That was the year that was

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November



December

Do you remember what these events were. It was very difficult to choose just 12 photographs from the whole of last year. We packed a lot into it. What was your favourite event and why?



100 Challenge

The year is almost over and so it is time to finish off those last challenges and get your forms back to Rama asap and certainly by the 31st of January 2012.

Many thanks to Abigail and Noah who have recently posted their back.

Scout Postal service

3rd Ware Sorting Office

Well, the cards have been collected, sorted and are mostly delivered. Thanks to everyone who used this service and we hope you continue to do so in the coming years. 

Delivering a card

Not us, but a link to a BBC report showing another Scout Group and their Scout Post. Have a look and see what happens elsewhere in the country.

Ware and District Centenary Party

I will tell you more about this in a short while, but for now I will soon publish a taster film of the District party and carol service, held today at Wodson park for all Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers (provided the nativity) and Leaders.

Many thanks to those who organised it and those who ran it today. We all had a great time!

Photos will be on the 3rd Ware website soon (ish) and if anyone who was there would like to write about it for the blog, please email Rama A.S.A.P!

Tree Festival

Have you been to see our tree yet? If not pop down to Leaside tonight or tomorrow and take a look. It was decorated by the young people.

There are also many other wonderfully decorated trees, loving created and decorated by the many many local organisations.

Don't forget to give a donation to charity or write your prayer and hang it in the prayer tree.

Dickensian Evening

Tonight I was in for a surprise. I was taken to the Town Dickesian Evening and was quite happily helping on the, ever popular, 3rd Ware Bottle stall, when a very smart Victorian gentleman came and spoke to me. I suppose this is only to be expected at a Dickensian evening...

....Then the penny dropped, it was the GSL....that is two weeks in a row that I have seen him in something other than his Scout uniform or camp clothes.

I also had a walk around and visited several stalls run by other Guiding or Scouting groups as well as all the other various local organisations.

The high street was full of happy families wandering around enjoying a crisp December evening , spending some money having faun, knowing that they were helping local charities, schools and organisations.

I also bumped into a bear who was advertising the Hertford pantomime and had my photo taken with him, he was a very friendly bear and made me laugh.

Our stall proved very popular and after our last bottle was won, Ian, one of our Scout leaders stayed on to sell our Christmas stamps.

Dinner dance

Gus and his guest

The adults at 3rd Ware enjoy having fun as much as the young people do. The highlight of the centenary year for some was a chance to dress up and act like grown ups!

On Saturday we held a Dinner dance at the Roebuck hotel. A local band provided the music (all have been involved in Scouting in Ware at some point either as Scouts or parents of Scouts, although not all at our Group).

The Guests were past and present members of the Group, parents of members and others asociated with 3rd Ware. They were welcomed by three of our Young Leaders. After being greeted by the GSL, they were invited to have their photograph taken and to then proceed to the bar area where a slide show of photos was taking place. Many took this chance to sip their drink and reminisce.

Once all were present, everyone moved to the formal dining room and enjoyed a delicious meal. The GSL made a speech, the master of ceremonies kept the proceedings going and the lucky ticket winners were announced.  

The meal consisted of soup, a chicken dinner and apple crumble and ice cream. Red and white wine was drunk, the commemorative scrolls were read and the formal meal came to an end. The GSL made a toast to Scouting.

Despite saying that he would keep the speeches and thanks you kept short, the GSL (and his first lady - she was unaware that she held this title!) were delighted, surprised and humbled to be thanked and then presented with a gift each. An engraved tankard for Gavin and an engraved wine glass for Jacqui.  They both expressed their thanks and said it was totally unexpected and totally unwarranted. 

Two present day leaders and their wives.

The evening finished with more dancing, more chatting, more photos in the bar and a chance to talk to many people and celebrate a special year for 3rd Ware. Everyone seemed to have a great time and even the band said it had been fun playing at this particular event.

Thanksgiving service and History display

Today I was delighted to be in our founding church and witness the Vicar juggle, mixed generations pitch a tent front and back of church, view many people trying to work out where photos went on a timeline (and which knots to use to tie them on) and so much more.

Despite the fact the GSL had lost his voice, it was still a lively and fast moving service which really celebrated the Group and what Scouting means to us all and how much difference it makes in our lives.

If you were there you will know what I am talking about, if not have a look at this small taste of the service.

Congratulations also go to Richard who was awarded his wood beads and to Lynx Troop who saw their colours dedicated.

Afterward we all retired to the HQ for tea, coffee, cake and history. A great social time and a wonderful way to round off the weekend.

More photos and details of the weekend coming soon.

Rehearsal

This morning I paid a brief visit to Christ Church in Ware. We had a run through of our thanksgiving service tomorrow and made sure everyone knows what they are doing.

The church was a hive of activity and everything is ready for tomorrow See you there at 2.30pm

Colour parties getting ready

Making sure the 2 Young Leaders at the
sound desk know what they are doing!

Testing the visuals

District Day

Today the members of Ware and District met at Christ Church School in Ware, to discuss the future of the District. We have had 100 years of very successful Scouting and so do we continue as we are or do we make changes?

Members of every Group in the district met and spent the day in numerous workshops outlining the future.

Rikki, the County Commissioner also attended and put forward his views. It was a long day, but a productive day.

We also learnt about Lochearnhead 2013. Will I be allowed to go?

I wonder what the next 100 years will bring?

Harvest good deed

Our Centenary activity for October was to provided Harvest baskets for local residents.

I went along to Falcon Pack Cubs as they were helping to make up the harvest baskets.

Everyone in the Group had been asked to donate a tin or packet of some sort and when we looked in the stores there were loads of things in there!

Tins of soup, fruit, fish, custard, rice pudding along with packets of biscuits, tea and even some boxes of chocolates!

Some of the Cubs, Falcon Leaders, Dormouse and Bagheera from Heron Pack helped to sort everything into types of food to make sure that there were lots of different things in each parcel. Then the baskets were lined with tissue paper and they began to fill them.

Other Cubs were making harvest cards so that everyone could have one of them as well, and some of the older Cubs were addressing the card envelopes so that the leaders know where to take the baskets and the people who receive them know where they had come from!

The HQ was very busy for an hour whilst everything was got ready, then the Cubs were able to have their drink and biscuit while Dormouse and Shere Khan wrapped the baskets to make them look really nice. Then Baloo, Oli and Will helped to carry them all into the stores so that they can be collected and delivered over the next few days.

After all the excitement four of the new Cubs were invested which meant that the meeting finished rather late (nothing new there I hear!) and I went home with Oli as I am going to be measured up for a very smart suit for the dinner dance......

Messing around on the water

Last Sunday a group of past and present 3rd Ware members took to the water. This was actually the August centenary event (alongside a window display) however booking restrictions saw it take place in September. So what did they do….?

They went white water rafting at the new Olympic competition course!

The two rafts of our members thoroughly enjoyed the evening and thought the instruction was second to none. A training session on the lake and then several runs down the course saw an exhilarated bunch get very wet and happily tired. The rapids were amazing and no one wanted the evening to end.

The evening was judged to be a fantastic success and the most heard word was “Brilliant!”

The evening was rounded off with food and drink and everyone who participated declared they would do it again because it was “brilliant” and those who were still under 14 and so could only spectate can not wait until after the Olympics when they will be old enough to take part!

A sunday stroll along a river (or two).

The centenary event for September was a river walk. On a rather wet afternoon a group of leaders, young people and their families met at our HQ building and took me for a walk along the river.

We walked from Ware to Stanstead Abbotts and back again. On the way we stopped at the locks to look for boats and we tried opening the lock gates.The rain soon stopped and it was a very pleasant stroll with good company.

When we reached the other end we stopped for refreshments, gave our doggy friend a bowl of water and a treat and then returned via the New River. Here we saw swans, cygnets and lots of geese. In the fields horses were grazing and rabbits hopping around. We stopped to look at Emma's well.

It was a great way to round up the school holiday and to start a new term. Thank you all who attended.

This was my second river walk in as many months. I will update you on the other one when I have time.

River Walk

Don't forget that our September Centenary activity is a Family River walk to Stanstead Abbotts. Just turn up and join us at the HQ on Sunday 4th September in suitable clothing and be ready to set off at 2pm.

There will not be anything organised at the other end (because the walk is the activity its self) and so feel free to bring a picnic, get a meal or refreshments from the Pub, turn around and walk straight back or even go to the station and get a train home.

Young people need an adult with them and so why not enjoy those last few hours of the school summer holidays together as a family and get some fresh air at the same time. 

Any queries contact Rama (GSL Gavin Matthews) details found on newsletter or Group website or send a message via the website or here.

I'll be there - will you?

Summer Challenge

At the end of term you were issued with a Photo challenge and a Mission Possible 2 aka the second £5 challenge.

What have you done to raise the £5?

Which photo will you choose?

Did you accept them? Why not leave a comment and tell me some of the things you have been doing. Remember the photograph can be of anything you do not need to have been on holiday to take one.

Please return your photographs, money, diary/challenge information and photos to your leader next term. Both of these projects help our Twin Group in The Gambia.

100 years of Scouting in Ware Video

The longer video, as promised.

100 years of Scouting in Ware

In 1911 Ware and District was formed and Scouting in Ware was official! This week end we celebrated this is a big way. Over 700 members of our District camped at Woodhall Park and enjoyed the hospitality of the Abel Smith family who own the land and kindly let us camp there.

The weekend was packed with activities. Water slides, pioneering projects, tug of war, craft, archery, backwoods cooking, assault course, slack ropes, a disco, a film, a campfire and so much more.

The weather was no always on our side, or so it seemed, but we all managed to enjoy the time despite the wet afternoon and were witnesses to a double rainbow in the early evening which seemed to start in the craft tent.

The carnival was a real spectacle. We had been assigned Monsters, Inc. as our film and once our carnival "designer" had actually watched the film (yes she had never seen it...whoops!) the ideas came in full flow and the Young people and parents came up trumps as well with extra costumes.

Thanks for all that hard work. We made a colourful spectacle as we joined the other groups walking along side characters from Toy Story, 101 Dalmatians, Aladdin and many other films.

Badger and I had a go on the slack line and as you can see we were soon experts! This was a very popular activity with young and old alike. None of us were very good at it but the video clips showed us what could be achieved!

Rikki visited us and gave out some awards. One leader gained his wood badge and four others were awarded the Chief Scout's Commendation for Good Service. Well done to them.

The camp ended on Sunday after a tug of war competition and a gun run. It was a fantastic way to celebrate scouting and we were glad to share it with the rest of the District. Roll on the Party in December!

District centenary camp video

This is a short snapshot of the weekend. A longer version will be coming soon. Enjoy, because I certainly did and will blog soon.

I had a fantastic weekend and hope you did too.Why not comment and let me (and your leaders) know your best bits and activities?

Carnival video

3rd Ware Scout Group at the carnival and the winning District Float.

Scouting the Universe!

I will be at the Carnival later as we "Scout the Universe!" Look out for me walking in the parade; I will also visit the stall and may be spotted wandering around the town as well. If you see me come and say hello!