Farewell Baloo

On Tuesday I went down to Falcon Pack as they were having a Christingle evening to finish the term.

They started with the chocolate game where you have to throw a six, dress in hat, gloves and a scarf then try to eat chocolate with a knife and fork. Great fun to watch as well as do! During this, the Vicar John Hookway arrived as he had been asked to help with the evening.

The Cubs got into their sixes and with the help of the leaders everyone made a Christingle from an orange, red ribbon, a candle and some sweets and raisins. When everyone had finished, they were all lit and John said a special Christingle prayer.

Then we got ready for some special presentations. Alex had finished his silver award so John was pleased to present that to him. Then we had a very special part of the evening when we said a sad farewell to Baloo who is leaving the Cubs after 15 years as a Leader. The Cubs gave her some flowers, a card that everyone had signed, and a picture made especially for her by Ian West who used to do the cartoons in the back of Scouting magazine.

In turn, Baloo gave all the Cubs and Leaders a present as well! The Leaders got a special edition of the Jungle Book, Will and Oli a buff that they are going to wear on the Explorers weekend away this coming weekend and the Cubs got a little bag each with a pencil, notebook and some sweets. Blue six got the prize for gaining most points this term then we had Grand Howl, led by Baloo for the last time!

And we weren’t even late finishing after all that excitement!

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

This Thursday River Ash Beavers visited Christ Church as part of their Promise challenge badge. We learned about the history of the church, which is about 150 years old, and were told the story of Moses.

After a drink, we explored the church with a quiz, which took is round some of the main areas, and left us with a sentence to unscramble.

Video

If you want to see what we were doing last night have a look at Christ Church recorded stream . In case you want to know, I appear at 2.00.39, 2.01.11 and 2.03.39 but the whole service is worth watching! You may even get to see the Hi5ing Bishop if you look around 1.52 mins.

Keith and The Bishop

There's a New Vicar in Town...

.....and last night I met him for the first time.

Apparently he was expecting me to attend the special service.

The Institution service of The Rev John Hookway was held last night at Christ Church Ware and 3rd Ware Leaders were invited to represent the Group because of our historical links with the church. Several Leaders, young people and their families are also regular members of the church.

With the Church Warden who is the father
of one of our past members
and former troop leader

 Several other Scouting and Guiding people attended and so there was a very visible uniformed presence, it made my heart swell!

The Explorers were on car parking duty before the service and refreshments afterwards and several took part in the service as sound crew, camera crew, in the band and making the welcome on behalf of the young people of the parish. They also attended the special service en masse.

The service was broadcast live on the Internet so those who could not attend could view it. I was even in part of the live streaming.

The camera coming in for a close up of me!

For those interested in such things, I am told that the service, which was taken by the Bishop of Hertford, dates back to the 9th Century and harks back to a time before Anglicisation, the BCP and the King James Bible.



In fact The Bishop and I became good friends. He seemed very interested in what I had to say!

As part of the service the Vicar is formally handed the Key to the church and gets to ring the bell. It is not often the bell is rung at Christ Church and so it was good to hear it.

It was a really good service with many people speaking warmly of the new Vicar and some rousing songs to sing. I was in good company and then right at the end I met one of our Beaver Scouts who was also there because his Mum is an ex-church warden and his Dad is a Governor at the school next door to the Church.

So that was my unique and interesting evening and it was good (to again) to visit the Church where our Group began. 

Tonight is AGM time - see you there!

Peter Geer winners!

The members of 3rd Ware who attended the parade

What a fantastic day! It all started with the Scouts meeting at Christ Church School and getting ready to take part in the community action. They were set the task of planting a display at the entrance to The Priory. There was a strict plan to follow and it will make an interesting display when it flowers. Make sure you go down and take a look, you will be pleasantly be surprised. You may like to know like to know we planted 1000 bedding plants in the "Centenary Bed". If we didn't get them all mixed up within a few weeks we should see a flowering tribute to the Centenary! If they did get mixed up we will describe it as an abstract!

Community work

Whilst they were doing this, Guides, Explorers, other Scout Troops and Leaders were all over town engaged in other community acts, from planting to cleaning to litter picking. Then it was back to the school for the service.

When they met in the school hall for their service, the rest of the Group joined other Cubs, Beavers, Brownies and Rainbows in Christ Church, Church Building. Here a service not only celebrated St. George but also included presentations  of the different things which had taken place in the District this year.

There were all manner of worthwhile activities from planting flowers with Ware in Bloom to our own fundraising for The Scouts in Gambia. I know I am biased but I thought our speakers presented their item very well.

Presentation in church

After the services the GSL invested our newest Leader and then we formed up ready to parade. It is always exciting to walk through the town and see how many people come out to witness the parade and today was no exception, the sun shone, we smiled and people waved!

Two Scouts, Rikki and me!

Once we reached the Priory the colour parties formed up at the front and the rest of us stood behind and listened to the speeches. We were privileged this year to have Rikki, the Scout County Commissioner attend our celebration and make a speech. I had got to meet him earlier in the day when we were gardening!

Can you see me?

After every section had renewed their promise David Geer gave a short speech and got ready to present the Peter Geer trophy. This is an award  which is presented every year to the Scout Group which has, percentage wise, had the most members take part in District events. It holds special meaning to 3rd Ware because Peter is an ex 3rd Ware Leader and his son attended our Group.

After his death his family instigated the award based on Peter’s philosophy that although it is great to win, taking part and making the most of the opportunities given is just as important, and our Group still stand by that and it is a trophy we have been fortunate to win several times in the past.

Eyes Right

So it was with great delight and surprise that we won again this year! Even Peter’s son seemed thrilled that his old Group had won it in their centenary year. Everyone in the Group and their parents gave a loud cheer and it was smiles all round.

After the presentations we all arranged ourselves for our annual Group photograph and then the Young People, who all still seemed to be smiling, went home.

Thank you to all the Young People and Leaders who represented us today and have turned out over the past 12 months to make us the most active Group in the District.

St.George's Day parade and service

click on picture to make it bigger and easier to read

I look forward to seeing everyone there later on.

Beavers and Cubs - unless you have been told otherwise by your own section leader, please meet at 2.30pm in Christ Church School playground entering via the Bowling Road gate.

Scouts - meet at Christ church School at 12 o'clock midday (entering via the Bowling Road gate) wearing clothes you do not mind getting dirty and with your clean uniform and black shoes in a bag clearly marked with your name.

Please bring money for the collection.

Happy Birthday Ware and District

This is not actually my badge I borrowed it for a photo.
I hope to get one at some point in the future!

On Thursday March 16th 1911 at 7.30pm a small group of people gathered together in the Mission hall in Ware. They had arranged to meet with Percy Everett with the view of forming the Ware and District Boy Scout Association.

Rev. Payne, Rev. Farmer, Messrs Fox Hill, Grace, H Burgess, Page, Crawley and Blake were present and were in agreement; Ware needed to become a District in its own right and so the Hertford and Ware Boy Scout Association was split into two and Ware and the surrounded villages formed their own Association which was to be presided over by RB Croft Esq. of Fanhams Hall.

The next day the District was registered and Ware and District had begun! 3rd Ware was amongst the Troops who were there on the first day and as you know are still going strong.

Happy Birthday Ware and District!

Christ Church newletter

This weekend I have the opportunity to read the short article about Scouting history in the Christ Church Ware, Church newsletter. This magazine is published several times a year and contains articles written by or about members of the church. This month 3rd Ware Scout Group and our centenary are featured.

As you know the Group was started by Rev. Augustus Payne, the curate, and several other members of the congregation. For some considerable years only boys from the congregation could join, where as now we are open to all of Ware and have a few members from outside the town. Many of the still attend Christ Church, either the church or the school next door.

Early history



100 years ago Rev. Augustus Payne, the curate at Christ Church Ware, decided that the boys of the parish needed something worthwhile to do during the week and so he set up 3rd Ware Scout Troop.

The first recorded mention of the troop was in the Hertfordshire Mercury newspaper dated 11th June 1910:

"In connection with the Christ Church Sunday School and Bible Class a troop of Boy Scouts has been formed by the Rev. A. Payne. It consists of 3 patrols of which Mr. Payne is the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters are Messrs. J. Kinniburgh, E. Clibbon and A. Mitchell. About twenty-five have already joined and the lads are taking much interest in the preliminary drills and manoeuvres."

As of yet, it has not been possible to find an actual start date for the troop, but we assume it was in the weeks preceding this newspaper article. We also have a record from Gilwell showing that one W.Clibbon (who was an Assistant Scoutmaster) was granted his warrant in December 1910.



 

Ernest Clibbon Scoutmaster, Walter Clibbon Ass. Scoutmaster, Patrol Leader Charles Clibbon and Scout Cecil Clibbon - 1911

We know that the troop took part in the Rural Sport day held at Christ Church, in New road, on the 3rd September 1910 and they won a silver cup for Scouting skills by competing against Scouts from Hertford, Ware, St. Margaret’s and Wareside.

3^rd Ware attended several parades during 1910 and 1911 and (along with 1st Ware and 2nd Ware) were present at Kendal Hall in February 1911 where they had the honour of being inspected by Founder of Scouting and Chief Scout, Lord Baden-Powell.

In June 1911 the 3^rd Ware Scouts held an entertainment evening. The program consisted of several items including two sketches entitled 'A Couple of Scamps' and 'A Day in the Life of a Policeman' which were well performed by the boys. The Scouts gave a display of signalling, boxing and first aid and a short address was given by the Rev A Payne.

They took part in the town celebrations and parade for the coronation of King George V, where it was reported that Rev. Payne was responsible for the bonfire and pyrotechnic display (Scouts and fires – nothing changes!!) and in August 1911 H. Riddle, a 3^rd Ware Scout, was reported to have dived into the river to rescue a boy from London who had fallen in the water and was going under.

All these newspaper reports are evidence that 3rd Ware was up and running and thriving during 1910 and 1911 and the boys and their Scoutmasters were making their presence felt both in the local community and within Scouting.