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.
Many good memories was shared between friends with recollections of of historic camps, activities and friendship along with John’s antics and sense of humour with one of my favourite being his fancy dress version of ‘Captain Carrot’. Farewell fellow Scouter, we shall truly miss you.
5th Dartford Scouters and Veterans: – Ted, Hillary & Sarah Essex, Jim & Maggie Lilleycrop, Rick & Sue Evans, Del & Wendy as well as Lynda who started Collins Cub Pack in 1975 as well as the Brownsea Island Fellowship with John.
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.
With ourselves enjoying at last year’s #InTents# at Thriftwood so much we rebooked again for this year. Having great memories of last year’s hot summer, we were over optimistic investing in an inflatable pool and new BBQs in preparation, which now seems a good future investment for the group’s events. With six leaders and 24 Scouts and Explorers fully prepared and roaring to go with our new site #4 which has an electrical hook up and adjacent to the archery field, close to the action.
After 10 months of planning and preparation the weekend finally arrived Air Camp 2023 – The Best Ever. With a total of 106 Scouts and Explorers, 22 of them representing 5th Dartford, descending to Old Hay Airfield, Paddock Wood. The weather forecast was for a heat wave, which was accurate for a change. There was unfortunate accident on the A21 causing road closures and some a 2 hour delay in their arrival time, along with many parents discovering the wonders of the app WhatThreeWords/// as opposed to post codes and car SatNavs.
Once again we booked the tented village at Thriftwood Scout Campsite and with the weather upon arrival and throuought the evening we were so glad that we did> However, the rain and the mud did not dampen what was once again a great camp with loads of activities including axe throwing, High all aboard, archery and a hike.
Celebrating our group’s birthday has always been a big event for the 5th Dartford Scout Group and this year was no exception, with a good number of young people attending the church service in the morning, which had us rolling with laughter, then tea and biscuits with the congregation before dissmissing and regrouping after lunch for a session at Ninja Warriors.
