Author Archives: Patrick Doherty

2nd Bracknell Cub and Scout Summer Camp 2021

Posted on by

2nd Bracknell Cub and Scout Summer Camp 2021

Well, where do we start………. It is amazing that we got to go away this year at all with the ever-changing COVID restrictions…. Freedom Day…. Not really Freedom Day… New Freedom Day….

So, to start with unfortunately our Group camp got reduced to a Cub and Scout camp due to restrictions on Number and mixing of sections. It was with a heavy heart that we had to cancel our Beaver and Explorer sections and only travel with Scouts and Cubs and a band of Merry leaders and Kitchen staff.

We got off to a good start by being able to load the trailer at the hut in the dry which was a nice bonus …. But this did lull us into a false sense of security as we were in for a wet and windy week, and I am not referring to the baked beans and spaghetti hoops at breakfast……

We set off on our adventures to Blackland Farm just south of East Grinsted in West Sussex.

Camp was setup and the week began……..

53BE86D2-10ED-4158-836A-2AAA8903AE94

Once we had settled in, we waited for the Cubs and Scouts to arrive.

The week started with the Scouts cooking Breakfast

IMG_7407IMG_7410IMG_7411IMG_7411IMG_7412

Then the rain began….

IMG_7413

And it rained a bit more …..

IMG_7414

But being resourceful scouting types we did not let a little wet weather spoil our fun.

Next we had some rifle shooting where fun was had by all (Thanks to Derek Salter for giving up his time and being our instructor).

IMG_7415

We had fun doing Pioneering, First Aid escape rooms and photography over the week in small Groups.

IMG_7425 IMG_7426 IMG_7428

We did Archery (Thanks to Alan for being our instructor) Well done to Phaona for Scoring 49 out of 50)

archeryIMG_7441 IMG_7442 IMG_7443

We had a 4.5 mile hike to and from the Bluebell Railway where we got to see the Steam trains and have an ice cream. The Scouts did a slightly longer route.

IMG_7437 IMG_7435 IMG_7432

We also had a great day at the beach. Enjoying Fish and Chips and sweets…..

IMG_7451 IMG_7456IMG_7480 IMG_7469 IMG_7476 IMG_7479

Some tired Leaders…….

IMG_7459IMG_7460 

The following Day we did some zip lining

IMG_7495 IMG_7516

Zipline video IMG_7497

Over the week we had camp fires…. We even got the kids to shower a couple of times (That was probably a couple of times more than some of the leaders….)

We made the best of the conditions even rebuilding the Event shelter when it got blown away and smashed to pieces……..

We finished the week but the Scouts saying goodbye to some of their members as they moved onto Explorers and some will also become young leaders.

IMG_7528 IMG_7529 IMG_7530 IMG_7531 IMG_7533 IMG_7535

We had another amazing camp hopefully all of the children had a fun time with many stories to tell. We did not let the weather defeat us.

Thank you to everybody who helped organize and arrange this camp.

Neil and Chris for being the camp leaders and putting most of the organization into it. Al for helping with all the risk assessments. Patrick, Alan, Felix, Natalie, Ben and JD for being there all week….. Euan, Andrew and Tanya for their help during the week. Steve R and John for their efforts in the kitchen… it is no easy task keeping 40 people fed and watered for a week. Steve Prower for driving the trailer down and picking it back up again. The Quartermasters for making sure we had the kit we needed and for helping us put it all away nice and clean.

4 Cubs Move on to Scouts Each with a Silver Award

Posted on by

IMG_1712

Today saw four of our Cubs finally move up to Scouts.

What is amazing is that each of these Cubs has achieved their silver award. This is the highest award a Cub can earn in scouting and takes a lot of commitment and time to scouting.

The Cub leaders are very proud of the achievements of these four cubs and hope to hand out many more Silver awards in the future.

Chris Kinch the Scout leader has set a challenge for these fours cubs to achieve the Scouting Gold award which has not been handed out in several years and is an incredible achievement.

The Cub leaders wish these four cubs and all the best in their new Scout Troop and every success in achiving the Gold Award.

The Cub Leaders

50 Golden Moments – Parent & Child Camp 2017

Posted on by

group picture

Once again, the weather Gods have been in our favour.

The 2017 Parent and Child Camp has been a great success where there were many happy (but dirty) faces (and the children were no cleaner either). And come Sunday night many weary bodies and tired children.

So this year 36 adults and children attended camp (18 of each)

We had many Beavers, a couple of Cubs, some Scubs (Cubs who are visiting scouts at the moment) and 1 Scout. The age range was from 6 to 13 but all had a great time and played together occasionally they would help with the tasks involved but were very good at doing the washing up ;-)

This years challenges saw us build a copy of the Golden Gate bridge that had to support and adult walking across it. A matchbox that contained 50 different items, humane mouse trap, fly swat and many more items.

bridge

We had to compete in teams giant kerplunk, crossing lava on crates, shaving balloons, bouncing ping pong balls into buckets, gold mining, maypole dancing (this really is good fun) finding clues to make a word, horse racing, getting a message out of a water pipe with holes in it and making a collage.

2nd Bracknell won the dinner service prize and a special prize for sportsmanship for helping some other teams in the events.

minelava

We had a great camp fire and as a group we sang a collection of songs form the past 50 years.

Thanks to Derek for helping to setup and break down the camp, and thanks to Jason (Van man) for getting the equipment out and sorted into the hall, there are many other people involved in organising a camp Nick sorted out the DBS’s, Steve Richard the DC worked with Gilwell and Steve Prower was our home contact. Without all of these people we are unable to run events like this.

If you would be interested in helping please contact one of the leaders as we are always looking for new leaders and helpers.

Thanks to everybody for a fantastic time.

Patrick (Hathi – Cub Scout Leader)

campfire group

giant kerplunk horse racing

 

Remembrance Day Parade – CUBS

Posted on by

IMG_1138[1]

The sun was shining on the Remembrance weekend where over 15 Cubs from 2nd Bracknell took part in the Remembrance parade on Sunday 13th November in Bracknell Town Center. There were lots of people there to watch including many parents. 

The Cubs were well turned out and paraded well to and from the memorial.

Patrick

IMG_1193[1]

Cubs Narrow Boating on the Grand Union

Posted on by

Narrowboat 3

CUBS NARROW BOATING CAMP 2016

 
On the weekend of Friday 30th Sept through to Sunday 2nd October saw 35 Cubs in total on the waters of the Grand Union canal.
The Cubs were split up into 2 groups, the first group getting to the Narrow boats moored at Hillingdons Narrow boat Associations HQ on the Friday evening, sleeping over on the boat ready for a days boating on the Saturday up the canal, returning around 4pm. The second group doing the same on the Saturday evening for their boating experience on the Sunday.
All Cubs had a go at sleeping! (not all were that good at this I have to say), steering (under the watchful eyes of our skippers Steve and David), feeding the ducks and swans on-route, and operating the many locks we had to go through.
Narrowboat4
I am pleased to say that NO Cubs got wet from the canal over the whole weekend (though we did have a small amount of rain on the Saturday trip) the Sunday group had glorious sunshine all day.
Going on how vocal all the Cubs were over the whole weekend they all had a fantastic time, and thanks must go out to all the Cub leaders, Lesley, David and Steve for lasting the whole weekend.
 
Ian Wooster (parent helper)
Narrowboat1 Narrowboat2