Category Archives: Scout Blog
2015-07-25 – Summer Camp ’15
2015-05-22 – DartJam 15
2015-06-07 – AGM & Fun Day
Thanks to everyone for attending and joining in the fun at our AGM on Sunday, we also have several parents offer further help and assistance, which is excellent. A big thank you to the Explorers for helping to build and run the Aerial Runway.
Minutes and annual accounts will be published here soon, section reports below.
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2015-05-08 – Scout Archery Camp
Our fourth visit to this National tournament and for the first time we were joined by 3 Cub Scouts, who like the Scouts were a credit to the team. Very well done to Phillips-Pack leader Kay, who took silver medal in the over 18 supplied field targets, the third family member in as many years to get a medal. Whilst not competing, our young members were entertained with other activities including ‘The Cube’, crate stacking, potholing, human table football, trampolines and a cresta run. At the end of the camp, whilst taking time to reflect on our weekend during our Scout’s Own, Matthew was invested as an Explorer Scout.
A Big thanks to Tim and Pauline for the catering and keeping us fed between activities, and Tim’s homemade iced loaves were a meal in themselves.
2015-05-09 – JOTT 18
Jamboree On The Trail Saturday 9th May 2015
5th Dartford were well represented at this years Jamboree On The Trail (some 50+ walkers) with several Leaders and Explorers starting at the Otford Loop at 7.30 in the morning, meeting more Leaders and Scouts at Sevenoaks and continuing to pick up Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and family members along the Darent Valley River Path until they reached Central Park at about 4pm.
Despite a cloudy and slightly drizzly start the weather brightened as the day went on with the sun shining at the end for when we could all relax in the park, take on refreshments and get the much coveted J.O.T.T. 18 badge.
2015-03-31 – Staircase Update
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As you will recall, the 5th Dartford Scout Group were generously gifted a fantastic bespoke steel staircase by Adam Clarke of AKD Contracts Ltd. We are pleased to confirm the staircase has now been completed and brought in to use and we can hardly begin to thank Adam and his team of committed engineers for bringing this project to fruition.
In order to ensure only authorised and supervised access, we felt we had to include fencing and a lockable gate to protect the young folk in our care; once again Adam was quick to respond and upon visiting our site on Friday 20th March, he drafted plans and a quotation. It didn’t take us long to consider who best to approach to fund this additional work, and our first thought was Councillor Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council, who once again generously approved the funding under the council’s Salute to Youth community plan. This went through in record time and Adam’s team have almost completed; that’s planning, funding approval and completion within a fortnight!
We will update this post as soon as it’s completed, but we felt it was so important to publicly thank Councillor Kite and AKD Contracts Ltd. on behalf of all the young people in our community who will benefit from this fabulous and safe addition to the adventurous activities the 5th Dartford Scout Group offers.
Thank You.
2015-03-08 – DMC Craft Fair
Please come along and support this craft fair and it’s contributors, as a share of the admission fee comes directly back to our group. Continue reading
2014-12-07 – 98th Birthday Parade
Today we celebrate 98 years of continuous Scouting at the 5th Dartford Scout group with a parade from our hall to the Spital Street Methodist church, followed by parties and paint-balling. Well done to everyone who attended and especially to our award winners and Harry and Nathan for their reading. Please read on for the GSL’s address and photo’s from the day. Continue reading
2014-06-13 – Dr John Burne RIP
It is with sadness that we report that Dr John Burne, one of the founding fathers of 5th Dartford Scout Group, died on 13 June 2014 following a short illness.
In the early 1950s Dr Burne – along with Ernie Johnston, Skipper Leigh, Alan Medcalf and many other volunteers, worked hard to raise funds so that the old wooden hut used by the group could be replaced with a state-of-the-art Scout Hall (the one we know and love today!). It took three years for the group to raise the money for the project and building work started in 1959.
It took two years for the leaders, parents and other volunteers to build the new hall and Dr Burne was one of only a dozen or so people who saw the project right through from inception to completion. Lyn Medcalf remembers well Dick talking about how Dr Burne worked tirelessly alongside his father, helping to dig out the foundations for the new Scout Hall.
Dr Burne was a former trustee of 5th Dartford and one of our lifelong supporters; he corresponded with the 5th all through his retirement and took a keen interest in our activities and, in particular, our current fundraising efforts for (yet another) new hall.
In January 1986 the group honored Dr Burne by naming its new Scout Troop after him.
Dr Burne will be fondly remembered and sadly missed.


