Another well attended Easter Camp, which this year was blessed with warmer weather owing to the later holiday weekend. Many new faces attending their first Scout Camp, learning new skills as they start their new adventure. Activities included Kayaking, Climbing, Archery, Fishing, Backwoods cookery, Campfire, Wide Games, Axe & Saw, Whittling & Survival Bracelets. 
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Congratulations to the 5th Dartford Scout Group’s Burne Troop on winning the 2014 district Five-a-Side tournament; well done to all who competed.
On the weekend of March 1st and 2nd, the 5th Dartford Scout Group, as Sainsbury Crayford’s Local Charity of The Year, had the opportunity to pack bags for their customers once again to raise further funds. Thanks to all the leaders and young folk who turned out as your efforts earned us in excess of £1,200.00, so a very well done to you all. Whilst there, two of the Earley-Troop Scouts were photographed with 2012 Paralympian tennis ace, Marc McCarroll and Sainsbury staff, who were promoting Sainsbury’s involvement with Sport Relief.
With your help we collected a fantastic number of Sainsbury’s Active Kids vouchers this year. The final count was 23,079 and they have been put to good use with new equipment to help us provide an active and balanced programme without increasing subscriptions. Once again thanks to all our parents and friends for letting us have your vouchers and a big thanks to Wendy for painstakingly counting out the vouchers and managing the ordering process. A picture below of all the items we were able to get. Continue reading
You had to be there to appreciate the amount of mud or the amount of fun had by those who attended. If you weren’t there, perhaps next year? Below are a few pictures to capture the memories.
On the 7th December 2013, accompanied by family, Charlie of the Earley-Troop, attended the County’s Chief Scout Gold Award presentations at Holy Trinity Church, Margate, where he was commended for his achievements as a Scout by dignitaries from within the Scouting movement. Having linked with the Johnston ESU he will be invested as an Explorer Scout at Gilwell Park, when we attend WinterCamp in a few weeks. Well done and good luck at Explorers. 
It was a relatively mild Sunday morning when over 100 members of 5th Dartford Scout Group paraded down West Hill, with each section’s flags flying. Their destination was the Methodist Church in Spital Street.
There we were all given a warm welcome by the congregation and joined in with their normal Sunday Service.
During the service, There were readings from Calum, George, Nathan & Nathaniel and following Paul’s summary of the year, a presentation for ‘Scout of the Year’, which this year went to the Earley-Troop’s James O’Brien and joint runners up Christopher Roscoe and Nathan Hart of Burne-Troop. After the service, refreshments were enjoyed by all before we paraded back.
After dismissal back at the hall, the Scouts and Explorers went bag packing at Crayford Sainsburys to help raise funds for the new hall and an adventurous activity in the New Year. Meanwhile 70 Beavers and Cubs remained and enjoyed a buffet lunch followed by traditional party games until 3pm. This was a record amount of Beavers and Cubs to attend so the party was pretty hectic but fun nevertheless.
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We were recently awarded £500 by Kent Police to purchase new archery and rifle shooting equipment, following our Fundraising Team’s successful application to the Kent Police Property Fund.
The Kent Police Property Fund holds money generated from the sale, at auction, of unclaimed lost property and items seized in police operations. All the money raised at such auctions is used to help local charities support their work in the local community.
Maggie and Jim Lilleycrop kindly accepted the cheque on behalf of 5th Dartford Scouts.