Earlier this year Vicky Tollhurst, Assistant Cub-Scout Leader with the Collins Pack abseiled our great wall despite her fear of heights. To see the original web post and video of her achievement follow the link below.
http://www.5thdartfordscouts.org.uk/?p=4274
After two full days selling tickets for the 2012 5th Dartford Scout Group’s Christmas Raffle, the final count has been made and the winning tickets drawn. Before we get to the numbers, we would like to thank everyone who either bought a ticket or assisted with the sales, but our special thanks as always go to Maggie and Jim for sorting everything from the design and printing of the tickets to sourcing the prizes, manning the sales desk all day, counting up and ensuring the winners goodies are delivered in time for Christmas.
The Net total raised from this years raffle is a fantastic £895.97, which will be put to excellent use for the furure of Scouting at the 5th.
The prize winners, who have all been contacted and varified are:
| Prize | Ticket # | Name | |
| 1st Prize | Hamper | 1920 | Mr Curtis |
| 2nd Prize | Six Bottled of Wine | 5550 | Mr Gopi |
| 3rd Prize | Sweets Selection | 4400 | A Clements |
| 4th Prize | Xmas Cake | 4421 | K Tower |
| 5th Prize | Xmas Crackers | 5992 | Vincent |
| 6th Prize | Xmas Pudding | 1097 | Gill Randall |
On Monday 12th December a small representative of 1st Wilmington and 5th Dartford Leaders were invited to the West Dartford Masonic Centre to receive a cheque from money raised at the Craft Fair held on 18th September. It was a rare and appreciated gesture that we were invited in to the Temple and a welcome surprise that the amount for each group was match funded to total £600. This generous amount will be added to our new hall fund.
Each group were requested to nominate the two best achieving members not only to observe the presentation, but to also receive an award themselves, which will be annual award. After nominations were received from leaders of all the nine 5th Dartford Scout’s sections, two particular names were nominated several times for their achievements this year.
Matthew – A Collins Pack Cub who is now linking to Burne Troop, he has achieved his Silver Award, attended all of the fundraising activities for the New Hall Fund as well as many of District and Group events.
Jack – An Earley Troop Scout who is now linking with the Johnston Explorers unit, he has achieved his Chief Scout Gold Award and attended all of the fundraising activities for the New Hall Fund as well as many of District and Group events.
Both individuals are well respected by their peers and recognised by the leaders to have outstanding conduct and behaviour records. In the years to come, we will look to award these trophies to our two highest achievers at our annual Birthday Parade, which takes place on the first Sunday in December at the Methodist Church in Spittal Street.
Today the 5th Dartford Scout Group commenced its 95th birthday celebrations with a short parade from the hall to the Spital Street Methodist church and as usual, everyone present was made very welcome by Rev Tim and his congregation. We were well represented, with a good turnout of members from All 9 sections. During the service a prayer was read by Leigh-Pack Cub George and readings by Earley-Troop members Connor and James. Members of the congregation had a fundraiser for our benefit yesterday and raised a “small sum” for our new hall fund, which to the thankful gasp of all present turned out to be £700!
After the service, we paraded the colours back to HQ before the Scouts and Explorers left to go ice-skating and the Cubs and Beavers remained for a party with entertainer and long time favourite of the Fifth, Travis. All who attended the party had a great time, as did the ice-skating contingent with some talent in the making for some and for others………… well let’s just say thanks for keeping the rest of us laughing 😉
Every invested member now has the privilage of wearing our 95th Birthday badge on their necker, which was designed by Burne-Troop member Patrick. If you have not yet recieved your birthday badge, please speak with your section leader.
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Tonight, Jack Hannah and James O’Brien of the 5th Dartford Scout Group’s Earley-Troop, were presented with their Kent Scouts bronze Volunteer award by the GSL; Both lads have done well to give up so much of their free time to work on fundraising projects, which will benefit all members of our group. We have a number of lads who are hot on their heals and look forward to presenting their awards in the very near future.
In a Kent County awards presentation this evening, 6 Scouts and one linking Explorer from the 5th Dartford Scout Group joined with the cream of the County to be presented with awards for their high achievements. Firstly, Harry Zimmerman of the Burne-Troop and Jessica Boreham, linking from 9th to the Johnston-Explorers, were presented with their Chief Scout gold awards and Tom Hannah, Robert Honey, James O’Brien, Joey Reilly and Matthew Randall of the Earley-Troop were presented with the Invicta Challenge award. Presenting both awards was Richard Woolsey, South Eastern Regional Commissioner and Kelvin Holford, Kent County Commissioner.
Congratulations to you all and well done for all your efforts.
Tonight, 20 Scouts from the 1st Meopham Scout Group’s Challenger-Troop decended on the 5th Darrtford Climbing wall to take part in the physical aspect of their Scout Climbers badge, under the instruction of our own Invicta Mountaineering Team members. I’m pleased to say that the majority of the young adventurers completed the requisite 4 climbs and an abseil and will be well on the way to achieving their award.
Assisting us this evening were Tom, Robert, Matthew, Joey and Kyle from our own Earley-Troop, who having attined this award for themselves were invited to take part in the activity with our visitors in order to qualify for element N3 in the Kent Scouts Invicta Challenge award.
Leaders wanting to book a climbing session for cubs/scouts/explorers on the 5th Dartford wall should please complete the booking form at the bottom of this page.
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With a party of 38, comprising of members from Earley Troop, Burne Troop, Johnston Explorers and 9th Dartford, we attended the 35th National Scout Rifle Championships for our 4th consecutive year at NSRA Bisley. As ever, the event was well attended with over 800 Scouts competing in events including 6yd pistol, Field Target, 6yd Main Rifle, Reactive Knockout, Summer Biathlon, Advanced Field Targets, Small-bore rifle at 25 yds and Full-bore at 300 yds.
The standard of shooting from our team improves each year as the experience and self discipline they gain from practice and study through programmes such as the YPS scheme, which we run bi-annually. Two of our party did exceptionally well, with Connor Pike of the Earley Troop coming 2nd in the Field Target discipline, hitting 15 out of 20 targets and was awarded the silver medal. Jessica Boreham of 9th Dartford came 13th in the 6yd Main Rifle category and was also presented with the Walton Firs trophy for most improved shot against the previous year. Well done to the pair of you.
Catering was once again handled by Karren Hannah and as usual we were spoiled with excellent food over a long service, which is the only way it can be as the complex shooting schedules and range duty times mean that everyone sitting to eat at the same time is a logistical impossibility. On behalf of everyone at camp we thank Karren very much for her help and support.
As always, a busy camp like Bisley requires many months of preparation for all the paperwork required, van loading/unloading and setting/striking of camp and this cannot be done without the help and support of the many leaders, helpers and instructors who gave their time to make this camp a success – Thanks guys.
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Despite initial set backs with an attack of fatigue, a toothache and a no show from the original line-up, two emergency substitutions were made in the form of James and Henry who joined George, Connor and Robert to form the Earley Troop team.
Rounds included Chocolate/confectionery cryptic quiz (eg High class road – Quality Street), picture quizzes (current affairs, sportsman) music round (TV theme), skittles sweets – guess the flavour, countries cryptic quiz, Mario kart Wii, transfer of smarties with a straw to name but a few.
The event was well attended, with 8 troops from the distrct represented and just one table free, which served as a good base around which the attending leaders could gather. Suffice to say that the Earley Troop won the competition with a 6 point lead and a total of 127 points.
Thanks to Keith for managing the team and indeed to 8th and the district team who make these events possible.
Well done!
Explorer Scout Gareth Goes Solo
Today, Gareth Furlong of the 5th Dartford Scout group’s Johnston Explorers took to the air in his first and second solo glider flights.
Gareth has been on a scholarship programme at the Kent Gliding Club in Ashford for a couple of years, where his work has been rewarded with flight time. Despite being a capable glider pilot with many hours of flight time behind him, there has always been someone else in the cockpit, so we can only imagine the look on his face when he was told that “today was the day” and the adrenaline surge he must have experienced knowing that he was on his own for the first time – What a rush!
Well done Gareth. 
