Archived News - Scouts
News from 1st Eaton Bray and Edlesborough Scout Group (Beavers, Cubs and Scouts)
The cubs and Scouts had a fantastic time at their summer camp held in Sherwood Forest with activities including Archery (naturally), Quad Biking, Climbing, Abseiling and Kayaking. The highlight of the camp was the Medieval Joust and pig roast, which ended up more like 'It's a knockout' with Paul, Simon and Nick dressing up as camp Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and the Evil Sheriff of Nottingham (as mentioned in last months issue). With the new term well under way Beavers have had fun on the Green putting up tents and having an evening picnic and sing along.
The Beavers have earned the first stage of their Emergency Aid Badge, whilst also enjoying themselves, acting out emergency situations and applying copious amounts of bandages. We have also enjoyed a night of campfire songs. This term we have invested six new Beavers into the colony and are delighted to welcome two more girls to our number.
We also have lots to look forward to, with a visit to the Serpentarium and a fun swim arranged for later in the term. We are also expecting a visit from the local police officer (so best behaviour Beavers!)
The Scouts have been gliding and both Cubs & Scouts have been on bike hikes and night hikes. The Scouts have also completed their fire safety badge by visiting the new Dunstable fire station. A superb talk by Ram and the team kept them all enthralled, entertained and taught the guys all about fire safety, the workings of the brigade and the equipment used by fire-fighters. The Scouts are off on the District Hat Challenge, which is the start of this years District Scout competition; keen to defend the title they won last year.
The Cubs also ran out winners of the Cub District Cross Country, winning two of the three classes. Well done to Sam Carter, Adam Hurley and Charlie Giblin. The cubs have been out bat hunting with bat detectors and have done a spot of open fire cooking.
A highlight for the cubs was our Allotment Bistro night. With the hut transformed into a cheap Hells Kitchen the cubs used accumulated produce from the Cub allotment (sown, nurtured and planted by cubs), to prepare and cook a three-course meal for their parents. Also acting as waiters, the Cubs served up Courgette and Stilton or Tomato Soup. Bangers and mash in Onion gravy with runner beans and carrots with a desert of rhubarb or apple and blackberry crumble and custard. We were expecting maybe a dozen parents but the cubs coped superbly well, serving a total of 44 covers complete with drinks during and tea/coffee afterwards - and not a drop spilt or crockery dropped!
Thanks to the parents for their support in turning out and to Lorna, Keith, Jonny & Anne who assisted the cubs with their cooking. Many thanks must also go to our allotment neighbours for their encouragement, advice, recipes and patience during the year.
For more information about all sections contact the Group Scout Leader.
Source: Focus, November 2009
Unsung Heroes!!!!
After recently returning from helping at the 1st Eaton Bray and Edlesborough Scout and Cub camp in Sherwood Forest I now realise how lucky we are to have such wonderful leaders for Scouts, Cubs and Beavers in this area Paul Hurley, Nick Evans, Sandi Glover and both husband and wife team Simon and Sue Tate are all truly wonderful and definitely unsung heroes!
They spent many months planning and executing a fabulously organised Summer camp in July for 50+ Cubs, Scouts and helpers, with such activities as Kayaking, rock climbing, quad biking and the highlight for all was a amazing medieval jousting competition and hog roast on the last evening. The boys and girls had to ride 'piggy back' with long jousts whilst running at top speed towards an amazing wooden target handcrafted by the talented Martin Mercer!
Nick Evans was in full character as The Evil Sheriff of Nottingham, Simon Tate as Friar Tuck and Paul Hurley as Robin Hood. Following the joust the children took part in other competitions including tug of war and the 'slippery pole' which involved a pillow fight whilst sitting on a raised, wooden pole over water, hysterical as you can imagine.
It was not long before other scout groups camping nearby came to watch and cheer at this amazing work of art!
Without such people prepared to give up their time for the preparation, packing and shopping, let alone a weeks annual leave for the actual camp! Our children would not be able to benefit from such a fun experience. It however also teaches our children to be responsible for their belongings, work as a team, look out for younger children, to cook and prepare food and wash and tidy away afterwards. Every member was encouraged to work as a team, whilst some were collecting wood others were fetching water and 'Mummy' was not around to step in!
Cooking for 50+ people from a tent was incredible to witness and be part of, especially as at every meal the children were encouraged to help cook or prepare the vegetables.
Nick Evans had taken a lot of the vegetables that had been grown on the scout and cub allotment to camp, which was great for the children to see. The meals were amazing, always with fresh vegetables and nut allergies always carefully catered for. Lunches were sandwiches, which took 8 loaves of bread everytime! Carol Mercer was the main camp cook and had to start cooking the breakfast at 6.30 every morning to ensure all the children had eaten and cleared up before their activities were due to start. Cereal and a cooked breakfast every morning gave the children the fuel they needed for their morning activities. Carol was amazing and the food quantities and quality was always spot on.
Evenings were quite often spent round the campfire singing songs, which was great for the wide age range of children. Nick Bramston was helping for the week and was given the trusty job of looking after the fire and ensuring there was always enough fire wood, which given that we were camping right next to a wood was not such an easy task as you might have thought! He also taught the children a lot of new camp songs and even wrote lyrics for a new song.
Martin Mercer worked continually and tirelessly boiling water for washing up and cleaning the most disgustingly greasy pans you have ever seen! As well as being the camp joiner, crafting jousting targets and generator covers and anything else needed made from wood.
I don't think as a parent anyone realises how much hard work goes into these camps and the great responsibility they take for our children.
I have written this article not only to say a huge thank you to all our leaders for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts but also to try and give a small insight to what is involved for other parents who may read this this.
We are very lucky to live where we do and to have such an active scouting team thanks again to all of you.
-- Karen Mustoe
And.....A Big Thank You
We have been part of the 1st Eaton Bray & Edlesborough Scout group for the past four years and would like to give out a huge thank you to the 3 special people who give up their precious time every Friday evening to entertain the youth of today.
Our biggest thank you is to Paul Hurley who, in the last two years of leading the group, has brightened up the activities that Scouts now enjoy. For example, Scouts have been gliding at the London Gliding Club, wakeboarding at Willen Lake and Skiing in the Milton Keynes Snow Dome. Also since the arrival of Paul, the whole scout group has earned many more badges to the extent that both of us have achieved the Chief Scout Gold award. Since Paul has arrived at scouts, we have found ourselves camping and exploring in many exciting places across the country. For example, spending a week in Sherwood Forest, a week on Brownsea Island and a night on HMS Belfast along with many others.
Our next thank you goes to Nick Evans. He is the Group Scout leader and is loved in all parts of the local scouting community. Not only does Nick help with the scouts most weeks he also gives up his Tuesdays to run the Cubs. As you can imagine this is most probably an exhausting task, running about trying to control a bunch of excitable 8-10 year olds. Along with Paul, Nick puts a lot of time and effort into planning and preparing all scout summer camps as well as every Friday evening.
Last but not least we would like to thank Simon Tate. Simon is the quieter of the three but no less important. without him we would suffer dearly trying to keep the scout group in control. He turns up to every meeting and camp without fail, even if his son does not turn up. Like Nick, Simon does not only help out at scouts, but also with the cubs.
Although our biggest thanks go to these three special people, we would also like to give our thanks to all parents that give up their time to help every now and again, one or two come without fail every week. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time within the scout community and will miss all the fabulous activities that go on every week as we move on to the next level - EXPLORERS!
-- From Alex Nilsen & Stuart Ranson
Source: Focus, October 2009
1st Eaton Bray and Edlesborough Scout Group
Letter from Dave Jones - Chairman
There's lots happening with our troop at the moment. After a wonderful centenary celebration and lots of camps and activities, we are looking forward to a great summer term of adventure and fun.
The Beaver, Cub and Scout sections have a full schedule of events to make the most of the summer weather and relive Baden Powell's vision of outdoor exploits and healthy pursuits.
The success of the group means that we're always looking for more helpers to cope with the demand. Have you got some time and enthusiasm to lend a hand? Specifically, we know that Erika, our Beaver Leader will be leaving within the next year. To have a smooth transition and easier handover, we'd like to find a new Beaver Leader now.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Dave Jones (Chair), Erika (Beaver Leader), Nick Evans (Group Scout Leader)
Our Beaver Scouts had lots of fun making easter Chickens this week (see photo) and were kindly supported through the donation of Chocolate eggs from our local Dunstable Sainsbury's Store.
Source: Focus, May 2008
Centenary celebration
1st Eaton Bray and Edlesborough Scout Group celebrated 100 years of Scouting on Saturday by inviting past and present members and leaders to the planting of a special centenary rose at the village Scout Hut.
The Scout Group and committee, with the help of local archivist and former Cub Leader Peter Mayne, created an impressive display of old photographs and documentation of the Group's history since 1913.
Past members - including Percy Pitkin, a leader during the 1940s - were invited to reminisce and contribute as part of the celebrations.
Despite the appalling weather, over 100 people from the village and surrounds, many with a Scouting connection, dropped into the hut during the afternoon's event and helped piece together a record of the group's past.
It was also an opportunity for the current generation of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorer Scouts, part of the thriving village Scout Group, to show the diversity of activities they enjoy today.
Anyone with historical information to offer regarding the group, or with an interest in assisting or becoming a leader, is urged to contact the Group Scout Leader, Nick Evans on (01525) 220040.
Source: Leighton-Linslade Citizen, 13 December 2007
1st Eaton Bray and Edlesborough Scout Group
Dear all,
Well, we're having another good year with the 1st Eaton Bray and Edlesborough Scout Group. It's great to see the group thriving. Unfortunately we have waiting lists for each section, but this is a reflection of how well things are going. Thanks to those on the list for their patience.
Erika in Beavers, Nick in Cubs and Tony in Scouts have been working hard for many years to get us to this stage and we'd love to carry this on for a lot more years. This is where you can help. Every 5 years or so, things come to a grinding halt in some sections and this is where we are with Scouts at present. Tony left recently and consequently the Scout group is without a leader. The parent rota has been very successful and certainly taken a lot of the strain off Nick who has stepped in as temporary leader in addition to running Cubs, but we do need a new regular Scout leader to step in. Obviously, anyone stepping forward would receive a lot of support from the other members of the troop and committee so please consider helping.
It's a lot more difficult starting the sections off from scratch; much easier to continue the flow, so please do come forward if you are able to commit to regular assistance in Scouts. All those involved at present have found the experience very rewarding at many levels.
We would really appreciate a response to this advert if you are able to offer any help. Please speak directly to Nick Evans at the Scout hut (Cubs - Tuesdays & Scouts - Fridays) or give me (Dave Jones 221489) a ring to chat through what it involves. We'd love to hear from you.
Thanks
Dave Jones
Source: Focus, May 2007