3rd Brampton Scouts
So 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
Today 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 Agnes
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.
In 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.
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
Back in 1983 Sally Ride was the first female astronaut. She was the first ever female to go up into space.
Tv & Film
Now 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 these
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
There are endless positives to being a Scout Leader but that doesn’t mean it comes without it’s sterotypes.
There are a few things people – outside of Scouting – wrongly assume about being a Scout Leader , like we all get paid and it’s all about camping…
Below you will find 13 of the most annoying things you could say to a Scout Leader
We can all relate….
With over 100 activities badges ranging from 1st Aid to Kayaking, there are activities for everyone and yes you can still learn how to tie a clove hitch!
Yes there are paid roles within Scouting, these are mainly based at Gilwell Park HQ but there are over 154k volunteers within Scouting in the UK ranging from Scout leaders to adults who seat on the executive board to volunteers behide the scenes such as the Group Quarter Master.
A Scout leader’s worse nightmare on camp unless you don’t eat Bacon!
Every Scout Leader will hear this from time to time… Its true Scouting is much cheaper than a babysitter–it’s a Fact!
No one actually knows where this quote started from. Everyone has heard it. But in actual fact you can volunteer within Scouting for just 2hours a week.
There is a role for every one!
Another quote I’m pretty sure ALL Scout Leader’s have heard and will continue to hear. Most of our volunteers do actually have full time work and started volunteering while they has children in beavers, cubs or scouts…. they could see the impact we make and still they continued after their scouts had moved on!
We often get asked if we can drop that item around to the house or re open up the Scout Hall. But Nope sorry… make sure it’s labelled and we will get it back to you at the next meeting. Leader want to get back to their own families from time to time 🙂
Even if you snail mail, text or what’s app that parent, they will still claim they never received that message! Is this you?
Some groups do continue running through School Holidays. But for we valur our leaders… some of them have young children too!
Yes, this comment happens …. perhaps take time out to think about the leaders that have spent weeks, sometimes months planning the weekend for you little darling… may be taking his/her annual leave to accomodate it.
Or we are at the cinema, Could you look after little Johnny for another Hour please because we are still out at the restaurant. Don’t even think it!
Adapted from Big man in the woods
Well, there’s many reasons, but it all started back in 1896, when the founder of scouting, Lord Baden-Powell, while off at war was working with an American born scout, called Frederick Russell Burnham, who gave him the idea of the scarf.
Frederick Russell Burnham
A sketch of Frederick Russell Burnham by Baden Powell
Where did it come from and why do we have it? Well, when scouting started, it was just a bit of cloth, the scarf or the Necker, with a loose knot. It wasn’t actually anything. And over time, as we know now, the Necker got really creased and it looked ugly with just some random scarf.
Again, BP went back to America and he got the inspiration for using a bit of bone. So William Hillcourt (August 6, 1900 – November 9, 1992), known within the Scouting movement as “Green Bar Bill” took the idea of the American’s bone ring, but wanted something a bit better. So what he did, he went back to his shed and rustled up some ideas and he went to his sewing machine and he took some leather and he invented this thing as we know, called the Turk’s Head.
The inspiration comes from America and the Americans call it the Boon Doggle, Bill wanted to take the inspiration of America, but didn’t like the word boon doggle. He thought about it and he copied the idea and he came up with woggle because it rhymes with doggle. The Boon Doggle turned into the English woggle. After a few attempts, he made up this Turk’s Head using thin sewing machine leather. And then he presented it to the camp chief and also rumour has it, he gave it to the Chief Scout, and they gave it the all okay.
On the 9th of June 1923 in a scouting magazine, the woggle was born, There was an article in a magazine giving some ideas about having this woggle and it became very popular and very fashionable in scouting. And the scouts loved this idea of having a woggle rather than an ugly knot. They took it on board and it went crazy. But as we know, the Turk’s Head is only actually allowed to be worn by a leader who has done their wood badge. And that Turk’s Head wobble is known as the first Gilwell Woggle.
Baden-Powell references the woggle in the 14th edition The Scouts magazine in 1929. said, “It, the scarf, may be fastened at the throat by a knot or woggle, which is some form of ring made of cord, metal or bone or anything you like”. Previous editions only refer to it as a ring. The design of the Gilwell Woggle, formally the Turk’s Head knot, as I say, is only really allowed to be worn by members of the first Gilwell Park who have done their wood beads and completed their training. But now it’s fashionable for anyone to do it.
There’s lots of different designs of the Turk’s Head, lots of Scouts actually do it, part of their camp craft and make them out of para cord, some amazing stuff and also some stuff that the Turk’s Head made out of LED lights. And there are hundreds of designs of woggles antler, bone, leather, plastic, many ones that we all do as scouts and make it ourselves to make a bit more personalized.
It’s a scout woggle woggle, is what we call it. Yeah, but there we are. The history of why scouts wear these, the woggle, or is it the boondoggle? I’ll leave it to you.
Adapted from big man in the woods
Why do Scouts wear Neckerchiefs
A Scout Scarf or otherwise known as a Necker is made from triangular piece of cloth. The long edge is rolled towards the point, leaving a portion unrolled. The Scarf is then secured at the two ends either woggle or tied using a Friendship knot. So, Why do Scouts wear Scarfs?
Photograph by Sam Longhurt Photography
The origin of the Scouting Scarf/ neckerchief seems to be in Robert Baden-Powell’s participation in the Second Matabele War in 1896; where he worked with Frederick Russell Burnham, an American-born scout employed by the British Army.
BP copied Frederick’s practical style of dress, including “a grey-coloured handkerchief, loosely tied around the neck to prevent sunburn”. When Baden-Powell launched the Scout Movement with the book Scouting for Boys in 1908, he prescribed a neckerchief or scarf as part of the Scout uniform, which he stated was “very like the uniform worn by my men when I commanded the South African Constabulary”. He continued; “Every Troop has its own scarf colour, since the honour of your Troop is bound up in the scarf, you must be very careful to keep it tidy and clean.”
Initially, Scout neckerchiefs were tied with a variety of knots, but the use of a “woggle” or slide, originated in the United States in the early 1920s and quickly spread around the Scouting world.
Each Scout group would have a neckerchief of different design and colours. In most countries each Scout Troop uses its own colour Scarf. The colours are usually the “Troop Colours” which may have a historical significance to the troop or to the local community.
Baden-Powell designed the Neckerchief to protect the neck from sunburn, but even more important than this intended function was B-P’s eye as an artist. Around the world, a full-sized Neckerchief is the most striking aspect of the Scout Uniform! The size of a Traditional Boy Scout Neckerchief is a square 32″ X 32,” and it is worn over the collar.
Photography by Sam Longhurst Photography
The Neckerchief as a reminder of the Scout Oath and Law (from uscouts.org) My first Scoutmaster taught the importance of the Scout Oath and Law using the Neckerchief. He would hold the open neckerchief in his hands and remind the young scouts of what the last item of clothing they put on when they were getting dressed for the meeting was, his neckerchief.
The Scoutmaster then said that it was no coincidence that the neckerchief had 3 sides, just like the three parts of the Scout oath. He would run a side through his fingers and say “On my honour, I’ll do my best. To do my duty to God” The first and longest side is to remind you of your long-standing duty to God. This whole side is hidden from view, just as your faith is deep inside you. But without that faith, there is no strength for the rest.
Holding on to the neckerchief by the point he would run the next side through his fingers and say, “To help other people at all times….” This shorter side is to remind you of your duty to help others. Remember it is some of this duty that shows to others, just like part of this side of your neckerchief shows. So do your duty to others well so that people might see the good work you do in the name of Scouting.
The last side also shows. He would say “To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.” This last side is your duty to yourself. This shows to others as well. They will know that by seeing your uniform, you are a young man who is physically fit. Has a strong moral foundation and who is not apt to fall into the temptations of drugs and alcohol. He would then say that this was a means by which we could remember the Scout Oath, every time we got dressed in uniform.
Of course we call it the scout promise now, and we have different versions for inclusivity for differnt cultures, but maybe you can share with your young person so that they may use it to help them remember the promise they made at investure.
Well there you go, the reason why us Scouts all wear Scarfs.
Adapted from Big man in the woods
Hello everyone
We are now back to face to face meetings thankfully. We hope all your Beavers, Cubs and Scouts are now getting back into the swing of things.
We wanted to let you know that we have set our 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the 12th of July at 19:30. We will be hosting by a zoom meeting this year again. The invite has gone out on Facebook.
We hope you can attend the short meeting. Join us to find out how we have managed the group over the past year, and have your say how we run the next year.
The aim of the AGM is to provide the trustees and/or officers the opportunity to explain their management of the charity or organisation to the members. It also provides the members with an opportunity to ask questions before voting on business items on the agenda.
We will be appointing new members to the Exec at the AGM. We have recently recruited a new Secretary, who will be appointed at the meeting and we are hoping that our existing team will continue for another year. However we are short on parent representatives to join us.
Parent Reps sit on the Scout Group’s Executive Committee. … They are there to raise any issues parents may have with their child’s Section, or as a point of liaison if a parent feels they have any great fund-raising ideas, or wishes to help out at an event or activity.
So you see, it is important that we have a rep from each of our sections. As an Exec team we meet bi-monthly, so there is not an overwhelming commitment to attend lots and lots of meetings. Is this something you could help with? If so, please get in touch with our Group Scout Leader, Sharon, on sharon@alwaysout.co.uk or Facebook or indeed any leader in your childs section.
Documents for the 2021 AGM can be found here.
Hello everyone, I hope you are all staying safe and well.
There are a few things that you need to be aware of for returning to face to face meetings.
According to scout rules from Head Quarters, we are now allowed to meet face to face inside or outside (outside preferably, however with dark nights upon us, this will prove difficult in the coming months).
We can meet with a maximum number of 15 young people and 5 leaders. (Carers are in addition to this and not counted in the numbers).
We have been trialling the scout section for the past couple of weeks. Therefore we now have a process in place to be able to start the beaver and cub sections.
The new systems
Returning dates:
CUBS
Hipper Cubs and Rother cubs will be returning on the week commencing 12th October, So Monday evenings will meet on the 12th and the Friday evenings will meet on the 16th. Due to the large numbers in the cub sections we cannot meet with all young people, therefore we will be splitting the section and young people will be meeting on a fortnightly basis.
Leaders will be in touch to let you know which group your child will be in, in the near future. Group 1 will meet on the 12th or 16th and group 2 will be issued with an activity to undertake at home, then the following week group 2 will meet up and group one will be working on an activity at home and visa versa, until further notice is given from HQ regarding number changes.
BEAVERS
Both Hipper and Rother beavers will be starting week commencing 2nd November, so Monday section will meet on the 2nd and Friday section will meet on the 6th November.
SUBS
Payment of subs will re-commence from the 1st November. Unfortunately, there will be an increase to £15 per month, please amend your standing orders accordingly from that date. This is due to the lack of subs being paid during the pandemic, with insurance still having to be paid in February for each young person and leaders. The Exec team feel that this is reasonably the way forward, having not had an increase for many years, and will still offer excellent value for your young person.
PARENT ROTA
Of course we still need your help to run our sessions, so please speak to your leader to offer a night to help out.
4 WEEK CHALLENGE
We are short of leaders, is this something you have been thinking about but not yet sure? The four week challenge is a gradual introduction over four weeks that shows new volunteers how much they can get out of volunteering at the Scouts – new skills, new friendships, new experiences, and a sense of making a difference to the lives of young people in their community. Is this for you? It’s like a try before you buy scenario. Talk to a leader if you are interested, or email sharon@alwaysout.co.uk to discuss in more detail.
Or if you think you don’t have the time to dedicate fully, or don’t fancy the uniform and training, why not think about becoming a section assistant. Again talk with a leader or Sharon for more information.
The Beavers had their own sleepover at the Spitewinter campsite (they stayed in one of the cabins) at the end of September.
The Beavers (and some Cubs and Scouts) had a great fun day at Spitewinter. There were a range of activities throughout the day, followed by hotdogs and burgers.
First Beaver hike of the year. The chocolate biscuits certainly went down well!
What a lot of pirates!
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Construction – April & May 2018
As part of he second half of the Builder Badge, Beavers followed their plans to create puppets, gardens and a castle.
Both the Cub and Beaver sections took part in a rock painting night with UK Rocks. Part of the ‘Be Kind initiative‘ intended to make people smile. The idea is that decorated rocks are hidden in local parks for people to find, pictures of found rocks are shared on their Facebook page. Everyone had a great time and a donation was given to the local Monkey Park.
The Beavers learnt about caring for plants as part of their Gardening Badge. They also created planters to bring more colour to the church grounds.
