Short film of Ware and District Christmas party

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!

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.

We will remember them

Today our town held the annual Remembrance day parade and church service. I decided that this was one event where I would be a bystander rather than join in. I did not really think it was appropriate for me to parade.

However many of 3rd Ware did. The older Cubs, the Scouts, the Young Leaders and the Leaders joined the other uniformed Groups from our town and surrounding villages and  took part.

The parade starts at one end of town, passes through the High street and into Church for an act of Remembrance. Then the colour bearers and wreath holders stand by the war memorial and everyone else forms up behind. The traffic is stopped and the wreaths are laid.

The parade then falls in and returns to the other end of town before being dismissed.

I was honoured to be taken to observe and say well done to all who took part, especially the Young people who, as usual at this service, acted with decorum and respect.

Party, party , party

We started the year at a party...we can end the year at a party!

I have my invite. Do you?

See you there.

If you have not had an invite, please ask your section leader.

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?

In the news....again

What would you think if you saw this billboard outside a local shop?

Would you be surprised? Would you think anything of it? Would you buy the newspaper to find out what it was all about?

Well for us it was the icing on the cake. We knew that a short article about Lynx, our new Scout Troop was to be featured this week. We did not however realise that is was such a headline article and would be posted up around town.

I will put a copy of the article on the Blog next week once the paper is no longer for sale.

Tug of War

Another annual event in our District calendar is the Beaver tug of war. Each year the colonies gather and compete against each other. The event ends with a traditional campfire for Beavers and parents alike. On Saturday we attended the 2011 TOW.

Here at 3rd Ware we have been fortunate enough to win this event many times over the last few years and it is one that our Beavers throw themselves into with gusto.

This year was the closest event for a long time! Three colonies tied for first place and so a “pull off” had to take place to get 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Sadly for us although River Ash was one of these 3, they ended up 3rd overall – still a fantastic achievement!

River Lea colony came joint 4th, along with three other colonies, after coming a close second (to River Ash, Great Amwell Bears and 2nd Ware). A really close contest with only a couple of points separating 7 colonies! No one could call the winner before the end which made for an exciting afternoon.

Triumphant Falcons

Winners

Well, Oxley Shield is over for another year and our Cubs thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The Cubs have gone home for a well deserved bath and dinner and the leaders have taken the kit back to the stores.

The Falcons were delighted to once again be named as the winners. Well done to them, they fielded a strong and competent team and deserved their win.

The Herons put in a brave attempt and had a lot of fun and were finally declared in 10th place. A great effort Cubs.

During the event the Cubs had to, amongst other things, prepare and cook a meal on an open fire, put up a tent,  tie and use six different knots, take part in an assualt course, use their tracking skills, show their first aid knowledge and light a fire. This is coupled with inspections and teamwork assessments.

Joining the Herons for Inspection

After the evening meal the Cubs took part in a wide game and then a campfire where each Group presented an item. Then it was hot chocloate and into those sleeping bags ready for the morning and the Wildgoose craft competition, which this year involved making flowers for Akela out of unusal items! The item made changes each year.

Well done to the Herons for coming 2nd in the Wildgoose Competition, with the Falcons close behind in 3rd place.

Thanks to all the Cubs who turned up and represent 3rd Ware and let me join them in this event.

Oxley Shield

This weekend I am off to The Oxley Shield. Each September Ware and District invite each Cub Pack to enter a team of six cubs into a skills and camping competition. The teams are made up of two eight year olds, two nine year olds and two ten year olds.

3rd Ware usually try to be inclusive and let as many young people as possible join events and so because the numbers are restricted on this one the two Cub packs do strive to ensure a variety of Cubs take part. This means the twelve Cubs who attend may or may not have taken part before depending on the ages of the Cubs at the time of the competition and the family commitments of the Cubs.

It is a fun weekend and is rounded off with a handicaft competition.

Fun with the Falcons

Last night I went to the HQ to join the Falcon Cubs at their first meeting of the new term and to witness one of the leaders being presented with an award. The county commissioner came down to join us and to make the presentation. Well done Baloo.

Denmark Adventure

I promised to tell you about our trip to Denmark.

Well where shall I start? It was a County expedition and we stayed at an international site in Denmark where we met Scouts from other countries. It was a great experience for us all.

Because 3rd Ware had 6 Scouts and a Young leader attend I was invited to join in the fun. There were no other monkeys at the campsite but I did meet a friend on the ferry going over.

I enjoyed going on a boat with the Scouts. They kept me well fed with chocolate and entertained me with many board and card games. Thanks to them and their leaders.



Ware and District



Whilst away we took part in may practical things. We cooked on wood fires, chopped the wood, built a swing and had a go in a Blacksmiths forge and at making a bracelet. Not to mention rowing the Viking boat and kayaking.

Our pioneering swing

Cooking

At the Forge

Viking boat



Trying our hand at rowing the Viking ships



Kayaking

We had a day trip to Copenhagen where we toured the city, saw lots of Lego, celebrated a birthday and visited the Little Mermaid.

The Little Mermaid

Another trip out was to Sweden, where we visited the World Scout Jamboree 2011. Here we got to visit the tents from many nations sample their food and drink, take part in their activities, collect souvenirs and meets Scouts and Guides from all over the world.

The UK Fort at the Jamboree

Entering the Jamboree site

All Scout leaders work towards the Wood badge. When they gain this they are a fully trained leader and they are presented with a set of Wood Beads. This usually takes around 3 years to complete. I was allowed to try on a set for size in one of the UK tents.

Look at me!

As you can see we had an amazing time away and all gained from it in many ways. Thanks to everyone who took part and helped create my memories. If any of the 3rd Ware Scouts (or any others) what to contact me and add to the Denmark news then please do.

Window shopping

 

Our centenary event for August is a window display in the High street. We are sharing the window with the District. One side is about 3rd Ware and the other about Scouting in Ware and District.

Why not stroll down and have a look for yourself?

Brittany 2011

French Site

As you know the Explorer Scouts (including some of our Young Leaders) have been in Brittany. They were staying at a Scout site. If you want to know more about what they got up to they have their own blog where you can see a few more photos and read about their trip ranging from water activities to medieval towns.

In the shade

Yes this was for sleeping in!

The new 3rd Ware trailer was put to good use and helped get the Explorers and their kit to France and back. A good time was had by all. Thanks for letting me tag along, I enjoyed myself.

Water water everywhere

Two 3rd Ware teams battle it out

Friday night was the annual Scout and Guide swimming gala at Ware Lido. The weather held and the young people enjoyed their races and the free swim at the end. We did not win but we had fun and supported each other.

The build

Saturday was a bit wetter! As part of the Ware festival a raft race is held every year. There are two prizes. One for the overall winner and one for the first placed Scout raft. Sometimes this is the same raft and others not.

3rd Ware Scouts always enter two or three rafts and sometimes one wonders if they actually want to complete the course or whether the aim is to break up in to lots of pieces and get to swim in the river!

This year the entire race took place in very heavy rain, however this did not dampen any ones spirits and if anything seemed to have the opposite effect and lots of smiles were seen.

The rafts were built, launched, raced and not a single one fell apart this year. All completed the course and 2nd Ware once again won the Scout trophy. Well done to them. I did however get a little ride on it before it was handed over.

Finishing line

Hitching a lift on the trophy

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!