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This page provides access to current and past copies of the the monthly newsletter of the 4th Worcester Park Scout Group plus other reports relating to life at the 4th. The Friends of the Fourth page has copies of their own section's newsletter.


4th News, June 2005

Sections

 

GROUP SCOUT LEADER

Fred Fletcher

Our Beavers, Cubs and Scouts looked very smart at the recent St George's Day Parade; well done to everybody I was very proud of you all. Our Group had a very good turnout of boys as we had 107 on parade, there were a few absentees - hope they had a good excuse!

The St George's Flag was carried proudly by our very own Nick Atwell who is an Explorer Scout, well done Nick.
The merger between Sutton & Cheam and Wallington & Carshalton Districts has now taken place very smoothly. The enlarged District will be called (unsurprisingly) `Sutton', the new Sutton District Badge is now available, and by the time you read these notes should already have been sewn onto your uniforms replacing the old Sutton & Cheam badge.

The Foxes are wandering around our HQ buildings, and have started tearing open the rubbish bags left by our wheelie bins, thus spreading rubbish around the forecourt and grounds (not very pleasant). Will people who use the kitchen therefore please make sure that the rubbish is put into the bins to avoid such temptations for the foxes!

Philip Thorne, a Scout, was at HQ recently to help with Aspen Beaver Colony, he saw the mess and immediately set about clearing it all up and put all the rubbish into the bins so that the area was clean and safe for the Beavers - that was good scouting - will Philip's Scout Leader please note!

I hope to see you all at the forthcoming Summer Fete on Saturday 2nd July - it should be a fun afternoon, come along and join in, best of all bring some friends.

Many thanks to all the folks who helped at the recent Jumble Sales, we still need parents help - in the words of a well known female TV cook, and Norwich Football Club Director; "LETS BE 'AVING YOU" we need your support.
Make a note in you diary for Saturday 10th September at HQ (Gates open at 7pm), we are holding an open-air performance of THE DAVE MARRION BIG BAND playing classics from Glen Miller, Count Basic and others.

Come along bring a picnic, or food will be available along with our very own Beer Tent. This should be a good night!

I look forward to seeing you at these events.

ASPEN COLONY

Anne Mays (MAYO), Carol Salter (HOLLY)

This month has been quite short as we did not meet for the first Monday as the children were still on Easter Break.

Most of the month has been taken up by St George. We have made pictures and flags for our notice board which look great and read stories about St George and the Dragon and about St George being the patron saint of England and of Scouting. We have also made some wonderful biscuits for St George's Day - some got home; some were eaten beforehand.

We have had a first aid evening discussing incidents that might arise inside and outside the home and learning what to do in emergencies and how to place someone in the recovery position. All in all it went very well and Holly and I hope the situation never arises but you never know.

We had a wonderful attendance for the St George's day parade in which the Beavers all renewed their promise it was lovely to see so many boys from the district of Sutton and Cheam all marching together.

Our boys were all very well behaved and were a credit to the Group. This was the last time that this District will march together and it was a memorable occasion as 4th Worcester Park carried the St George's Flag. Next year we will meet as a new District called (Sutton District) which will include Wallington and Carshalton.

The merger took place on the 26th April and the new District badges are now available to replace the old District badges that say Sutton and Cheam.
Don't forget to start saving any unwanted gifts for the Summer Fete which is on the 2nd July. The following day on Sunday 3rd July it is Aspen Colony's Scouts' Own again so please book that weekend for the Scout Group.

BIRCH COLONY

Sheila Kinton (BAGHEERA)

We welcome Adam Higgins to Birch Colony and hope he will enjoy his time with us. We are now up to the grand total of 18 boys which is super.
During the last month we have had a scavenger hunt in the field, held an evening based on St. George with the boys taking home a flag to wave on the 23rd. The next week we planted sunflower seeds with a competition to see who can grow the tallest sunflower by the end of the summer.

Last week started the build-up to our 10p Fair with the making of invitations and a collage for our board. Our 10p Fair in aid of the Shooting Star Children's Hospice will take place at the H.Q. on Tuesday, 17th May from 5.15 - 6.15 pm everyone please support us if you can.

CEDAR COLONY

Valerie Street (BADGER)

Cedar Colony went out for a Pizza, well most of them did. Some chose chicken instead, but the boys all had clean plates especially after the dough balls with garlic butter. We had a lovely time and as it was comic relief day we all looked very smart in our uniforms with red hair and decorated faces.

It was a great pleasure to award the following badges to the boys: The Creative badge went to Daniel Roberts, Callum Jones, Joshua Smart and Eoin Thornton.

Daniel Roberts and George Thomas were awarded their one-year badge and Connor Whitman was awarded his two-year badge.
I was very pleased to be able to award the Discovery Challenge badge to Matthew Coates, Ben Martin, Daniel Roberts, Jack Rosenthal, George Thomas, Connor Whitman, Liam Richards, Callum Jones, Joshua Smart, Eoin Thornton, Ben Burlinson and Aaron O'5ullivan.

We decorated our notice Board in time for the St George's day supper and then realised it was similar to Aspen. Great minds think alike! Well done to the boys who managed to make the St George's day parade. Can we have a band please or at least some taped music? It would make the marching much more fun.

It has been lovely to get out on the field especially having such football enthusiasts among Cedar colony. We have planted pumpkin seeds in the hope of having a pumpkin patch, which in turn will turn into lanterns and pumpkin pie later in the year.

Beavers - 'thank-you'

Being a beaver is so much fun,
When I started I was the smallest one,

For a long time I've been at Beavers,
During which I have had three leaders,

I love dodge ball and making cakes,
We draw pictures like Quentin Blake's,

For our badges we do our best,
But for some of us it's a very hard quest,

I have learnt so much at Beavers this time,
But now up another level I climb,

I'm off to Cubs with older boys,
I'm sure there will be a lot of noise,

I know I will have lots of fun,
But once again I am the smallest one,

Thank-you for helping me on a Friday night,
But now I must take my Thursday night flight.

Thank you!!!!

 

By Matthew Coates

ANGLIA PACK

Brenda Hunt (AKELA)

First meeting of the month we took advantage of the good weather and went to the park. The boys played football and went on the swings.

Well done to all boys who turned out for St George's Day Parade; the boys looked very smart and behaved well.

We spent an evening playing in the field and practicing our skipping skills.

We were lucky enough to have a nurse visit us and teach us the basics of first aid. All the boys gained their First Aid Badge, and this also went towards the Personal Safety Badge.

It was a sad goodbye to Scott Adams, Harry Jeffries, Harry Sneath, James Close, Matthew Chubb and Stuart Bradshaw; good luck to you all I'm sure you will make great Scouts.

BROWNSEA PACK

Les Prescott (KERICK)

Ben and Michael ran a successful meeting for us at the beginning of April - the ideas were from a "Programme on a Plate" suggestion from Scouting magazine on the theme of "The Air Around Us" and involved some scientific experiments using candles and balloons among other things!

Our other meetings in April included a test work night in four bases where we learned more of International Scouting, the Environment, the Country Code and a base on Health. We practised tent pitching in preparation for our weekend camp and we also learned tracking signs, and did some mapping and compass work. Finally, we did our usual stint of delivering jumble sale notices.

My thanks to the 15 Cubs from the Pack who attended the St George's Day service - a very important day in the life of all scouts where we renewed our Promise.
We had a really successful weekend training camp at the Park Farm Scout Campsite adjoining Banstead Woods. The Cubs pitched their tents when they arrived, then had a packed lunch before going on a nature walk along the North Downs at Colley Hill. We saw a real storm in the distance over Dorking, but we managed to stay in sunshine for the whole afternoon.

Returning to camp, the Cubs cooked their own beef burgers and veggie burgers over open fires, and after some field games we had a camp fire with favourite songs followed by a night walk through the woods.

On Sunday, we had more games run by Harry and Daniel and went on an assault course built by Ben and Michael and laid some tracks using tracking signs for Kerick to follow. After lunch it was time to take the tents down and return home. Congratulations to Bulldog Six (Sixer: Elliot Williams) on winning the points competition, followed very closely by Mars Bars Six (Sixer: Jason Keehn) and Blue Devils Six (Sixer: Jack Francis).

Thanks very much to the leader team, to Sally for organising the catering with Margret Wilkinson and a lot more besides, and to John for his help in many ways. Thanks to Ben, Michael, Harry and Daniel for their great assistance - we also had visits from former leaders Hazel and Dawn.


Congratulations to the following boys who have gained badges:

Nights Away 1: Luke Norrie-Rolfe, David Nosworthy, Edward Yelf, William Singer, Thomas Sharp, Cameron Geard, Myles Mitchell.

Caring Challenge: Rhys Mohr, Luke Norrie-Rolfe, Elliot Williams, Jamie Smart, Joseph Finn, William Eyre, Ben Purahoo, Edward Yelf.

Global Challenge: Luke Norrie-Rolfe, Jamie Smart, Joseph Finn, William Eyre, Ben Purahoo, David Nosworthy, Michael Cooney, William Singer, Thomas Sharp, Cameron Geard, Edward Yelf.

 

Some dates for your diaries:
3rd July - Scouts' Own
Sunday 24th July to Friday 29th July - Summer Camp

CHARTERHOUSE PACK

Margaret Pennington (AKELA)

After the holiday we were back into an energetic time with the boys working towards badges. Although the 'Naturalist' sounds much less effort than the 'Sports Enthusiast' please believe me that this is not the case. The Pack garden has been weeded (the nettles were very dense and tall), dug over and planted up under Rama's guidance - I found it tiring and I was just watching! The sportsmen by comparison seemed to have an easy time playing a few games (I am only joking, honestly) with Baloo and Bagheera. They also have been working very hard.

On the day after St George's Day we joined the rest of the Group and the District for that walk from Cheam Village to Cheam High School for the annual Promise Renewal. The weather was lovely, the traffic warden horrid! Once again we found out how helpful and caring our parents really are; running around in a newly invented game of 'Beat the Warden' to as many cars as possible to get the parent ticket on the cars before the warden got theirs. Thank you and very well done.

On May Day Bank Holiday Monday we spent the whole day at the Sutton Lions Cheam Fair helping out and running a stall to raise money for a Gazebo and flowers for the Pack garden and the hanging baskets on the tree outside the front door.

PURPLE TROOP

Alan Avery (Scout Leader)

 

One week was spent explaining in detail how a primus works and the next week we times a basic meths stove, a trangier, a primus and a gas burner to see how long they took to boil 2 pints of water - the primus won.

We had a wide game on Banstead Common using wood for lines - judging by the enthusiasm we must do a repeat.

Very few lads turned up on the jumble collecting evening making it hard work for the few - who did extremely well and they will be rewarded with an outing of their choice.

You should all have a programme, let me know if not; spaces for the water weekend are now very limited.

SILVER TROOP

Paul Green (Scout Leader)

We have had a very busy month, plans for camp have all now been finalised and caving trips, climbing, crafts and much more is all on the agenda. I am also pleased to say that we are taking nineteen of the Scouts to the District water weekend in June, this is always a very popular event within the District and now that we have combined with Wallington and Carshalton there are 28 Troops all after places so well done to all those who got the paperwork back to me in time.

The Scouts did very well with jumble collecting filling the van again with the jumble kindly donated by the local residents. We held a master chef evening where each patrol had to prepare a three course meal for two. This included buying all the ingredients and making sure two of the courses were hot.

All the leaders enjoyed testing and tasting and I was very impressed with the standard the boys produced. The chef's badge was gained by all those who took part and will be awarded soon. We have also be practicing putting up the patrol tents for camp, using the cookers and trangiers. Lighting the Gas lights, Tilley's and the use of Axes and Bow Saws.

A big thanks you to all those who attended the St George's day parade. Silver Troop was very well represented and the Assistant District Commissioner commented on our turn out. You all looked very smart in uniform. Please could we have an even better turn out at Scouts' Own on Sunday 3rd July.

The Troop has also ordered some new T Shirts and Polo Shirts. These are printed with our "4WP S Troop" Logo and the T shirts will be available to the Scouts for £3.00 once they arrive. These shirts are excellent for camp and when helping out down during the fetes and other events. We have various sizes so please come and see me for one.

EXPLORER UNIT

Alan Avery (Explorer Scout Leader)

It's official - we are now a mixed unit for the first time in its history. Welcome Leanne (Leigh's girlfriend) to the Unit.

We went ice skating in Guildford and went bowling with the Rangers in Sutton. We got travel cards for London and toured around seeing the construction of the VE Day celebrations.

My thanks to the members who turned up to the District St George's Day promise renewal especially to wear their Bumble Bee scarves! Again we were the major number in the District.

Summer Expedition will be 13th - 23rd August in Scotland.

Subscriptions are owing - we don't run on fumes - I will be sending the debt collectors in soon!

PARENTS & FRIENDS

So Fred has let the cat out of the bag and there's no hiding place for me. Guess who forgot his Scouting motto and wasn't prepared! I have only been to two P & F meetings and have been amazed by the commitment and efforts of those involved. I hope I can do them all justice. I would also like to thank Richard Marston, who has passed on his secrets to me. At least I can give the appearance of knowing what I am doing!

As a parent I am eternally grateful that my two little "treasures" are kept busy, worn out and educated one evening a week, by someone else! That I can contribute to this by helping with the P & F is a small sacrifice.

And there's the nub of it. Everyone is good at something. As a Civil Servant I'm good at running meetings, organising things but I'm not at all practical. I get in those that are. And that is you all, you Parents, you Friends.
Any help you are able to give, any skill you have that can be used, any contacts that might be useful that is all that is needed. The more we give, the more the children benefit. The more of us that help the less help an individual needs to give. And it can be fun (unlike Fred's jokes).

FELLOWSHIP

Graham Smith

The Fellowship was well represented at the St. George's Day Supper on Saturday 23rd April, when an enjoyable social evening was had by all. What now seem to have become traditional for this particular event, the quizzes, tested the general knowledge of all who took part whilst the buffet supper prepared by Margaret Pennington and her colleagues was of the usual very high standard.

The following day, the 24th was the occasion of the St. George's Day Parade and Promise Renewal and a number of Fellowship members attended at Cheam High School where they acted as marshals.
An extremely good attendance at our April meeting on the 27th listened to a very interesting and informative talk by Colin Read after the business of the evening had been completed.

This was Colin's second visit to speak to us and his subject this time was "Antiques" (which was a bit of a surprise because we thought it was to be "Treasures of Victorian Rubbish Dumps"!). Although Colin himself is not an antiques dealer, his son is and we learnt quite a lot about how the system works and also something about the T.V. shows based on the antiques theme.

But before Colin spoke to us on his chosen subject he told us a little about the two charities he and his wife support, one in Cambodia and one in Rumania, both giving assistance to disadvantaged children. It served to remind us that tragic events which take place in various parts of the world and which create such suffering for so many people do need ongoing support even though they are no longer newsworthy and out of the public's eye because they have been overtaken by further tragedies elsewhere.

Colin was thanked for his most interesting talk and for explaining to us some of the antiques he had brought along. We look forward to welcoming him back sometime in the future.

Our May meeting on the 26th May takes the form of a visit to the Hog's Back Brewery, whilst our June meeting has been brought forward one week from the usual last Thursday in the month to the 23rd when we have a Boules evening arranged by Colin and Pam Barnard - we meet on the Field at 7.30pm.

 

 

Information for July 2005 Newsletter to be with Fred Fletcher by Monday 6th June

 

 

This page was last updated on 11 July 2005