Scout Weekend - My Hammer Challenge

This weekend has been lots of scouts. 

Our son was at a camp all weekend with cubs, he loved it and has come back with many stories. I popped over and helped put a few tents up Friday night and did call round on Saturday with ice creams for everyone. As a scout leader I think it aids transition if all the cubs know me for when they move up to scouts. 

Then with my middle daughter (eldest is on a school trip), we went to an activity day with our district. I was asked to run a base and to have it as a challenge base. I was unsure what to do, but then my mate suggested a hammer base. Take some logs, nails and hammers and teach them how to drive a nail in. So some racing to see who could knock a nail in. 

 

Readyy Steady Cook! But For Scouts

 I can't take any credit for last nights scout session - but it was good fun.

The scouts were given a selection of ingredients, then split into their troops to make whatever they fancied. 

It was fun to see what they created. A few of the scouts really impressed me with how quickly they could make some very tasty food. It was fairly obvious which ones cook at home, they just had a feel for it even though they were cooking over an open flame. 

Cycling Scout Camp

It's fair to say that since joining Scouts some 7 or 8 years ago it has become a constant in our lives. I help out in all sections when I can and I'm now moving from Beavers to Scouts (more on that in another post). 

This weekend just gone we had a scout camp. It was for their expedition badge. So they had to plan a route using their bikes from the scout hut to the local scout camp (which is 14 acres and an incredible space). 

Although my Middlest isn't quite old enough to be a scout, she's on the cusp of joining properly and as I'm a leader I said that if I was to come she should as well. Turned out to be a really good thing as my girls were the only girls out of the scouts so they could share a tent (especially important with the eldest's diabetes).

I didn't bike the ten miles. Instead I drove my truck with all their bags. We only had 9 scouts sleeping over, with 4 leaders it made for a really nice time. The truck was great as well as otherwise we would have had to carry stuff a long way! 

ShireHike

 On Saturday we had a great day completing the 12km "ShireHike" with the Scouts. 

It was a big event with some 700 scouts of different ages attending. There were different length routes, we did the 12km (plus the 1.5km to get to the start), there was a 5km for the beavers (we couldn't get enough leaders to run the beaver walk as well), a 24km for the scouts (our scouts are all quite young so they stuck to the 12km cub walk) and a 37km walk for the explorers! The explorers group set off really early. 

We walk on the hills plenty and it was all routes we knew, but it was still a fun thing to do on a Saturday. The weather was kind. 

Mini Pancakes On Tin Cans

I sometimes help with Scouts as well as Beavers (and Cubs), last week I did a double stint. Helped with Beavers first - we were doing languages and world learning, but all run by the other leaders so I didn't do huge amounts. Then I stayed on to help with the Scouts. 

The Lesson sounded fun anyway - cooking mini pancakes on top of bean cans. 

Winter Scout Camp

 Scout Camp At Cranham 2024

For me this picture above sums up what children need more of. A camp fire, some hearty food, a bit of company and a few sticks to poke in the embers. 

This weekend just gone was hard work. I went as an extra leader for the scouts as normally I'm in Beavers. But it shows how long I've been a leader now as many of these scouts were my beavers some seven years ago! 

Scouts This week - Archery & Morse Code

 The start of the week always seems set up to kill us with how much we have to do. Especially with my eldest who has scouts (Monday night), and helped with Beavers (Monday night) and went to Cubs (Tuesday night) this week! Pretty full on start. 

Beavers was great where we got to try a little bit of archery. It's nice to see how the activity centre worker got them to listen, very practised patter that worked great. I always feel I learn a little bit from them. 

ShireJam 2023 - Scouts

 Oh wow! What a weekend!

Shirejam returned again after a 4 year break. It's a huge scout camp with all the scout groups from Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire attending, about 4500 scouts plus lots of adult helpers and leaders to make things run smoothly. 

Our troop didn't have so many attending this time, I think last time we totalled about 80, but this time we were more like 30 from our section, and our beavers didn't camp over, just some of the cubs and scouts. 

Eldest and Middlest at the opening ceremony 

Time moves on, last time it was just me and our eldest attending camp all weekend when she was a beaver. We currently have one in scouts, one in cubs and one in beavers! Although the girls come and help us every week run beavers, so do a lot of scouting when you add it up.

Lots Of Scouts Stuff

 Just an hour a week they tell you...

Lots of fun scouting things lately. The summer term is often the best one when it comes to being able to have every meeting outside. 

Face To Face Scouts Again!

Beavers was great fun last week, great to meet up with them again. We did outside cooking in small groups with multiple fires -I manned the marshmallows, but here was also one doing popcorn and one doing hot chocolate. These young scouts loved it & it felt like proper scouting again. All three of our children have to go, my lad will have been a scout for years before he even joins!

I then went on to help older scouts . We met up in a small wood on the Malvern Hills, with a small camp fire burning, helping to show them how to prepare a chicken, all keen to have a go - unfortunately I couldn't come up with a rabbit, I only got told a few nights before and the hunting gods weren't smiling on me!

Anyone who ever "worries about the youth of today" need to go give a bit of their time to the scouts, or just young people in general, I guarantee it'll put your mind at ease.

Were you a scout? What was your favourite memory?

Outdoor Cooking With Scouts

This is from a few weeks ago, before the close down on social gatherings due to Corona Virus. 

It was my week to plan it and I'd said a while ago I fancied doing outdoor cooking.

Wassailing With Beavers

When we were planning this term for our Beaver Scouts we had the bright idea of having our own little Wassail. The village has a huge one every year so I knew we couldn't top that, but hoped it would be good fun. 

Luckily we had great weather, a cold frosty night so no one was too muddy and no rain!

ShireJam 2019 - Scouts

What a full on weekend we've just had.

My eldest daughter and I have been on our first scout camp with our local troop. I've been training up to be a Beaver leader for over a year now and it was time to get all the little ones under canvas as scouts for the first time.

Brushing Up On Bushcraft Skills

This week I've been asked to do a bit of unusual work. 

Carrying some willow for cooking sticks

I've been asked to teach a two hour bush craft lesson to a group of exchange students.