3rd Brampton Scouts

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Family Camp June 2024

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No doubt we have around 80 exhausted people after returning from our annual family camp!  With 24 families attending, it was sure to be a successful weekend and it didn’t disappoint. 

What an amazing weekend it was!  Our scouting family joined together to make the best family camp so far!  

Everyone has given positive feedback and we all can’t wait to do it again, so we have decided to set a date in the near future for FC2025.  Watch out for it on Facebook.

It was a packed full weekend of games, activities, singing and playing and joining together to embrace unity and nature. 

 

We camped at the amazing Walesby Forest Activity Centre, who have been creating adventures since 1938, is an International Outdoor Adventure Activity Centre set in over 250 acres of forest, with over 30 adventure activities and a range of accommodation for a multitude of visitor groups. 

activities

The weather was kind to us and we had a whole host of activities to join in with and our families made good use of them, trying out new activities, with the young people working towards new badges.

Of course a camp wouldn’t be a camp without a campfire and a few songs, so we invited our very own Ben Widdowson to entertain us, and what a job he did! 

We sang our hearts out to favourites like “Who we are”, “The Pirate Shanty”, “Cecil the Caterpillar”, ” Penguin’s attention” and many more, finishing off with our tradition of kumbaya. Kumbaya refers to moments of harmony and unity, and we certainly had lots of them whilst gathered together around the dying embers of the campfire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron. This is a great honour for the UK Scout movement.

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Continuing a long tradition

The King takes on the role with immediate effect and continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.
 
Before His Majesty King Charles III, the post was previously held by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the duration of her 70 year reign.

A champion for young people

Patronages typically reflect the interests of the member of the Royal Family involved. Over many years, HM King Charles III has consistently championed young people across a range of causes, including Scouts and The Prince’s Trust.

To watch in full screen, double click the video

Bear Grylls OBE, Chief Scout, says: ‘We’re honoured that His Majesty The King is Patron of Scouts. He continues a great tradition of the monarch championing our Scouts and volunteers since our first Patron, King George V in 1912.
 
‘HM The King’s example of service is an inspiration to us all, and we’re especially grateful for The King’s endorsement of the highest achievement for young people in Scouts: the King’s Scout Award. We promise to continue to do our best to help other people, to make our communities closer, kinder and stronger. As Chief Scout, and on behalf of the whole Scout movement, I thank His Majesty for his unwavering support.’ 

Ayesha Karim, UK Youth Lead, says: ‘As a Scout, I’m so proud that The King is our Patron. He’s lived his whole life giving service to others, and this is what we do in Scouts too. I know he’ll continue to be such a good friend to Scouts, and it’s so encouraging to have him at our side.’

https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2024/june/hm-king-charles-becomes-our-patron/?utm_campaign=2497728_June%202024%20leadership%20email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Scouts&dm_i=31ME,1HJ9C,5YUI3R,5XAHM,1

10 things you learn when your child starts Scouts

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beaversSo you’ve signed your little Monkey up to join our Beaver Colony, they go every week and have lots of fun learning new skills and making new friends. 

Hopefully coming home buzzing about the new things they have been doing.

But what’s in it for parents? Here’s 10 things that I’m pretty sure all parents will soon learn when their child signs up for Scouts

 

 

 

1- When they go on camp, you can more or less guarantee, that your child will put their wet kit in with dry kit!

2- You have to quickly learn how to sew on badges without sewing sleeves together.

3- There will be nights your son/daughter don’t want to go but don’t be soft and stick with it. Mostly they will come round after a few weeks but if not leaders may be able to help. It passes and is worth sticking with.

4- Keep a jumbo binbag in your car. It will cover a large amount of muddy scouts sitting on the back seats. Will save you a headache if valeting your car later on in the day. 

5- When the beaver leader warns there maybe a bit of mud on the walk, read as bring a change of clothes and something to cover your car seats in to take your child home!! (There is never just a little bit of mud when a beaver is involved)

6- Doritos are flammable.

7- When leaders say label everything, they really do mean EVERYTHING!

8- You can never send them off to camp with enough socks and they never return with the same amount – guaranteed!

9- Nothing can prepare you for the smell of their bag when they get back from camp. Always send plastic bags for wet stuff – it won’t stop the smell but may make all those clean clothes not smell quite so bad

10 – Putting spending money in with the soap. Guaranteed you will get the money back at the end of camp, as we know that even though we ask them to wash at least twice a day… they  never wash at camp!

Want to get involved?  Try our Four Week Challenge

The Duke of Edinburgh Award

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dofeThe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is something every young person should get involved in. In this article, Elysia Gorman, an active Regional Youth Ambassador for the Cardiff area gives us the background on the award and tips on how you can get started. Elysia is currently working on her Lowland Leaders Qualification and speaks with schools, participants and other leaders to provide feedback and improve DofE experiences.

 

What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?

Since being set up by Prince Philip in 1965, over 3.1 million young people have achieved a Duke of Edinburgh’s award! Prince Philip knew that the programme would help to inspire young people on their own journey of personal development regardless of their background, culture, ability or interests! 

The DofE award is available to anyone between the ages of 14 and 24. Most youth groups, schools and clubs offer the chance to do DofE. However, DofE Direct is available for anyone who is over 18, wanting to get involved with the Gold Award.

How is the Award Structured?

Divided into Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, there are four sections to complete at Bronze and Silver level and awalkers scouts dofe fifth section for those going for Gold. These are volunteering, physical, skills, expedition and for Gold only, a residential trip. 

  • 1) Volunteering section: you can help the community or environment. For example, helping in a charity shop. 
  • 2) Physical section: you should show improvement in a fitness activity. You could choose to play a sport here and improve your skills! 
  • 3) Skills section: you need to choose an activity that will help you increase your expertise in a chosen field. It should not be a physical activity. For example, coaching a sports team would work but not playing the sport. 
  • 4) Expedition section: you need to plan, train for and complete an expedition. 
  • 5) Residential section: you must complete a shared activity with people you’ve never met on a residential trip. 

You need to be over 14 to start your Bronze Award, then 15+ for Silver and 16+ for Gold. Each award level takes a different amount of time, but they range from a minimum of 6-18 months depending on which award you are completing. Once you have finished your Gold Award, you will be invited to a Gold Award presentation at the Royal Palace.

Why Should You Get Involved?

DofE enables young people to give back to their communities. In 2021, young people doing their DofE volunteered over 1.8million hours. That’s about 205 years when you add it all together! 

Also, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards offers young people the chance to gain essential life skills such as: teamwork, problem solving and resilience. While 62% of people had said that completing Duke of Edinburgh had helped them boost their confidence. 

A widely recognised award, the DofE looks great on your CV and can help boost job prospects for young people. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards allow people to form friendships, develop their interests, learn about themselves and most importantly … have fun!

Interested in taking part? Find out more on our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition Page, or visit the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website. 

Gear Up at GO Outdoors

GO Outdoors is proud to be a DofE Recommended Retailer of Expedition Kit. Every year, 300,000 young people in the UK start their DofE and we’re on hand to kit them out with the tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, waterproofs and other hiking essentials they need. Whether you’re looking to complete your expedition on foot, horseback, canoe or bike, we have everything you need to enjoy your adventure. When it comes to preparing for any level of DofE expedition, our top tips are to invest in a quality  rucksack and a pair of sturdy walking boots. You can get them both expertly fitted by us; simply visit us at your local GO Outdoors store.

Don’t forget to take your neckerchief in to receive a discount on all items.

red necker

Introduction to the DofE Award

7 healthy lunch box ideas to take on a camping trip

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campingCamping season is coming! 

We love a bit of camping, here at 3rd Brampton, getting into the great outdoors and exploring the unknown. And it’s getting into that season again. As parents though, we tend to be more about the detail. What’s the weather going to be like? What should we pack? How long are we going to go for? That, and how do we continue to eat well? With that in mind, here are seven quick and easy healthy lunch box ideas, perfect for your next camping trip.

  1. Flatbreads

One of the best things about flatbreads is that they are easy to pack versus a chunky loaf of bread. Fill them with your choice of protein and salad, or pack everything separately and have fun making a healthy wrap, pitta or maybe even a flatbread pizza together.

  1. Rice bowls

This one’s really easy, all you have to do is cook up a big batch of rice, combine it with chicken slices, onions, peppers, mushrooms – whatever you like – and pack it away in a bowl. You can prepare all of your healthy ingredients beforehand and then just pop it in your bag.

  1. Pasta pots

pastaJust like rice bowls, pasta pots are super convenient too. Boil up plenty of wholewheat pasta in a saucepan, and add in your tomato sauce, basil and other ingredients for a hearty Italian camping feast. Let it cool and then simply spoon into individual pots.

 

 

 

  1. Soup

Soup is one of the easiest and most nutritious meals you can prepare for camping. Whether you decide to go withsoup chunky soups or a blitzed up version, this is great opportunity to pack your kids’ camping lunches with goodness. Use a base of tomato or flavoursome stock and you’ll be able to mask all manner of healthy ingredients within the soup. Spinach, broccoli, peppers… the choice is yours.

5.Hearty salads

We’re not talking about a little lettuce, cucumber and tomato here – although they are all fine and could be included in any salad – we’re talking the nutrient punch that comes from quinoa, lentils and beans. Mix with a little lemon vinegar dressing, add in some salad leaves, tuna and boiled eggs and you’ve got a twist on a nicoise salad. Fuel and flavour all in one.

6.Homemade granola

Granola is the perfect start to the day and it’s also great for a lunchtime snack. But rather than pour it out of a cardboard box you can make your own. Toast off some oats, nuts and pumpkin seeds, combine with some dried fruit and you’ve got homemade granola on the go. The slow-release carbohydrate kick will keep everyone going until the next meal.

eggs7.Eggs

This one’s a little different, as you definitely will need a heat supply, or at least have to eat them within a day of cooking. Scrambled, poached, boiled or fried, pop your pan over the campfire and enjoy the goodness. Alternatively you can take some hard-boiled eggs with you and pop them into your rice bowls, pasta pots or flatbreads.

Pack some or all of these healthy lunch box ideas and you’ll have happy campers!

 

 

Adapted from bigmaninthewoods

World Scout Jamboree – South Korea

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south korea jamboree logoAccording to the dictionary a jamboree is a party, celebration, or other gathering where there is a large number of people and a lot of excitement, fun, and enjoyment.  And that is exactly what it is!

The word “jamboree” is used primarily by the Scouting program following the first Boy Scout jamboree in 1920. Baden-Powell deliberately chose the name “jamboree” where attendees were warmly welcomed attending this first Boy Scout rally or meeting with the word “jambo.”

The World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) is a World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) event, it happens every four years, each time hosted by a different country.

The 25th World Scout Jamboree will be held August 1–12, 2023 at Saemangeum, North Jeolla, South Korea, hosted by Korea Scout Association with the theme, “Draw Your Dream”. About 30,000 to 50,000 participants are expected to attend from approximately 169 countries.

chingu

Mascot – Saebeomi is a baby tiger raised in Saemangeum. Saebeomi denotes not only young and progressive Scouts who are poised to unfold and explore new horizons and grow into reliable leaders but also their bravery.

The UK contingent mascot is Chingu, keeping to the theme of the tiger. The Korean word 친구 (chingu) translates to “friend” but usage is a little bit different in Korean than it is in English. This is because Koreans generally only use the word for people of the same age or to refer to their close friends. The word 친구 (chingu) is quite easy to remember.

 

 

Jamboree Site – SaeManGeum

The 25th World Scout Jamboree will take place at a newly built campground in Saemangeum, Jeollabuk-do,seamangeum encompassing 8.8 square kilometers.. The largest section is 6.1 kilometers wide and 1.8 kilometers long. Stretching beside the West Coast near Byeonsanbando National Park, the huge Jamboree campground (35’42”N 126’35”E) is endowed with rich natural surroundings—one side of the venue adjoins the ocean.(35’42”N 126’35”E)

Objectives and curriculum

The 25th World Scout Jamboree program consists of the 4S+ACT (Adventure, Culture and Tradition) elements—each designed to support social, physical, intellectual, emotional, mental, and personality development in Scouts in attendance.

  • Self-improvement
  • Capacity reinforcement as an upright citizen
  • Acceptance of diversity and profound connection with other Scouts
  • Commitment to world peace and ecological enhancement
  • Throughout the Jamboree, a broad array of individual and team activities, which contain involvement-based rewards, will inspire participants to ignite fulfillment. Not only that, will also deliver the opportunity for career awareness and exploration under the theme ‘Draw your Dream.’
  • Activities
    • Young people will be  engaged in 2-3 activities a day out of more than 200. There is contingency planning for bad weather.

Shape the future by teenagers from around the globe.

 

The next Jamboree will be in 2027 and located on Poland – will you be applying to go?

More information about the jamboree can be found here. 

Synonyms: festival, party, fête, celebration 

Scouters do it left handed!

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baden poweel and chiefWhy do Scouts shake hands with their left hand?

Shaking hands using your left hand can feel a bit awkward for the first few times, but it becomes second nature after a while. So why we as Scouts shake hands with our left hand?

The left-handed handshake unites two Scouts from anywhere on the planet. “But why is this greeting done with the left hand?”

It’s a question that gets asked quite often even by veteran Leader’s. It comes from Ashanti warriors Baden-Powell met in West Africa.

“The left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warriors whom Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, knew over 70 years ago in West Africa. He saluted them with his right hand, but the Ashanti chiefs offered their left hands and said, ‘In our land only the bravest of the brave shake hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection.’

“The Ashanti knew of Baden-Powell’s bravery for they had fought against him and with him, and were proud to offer him the left hand of bravery.

By agreement of the Scout Leaders throughout the world, Scouts greet Scouts with a left-hand clasp. This means of greeting is also used in connection with all Scout gatherings. It is intended to have this different method serve to remind Scouts that they belong to a world-wide brotherhood and that everywhere throughout the world, Scouts are following this method of extending greetings as evidence of their interest in Scouts in all parts of the world.

Also, it’s the hand nearest to your heart. This is the explanation offered in The Boy Scout Handbook:-

“Extend your left hand to another Scout and firmly grasp his left hand. Made with the hand nearest your heart, the Scout handshake signifies friendship.  Because only Scouts and Scouters know the Scout handshake, use the regular right-handed handshake when greeting people outside of Scouting.”

saluteLets, move onto the 3 finger right hand salute?  Why do we salute like this?  What is it’s meaning?

In BP’s book, Scouting for Boys, he chose the three-finger salute for Scouts to represent the three aspects of the Scout Promise:

  • Honor God and Country
    Help Others
    Obey the Scout Law

The three fingered sign is made by the palm facing out held at shoulder height, elbow by the side and the thumb holding the little finger.  Here Bear Grylls shows us how it is done.

bear grylls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adapted from bigmaninthewoods

The joys of hay fever!

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Oh the joys of having Hay Fever!

Are you or your scout a sufferer? Everyone cheers up as soon as the weather gets warmer. Everyone except people who suffer from Hay fever, knowing that the moment they wake up they will be constantly sneezing for the next few months.

Oh the joys of suffering with Hay Fever!

Tree pollen starts the season off around March, grass pollen kicks in around May and certain weeds can affect hay fever till around September time.

The sneezing: All the time sneezing from the moment you wake up in the morning until the time you go to bed. All the time achoo achoo aaaaachooo!

Constantly telling people: “No, you don’t have a cold

Wanting to spend the day outside in the wonderful sunshine: But getting so annoyed of sneezing and itchy eyes, that you then spend the whole day inside feeling depressed and sorry for yourself whilst watching the kids and family playing in the garden.

Constant painful itchy Eyes: This is generally the most painful thing with suffering from hay fever. The nonstop itchy eyes and then when you put a cold flannel over them ooooooooh my! Feels like heaven.

eyes with pollonBut it’s not just the eyes that itch: The nose twitches, the neck basically the whole. body can get itchy!

Devil eyes: Having Red swollen eyes and no that’s not a lack of sleep!

do you actually love flowers?: The answer is yes!  We go out and spend £100s every year making the back garden looking lovely. Cutting the grass means you are going to pay for it later with the sneezing and itchy eyes.  So why bother?

The Struggle with family picnics: It’s great to spend time outside during the spring and summer. And then someone suggests “let’s have a picnic”.  It’s going to be a lovely couple of hours sitting on the picnic rug but then you know you are going to spend hours sneezing

Always having to carry a packet of tissues with you: The nonstop blowing of your nose turns you into a summer version of Rudolph the Red nose reindeer.

Spending a fortune on hay fever medicine: Knowing it doesn’t really have any effect on stopping the sneezing and itchy eyes, it’s more of a placebo effect.

tipsIf this is you, here are some little tips to help you along through these tough months.

Dr Ranj Singh from ITV’s This Morning suggests applying Vaseline under the nose. Lube up the inside your nose to block pollen from entering.

Garlic also has anti histamine properties.

Drink chamomile tea – It is claimed that drinking a cup of Chamomile tea will help relieve Hay fever due to the flower having has Anti Histamine properties.

Avoid Dairy and also tomatoes as these can stimulate your glands.

Eat local honey. Studies have shown that local honey as a healing agent and is better than over-the-counter remediescamomile for hay fever.

Eat chilli peppers. Because peppers contain capsaicin which, when consumed, has the ability to reduce congestion by opening up our nasal passages.

Lemons, oranges and also grapefruit is rumored to help with hay fever due to these fruits containing natural antihistamines.

Apparently Acupuncture can be used to deal with Hay Fever- Worth a try?

Do you have any ways of beating Hayfever rather than taking daily medicines?

Do you have any tips/ Old wives tales on dealing with Hay fever?

Please feel free to share in the comments.

 

The NHS guide to dealing with Hay fever

Adapted from thebigmaninthewoods

Famous Female Scouts

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international womans dayToday  the 8th of March 2023, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day. Celebrating women all around the world, and the magnificent things that they do.

So we thought we would do a special one all about Scouts. And those famous ladies that have created scouting into the way it is now. So let’s have a dive into finding Famous Female Scouts.

 

Why is 1910 so special for International Women’s Day? Well, that is the day that Baden Powell and his sister Agnesbaden powell set up Girl Guiding, as it’s known as today. Girls weren’t always allowed in Scouts. It was known as Boy Scouts. But over 40 years ago, girls were allowed. But officially girls in all sections started in 2007. 29% of girls make up the UK Scout youth membership, and 43% of the adult volunteers here in UK Scouts are female.

hannah kentishIn 2014, we welcomed the first UK Youth Commissioner, Hannah Kentish. And in January 2020, she was awarded an MBE, British Empire Metal. Well done Hannah!. And in 2020, the Duchess of Cambridge, She doubled up with the Duke of Kent to become President of UK scouting.

 

 

We have many female UK ambassadors for scouting. Let’s have a recap over those female Scouts.

  • Megan Hine, an amazing adventurer.
  • Ellie Simmonds, the Paralympic swimmer.
  • Saray Khumalo, the climber.
  • Anita Rani, the TV presenter.
  • Julia Bradbury, TV presenter,
  • Helen Glover, Olympic rower,

Let’s go global and see what famous female Scouts are there. Whether they’re in Scouts or Girl Guiding, Hey, we’re all one big family. Let’s see those famous girls.

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. She was a Scout back in America, and a mum was her troop leader.

Now let’s go to the White House. Hillary Clinton. 1981 to 89, the First Lady of the United States, Nancy Reagan was also a Scout.

Music

  • Mariah Carey,
  • Celine Dion,
  • Taylor Swift
  • Taylor Swift- still support Scouts, and she gives away free concert tickets to Scouts.
  • Dion Warrick.
  • Sheryl Crow.
  • Queen Latifa.

Back in 1983 Sally Ride was the first female astronaut. She was the first ever female to go up into space.

astronaught

 

Tv & Film

  • Gwyneth Paltrow-
  • Reese Witherspoon.
  • Venus and Serena Williams, the famous tennis players.

elizabethNow this might surprise you. I kept this one for last. International women’s day, who do you think in the whole of the world is the most famous scout? Of course, Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s queen, she was a scout. She also went to Scouts with her sister, Princess Margaret, and they started back in 1937. Well, let’s not forget the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne. She also was a member of Girl Guides.

So there you go. Amazing. Celebrating International Women’s Day, looking at thesescouting amazing Scouts and what they’ve done for themselves, and proving that Scouts can make you go to places even such as in space. You never know some of these Scouts that are in 3rd Brampton Scouts now could well be famous ladies in our near future!  

 

 

 

Adapted from bigmaninthewoods

Founders Day and why scouting is the best!

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founders dayFounders’ Days

Worldwide in nearly all Scout associations, Founders’ Day is celebrated on February 22, the birthday of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (born in 1857), the founder of Scouting, and coincidentally also of his wife Olave Baden-Powell (born in 1889).

Today is Founder’s Day – the birthday of the Scouts’ Founder, Robert Baden-Powell, and what a brilliant moment to shine a spotlight on the Scouts and the amazing volunteers who make it happen. Here at GO Outdoors we couldn’t be more pleased to support such a positive movement.

Put simply, the Scouts believe in preparing young people with skills for life. They give them the character, employability and practical skills they need to succeed, encouraging them to do more, learn more and be more.

We’re talking about teamwork, leadership and resilience – skills that have helped Scouts become everything from teachers and social workers to astronauts and Olympians. The Scouts bring people together. They celebrate diversity and stand against intolerance. They’re a worldwide movement, creating stronger communities and inspiring positive futures.

Helping young people find their place in the world

When our lives are so dominated by social media it’s more important than ever that young people get the chance to

scouts

EuroJam Images

go outdoors to experience the freedom of our mountains and open spaces. The Scouts helps them balance screen time with green time, get a sense of themselves and find their place in the world.

Each week, through the generosity of volunteers, the Scouts give over 460,000 young people the opportunity to enjoy fun and adventure while developing the skills they need to succeed, now and in the future.

Today’s global Scout membership tops over 55 million and there are over 640,000 Scouts and volunteers in UK alone, over a quarter of whom are female. These young people being empowered with courage and confidence.

Improving well being

Scouting is making our world a better place, but also improving well-being and life chances. A major study made by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow said that by the age of 50 Scouts are 15% less likely to suffer from mood disorders (including depression and anxiety) compared with others. That’s down to the grounding and perspective Scouting gives you and the positive benefit of the outdoors.

But today there are nearly 60,000 young people on the waiting list to join the Scouts in the UK. As more and more young people from tough areas want to become part of the adventure, it’s hard to keep up with the demand.

That’s where adult volunteers come in. They give a little of their free time to help young people in their communities but also see how it benefits them too. Volunteers learn new skills that can be taken into the workplace, gain self-confidence, pride and identity, and see stress and anxiety reduce.

first stepsFlexible volunteering

Not all our volunteers deliver activities to young people. Scouting only works when they have a wider team of flexible volunteers making it happen – so that means people who can decorate a meeting place, drive a minibus, cook at camp, chair a meeting or even do the accounts. If you’ve got skills or just a little time, the Scouts can make use of it and that you’ll have great fun too. They give full training and support – they just need people who believe in improving the lives of young people.

‘I have seen positive things in Scouting,’ says Sazeda Patel who started a Scout group in Blackburn. ‘It has taught me so much,’ she says, ‘real skills for real life. Adults like me, all over the country, are dedicating our time, because we see the value in Scouting to make a real difference in our communities and the world.’

Scouting thrives because of a lot of busy people giving a little bit of their time together. Scouting is a family and there are so many mums and dads, sons and daughters who volunteer together – it’s a great way to bond as a team.  And here’s the secret: you always get out more than you put in. Not only does it improve health and self-esteem, the experience is brilliant for your CV and higher education applications too.

Why it’s Great to be a Scout