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff At present there are 7 Explorer Scouts and 3 leaders. We have had a busy summer other than our unit meetings with the Explorers helping out at Scoutabout in June and District camp just last weekend. Summer camp was full on, starting with cycling to and from camp including an extended ride on the train. Events included Snail racing (Slot car racing), Mountain boarding, Sailing, Canoeing (thanks to Southborne Sea scouts) Swimming, Visit to Portsmouth harbour and submarine. Lots of cycling and hikes including an overnight hike to a remote field as part of there training for the Scout/Duke Of Edinburgh Awards. Sleeping out under the stars after our feast proved a bit wet on the last night. A great time was had by all including the Scouts who had to put up with us. The autumn term started with Pedal car racing at Blackbush kart track. Taken very seriously by the pros and enjoyed by us in between eating! Camping was a bit damp among the millionaires in Sunninghill though. We have got rid of any bugs in the hut by opening up the fireplace and having a small fire. There was more smoke in the hut than went up the chimney! We are gradually working towards the Explorers gaining their main scouting awards linked in with DOE awards within the unit programmes. The deposit has been paid for the trip to Switzerland in 2009. Peter is organising this trip. There is a good atmosphere within the unit and it is very unusual for anyone to miss a unit evening or event. Future plans include a Survival camp, Hill walking in Wales, Techno challenge and of course our end of year meal.
Explorers Report – November 2007 November 6, 2007 (updated June 3, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff There are 6 Explorers at present and 3 leaders. This is quite a fall in numbers over the last year, with Explorers mainly moving on due to age and other overlapping activities. Our main event was to go to “Awesome 07” at Glanusk park in Wales. This was a activity camp run on a mini jamboree idea, only for Explorers. Examples on offer at the many numerous bases around the estate were climbing, kayaking, air rifle shooting, survival skills including skinning, preparing and cooking rabbits, a bungee run of which our most athletic member claimed the furthest distance. We rounded of this excellent camp with a short walk up onto the Brecon hills surrounding the site. We started of our Autumn term with a pleasant trip to the seafront at Hayling Island in what seemed like a raging gale. There has also been a trip to the diverse Camden Market in London. We base ourselves at the HQ undertaking various skills training and did some maintenance to the hut. But we try and be out in the local area where we have been expanding our nature skills, by pond dipping, identifying trees etc, star identification and map reading using the lay of the land. On Halloween evening we had a tour of Brookwood war graves, not for the faint hearted in the dark! All the explorers have gained experience cooking in the unlikely event of them leaving home, including making there own fruit cakes that were all edible. We are about to have a bonfire with Network, in so doing encouraging our older explorers to join them. We joined in the District centenary camp celebrating a 100 years of scouting on a wet weekend with all the other sections. We helped with the hike and cooking of course. There is a good atmosphere within the unit but we need new members 14yrs to 18yrs male and female