We provide fun, challenge and adventure for young people in and around Stocksfield, Northumberland
All Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, their parents and siblings are invited to the 1st Stocksfield Group Fun Day. This year it will be held at Broomley Grange (NE43 7RX) – [map].
Come along and join in the fun – try out the zip wire, assault course, etc. and see what everyone has got up to this year. There will be presentations from each section and the annual awards ceremony. Food will be provided. All welcome.
On Friday night two patrols from Stocksfield – the Tigers and the Nightmares – took part in the District Night Hike. They joined eleven other patrols who had to navigate around a fourteen point course in the countryside.
Not content with the challenge of keeping en route and answering the quiz questions at each stage, our Scouts added their own twist. One patrol created an impromptu self-rescue activity when one Scout got his boot stuck in the middle of a large patch of mud in the woods. Another managed to catch (and later release) a small shrew that was probably not expecting to see all these Scouts out after dark.
Photo by Jo Reeve
Stocksfield Scouts joined colleagues from across Hadrian District in the annual .177 air rifle shooting competition. Congratulations to our highest placed sharp-shooters: Joe won third place, Aidan was second and Zachary was first!
After the event Archie was confirmed as winning the prize for being closest to the bullseye.
Too often in life, rules are imposed on us. Tonight the troop created a code of conduct for us all to follow.
What would yours look like?
This is the winning design in tonight’s spaghetti bridge building competition. It took a load of almost 2 kg before it failed. Congratulations to the Beaver patrol!
This year’s District Winter Camp at Kielder will be hard to forget. It was always going to be special, as it was the 25th year of the camp – resulting in a name change – Silver rather than the normal Brass Monkey – and a special badge.
The strong winds and heavy rain associated with storm Desmond that caused so much havoc elsewhere this weekend, also challenged our Scouts.
Luckily the position of our camp in the forest meant we were sheltered from the worst of the wind if not the rain. It was a strange feeling falling asleep in a tent being pelted by rain and pine cones!
The staff at Hawkhirst were great and did their best to keep everyone warm and dry. The evening activities moved to a barn so the Scouts were able to shed their waterproofs, play games and forget about the weather for a while!
Leaders may ask parents to provide additional information about their child in Scouting soon to help complete their record on Compass, the new membership system for The Scout Association. We should already have most of the information required by Compass gathered when your child joined, but we may take this opportunity to refresh or double check that these details are still correct.
Compass is a new database being provided nationally to all Scout Leaders as a place to keep all their young people’s information safe and secure, and allow them to link it up to Scout’s progress in badges, awards, programme planning as well as having the latest emergency contact or medical details in one place. We will also ask questions you may see on a National Census like faith, ethnic/cultural background or additional needs. Scouting is an inclusive organisation and as such it is important to understand the diversity of our membership to ensure the programme, activities and delivery of Scouting is appropriate and relevant for all young people, whatever their background or needs. Leaders cannot deliver the best Scouting experience in an inclusive way if we do not know who our members are and their needs.
More details about Compass can be found on the Scout Association website – if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask any Section Leader.
Background Photo by Bruce Berrien
Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Leaders will be joining in the annual Remembrance Sunday celebration on November the 8th, marching in uniform from Stocksfield Station to the War Memorial. Parents are very welcome too! Please wear poppies if you have them.
We will meet in the Railway Station Car Park at 10.30 am, dressed ready to walk to the memorial. We should be back at the car park by about 11.30 am, with refreshments served afterwards at the community centre (SICA).
The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Scout Hut in Guessburn on Wednesday the 21st October, 7.00 – 8.00 pm.
All parents are warmly invited to attend the Group AGM – it will be a very quiet meeting if you don’t!
Badges will be awarded to Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.
This is your chance to talk with the new leaders, find out what’s happening about the hut, meet the man who removed the bees and more!
Stocksfield Scouts spent this afternoon in the trees (with a few keen/brave parents) enjoying the ‘Go Ape’ high ropes course at Matfen. Thanks to ADC (Scouts) Alan Chapman for organising this District Scouting event.