Skip’s Random Ramblings, September 2024

Date: 3rd Oct 2024 Author: Deborah Dumville

Board of Trustees Meeting

The first meeting for our new Board of Trustees, as elected at our AGM last June, is on Monday 23rd September at 19.30 at the Scout Hut. We welcome Kalpana Tanna, an Explorer parent, who has accepted my nomination as our new Chair. Kalpana is joined by Trustees Erica Shevlin a Squirrel parent, Adam Keeper a Beaver parent and Charlin McIntosh a Cub parent who have all volunteered to support our Group Leadership team and it’s 120 + young people. We wish them every success helping to steer Scouting on Shooters Hill to bigger and greater things.

Ruby Shand, Scout Leader

It is with great regret that I have had to accept the resignation, after 5 years of outstanding service, from our Scout Leader Ruby Shand. Ruby has, along with her leadership team of Martina, Marc and Sam, run a consistently excellent programme for the 34 young people in the Scout Troop. During this time Ruby has completed her wood badge (full training award), become a canoe instructor at the Dockland Scout Project and qualified as a crossbow instructor. On behalf of everyone at the XRE, I would like to Thank Ruby for her dedication, determination and all the many hours of hard work over the years. We will miss you!

Jamboree on the Air at Severndroog Castle, Saturday 19th October

Jamboree on the Air or ‘JOTA’ is an annual World Scout event, taking place over the weekend of 18th-20th October. More than 1 million Scouts set up base stations in 172 countries and communicate with each other via short wave and Skype. In partnership with the Cray Valley Amateur Radio Club, we will once again be running our own base station from Severndroog Castle where local Scouts and Guides from across our County will be able to experience a truly worldwide Scouting event. The cost per young person will be £5, which includes a visit to the observation turret in the castle and a Jota 2024 badge to wear on uniforms. Your leaders will let you know times and meeting places over the next few weeks. Uniform is very much required.

Group Campfire Friday 4th October

Join us for our Group Campfire at Woodlands Trust Farm on Friday 4th October starting at 18.30. All Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and their families are invited to take part in a traditional singsong around the campfire. Each Section will be asked to provide a song or a stunt and this year we will be adding the opportunity for individuals to take part in ‘The 10th Has Talent’ competition. An opportunity for our Young People to share their talents with us whether it be singing, dancing, juggling or playing an instrument. Each performer will have a maximum of 1 minute on stage and the chance to win, at great expense, a new Group T-shirt. Please let your Section Leaders know if you would like to take part,

After the campfire we will serve hot dogs and cocoa for the young people and a glass of wine or beer for the adults followed by our mass conker smash competition. Do dress for wet weather, young people should wear their Scout scarves and bring with them their prize conker on a string, torch, camp mug and campfire blanket.

Deep Clean at the ‘Hut’

On Saturday 2nd November, we will be holding a Work Party at the Scout Hut at 10.00 am. Jobs that need tackling are a deep clean of the interior, weeding and clearing a pathway around the Hut, making firewood for our stove and sweeping the roof of fallen branches.

If you can spare an hour please bring along your garden rakes, brooms or a feather duster. We still have no access to the Church Hall and kitchen and would be grateful if you could arrive with bottles of tap water to fill our urn to heat water for washing. Thanks for your help in advance.

Remembrance Sunday 10th November

A slight change to this year’s XRE act of Remembrance. The Leadership team hope to get permission from Christ Church to arrange our own ceremony at the much forgotten local War Memorial outside of the Church. We hope to have a simple ceremony, to lay wreaths and lower our Group colours whilst observing the National two minutes silence. All young people should attend in full uniform and parents and families are very welcome to join us. We will meet at 10.30 at the Scout Hut and the parade will be dismissed shortly after 11.15 am. More details to follow.

Bag Packing Saturday 7th December

All Cubs, Scouts and Explorers are required to help us at the tills at Marks & Spencer Eltham, between 10.00 and 17.00 on Saturday 7th December to fundraise for our Scout Group. Section leaders, nearer the date, will decide rotas which will be for no more than two hours long. Any parents willing to help supervise would also be most welcome to join us in our efforts. This event is in full smart uniform! Squirrel and Beaver parents your leaders will let you know how you can support the Group with this event nearer the time.

Group Camp at Hopehill 2025

We are organising a Group Camp next year for all of our Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers at Hopehill Scout Camp, Meopham over the May Bank Holiday from Friday 2nd to Monday 5th May 2025. Our Group camps are held every three years and are a chance for all our Sections to develop skills for life and camp together as one Group. Activities will include archery, yoga, bread making, mountain biking, shooting, canoeing, craft workshops, wide games, snail races and campfires. More information to follow.

For full details of your child’s section’s programme this coming Autumn 2024, go to OSM, and don’t forget to join us on Facebook@10th Royal Eltham Scouts.

Be Prepared.

Skip

N.B. Snail races?

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

Find out more
King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III