LOTS OF CHANGES IN THE PACK
The Pack contributed to the Mothering Sunday church parade by leading prayers and readings at the service. However it would be nice to see a few more members of the Group in church especially as the church owns the Scout Hall grounds and we are asked to attend on just four occasions a year.
Just in time for the parade we invested Jamie, Eddie and Harry so pack numbers were up to 35 Cubs.
No sooner have we invested a new Cub and some older ones are “moving on”. Dean the Assistant Scout Leader said he would visit every week to ensure our Cubs moved effortlessly onto Scouts. At the same time Eddie from the Beavers visited with some older Beavers almost ready to join Cubs. The Scout Hall was rocking on a Tuesday evening with well over 40 souls all enjoying Scouting.
The older Cubs were called “Scoutlets” in preparation for their move to Scouts while the Beavers we called “Cublets”.
So by early April it was goodbye to Joseph, Callum, Stuart, Emily F, Ben, Amrita, Alex M, Joshua and Jamie. After the school Easter break it was hello to Alex Creamore, Joseph Sauer, Daniel Weavers, Adam Cann, Adam Driver, Kyle Murphy and Michael Thompson.
The Cubs along with the Beavers and Scouts turned out for the District St.Georges Day Parade in Manor Park. We marched through central Sutton lead by a marching band back into the park for our “promise renewal” and songs and speeches. Thanks to everyone who made the effort despite it being a school holiday week, numbers were down on previous years but the weather was kind to us and the singing and music were super.
The pack entered to St.Barnabas Church Spring Fair drawing and colouring competition while the Beavers and Cubs sections ran two stalls, Sweet tubs and the Wheel of Fortune. Thank you to everyone who supported this event.
With Family Camp and the AGM scheduled to happen over the same weekend, we had to start practising for our contribution to the entertainment element. While at the same time several Cubs were due to camp without their parents and they needed to know how to put up their sleeping tent and learn basic camp rules.
One evening saw two tents properly erected and then correctly taken down and repacked under the guidance of Dean and Eddie. Hopefully the cubs learnt something. I certainly did when I observed numerous cubs running up and down the grounds after being found watching with their hands in their pockets. Be warned at pack meetings.
At the Family Camp we had well over 20 cubs under canvas and great time was had by all. At the open air AGM on a lovely sunny Saturday we presented the Six of the Year award to Blue and the Cub of the year to Jason Wallace. The special award for The Most Significant Contribution to the Group normally presented by the GSL (Group Scout Leader) but unfortunately as Chris was still hospitalised, Vanessa did the honours. Went to Toni Wallace the fabulous stalwart parent helper for both the Beaver and Cub sections; many congratulations Toni and thank you for all you do. Our Assistant District Commissioner (Cubs) Susan Peek attended the AGM and presented Bob, Vanessa and Del with the Chief Scot’s 30 Years Service Award. Hope you enjoyed our special visit from “Elvis” who entertained the AGM audience with a few of his hits!! Well done Eddie Thrower.
Early June saw a wonderful visit from Steve the Mid Air man who demonstrated several self propelled flying models in the Scout hall and then supervised the Pack while they each made a polystyrene stunt glider to take home.
Following Steve for the next two weeks all the Cubs attempted to earn their Athlete badge. First in the hall then an evening in Royston Park superbly assisted by 12 parents where the cubs ran, skipped, threw, dashed and shuttle ran their way to the well deserved earned badge. A super evening and thank you again for the wonderful help received.
While the younger members of the pack were gaining badges the older ones due to move on to Scouts, were spending time with Dean learning about compass, maps and navigation skills. They applied those skills the following week when the whole pack again supported by several parents, undertook a “Local Knowledge Hike round Carshalton and back to round off the summer term before the school holidays.
In September we welcomed Jack Hartnett, James Cook, Robert Wallace, Thomas Amphlett Harry Tong, William Fraser, Nathan Thomas Steer, Mia and Hannah into the pack and said goodbye to Beth, Jacob, Sam, Dominic, Matthew N, Ciaran, Rhys, Alex B, Matthew P and Matthew B who are all off to Scouts. Best wishes for your future. The pack now numbers 32 so just a few vacancies if any one is out there looking to join us.
We have started our autumn term by embarking on the Home Help badge so you parents hopefully will have a very willing volunteer in the house asking for those special tasks that will earn them their badge. If not please ask them for their folders because without the parents approval and signature the badges will not be awarded.
Can I pause and make a plea to all parents at this point. Very often we obtain supporting resource documents from Scout Headquarters that requires the Cub to complete it at home. The documents are professionally prepared and very informative. Not only for the Cub but also for their family. The completion of these sheets / booklets is not necessarily compulsory but most certainly preferred otherwise we have no way of knowing whether the cub has grasped an understanding of the particular topic. Can we therefore ask that parents check their child’s folder for any paper work they may have to action at home. Of course once we have seen the completed work your child is at liberty to take it home for future reference.
Ten of the older Cubs attended the District Scientist badge day and spent nearly 4 hours learning and trying lots of scientific things to rightly earn their badge.
Once again I will mention our stalwart helpers who make the running of our varied pack meetings possible. Without people like Toni, Steve, Jordan, Eddie, Andy and John the evening might just be all games and very boring. With very many Cubs now moving on to the Scouts we have lost some of the support from their parents. Hopefully our loss will be the Scouts gain! So should any parents or friends reading this newsletter who be contemplating / considering offering their services are very welcome to visit the Cubs on a Tuesday evening and experience what happens on a “Pack Night”.
Please give it some thought. Thank you.
Derek Lambert – Akela
SAINSBURYS ACTIVE KIDS 2008 AK08
Following a tremendous response from everyone in the Group we collected over 2500 vouchers. They were used to “Buy” a Giant Connect 4 and some footballs.
Thank you all for your super support.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
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