Christmas Came Early to 1st Normandy Scout Group December 6, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff A Christmas Bazaar at 1st Normandy Scouts HQ has just raised over £2000 towards the replacement of our hut roof. All of the sections were involved in the preparations of items to sell on the day; the Beavers made magic reindeer food, the Cubs made dog toys and planted bulbs into pots, the Scouts created marshmallow sticks and the Explorers made bird boxes. The event included 15 paying stallholders selling crafts and gifts, plus chocolate and wine tombola’s, face painting and a fun ukulele workshop ‘learn to play Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer’. Premium grade Christmas Trees were sold to order and the day culminated with a raffle with over 40 fabulous prizes donated by supportive local businesses. The event, sponsored by Mackenzie Smith Estate Agents in Ash Vale, was a great afternoon of fun and entertainment. One visitor said, “we only popped down for an hour, but we were having so much fun, we ended up staying all afternoon!”. We urgently need to raise nearly £20,000 to replace our asbestos roof before it becomes unsafe and are looking for sponsors for future events/donors towards their roof fund. If you think you may be able to help, please contact [email protected]
Cubs News – November 2014 November 25, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff The Cubs have had a busy term, we started off when the nights were still light building fires and cooking twists on them and learning how to navigate with a compass. They also learnt how to build a newmarket ballista and then had a competition to attack each other sixes castles. 12 Cubs attended our annual weekend camp, where despite the rain they had a great time. The sixers forum came up with a sweet themed evening, which involved a sweet relay race followed by a spaghetti and marshmallow (blu-tac!) construction challenge, that proved exceptionally difficult! The Cubs have also been working towards their Promise, Global and Community challenges, and I’m very pleased to report that in the coming months we will have a number of them achieving their Chief Scouts silver award.
Beavers (Thursday) News – November 2014 November 25, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff Since starting in September the Beavers have been working on their Friendship Challenge Badge and also their Experiment, Imagination and Faith Activity Badges. Activities – Some of the things we have completed are: Visit to Farnborough Fire Station Visit from local Policeman Remembrance Parade Visit to St Marks Church Normandy Worked on our own Anti Bullying Policy We have also introduced the Golden Woggle which is for the best behaved beaver of the week, of which they all get very excited about. Before the end of the year we will be attending: The Bag Packing at Burpham 9 of our Beavers will be taking part in the Beaver Christmas Craft Afternoon on 29th November. Trip to the see Snow White Panto in Guildford.
Scouts News – November 2014 November 24, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff Although we are still small in numbers we have grown a little with two new members from outside the group, two new members from cubs, and one cub about to be invested. We have continued to have regular weekly meetings. Activities have included woggle making, cooking, outdoor challenge and map reading working towards the guide badge. 10 of the scouts along with leaders attended the Guildford West district camp on the weekend of the 18/19 October at Bentley Copse camp site. The scouts had the opportunity to try climbing, air rifle shooting, archery, and the Bentley Copse assault course. Good fun was had by all and all returned home a bit wet and bedraggled after a great weekend. One patrol took part in the district backwoods cooking competition and came a creditable third place, well done to them. On the evening of 22nd November Josey was presented with his Chief Scouts Gold award at the county presentation evening well done Josey.
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
Beavers (Wednesday) News – November 2014 November 22, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff Badge Work The Beavers have this term been working towards achieving the Friendship Challenge badge and have also been earning the Safety, Faith and Space badges. Activities Cork catapults which fired mini marshmallows Filled jam jars with creatures from the woods – found a couple of frogs Made jelly and ate it around the campfire followed by a few songs Visited St.Mark’s church Learnt about Italy Made fairy cakes – most were edible Went for a walk in the woods searching for Owls using Owl ‘attractors’ Sleepover This was scheduled for the weekend of 25/26th October. However, the event was cancelled due to lack of interest. Only 5 out of 18 Beavers wanted to come. I will re-arrange in the new year.
Fundraising News November 12, 2014 (updated November 18, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff A selection of members of the 1st Normandy Scout Group were photographed this week to promote the Christmas Bazaar in the Mackenzie Smith Estate Agent newsletter. Mackenzie Smith have kindly sponsored our Christmas Bazaar by printing our posters, flyers and raffle tickets. Look out for our 3 large banners coming soon on a roadside near you. (sponsored by Digital Sign Services) We’re really looking forward to the post arriving this week – our printed raffle tickets are on their way… We are very proud of our lovely new lanyards, made especially for the Christmas Bazaar – free of charge, and can be used over and over again at all of our fundraising events.
Christmas Trees for Sale November 12, 2014 (updated November 12, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff Premium grade Christmas trees from 1st Normandy Scout group will save you money and help us to raise money to replace our roof too! Nordman Fir – good needle retention (non-drop) Natural aromas of citrus Soft deep green foliage Good triangular shape Top quality cut tree (no roots) Choice of heights from 5ft (£35) to 8ft (£55) Delivered to your door (for an extra charge) Order online or at our Christmas Bazaar
Cub Camp 2014 October 5, 2014 (updated October 5, 2014) | By Alexis Shirtliff 12 Cubs enjoyed a weekend camping at the Scout Hut from the 3rd to the 5th of October 2014. Friday Night The Cubs arrived at 6:30, and after helping to start put up their tents, went and joined in with the Scout meeting, whilst Akela, Shere Khan and a number of parent volunteers finished putting up the tents in the dark! Around 8pm, after the Cubs had made popcorn with the Scouts on gas burners, the tents were up and they unpacked. After the Scout meeting finished the Cubs had a light supper of Hot Dogs, followed by Hot Chocolate, before heading off to be at 10. Most of them were asleep after an hour, and Akela was quite impressed that he only had to get up once to have a word! Saturday After a breakfast of Cereal, Bacon, Scrambled Egg and Spaghetti Hoops the Cubs had a kit inspection. They then gathered some wood for both the camp fire and the altar fire that their dinner would be cooked on. The Cubs then headed out in their tent groups for a quick hike to the village football pitch. Whilst the leaders with them knew where they were going, all the Cubs had to go on was a list of compass bearings and landmarks to head to. All the groups got there very quickly, but unfortunately the promised heavy rain had arrived, so instead of the planned game of football, the leaders decided an extended hike was in order. We headed north, via the cricket pitches to Dolley’s Hill and then onto the Ranges. The red flags were out, so we took a slight detour across a few boggy areas (around Whitepatch Bottom), which were expertly navigated by one of the sixers, who seemed particularly adept at finding the best route across the various water hazards. All the Cubs banded together in some cases carrying each other! The Cubs carried on to the top of Lookout hill, where we stopped for a much needed shelter from the rain and for a refreshment break, including some lovely cakes made by one the Cubs. We then started to head back, but on the way had a game of Capture the Flag amongst the pine trees. Spot the Cubs in the picture above! Shere Khan headed back ahead of the rest of us to get a lunch of Spaghetti Bolognaise and Spaghetti ready. The Cubs then spent the afternoon working on their Naturalist badge: trying to find at least 6 different tree leaves around the grounds (I think the record find was 10), surveying the stream for life (at least one baby fish was found) and making a collage from scavenged leaves, twigs and other items about the camp. After another tea and cake break, the Cubs found more wood for the Camp fire, whilst Akela started the Altar fire for dinner (and dried out the wood!) The cubs then had a game of Sardines, before a dinner of baked potatoes (cooked on the fire), sausages, beans, followed by baked apples and chocolate filled bananas (again cooked on the altar fire). Akela then went to get the Campfire alight, which despite most of the wood being quite wet due to the heavy rain didn’t take long at all, and only required a small amount of shredded paper & dried kindling to get it going. Once the fire was ready, the Cubs finished their card games with Shere Khan and headed down for a number of campfire song favourites. A particular highlight was the Cubs unaccompanied rendition of Ging Gang Goolie. When the singing was done, the Cubs toasted some marshmallows, before heading back inside for hot chocolate and biscuits before heading off to bed for an early night. By ten there was not a whisper around the campsite! Sunday After a much colder night, the Cubs were still fast asleep at 7am, but Akela was already up making a breakfast of cereal, Eggy bread, bacon, beans and spaghetti hoops. Then, following a quick kit inspection, it was time to strike the camp and pack all the tents away prior to the Cubs going home at 11. Akela would like to thank the other leaders and all the parents who helped during the weekend, putting up the tents, and during the days helping with activities/cooking/washing up. As always without this assistance we would wouldn’t be able to provide the Cubs with so many activities.
Desert Island Pioneering June 17, 2014 | By Alexis Shirtliff The Cubs have continued to test their backwoods skills this week, following on from last weeks shelter building and fire lighting/cooking two weeks ago. This week each six was given a box containing: 6 wooden pegs 1 mallet 4 lengths of rope 1 washing up bowl Their task was to imagine they were stranded on a desert island and that they needed a clothes line to dry their neckerchiefs on, a scraper to clean their shoes on and a way to keep their drinking water (in the washing up bowl) up off the ground. The results were quite varied, some sixes had very good washing lines, but rickety water holders. The foot scrapers were surprisingly inventive, with good use of rope being made – although one sixes design had to be changed when it was pointed out they’d probably trip over it quite often!