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 The funding is to replace out of date climbing equipment, which we hope to have available for use for our upcomming AGM.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
For something a little different, we booked the hammock pitch at Thriftwood, with all young people and all but two leaders sleeping in hammocks. Alas some of us awoke a little soggy following heavy rain in the early hours on Saturday, but with a few adjustments and everything drying out during the day everyone was keen to do it again Saturday night. Scouts cooked their own breakfast over open fires after a starter of cereal or porridge, which is becoming increasingly more popular and our meal on Saturday evening was roast chickens and vegetables cooked in our cast iron Dutch ovens in the hot embers of the fire; everyone had their fill with no room for desert. Activities included raft building and climbing, with new Scout Estha being invested on the climbing wall.
Once again we booked ‘The Village’ at Thriftwood for our 40 strong Easter Camp, with the newly refurbished bunk cabins, which gives us the certainty that everyone is warm and dry. The weather was thankfully kind to us and we were able to try some new activities. As always, the pizza making went down a treat.
On Friday 20th December, 5th Dartford Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers came together to enjoy a Christmas get together as well as to raise some monies to those less fortunate than themselves, with Beams being chosen as a local children’s support charity.
The leaders arranged a few party games to start with, such as pin the red nose on Rudolf, cup snatch etc with the sale of burgers being along with the sale of canned drinks, popcorn and flashing disco lights with music finishing of the evening.
A total of £120 profit was made and presented to Beams…
A letter sent by our older Scouts to our friends in Dartford twinned town Gravelines “EEDF Pêcheurs d’Islande GRAVELINES” came to fulfilment this weekend with a visit of 21 of them travelling to Dartford for Remembrance weekend.
With them departing Gravelines early Saturday morning via minibus and travelling by the channel tunnel they arrived at Dartford Scout House by lunch time, with a warm welcome and a quick turnaround they joined the 5th Dartford Scouts and Explorers for an activity afternoon comprising of archery and target shooting along with tea and biscuits.
That evening we held a fireworks extravaganza with hot chocolate and hamburgers being served, along with the Gravelines Scouts, there were also 130 parents, friends and siblings partake in the fundraising event with monies raised going towards the new hall fund.
Sunday morning we all converged at Dartford War Memorial for the act of remembrance, with three poppy reefs being laid: Gravelines Town, Pêcheurs d’Islande Scouts along with Dartford Districts. All of us joined the parade around town, paying our respects, with the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Mayor and leader of the council taking the salute.
After tea and biscuits at the church hall, the English and French Scouts were combined into teams and took part in a Historical Treasure Hunt which span from St Edmunds Pleasance to West Hill, Lock-Up with questions relating from Henry’s V funeral, Henry VIII divorce settlement, to medieval leper hospital.
With everyone back to 5th Dartford Scouts Hall, were we shared some traditional food, with the hosts providing: Roast beef, potatoes and Yorkshire pudding accompanied by gravy, horseradish and English mustard, followed by Jam Rolly Polly and custard. With the Guest providing speciality cheese, biscuits and sweet treats, all of which was shared and enjoyed by all. The Scouts joined in with games which both groups knew until the end of the afternoon.
Monday morning the Mayor welcomed the Gravelines Scouts to the Civic Centre, showing them around the council chamber and Mayors Parlour, explaining about the role and responsibilities being the King’s representative and 1st citizen of the town, followed by tea and biscuits. It was then time to say goodbye along with discussion about a returnvisit for English Scouts to travel to Gravelines.
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