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Easter Camp 2026 – Going Nuclear!
This year’s Easter Camp was something different… We were granted permission to camp at Kelvedon Hatch, Nuclear Wild Forest Site.
Friday evening we arrived set up camp, with hot dogs to fortify us and with it being dusk a Wide Game was in order followed by hot chocolate and cake.
Saturday morning we breakfasted on porridge and bacon sandwiches prior to a visit to the Secret Nuclear bunker, where we chanced across a film crew and actors filming for a Jurassic alien film! After the hour and half tour of the underground bunker, we headed back for a light snack.
Saturday afternoon we were warmed up and guided around the mud obstacle course, which grew in intensity and mud culminating with the Death Slide! After showering and cleaning ourselves up, free time was a plenty with different field games being played.
Saturday dinner was make your own pizza, including the dough, then cooked on the groups wood fired pizza ovens.
Sunday morning was another fine breakfast of porridge and egg sandwiches followed by a visit to the high ropes course. After the initial safety talk, two low level trails was completed prior to the two level 2 higher course, with a few daring level 3 really high course. With all finalising with the level 3 zip back to the start. Returning to camp to pack away our tents and load the van, the weekend was quickly over…
A big thank you to the leadership team for volunteering their time freely to make it all possible.
A call out to all the parents who stayed to help set up camp on Friday evening, arrived early on Sunday to strike camp as well as those helped unload the van, and put the camping equipment back in our stores – Thank You.
Image gallery to follow………….
Scout Expedition Challenge 2026
Four of the older Scouts from Burne & Earley Troop joined together to complete their Expedition Challenge award. Putting their years of experience of Scouting they completed a navigation trek, carrying their equipment to Hope Hill Camp site where they pitched their tent and cooked an evening meal, camping overnight by themselves. The next morning after a cooking breakfast, they strike camp and completed their hike rendezvousing for lunch at Stanstead village.
2026-03-23 – Platinum Awards
On Monday 23rd March, District Lead Volunteer, Neil Gearing, attended the Johnston ESU’s section evening to present 6 Chief Scout Platinum awards to Caitlin, Dilan, Kaden, George, Maisie and Leo. Platinum awards are not easily achieved and to put things in perspective, these were the first awarded in 5 years, so very well done to all of you.
2026-03-14 – Kent County Scouts – Paintball Day
On Saturday 14th March Kent Scouts organised a paint ball day at Mayhem South East, where four Earley Troop Scouts got involved and had a fantastic day, joining other Scouts from all around Kent.
2026-02-19 – Thank you from Beams
2025-12-19 – Fundraising Disco
On Friday 19th December all sections came together for a fun packed evening of party games and a disco to raise much needed funds for local childrens charity We Are Beams.
Party goers were able to buy sweets, crisps, refreshments, glow-sticks, flashing battons and other assorted items with all profits amounting to £155 going to the charity. A great evening was had by all who attended.
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2025-12-12 – Miskin Theatre
On Friday 12th December, thirty members from the Earley Scout Troop and the Johnston ESU, accompanied by 4 adult volunteers, attended the Miskin Theatre’s production of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. As always it was an enjoyable night out and fantastic value and it was nice to see former members in the audience and in the cast too.
2025-12-07 – 109th Birthday Parade
We once again celebrated our 109th anniversary at the Methodist Church, Spital Street being warmly welcomed by the congregation and John H-B who was leading the service. Starting with all things bright and beautiful, the Scouts performed the reading of Gospel and prayers, with John providing the sermon of John the Baptise, with the Scouts sampling the delights of dried Locust and initiate ways of baptism with the use of water pistols. The Scout presentation was provided by the Scouts memories of the past year (as below), with the service ending with Jerusalem and flags being paraded back to the Scouts Hall. The activity for the afternoon was at Gravity Bluewater, with 50 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers making full use of the trampoline park.
Scout Best Bit of the Year 2025
My Favourite Scouting memory is when my friends and I went outside the hall, and we started a fire and cooked sausages. I also really liked when I got to build a bird house out of wood, as well as water colour paintings. (AM)
I’ve really enjoyed scouts so far, we get to do more fun activities and just do something new each week. Even though I’ve only been to one camp so far, I think it’s been the best part of scouts, that’s where I got invested, although I didn’t bring any swim stuff and I was the first person to fall into the lake! I’ve quite enjoyed it when we’ve all walked down to the field and play sport (I’m a very competitive person if you can’t tell). I love to cook so I find it fun when we’ve done it at scouts! I like how you give us something challenging but also simple at the same time, personally my favourite was the pasta making. As I said I really like sports, but I also like archery! I’m so glad I joined scout and I’m very happy I’ve got another three years here. (EM)
Some of my favourite moments would be when i went to camp, I made lots and lots of friends and i really cane out of my comfort zone and to be honest, even though I didn’t get selected for Poland, i learnt so much and had so much fun it didn’t matter. I also really enjoyed shooting, i was over the moon when i came second in my age group. Third i love all the parades because i love feeling professional. Lastly, i love helping with the beaver. I love the regular Fridays, especially when we go to rosemary gardens. (AW)
What did I enjoy about Scouts this year? It was a year that attempted to be a memorable while breaking the norm.
Had I ever slept in a hammock for an entire camp?
Did I go to an international Jamboree before?
Scouts is about experiencing things that School doesn’t.
Scouts is about making memories and learning skills outside the classroom. I learnt how to put up a hammock, admittedly I did not dd so well without help from the leaders. I found time to practice different skills and looking forwards to moving up to Explorers next year. (NB)
My first camp (Easter camp 2023) was an experience that made me love going scouts. When I first got to the campsite, I felt out of place and uncomfortable sleeping. But in the morning, we had breakfast and started some activities it was so much fun! we did countless activities learning new skills that brought everyone together and that night I slept well. This singular camp made me enjoy scouts and come to scouts for 3 years and many to come.
My summer camp of 2025 (KIJ) this was the best camp I have ever been to; I met so many new people and I made new friendships and also learnt new skills that I thought I’d never learn. I learnt more about my scout group every camp I go to. I was able to do go-charting, orientating, archery, trust fall jump: a jump from a high platform, teambuilding, climbing, zipline, puzzles and much more, it was a real experience. It changed me as a person and made me open to new experiences therefore encourage me to try things that I wouldn’t choose to do. I have never had so much fun. It is an experience I would want to do again. (MW)
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WSJ Selection – Poland 2027
We are pleased to hear that Dartford District has chosen one of our Johnston Explorers to represent us at the next Word Scout Jamboree – Poland 2027
Ollie, pictured right, has been a member of 5th Dartford Scout Group, through from Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and now Explorers, we wish him every success in his international explorations, looking to support him and the other successful World Scout Jamboree participants in their fund raising and preparation going forwards. Ollie follows in the footsteps of number of our previous Scouts attending World Jamborees: West Virginia-USA, Japan, Netherlands. With many of our former Scouts working and living all around the globe.
Out of this World fact – Out of the 312 pilots and scientists who travelled to the Moon at least 207 astronauts worldwide have been identified as having a history in scouting, representing over two-thirds of the astronauts selected since 1959. Of the 24 individuals who have travelled to the Moon, 20 were Scouts, including 11 of the 12 who walked on its surface.