Welcome to the first group news letter for some time.
Next year is an important year for all scouts as it is our centenary year. There are all sorts of events planned nationally and for our district and county. Our main event is the Centenary camp when we expect all sections to attend the county camp at Linnet Clough. This is over the weekend of the late May bank holiday 25th – 28th May. Put this date in your diary now so that all group members can attend.
Congratulations to Ben, Josh, David and Tom who have been chosen to represent our district and county at the world Jamboree. This is taking place next summer at Hylands Park, Essex. There will be scouts from every scouting country in the world attending this jamboree, so far we know that there are 40,000 attending. You can imagine that this is one BIG event and that our lads are looking forward to it immensely. They are currently fund raising to help cover the costs and to be able to exchange small items with other scouts that they meet, usually in the form of badges or neckers (hopefully not for all 40,000).
Home Hospitality (HoHo). Our county is offering home hospitality to scout from Japan prior to the event and scouts from Sri Lanka after the event. Home hospitality is a means where scouts can sample what it is like to live with a UK family. If you are willing to put up two boys (there are no girls in scouts in Japan) please get more details from one of the leaders.
Technology
camp.
Over the weekend of October 20-22 we attended the technology camp at Linnet Clough. This is an annual event held on the weekend of the Jamboree on the air and on the internet. The camp is a county event although we have had scouts from Wimbledon attend, and it is organised by Keith Hampson our GSL. Needless to say all the leaders from our group are involved in some way over the weekend! Our scouts who attended had the opportunity to gain the communicator, electronic, IT stages 1-4 badges as well as constructing an electronic project, taking and editing photographs, going on the radio and the internet to contact scouts all over the world.
The beavers whose motto is, fun and friends, had a great time when they attended a district Halloween party. They were all asked to dress up for the occasion and some of the costumes were definitely ghoulish. This year the beavers have celebrated their twentieth anniversary and earlier in the year there was a Teddy Bear’s picnic where we had games and a cake to mark the event.
The cubs have also been celebrating as this year is their ninetieth birthday. Our cubs are entering the district quiz and hopefully will have several teams entered so by the law of averages we should come back having beaten the rest unlike the football tournament!
The scouts have already been on two weekend camps since we came back after the summer holiday. They say they had a great time and are ready for the next camp.
You may already have bought your tickets for the bonfire but if you haven’t then buy them from us rather than the school. The group organises this event so we get more profit if you buy your ticket from us. This will be the last bonfire organised by Roger Short and Ernie as they are finding it more and more difficult to put on the firework display. They have done this for several years and each year the display is more magnificent. We thank them for all their efforts over the years on our behalf especially since they have no connection to the group anymore. We are always in need of assistance to set up during the day and in the evening when we need doormen and people to man the stalls. If you are able to volunteer in any way please talk to a leader so that we know when you are able to help.
Sunday following the bonfire is Remembrance Sunday and we will be attending the service at the Didsbury cenotaph. This is the only parade that we attend and we expect all sections to attend. We meet at our headquarters at 10.15, other Didsbury Scouts and Guides join us to parade from the hut to the library. You are invited to join us for the service at the cenotaph. The church has its service following the service at the cenotaph, please let us know if you are taking your child into church and not parading back.
Following the service we then go to the rugby club to clean the field following the firework display. If you can please come and give us a hand, as the more people that are there to help clear the sooner we can go home. Please remember that the leaders are all voluntary so your assistance is greatly appreciated.
We have recently had new leaders helping with the sections so welcome to Kat, Peter and Ben and also to Tom, Chris and Emily who are helping with Didsbury explorer scout unit. Although the unit holds its meetings in our headquarters it is part of the district, not our group. The unit is fed by scouts from the district although there are some members who are not from the area. Needless to say it is a thriving unit and increasing in numbers all the time.
On February 22nd it will be Baden-Powell’s 150th birthday as well as being our centenary year. We plan to celebrate this event and you are all invited to our party! We are planning to have a special meal out, probably at the YHA in Manchester and we are hoping that you will support us in this event so that you too can be involved in the year’s celebrations. We will be giving out details as soon as we can confirm them. We wonder if this should be a family affair or just for adults your thoughts would be appreciated.
Why not
visit the group website next time your on the web. Look at your section
programme, past events, forthcoming events and more. www.didsburyscouts.org.uk .