Back in June, 13 Scouts and Explorers from the 5th signed up to the National Small-Bore Rifle Association – Youth Proficiency Scheme (NSRA-YPS) course, 10 first timers and 3 retaking to improve their skill level. Starting in July, the young people attended weekly sessions to learn everything from setting up a range, equipment, the law, safety, eye dominance, stance, & breathing to the follow through, sighting, sight adjustment and scoring; concluding with a multiple choice exam and a shooting competition. In order to qualify for the competition a quiz of 10 randomly selected true/false statements was taken, where a minimum of seven must be answered correctly; these points are also added to the 4 scoring cards for the total score. Each card has the potential score of 50 points with 5 shots at each, making the maximum possible score of 210, including the quize score.
There are 4 proficiency bands for the qualification:
50 to 124 – Skilled Shot
125 to 149 – Marksman
150 to 174 – Expert Shot
175+ – Master Shot
We are very pleased to say that not only did everyone pass and qualify for their award, but we had 4 achieving Master Shot, three of which had attended the course for the first time; congratulations to everyone who participated and a big thanks for all the volunteer instructors for their support and tuition.
For the third consecutive year we participated in Thriftwood #InTents# having great memories of the previous camps. With six leaders and 10 Scouts and 15 Explorers fully prepared and ready to go with new chariots and flags.
Our thoughts and prayers with Marion and her family. A number of current and previous 5th Dartford Scouters celebrated the life of John White, who passed away after a short illness at the age of 86, at Thanet Crematorium and then with a reception at the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum, Manston. John and Marion retired to Palm Bay 22 years ago, but remained active volunteers with the Thanet Scouting Fellowship helping run District events, as well as part of the service crew at Marshside Camp Site as well as Spitfire and Hurricane Museum several days each week. Many 5th Dartford veterans will remember John from his 28 years of Scouting service with 5th Dartford & Dartford District totalling 50 years of Scouting. John was a good friend too many with kind, warm and supportive approach a true gentleman with a great sense of humour. 
With the incredibly wet weather we have had, it was unfortunate that a number of accommodation huts were decommissioned, however working with the camp site we were able to accommodate the Explorers in the serviceable village huts with alternative accommodation being provided for the Scouts in the Barcwood building by the fishing lake. 
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 advance party arrived at our pitch @14:30 and despite earlier rain our allocation was favourable and the weather was kind to us for setting up camp even if squelchy underfoot. More leaders and 15 young people, 6 of whom were first timers at Bisley, arrived after dark and stowed their kit before a team briefing where everyone was given a lanyard, map and an aid-memoir to help them to be in the right place at the right time for their events.