Around the County
Throughout 2008, Simon will be visiting Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers in the 10 districts that make up the Cambridgeshire Scout County. He will learn about the various scouting activities offered to scouts every week and share news and views from across the county.
OnTour has been split into 3 terms, with visits roughly as follows:
- Jan-Mar: Crafts Hill, Granta and Cambridge
- Apr-Jul: Nene, Medehamstede, Fenland and Hinchingbrooke
- Sep-Dec: Cromwell, Ely and Newmarket
17.03.2008 - Whittlesford and Duxford Cubs, Granta
Having missed out on meeting the Whittleford and Duxford Cubs two weeks ago, there was no way I was going to miss this opportunity...especially as the group were visiting Cambridge! W&D have two Cub Packs, Sirius who meet on Mondays and Javelins who meet on Thursdays. On this occasion I met up with the Sirius Pack.
Tonight's meeting was a visit to the Folk Museum in Kettle's Yard, Cambridge. Over 20 Cubs were given the job of looking closely at the exhibits and listing the location of 30 items scattered throughout the museum. The Cubs had to look high and low in small groups, but their thorough checking allowed them to discover what living conditions might have been like several centuries ago, with toothpaste in pots, quills for pens and pre-electronic children's entertainment.
The Cubs had one hour to search the 3 floors with only a little help and guidance from the leaders, which added to the challenge. I had the freedom to roam and mingle with any of the groups, which allowed me to gauge how everyone was progressing. I have no shame in saying even I found the task quite challenging and had to ask the Cubs for clues on the odd occasion! By the end of the evening, the majority had found and listed all 30 (including myself)...but whether they got them right I'll never know. The final 10 minutes were spent buying souvenirs in the gift shop before heading outside for pickup by parents.
I was really please with how well this activity went. Adding a game or challenge makes the museum-going experience a lot of fun, especially if the kids have the freedom to roam without too much adult supervision. I thought the Cubs did brilliantly in obeying the rules and not touching anything. I'd recommend something similar to any other Cub Pack or Scout Troop...and what's really good is that the idea can be adapted or simplified for Beavers too!
08.03.2008 - Cambridge & Crafts Hill Swimming Competition
Report to appear here soon.
03.03.2008 - 12th Cambridge Cubs, Cambridge
Though I had originally planned to spend the evening with the Whittlesford and Duxford Cubs on their "Duxford Trail", I had received a plea from one of my own Cub leaders asking whether I'd be available to help with their activity instead, due to a shortage of adult help...so on this instance I've opted to show loyalty to my group. In terms of activity though, the 12th Cambridge Cubs were also planning an incident night hike, with questions to answer along the way.
Starting at the 12th HQ on Gilbert Road, Cambridge, four sixes set off at five minute intervals following a route through urban backstreets and along the river from Midsummer Common to the Abbey Estates two miles away. Kitted up with a compass, map, torch, question sheets and route plan, my six were third to set off. It instantly became clear the Cubs knew what they were doing...so I took a step back and let them get on with it. Despite stopping at numerous bridges, counting cattle grids and seeing which houses were up for sale on certain streets (yes...these were just some of the questions enroute!) we somehow managed to catch up with the six ahead of us with great ease.
Unfortunately, we were prevented from overtaking so spent 5 minutes waiting and taking bearings for one of the later instructions...which required walking in a certain direction from the edge of a field in order to find the 'incident'. However, being a frosty evening it wasn't ideal weather for waiting around, so we pushed on.
The second half of the route required torches for navigating through fields in very little light. The incident, which the Cubs successfully managed to find, was to tie as many different knots using spaghetti as they could in five minutes. I'm unsure how the other groups got on with this, but I reckon my six did ok. We ploughed on, again into the darkness trying to avoid the puddles from the morning downpours. The route took us over the railway track and across the brook to an unknown field...which is where we met up with a lost-looking second six.
For a moment, there was an element of confusion as to which way to go next. The instructions said to go straight whilst the map had other ideas. My instinct, as was that of my Cubs, was to go straight but the other six wanted another opinion. We all waited for the fourth six to catch up...which was headed by Akela, and collectively made a decision on where to go next. Thankfully, our decision turned out to be the right one and we were on our way again.
As we entered the Abbey Estates, the evening had already overran by 10 minutes, so the remaining questions were dropped in favour of a 'quick march'. Another five minutes of walking quietly and we reached our destination. Rather unsurprisingly, the majority of the parents were already waiting and everyone, including myself, made a quick getaway for warmer surroundings.
01.03.2008 - Sixers & Seconders Activity Day, Cambridge
Report to appear here soon.
18.02.2008 - 50th Cambridge Beavers, Cambridge
The 50th Cambridge Beavers meet in Milton every Monday, and it's been a good few months since I last visited. Breaking with tradition though, I was accompanied by my assistant, Emma Roberts, as for one night only we had agreed to run half the meeting instead of observing!
The evening started really well, with the Beavers taking a quiet register and listening really well in a short 'log-chew'. This was followed by two active, running games; one requiring concentration and good listening skills, the other a simple relay with obstacles. Both allowed plenty of time for Emma and I to set up our activities.
As a craft, we had brought along a magnetic Beaver 'Note holder', made from paper, a clothes peg, a magnet and some wobbly eyes. The Beavers had to cut out the various parts, colour them in and stick it all together. When completed, the peg could hold paper as if it were in the Beaver's mouth. With assistance from the colony leaders, the Beavers managed to complete this in 20 minutes and to a good standard.
As a finishing off game, we used our colonies' favourite, Red Run. The Beavers were split into small teams and given a deck of cards per group. A leader, sitting at the front of the line, turns over a card...if it's a red, the beaver runs across the room, round a chair, and straight back to the front of the queue. If it's a black, they go to the back of the line. First team to get through their entire deck of cards, wins!
We insisted on playing this twice...once when Emma and I ran the game, and once when the 50th leaders could run the game. Both seemed to get a great response from the Beavers and managed to tire a few of them out...especially if they had to run 8 times in a row!
Finally, we led the closing ceremony before everyone headed home.
11/12.02.2008 - 1st Fenstanton & Hilton Cubs, Cromwell
I remember receiving an email asking for help about a week before the event took place. By coincidence, I had already booked the Monday to Wednesday off work so I could go bowling (originally paintballing) with my fellow TriBe leaders, but when this opportunity came up it was hard to turn down...and to my relief, it didn't interfere with the bowling either...bonus!
I didn't know quite what to expect, and as I bused my way to Huntingdon on a cold, foggy morning I felt a little nervous. All I knew was that I would be leading a small group of Cubs with the assistance of a Young Leader, and "at times" the whole pack would be together, and others be apart. Sounds simple...but as I had been pre-warned the groups were put together in a certain way "for particular reasons" it got me wondering about what I was up against and what I'd have to contend with.
I arrived a little early at the train station and had a look around so I could work out where everyone would be meeting. Only a few minutes passed before the first familiar face arrived...Jane Warren, District Commissioner for Hinchingbrooke and camp leader for the event. After a short chat, she gave me the job of ushering the arrivals from the car park to her for registration, but before I could even position myself Cubs started arriving, shortly followed by Chil and the other 1st Fenstanton and Hilton Leaders/Adults.
It wasn't long until everyone had gathered together and I was introduced to my group for the first time...an interesting mix of characters they were, ranging from senior cubs to recently joined, chatty to quiet, mischievous to reserved, and this was only 5 of them! I was also please to meet the Young Leader I had been assigned to work with. The train journey down gave me an opportunity to learn more about them all...and by the time we had reached King's Cross I already had clear ideas about the group dynamic and what we would have to look out for.
The trip through the various stations, including numerous train-hops was the first major test and everyone was on the lookout for any Cubs wandering astray. Thankfully, there were no such problems, with the exception of a misplaced lunchbox in St Pancras, and the pack made their way to HMS Belfast in good time.
This was the first time that many of the Cubs and I had ever boarded a ship, let alone a retired war vessel. Weaving down various corridors, I was amazed by how low some of the ceilings and pipes were, having to duck on the odd occasion as we made our way from the front of the ship to the rear. After climbing down a steep ladder, the Cubs and leaders were shown their sleeping compartments...two rooms filled with folding metal bulk beds.
More to come...
07.02.2008 - 57th Cambridge Beavers, Cambridge
Since the original tour in 2004, the 57th Cambridge remains the only Beaver colony in my own district that I've failed to visit for an evening. So, to have a night off from my own Beavers meant I could finally achieve a 4-year goal...and I was certainly impressed by what I saw!
The 57th Cambridge Beavers meet in Fulbourn on Thursday evenings and have roughly 18 members, 6 leaders and a small waiting list. This week they were holding a pancake evening as part of Lent and did two main activities:
- Cooking on a tin can using a candle
- Cooking large pancakes on a gas stove
For me, this was the first time I'd ever seen pancakes baked on top of a tin can before...it seemed ingenious so I'll no doubt be using it with my lot next year! Punch holes around the bottom of the tin's cylinder and place it over a lit candle to heat the underside of the tin from the inside. Pour pancake mixture onto the base and watch it slowly cook, turning it over once to cook both sides.
For the 'big' pancakes, the Beavers were warned about using hot pans and were supervised in pouring the mixture, flipping the pancakes over and adding their own topping. Considering I cooked my first pancake when I was 13 years old...to see 6 year olds able to do it (and do it well) was fantastic.
The remainder of the evening was given over to games, mainly pancake-flipping relays using pans and a piece of round floor lino, including an entertaining 'leaders and parents race' which my team lost...just! It was hard though...the floor was quite slippery, which added to the excitement, and the lino had a habit of sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Though this evening was based inside, the 57th Cambridge have access to woodlands not too far from their HQ, which they use frequently during the summer months to cover the 'Outdoor' activities. The group have kindly invited me back for an evening 'in the woods' so I can see all the other wonderful activities they get up to when the lighter and warmer evenings returns. In the meantime, the Beavers will be making Mother's Day candles and learning about birds for bird-watching when they return after half term.
04.01.2008 - 26th Cambridge Scouts, Cambridge
I sometimes tell myself "go with what you know before broadening your horizons"...so it only seemed right I should visit one of my own groups before heading off on tour. The 26th Cambridge Scout Troop has roughly 30 members and meet practically all year round so seemed the ideal choice for an early visit in the New Year.
Though I had visited the troop on numerous occasions in 2007, as "the mad one who runs the Beavers," I was suprised by just how mixed it was, boasting one of the largest female intakes of any group in Cambridge. But also to their credit, a very sociable and confident bunch of young people, supported by a massive contingent of Young Leaders and an experienced adult leadership team.
For their first night back, the evening was dominated by games...some individual, some in patrols, some that I wouldn't play with my Beavers, but all good fun. Also being the first night back, it was a great opportunity for the scouts to come together and put some ideas forward for potential activities they would like to do in 2008.
The main event was a giant Monopoly-style 'investment game' which challenged the scouts to 'spend their money wisely'. The idea of the game was simple...the team with the most money at the end of the game wins. Like Monopoly, scouts could buy and sell property and claim rent...but unlike Monopoly, they could also invest their money in gold, shares and objects that could both rise and fall in value. The final twist was a casino where scouts could try their luck at guessing the colour, suit or number of a particular playing card to win or lose a fortune.
I was chosen by a scout patrol to be their financial advisor...and advise I did! Despite an early spending spree and some panic property buying, the patrol showed their worth by making the money back with a bit of luck and risk. And once the purchased assets rose in value, a win was very much on the horizon, but not guaranteed!
How immoral I felt when I encouraged my scouts to go all out and gamble big on the last turn to clinch the win...oops! But after all, it was only a game, taught a valuable lesson about consequences...and ultimately paid dividends when their brave decision made a huge profit and completely wiped the floor with the opposition. They all seemed thrilled to win a large tub of sweets, and mass a total which was almost as much as the other 5 teams combined.
Next week, the 26th Cambridge Scouts are going on a 3-hour night hike in their patrols, with the option to camp overnight at the Group HQ. A good start to the year me thinks.
Have your say on Scouting with Project Yo-Yo!
If you'd like to comment on any scouting activities, please visit the Project Yo-Yo feedback page by clicking here.
