2023-12-03 – Birthday Parade

This year we celebrated our 107th anniversary with our Birthday Parade on Sunday 3rd December. We converged at the hall at 10am where we formed up, and sorted out our colours to be presented, parading with our flags from the hall to the URC Church in Spitall Street, were we where warmly welcomed by the congregation. 

The service given by John was fun and informative as well as celebrating the first week of advent, with a lesson given by John donning a Professor hat and teaching the Beavers and Cubs how to build lego towers on firm foundations with the power of pray. Leo and Alex providing the readings, with the Explorers collecting the offering and the prayers. Paul the Group Volunteer Lead said a few words , thanking the church congregation for their warm welcome, the leaders for their time and effort, the youth members for their energy and enthusiasm, recognising the ones who had achieved their Chief Scout Award over the past year as well as Keith for his leadership service of the past 20 years with a ’Thanks’ badge. John kindly gave a free gift of a prayer stone as a reminder to all at the end of the service, along with a biscuit and a drink, then we had to say good bye and return to our hall to be dismissed in order to get lunch and changed.

The afternoon activity was at Gravity, Bluewater were all participants was provided with jump socks and juice to keep them going for all the ups and downs of the trampoline park. After the limbs were weary, face flushed and fun had by everyone it was time to go home reflecting on the past year of Scouting and planning for the next.

2021-12-05 – 105th Birthday

Meeting at the hall at 10:00, 42 of our Young People and leaders paraded our colours to the Spital Street Methodist Church to attend our Group’s 105th Birthday Service. Five of our young folk did readings and others assisted with the offertory. Group Scout Leader, Paul, presented some leadership awards and spoke of the troubled couple of years we’d had and thanked everyone for their efforts in keeping Scouting going.  After enjoying some refreshments and biscuits with members of the church we returned to the hall and dismissed for lunch.  The celebrations continued in the afternoon at Gravity, Bluewater, where we enjoyed a session of trampolining.

2018-10-25 – Beaver Halloween

Thursday 25th October 2018 was the date for this years joint Halloween party with Philpott Beavers and Peacock Beavers together.

Also invited were their parents and siblings which resulted in 40 people altogether joining in the usual Halloween games of Getting the doughnut off the string with teeth only, no hands allowed. Halloween picture matching for the younger ones. The Halloween story game for everyone in the hall and the traditional Apple Bobbing finishing with a game of musical bumps for children only. Continue reading

2018-09-30 – Philpotts @ Oakfield

Saturday 30th September 2018 Philpott Beavers descended on Oakfield Park in the sunshine.

Firstly following a map to the Nature Trail where they searched for Cob nuts, Fir cones, Acorns, Conkers, Rose Hips, Blackberries and Fungi. Then they all had a go on the Fitness trail. Next was a walk around the allotments to see what vegetables were growing. All the while keeping a look-out for this years craze of painted stones of which we spotted at least eight different ones.

 A short Pit Stop for drinks and biscuits and a play in the Play Area.

We then went for a walk through the Church graveyard and the Beavers saw the gravestone of Paul and Emma the young Adults whose lives were taken along with those of our Ian ‘Eggy’ Edwards almost 20 years ago in an Avalanche in Scotland.

This was followed by a quick game of football whilst waiting for their parents.

Result 14 very tired but happy Beavers who got home 30 minutes before the heavens opened luckily.

Auntie Beaver

2018-05-12 – JoTT 2018

Saturday 12th May 2018 was the date for the annual Jamboree On The Trail. This is an International event held for the last 21 years and the eighteenth year in a row that Dartford District including 5th Dartford Scout group have taken part.

After a spell of very good weather the week before, the morning turned out to be decidedly cool and a little damp but this didn’t deter our Group turning out in force. Some Leaders

and Explorers starting from Sevenoaks at 9.30am and walking the 17 miles along the Darent River path picking up Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and their families en route and finishing at Dartford park  at around 4pm. 

Here we were all greeted by District Leaders young and old  and given snacks and hot drinks and the much coveted J.O.T.T. Badge.

Well done everyone who participated however far they walked and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.

2018-02-15 – Philpott Pancakes

Pancake fun for Philpott Beavers

For those Beavers that didn’t go away during half-term Philpott Beavers enjoyed a ‘Fun with Pancakes evening’ on Thursday 15th February 2018.

The Beavers worked in small groups making the pancake mixture using eggs, flour and milk. Then cooked one each with the aid of a Leader. On completion they were decorated to look like a smiling face using strawberries, banana’s, syrup, hundreds & thousands and squirty cream. The biggest smile though was on their own faces when told they could then eat them. 

Next came the Pancake race (using ones made earlier by Auntie Beaver). Then a competition to see who could toss a pancake through the basketball hoop. Having found this too high for them to reach, we set the target lower Bearded Beavers head.

The evening was finished with a 10 minute food fight which seemed to be the highlight of the night. 

All good fun

2017-09-30 – Joydens Wood

Joydens Wood Revisited by Philpott Beavers

On Saturday 30th September 2017 Philpott Beavers paid a return visit to the woods at Joydens Wood for an afternoon of fun after a fifteen month break. The intention being to see the woods in the Autumn months as opposed to the summer months.

We all had two and a half hours of fun, mini beast hunting, climbing trees, bark rubbing and finding chestnuts, acorns and fungi. The large empty bomb crater was ideal for running down one side and then back up the other. When the Beavers tired of this they collected logs of dead wood to make a ‘Beaver Lodge’ in the hole.

Half way round the circular walk through the woods we stopped for drinks and cakes and the inevitable kick about with a football.

Luckily for us the weather was kind which helped make the day most enjoyable.

The only downside to the day was the absence this time of the carved statues that had delighted us all on our last visit. All except the aeroplane had completely gone which was a real shame.

Auntie Beaver

2017-10-26 – Beavers Halloween

Beavers Halloween Party – Thursday 26th October 2017

Our annual Halloween party for all three Beaver colonies of 5th Dartford  was a great success once again. We also invited parents and siblings to dress up and join in which resulted in well over 40 spookily dressed people turning up.

Teams of Beavers and parents started the games off by Space hopping up the hall then getting do-nuts off the line with just their teeth. Next was Halloween Bingo a picture matching game for children only. Then the Halloween story game in which everyone in the room was involved. Ooh Spooky!!

After a short break for refreshments washed down with Witches Brew, everyone got back in their teams for the traditional Apple bobbing and trying to retrieve a sweet from the plate of icing sugar, strictly No Hands Allowed.

Much to the relief of all the parents a game of Musical Bumps for the 28 children only finished the evening off and all departed with a Goody bag each.

Many thanks to my team of Leaders for helping the party run so smoothly

Auntie Beaver