5th Dunstable Scout Group

Newsletter July 2002

Dear Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, Parents, and Friends,

Introduction

So here we are, writing (in my case) or reading (in your case) the second of our newsletters. "Second?" you ask? You obviously didn't get the first one in April. Well you haven't entirely missed the boat, as it is still available on our new Web Site - more details later.

Since the last newsletter, we have had a couple of successful group events, not counting the regular meetings. I've included a short review of these below.

There is also a significant change in the wind, chiefly affecting the age ranges of the individual sections of the group, which I've explained in more detail later on.

Recent Events - Family Camp

Over the May Day bank holiday weekend, some 24 families (or similar groups) got together at Emberton Country Park (near Olney, north of Milton Keynes), for a few days camping. The group had recently purchased six new kayaks, and two new 3-4 seat Canadian canoes, to replace some of the old and deteriorating craft. To christen them, we decided to attempt to paddle 100 miles over the weekend. In fact, we easily beat our target, as we had completed the 100 miles by the end of Saturday, and we still had Sunday and Monday to go!

We also had several other light-hearted activities, including quizzes, competitions for boules, "golf" and others, and two evenings all together in the marquee for bingo, a scout version of a beetle drive, more quizzes, and food.

Our thanks to all who helped to organise it, especially to Brian Calvert who led the organisational effort, and also to those helpful souls who went back on Wednesday evening to take down the marquee, which had still been wet at the end of the weekend.

If you want to see more of what went on, visit our web site (details later) for more photos. And if you participated, and you had a good time, then please encourage other families in the group to join us for the Water Weekend on September 6/7/8. More details on the website.

Recent Events - May Fayre

On May 18th, we held our annual May Fayre and Plant Sale. This is always profitable for the group, and this year was no exception, raising about £1000 for the group's funds. This is one way in which we help to keep the boys' subscriptions low, while still being able to afford new kayaks once in a while. So our thanks go to all who organised or participated, and especially to Phil Turnock and Graham Lee.

Beaver Activities

Things the Beavers have done recently include:

• Making beavers which climb strings
• Pizzas on toast
• Xmas candle floral decorations
• Grass Heads
• Mini Olympics
• Salt Dough Bowls
• Mother's Day Peppermint Creams
• Beaver Bean Collage
• Jubilee Evening with old fashioned games and songs
• Camping and Fishing (thanks to Dave Cox)
• Easter Nests (thanks to Ventures)
• Jubilee Street Party
• Treasure Hunt in Priory Gardens
• Ten-Pin Bowling

We have no pictures of any of these - perhaps next term we'll get the photographer in !

Cub Activities

Since Easter, Cub activities have included outdoor activities at Longrove, a French evening run by the sixers (with help from Raksha), a visit to Priory Church to learn about the Civil War, a walk to Totternhoe, and two evenings working for the cyclist's badge.

5th Dunstable Scout Group

Newsletter July 2002

We also entered the District Survival Day, and came second. See also the pictures below, taken on some of the activities - more can be found on the Web.

Ready to start on the cycling evening at Marston Vale. That's Paul on the left, our expert for the evening.
		Crossing a rope bridge during the day out at Gilwell Park.
On the climbing wall, during the weekend camp at Chalfont Heights

Scout Activities

Amongst the many activities recently undertaken by the scouts were: The Observer's badge (harder than expected), a Navigation exercise (longer than expected), Survival Skills, Fire Safety (with a visit to the Fire Station).

Any moment now, we'll be off to summer camp, this year somewhere in the depths of Dorset.

Again, no pictures - maybe next time!

New Organisation

The Scout Association has recently reviewed the structure of scouting, and has made some changes, which the Group will be adopting to start in September. There are updates to programme material and awards (i.e. badges).

There are no changes in the age ranges for Beavers and Cubs, which remain as 6-8 and 8-10½ respectively.

The most significant changes are at the higher age ranges, where a new section has been introduced, bringing together the older scouts and younger ventures, in a section to be called Explorers. Scouts will therefore cater for youngsters up to about 14 years, whereupon they will be able to move into the new Explorer section, where they will remain until they move into the Scout Network (effectively the previous Venture section) around the age of 18.

The Scout Network has an upper age limit of 25. The Explorer and Network sections will no longer be considered part of the individual Scout Group, but will be organised on a District basis for the Explorers and a County basis for the Network. Full details of the District's plans for the Explorer section are not yet available. Until the Explorer section is up and running, and until a Scout wishes to make the move, he is welcome to stay with the 5th Dunstable Scouts up to the maximum age of 15 years.

Those young people of a Network age are already planning the course of this section with the county authorities. As with the older Scouts, Ventures are welcome to continue to meet at the Church for as long as is necessary.

Here's a summary of the new age ranges:

Beavers	6		8
Cubs		8		10½
Scouts			10½		14
Explorer				14		18
Network					18		25

Web Site

Several times now, I've mentioned our web site. This is still in its early stages, but it already contains the two newsletters we've published so far, an organisational chart with photos of most leaders and helpers, reports of past events (including more photos of some), and a calendar of future events.

You can find the Fifth Dunstable Scouts web site at:

www.fifthdunstable.f9.co.uk

Amongst the other things, there is a feedback form, where you can comment on any aspect of the Group's activity, without actually having to pin down a leader at a convenient moment.

Note that the site contains pictures of some of the boys. I have been careful not to include full names of anyone but leaders, and faces have been fuzzed in recognition of individual privacy and the potential dangers of the Web. Nevertheless, if there is a picture, or even some text, which you would rather was not there for all to see, just let me know, and I'll sort it out.

Comments?

If you’ve got any comments about the Scout Group, or about this Newsletter, or you want to offer your help in some way, then I’d be pleased to hear from you. You can contact me at:

Or via the feedback form on the website, or you can often find me around the hall around 7:30 on a Wednesday evening, picking up cubs and dropping off scouts. Or of course, you can always speak to any of the leaders.

And finally, have yourselves a great summer holiday, and we'll see you again in September.