On Friday 19th December all sections came together for a fun packed evening of party games and a disco to raise much needed funds for local childrens charity We Are Beams.
Party goers were able to buy sweets, crisps, refreshments, glow-sticks, flashing battons and other assorted items with all profits amounting to £155 going to the charity. A great evening was had by all who attended.
On Friday 12th December, thirty members from the Earley Scout Troop and the Johnston ESU, accompanied by 4 adult volunteers, attended the Miskin Theatre’s production of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. As always it was an enjoyable night out and fantastic value and it was nice to see former members in the audience and in the cast too.
We once again celebrated our 109th anniversary at the Methodist Church, Spital Street being warmly welcomed by the congregation and John H-B who was leading the service. Starting with all things bright and beautiful, the Scouts performed the reading of Gospel and prayers, with John providing the sermon of John the Baptise, with the Scouts sampling the delights of dried Locust and initiate ways of baptism with the use of water pistols. The Scout presentation was provided by the Scouts memories of the past year (as below), with the service ending with Jerusalem and flags being paraded back to the Scouts Hall. The activity for the afternoon was at Gravity Bluewater, with 50 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers making full use of the trampoline park.
Scout Best Bit of the Year 2025
My Favourite Scouting memory is when my friends and I went outside the hall, and we started a fire and cooked sausages. I also really liked when I got to build a bird house out of wood, as well as water colour paintings. (AM)
I’ve really enjoyed scouts so far, we get to do more fun activities and just do something new each week. Even though I’ve only been to one camp so far, I think it’s been the best part of scouts, that’s where I got invested, although I didn’t bring any swim stuff and I was the first person to fall into the lake! I’ve quite enjoyed it when we’ve all walked down to the field and play sport (I’m a very competitive person if you can’t tell). I love to cook so I find it fun when we’ve done it at scouts! I like how you give us something challenging but also simple at the same time, personally my favourite was the pasta making. As I said I really like sports, but I also like archery! I’m so glad I joined scout and I’m very happy I’ve got another three years here. (EM)
Some of my favourite moments would be when i went to camp, I made lots and lots of friends and i really cane out of my comfort zone and to be honest, even though I didn’t get selected for Poland, i learnt so much and had so much fun it didn’t matter. I also really enjoyed shooting, i was over the moon when i came second in my age group. Third i love all the parades because i love feeling professional. Lastly, i love helping with the beaver. I love the regular Fridays, especially when we go to rosemary gardens. (AW)
What did I enjoy about Scouts this year? It was a year that attempted to be a memorable while breaking the norm.
Had I ever slept in a hammock for an entire camp?
Did I go to an international Jamboree before?
Scouts is about experiencing things that School doesn’t.
Scouts is about making memories and learning skills outside the classroom. I learnt how to put up a hammock, admittedly I did not dd so well without help from the leaders. I found time to practice different skills and looking forwards to moving up to Explorers next year. (NB)
My first camp (Easter camp 2023) was an experience that made me love going scouts. When I first got to the campsite, I felt out of place and uncomfortable sleeping. But in the morning, we had breakfast and started some activities it was so much fun! we did countless activities learning new skills that brought everyone together and that night I slept well. This singular camp made me enjoy scouts and come to scouts for 3 years and many to come.
My summer camp of 2025 (KIJ) this was the best camp I have ever been to; I met so many new people and I made new friendships and also learnt new skills that I thought I’d never learn. I learnt more about my scout group every camp I go to. I was able to do go-charting, orientating, archery, trust fall jump: a jump from a high platform, teambuilding, climbing, zipline, puzzles and much more, it was a real experience. It changed me as a person and made me open to new experiences therefore encourage me to try things that I wouldn’t choose to do. I have never had so much fun. It is an experience I would want to do again. (MW)
We are pleased to hear that Dartford District has chosen one of our Johnston Explorers to represent us at the next Word Scout Jamboree – Poland 2027
Ollie, pictured right, has been a member of 5th Dartford Scout Group, through from Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and now Explorers, we wish him every success in his international explorations, looking to support him and the other successful World Scout Jamboree participants in their fund raising and preparation going forwards. Ollie follows in the footsteps of number of our previous Scouts attending World Jamborees: West Virginia-USA, Japan, Netherlands. With many of our former Scouts working and living all around the globe.
Out of this World fact – Out of the 312 pilots and scientists who travelled to the Moon at least 207 astronauts worldwide have been identified as having a history in scouting, representing over two-thirds of the astronauts selected since 1959. Of the 24 individuals who have travelled to the Moon, 20 were Scouts, including 11 of the 12 who walked on its surface.
5th Dartford Scouts attended the Service of Remembrance at Memorial Gardens organised by Dartford Borough Council, taking part of the service and youth parade. Paying our respect and appreciation to those who have giving so much allowing us to live in a free and democratic country.
Although 5th Dartford is not the oldest Scout group formed on 4th December 1916, however the longest continuing running group through WWII with the Scouts taking an active part with Civil Defence of the town, being messengers and undertaking fire watch duties.
NB: Summer Camp 1939 was held in France, which apparently had to be called short due to increased diplomatic tensions. With their quick return they left all their camping equipment with the local church. They returned in 1947 and collected all their camping equipment intact, resuming their camp.
5th Dartford Scouts hosted the 3rd consecutive District Shooting Competition open to all Scouts, Explorers and Adult Volunteers on Saturday 8th November. 49 Competitors took part in three disciplines: Fields Targets, Pistol and 6yd Rifles with three categories of <12, >=12 and +14.
A BIG thank you to all the adult volunteers and NSRA YPS Instructors who volunteered their time and energise in making the competition possible.
The group held their annual AGM on Saturday 11th October, with all members, family and friends invited to get involved.
To give parents an insight into the activities that Scouts get involved with, we held an open Target Shooting Competition before the AGM providing an opportunity to have a friendly competition, with the following winners being presented with chocolate prizes:
The AGM followed with Russ leading us through proceedings detailing the governance of the Trustee Board, Finance Report provided by Karen detailing the cost to date of obtaining planning permission for the new hall as well as ongoing running costs. Paul provided an update on Scouting activities with the honour of presenting Maggie Lilleycrop her well-deserved 25 years, long service award. With Neil (District Lead Volunteer) concluding, thanking all those involved, encouraging all to get involved and have fun.
AGM Minutes available here from our web site download page
As 5th Dartford Scouts is a registered charity (303370) the Trustee and Financial report are uploaded and available from the Charity Commission web site here.
On Saturday 20th September, Paul and Jason attended the Loyalty & Remembrance lodge in Sidcup to meet with Worshipful Master Greg Rawlins. Greg is the father of two of our former Scouts, so when asked what charity he’d like to support he generously thought of us. The funding is to replace out of date climbing equipment, which we hope to have available for use for our upcomming AGM.
Details to follow
With just three lives each and a mountain of tasks and challenges to overcome, our cubs had an amazing camping experience in Thriftwood Scout Campsite.
In teams, they used navigation skills to discover cryptic clues and challenges. Knots were learnt to build rafts which, when tested on the lake, held together for an eyebrow raising amount of time. Then came a kayaking lesson with hair-raising stunts and some very soggy cubs!
One evening, we learned a new repertoire of campfire songs when we joined with hundreds of other members of the scouting and girl guiding community at the communal campfire.
On the final morning our intrepid cubs tunnelled into the cave bus, navigating their way in the dark, around corners and tight spaces.
Between Jumanji challenges there were fun quizzes, games of rounders and plenty of Paul’s famous porridge. But how did they finally escape Jumanji…? By rockets of course! The teams used water bottles and plenty of air pressure to launch themselves out of the game, just in time for their parents’ arrival. “It has been the best camp ever!” Enthused one cub, “I want to do it all over again!”
Will there be a sequel? Watch this space…
Tash
