Tesco Grant for Maintenance Equipment June 24, 2018 (updated September 1, 2018) | By Alexis Shirtliff 1st Normandy Scouts have recently taken part in the Tesco Bags of help scheme where charities all over the country have been awarded grants out of the Bags of help scheme. Following a vote by the local community at Tesco stores in Guildford, Guildford Town Centre & Milford we were successful in being awarded a grant of £2,000 towards maintenance equipment for the grounds. This Tesco grant has allowed us to invest in a new (actually, good condition secondhand) lawn mower, strimmer, leaf blower & other ancillary equipment. On behalf of everyone at 1st Normandy Scouts we would like to thank all those who voted for us in Tesco stores and to Tesco for their philanthropic support. For more details on the Tesco scheme please see – https://www.tesco.com/carrier-bags/
Cubs Win District Handicraft Competition November 21, 2015 | By Alexis Shirtliff Today was the annual Guildford West District Cub Scout Handicraft competition. This years task was to make a model of a fun fair. With some excellent competition from 6 other teams around the District, it was great that our team triumphed, for only the third time since the competition started in 1992!
Christmas Trees For Sale October 31, 2015 (updated November 1, 2015) | By Alexis Shirtliff Premium grade Christmas trees from 1st Normandy Scout group will save you money and help us to raise money to renew our toilet and kitchen facilities! 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) Order online – Last orders 20th November 2015 Collection from 1st Normandy Scout Headquarters on Sunday 29th November between 12noon and 4pm when we will also be holding our Christmas Bazaar where the children can visit Father Christmas and you can have free refreshments including mulled wine and a mince pie.
Family Fun Day July 18th 2015 July 6, 2015 (updated July 14, 2015) | By Alexis Shirtliff There’ll be fun and games for all ages, a BBQ, cakes, a big raffle, a chocolate tombola, a bottle tombola and traders stalls with items for sale. Not one to be missed. Invite your friends, neighbours and the whole family. We are very grateful to Mackenzie Smith Estate Agents, Digital Sign Services and Backhurst Animal Feeds for supporting the event. There will also be a raffle, supported by Co Op Funeral Services in Ash Vale and Christmas’s Bakery at Worplesdon. Some of the prizes include: £50 cash Set of Neff saucepans worth £100 donated by Hogs Back Kitchens £25 Vale Furnishers voucher for Cookshop/Accessories/Linens or £50 for furniture £20 Sainsburys gift card Hogs Back Brewery Tour for 2 people 2 tickets to Little Angels soft play A bottle of Prosecco donated by Waitrose at Frimley A bottle of Cava donated by Budgens in Ash Vale A bottle of Rose Wine donated by Budgens in Ash Vale A box of Milk Tray donated by Budgens in Ash Vale A box of Ferraro Roche Chocolates donated by budgens in Ash Vale An assortment of occasion cards An arrangement from Rays Florist A selection of Neals Yard Remedy Products The winning ticket holders choice from the Grannys Glove Box stall A sterling Silver piece of jewellery of choice from the Silverfizz Jewellery stall An organic gift from Riverford Organic Home Delivery Service A dog toy from Backhurst Animal Feeds A meal for 2 for the Royal Oak in Pirbright A £30 voucher for The White Hart in Woodstreet A meal for 2 from Happy Garden Chinese Takeaway in Ash Vale A £10 voucher from Hunts Hill Farm, Normandy. A £10 voucher from Squires Garden Centre in Badshot Lea. 3 Porsche Calendars donated by the Porsche Centre, Guildford 2 tickets to Bird World donated by Birdworld A pair of secateurs from Norris and Gardiner A prize from the Pampered Chef A Sun Hat and Sun Glasses from Busy Happy People Plus lots more arriving every day….a really good chance of winning a great prize
1st Normandy Beaver Sleepover May 31, 2015 (updated May 31, 2015) | By Alexis Shirtliff 16 1st Normandy Beaver Scouts together with 2 Duke Of Edinburgh Award participants, 3 Adult Helpers and 3 leaders met at the Scout hut in Normandy for a Cowboy themed Beaver Sleepover over the weekend of 9th and 10th May. The Beavers transformed themselves into cowboys making sheriff badges, cowboy hats and horses before searching for gold following the clues around the surrounding woods. A wigwam camp was made before the Beavers tested their bravery skills by putting their hands into the mouth of the “Hungry ‘orse”. After a typical cowboy supper of baked potatoes, sausages, chicken drums sticks and vegetables followed by a fruit salad (the vegetables and fruit salad being prepared by the Beaver Scouts), the cowboys tested their coordination skills by beating open the horse piñata. Tents were erected within the Scout hut and the sleeping quarters were arranged before we all headed out to toast marshmallows on the campfire and to sing a number of loud songs! In the morning, after a bacon bap, the Beavers pinned the tail on ‘Neddy the horse’ before sleepover certificates and nights away badges were awarded.
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