News 2005-07
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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, July 2005

Sections

 

GROUP SCOUT LEADER

Fred Fletcher

Warm congratulations to Anne Mays and Ian Cawley on receiving the long service award. Ian, who is an ACSL with Charterhouse, gained his 5 year Service Certificate and Anne, who is leader of Aspen Beavers, gained the 15 year Service Award.
Unfortunately these awards were rather late as both of them should be due longer Service Awards shortly! Anyway, well done to both of you and thank you for your service to Aspen Colony and Charterhouse Cub Pack.
Many thanks to the people who attended the Group AGM; it went off very well with the business part being conducted by our Chairman Ray Hammett. Now we are ready for what I hope will be a super year for the 4th Let's go!
The 2nd Cuddington Scout Group recently used our H.Q. for an Explorer Scout Event, which took part overnight of 11th /12th June. I've been sworn to secrecy but the 2nd Cuddington have offered a challenge to our Worcester Park Explorers to attempt this event too. Well Alan and the Explorers do you accept the offer?
By the time you read this report the Summer Fete will have taken place, I hope that it was successful and made plenty of cash for us.
Now we have to look forward to the Big Band Night with the Dave Marrion Big Band - get your tickets now, hope to see you all there.

ASPEN COLONY

Anne Mays (MAYO), Carol Salter (HOLLY)

This month we have had two Bank Holidays so we have not done quite as many things as usual.
We have done quite a lot of road safety as the Summer Holidays are looming we felt the boys should be more aware of being seen on the roads. Once we had established which was left and which was right it all became a little easier - but whether they remember that now remains to be seen. We learnt how to cross the road properly and where not to cross.
Thank you to Fred for helping out one Monday this month whilst I was on holiday. The boys went to the park and I understand they all had a great time.
We have played some games with paper and did a quiz and made a paper fun game. We have also planted some sunflower seeds and made some sweets from marzipan icing sugar and chocolate so even though we have had a couple of short weeks we have still been busy.

BIRCH COLONY

Sheila Kinton (BAGHEERA)

The highlight of last month was undoubtedly the 10p Fair for the Shooting Star Children's Hospice run by the Beavers. We made the grand total of £212.45 - all in one hour - which was amazing and we do thank all the leaders and members of the Group who supported us so generously.
Mrs Gloria Sheridan has since been down to our Beaver meeting to personally thank the boys for all their hard work.
The week before half-term the boys made their own ice-cream sundaes - much enjoyed by all with their many toppings.
Congratulations to Scott Marshall on being presented with his Chief Scout's Bronze Award, the highest award in the Beaver section, which is very well deserved.

CEDAR COLONY

Valerie Street (BADGER)

No news this month.

ANGLIA PACK

Brenda Hunt (AKELA)

Two Monday's being Bank Holidays made the month quite short but we still managed to do some badge work. We were lucky enough to have a visit from Domonic Mocham a P.E. teacher from W.C.G.School. Domonic showed us a slide show and lots of equipment, some very strange and some very old. He also taught us some new games. This fun work will go towards the Sport Enthusiast Badge.

We visited the park and played crazy golf, the boys finished off the evening practicing mat ball for the District Competition.

BROWNSEA PACK

Les Prescott (KERICK)

We ran another successful programme from an idea in Scouting magazine - this time relating to Patron Saints. Our thanks to young helpers, Harry and Daniel who ran the evening, and the Cubs should now know of St Cecilia (musical instruments), St George (England and Scouts), St Christopher (travellers) and others.
We had an evening of games in the field together with some practice for the forthcoming District Matball competition, and the following week we had a wide game in Nonsuch Park.
We welcomed Matthew Coates up to the Pack from Cedar Colony, and the following week we were pleased to be able to invest him as a Cub.

 

Dates for your diaries:
Sunday 24th July to Friday 29th July - Summer Camp

CHARTERHOUSE PACK

Margaret Pennington (AKELA)

No news this month.

PURPLE TROOP

Alan Avery (Scout Leader)

 

We did some circuit training and with a follow up evening we will see if anyone has improved their fitness.

We had a Master Chef and it's good to see how keen the lads are on cooking.

Over half term the Troop had a sleepover at the HQ camping in hike tents and cooking on open fires.

After the Scouts' Own we went Ice Skating at the Guildford Spectrum.

Summer Camp is 27th - 31st August

SILVER TROOP

Paul Green (Scout Leader)

Well we are all back home safe after another excellent camp.
It all started with a long journey to Taunton which took over 5 hours on the Bank holiday get away.
Once we arrived and settled on our site the boys all ate their lunch and we began the building of our new home for the next 6 days. Once all the tents were up Brenda and Keith supplied our first meal of Burger and chips.
We took the boys on a walk round the site and then back for campfire, chocky wocky and bed.

After being woken up early by several of the boys who have no sense of time we got going with breakfast. Each of the patrols cooking their own on fires, this was to be the same for most of the camp with the boys cooking for themselves and doing all their own washing up. After breakfast the boys began building the ballistas (catapults on a LARGE scale) with Brian, this activity and some other pioneering the boys did all went towards their pioneering badge which with a little more work will be awarded to everyone.
After lunch we went and used the zip wire which most of the boys had a go at but some gave it a miss. It was built by the site and finished with a 30ft abseil.
Sunday was finished off with a good game of camp cricket organised by Keith and Brenda.

Monday morning was started with breakfast and the Woodlands crafts, another activity put on by the site. Each of the boys made an animal out of wood and branches found around the site. There was a small problem with which way rounds the drawing pin eyes went on the animals. Some of the boys could not work out which drawing pin had 'L' and which had 'R' engraved on the pin point, so there might be some cross eyed ones out there.

We also used the suitably named Monkey's paradise assault course. In the afternoon we did some more pioneering and used the cycling course and Aerial runway, until a certain member of the leaders broke it, no names to be mentioned, you know who you are.
On Monday we separated the boys into two groups and dropped them off with a map, a compass and walkie talkie. They had to follow a route and make their way back to the site. One of groups managed it but the other failed, apparently they were pushed off course by a heard of scary cows and had to be collected by Neal.

Tuesday was our first day out and we travelled into the Mendip hills for a session of caving and climbing on real rock surfaces instead of the usual artificial setup. All of the boys had a go and all enjoyed it. I was stopped from going Caving so Neal went twice and Steph once. I stayed and supervised the climbing.
This was all organised by Neal with a company called Aardvark Endeavors who I would highly recommend. We will be going back in the autumn to do a caving weekend.

Wednesday started out with making sure the boys had washed, we took them swimming and the journey back to the site smelt a lot better. We enjoyed lunch and then all had a go at shooting. We were also joined by an old member of the group, Yvonne Yearley with her husband Tony who now lives in Taunton and came to spend the day with us. After dinner we went to Hollywood Bowl and had two games of bowling which everyone enjoyed.
Thursday was our last full day so we all got in the van and travelled into Exmoor National Park where we went off on a short hike. Unfortunately this took a little longer than expected and we eventually arrived in Minehead where the boys and leaders found their own lunch. We made it back to the site and made the decision to pack up what we could in case it rained. Well that was the best decision I made all camp!!

On Friday all the boys worked hard despite the rain and we had packed everything and left the site by 1:30pm, an hour later than planned. Once on the road we stopped several times and eventually made it home. A BIG thank you for all the help in packing away. It was much appreciated from all the tired leaders.

I must take this opportunity to thank all the leaders for their help and assistance, without them we could not have run such a successful camp.

Because of their hard work and the Scouts hard work I will be able to give out many badges to the boys including Nights away badges, The pioneering Badge, The Outdoor and Adventure badge, Camp Cook and a few more. All the boys worked hard and deserve their awards. Brenda also gained her "washing up badge"

Every year the leaders pick a Scout for the "Camp Spirit" award. This goes to the scout who has had the best spirit on camp and has got on with whatever he should be doing. He has been the most helpful and happy all week. This year was as difficult to pick as it always is but I am happy to say the Roy Carley won it so congratulations Roy and well done.

Next stop is the water weekend at the end of June. I am sure we will have some more photos and a report.

EXPLORER UNIT

Alan Avery (Explorer Scout Leader)

On the evening of a sleepover we cleared a lot of foliage and a tree was felled that was covering our neighbours out building.

We ran the Scouts' Own and my thanks to Leigh Wicks for master minding - I have had numerous complementary comments.

The Unit made hot air balloons but with limited success! We did a dump run and the boys got abysmally lost! We went up to London and did a quiz and got good value out of the travel cards.

PARENTS & FRIENDS

Getting a Live8 ticket is easy. Easy next to a 4WP Jumble Sale! It makes the Lions Rugby look tame! The point is we need more help. An hour here or there, that is all. A Jumble Sale can be "job shared" amongst a couple of parents. But we do need more help.

Following on from that, I am being sent details from the joining forms where parents have ticked the box to help with fundraising. I intend Emailing or writing to those of you that have offered to help to find out if you have any expertise you are willing to offer, or if it is just your time that you are willing to give.

The P & F are always after ideas on how to raise money. If you have a "Baldrick" moment and come up with a cunning plan (that is legal!) don't be afraid to send it in.
Two important dates for your Diaries:-

The Summer Fair on Saturday July 2nd for those of you who don't get to go to Live8. There is something for everyone, with live music, games, competitions, food, drink and displays.

We are also planning a "Big Band" night to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the end of the 2nd World War. It is planned for Saturday 10th September and should be an entertaining evening.

FELLOWSHIP

Graham Smith

Our meeting on the 26th May took us outdoors for the first time this year (apart from the annual dinner) this being our visit to the Hog's Back Brewery near Farnham. Seventeen members set out from headquarters in the new minibus being driven by Brian Yearley and with a fairly good run down the A3 (it was the rush hour) we arrived after about forty five minutes.
Our first impression was how relatively small the brewery was and once inside we immediately realised why visiting parties cannot exceed twenty people. Our guide explained that there were a great many private breweries in the country of a similar size - an indication of comparable outputs was that the Hog's Back produces in one year a quantity of beer which a large brewer, such as Courage, produces in two days!
The brewing processes were explained to us by our excellent - and humorous - guide while the beer, for those who desired it, flowed freely. We finished our tour in the shop (where else!) which stocked the most amazing range of bottled beers, not only from UK but also from worldwide sources.
A most interesting evening and grateful thanks were expressed to John and Bridget Green for having organised the visit.
As far as Group activities in May were concerned, there was the usual support for the two jumble sales but the Scouts' Own on the 15th and the Work Morning on the 22nd were not too well supported.
We now look forward to the Group's big event of the year, the Summer Fete on the 2nd July, when Fellowship members will be much in evidence particularly with the plant stall, Monkey Bridge, toy stall and 'Worpar' Stores. There follows a Scouts' Own on the 3rd and a Work Morning on the 10th - A busy month or so ahead of us.
Our next Fellowship meeting, a Boules evening, takes place on the field at 7.30 on the 23rd June. The June meeting has been brought forward one week from the 30th June (not from July as was stated in the Fellowship Report in the May issue).

The Boules evening is then followed by our BBQ on the 28th July, once again hosted by John and Bridget Green at their home. It would assist John and Bridget if those intending to be present phoned a few days beforehand to give them an idea of numbers for catering purposes. Also, offers of salads and desserts would be appreciated.

Please remember to bring a chair, cutlery and glasses.

 

 

Information for September 2005 Newsletter to be with Fred Fletcher by Monday 4th July

 

 

This page was last updated on 27 August 2005