Category: Scouts

1st February 2016

Investiture

This Wednesday, the 3rd of February, we will be having an investiture night.

Every section will be welcoming new members, some of them for the very first time and some of them moving up in section. Please make sure that everyone knows their promise, law and motto. In case you need a reminder, you can find them in the sections menu at the top of the page, or by clicking one of the following links: Beavers, Cubs or Scouts.

Parents are welcome from 7pm in the main hall.

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Scouts

26th January 2016

Burns’ Night at Scouts

[quote_box_center]Burns’ Night is annually celebrated in Scotland on or around January 25. It commemorates the life of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, who was born on January 25, 1759. The day also celebrates Burns’ contribution to Scottish culture. Burns’ best known work is “Auld Lang Syne”.[/quote_box_center]

This year at Scouts we will be celebrating this event by cooking Haggis on a campfire. It is going to be fire-lighting challenge, and the Scouts will only have the wood they collect, some tinder and kindling, and a flint striker to get a fire going.

When the haggis is being server, we will read the “Address to a Haggis”. This is an ode that Robert Burns wrote to the Scottish dish. At the end of the reading, the haggis is ceremonially sliced into two pieces and the meal begins.

Address to a Haggis

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye worthy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
‘Bethankit’ hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow’rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis

 Address to a Haggis Translation

Fair and full is your honest, jolly face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,
Stomach, tripe, or intestines:
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.

The groaning trencher there you fill,
Your buttocks like a distant hill,
Your pin would help to mend a mill
In time of need,
While through your pores the dews distill
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour wipe,
And cut you up with ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like any ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm steaming, rich!

Then spoon for spoon, the stretch and strive:
Devil take the hindmost, on they drive,
Till all their well swollen bellies by-and-by
Are bent like drums;
Then old head of the table, most like to burst, ‘The grace!’ hums.

Is there that over his French ragout,
Or olio that would sicken a sow,
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust,
Looks down with sneering, scornful view
On such a dinner?

Poor devil! see him over his trash,
As feeble as a withered rush,
His thin legs a good whip-lash,
His fist a nut;
Through bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit.

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his ample fist a blade,
He’ll make it whistle;
And legs, and arms, and heads will cut off
Like the heads of thistles.

You powers, who make mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill of fare,
Old Scotland wants no watery stuff,
That splashes in small wooden dishes;
But if you wish her grateful prayer,
Give her [Scotland] a Haggis!

Posted in Featured, Scouts

16th December 2015

Merry Christmas

We can’t believe another year is coming to an end, and we have been doing some great things. Who remembers the water bottle rockets flying high into the sky? And what about the archery competition at camp? Or pirates all over the place? Muddy tunnels anyone? Cruising down the cycle track alongside the Avon Valley Railway all the way to Bitton? Sure there were wide games as well at some point. And who has seen Cubs cooking? Or Scout making a fire? One of the highlights must have been……… Apple Crumble. Who knows what adventures we will have next year.

From all of us from 78th Kingswood Scout Group, we wish you a Merry Christmas and an adventurous New Year.

Have a happy holiday and we will see you all again on Wednesday 6th January 2016!

YiS

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Leaders, Scouting, Scouts

7th December 2015

Christmas Party

After the success of last year’s party, we have decided that this year’s Christmas Party will be again bowling at Aspects Leisure Park, Longwell Green.

Cubs and Beavers need to arrive at 5.45pm and meet in the foyer to ensure a start time of 5.50pm. We anticipate that we will finish about 7.00pm.

Scouts will start at 7:15pm (if you are picking up cubs, then drop off from 7 is fine), and will finish at 9pm (a bit earlier than the normal 9:15).

Don’t forget to fill out the permission slip (which has been emailed out to all parents) and hand it back to us. Please ensure that activity wear and neckerchiefs are worn.

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Scouts

2nd November 2015

Remembrance Parade

As part of this year’s Remembrance Sunday, the 78th Kingswood Group has been invited again to attend the British Legion Remembrance Parade which marches through Staple Hill to Page Park for a very special service of remembrance at the Cenotaph. There will be other groups from the Scouting Association attending, along with members of various armed forces, both past and present.

This is a VERY special occasion and an excellent opportunity for the younger generation to represent themselves in front of the older generation. As such, all attendees must be in FULL uniform and wearing a Poppy. Please ensure that your child has a coat, ideally a pac-a-mac that can be packed down small. If the weather is cold, then extra layers can be worn under their uniform. As a mark of respect we always ensure that the full uniform is on display unless it is raining. (This includes black shoes – no trainers)

We will be walking as a group behind the 28th Kingswood Group from their headquarters, so please be at their hut in Christchurch Avenue by Christchurch Infant School at 9:30; parking is restricted so it is best to park in Shrubbery Road or Co-op. The Group walk to the British Legion at Staple Hill via Pendennis Road, then as a larger contingent with the Salvation Army Band playing to Page Park. This year the 78th have been asked to read a prayer as part of the service. When this service is over, we will be walking with the 28th and 85th Kingswood Groups to the Downend Scout Memorial for a small Scouting Service.

Parents are encouraged to accompany us along the pavements as the parade moves and attend the service in Page Park and at the Downend Memorial. Alternatively your child can be collected outside the Sainsbury’s Local, Downend for collection around 11:30 / 12:00.

We know that you recognise the significance of this year’s Anniversary commemorations and therefore look forward to seeing the younger generation support this important event.

Please watch this report on the BBC website about the Boy Scout War Memorial: Downend War Memorial, Bristol: Scouts at War

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Leaders, Scouting, Scouts

31st October 2015

Happy Halloween

We have got our pumpkins lined up at camp all ready to carve, so lets get the party started.

All of us from 78th Kingswood Scout Group would like to say Happy Halloween!

Enjoy trick or treating tonight and don’t eat too much candy, just have an (toffee) apple instead.
[quote_box_center]Halloween

noun: Halloween; noun: Hallowe’en

The night of 31 October, the eve of All Saints’ Day, often celebrated by children dressing up in frightening masks and costumes. Halloween is thought to be associated with the Celtic festival Samhain, when ghosts and spirits were believed to be abroad.[/quote_box_center]

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Scouts

27th October 2015

Destination Huish Woods

The nights are getting longer, making them perfect for a Halloween Camp. Our next destination is Huish Woods.

Hopefully everyone should have had a kit list by now but in case you didn’t, you can download one here: [wpdm_package id=’593′]

The Scouts will be, weather permitted, sleeping in tents so send them prepared to stay warm at night. If it is too cold or wet we shall sleep indoors. Beavers and Cubs will be sleeping indoors.

If you need maps, directions or help getting to camp please let us know.

What weather are we expecting? We don’t know but this is the forecast:

[wpc-weather id=”597″/]

Posted in Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Scouts

7th October 2015

Online Scout Manager

Online Scout Manager is being used in our group for taking payments for subs, camps and other events. Parents/carers will have the option to setup direct debits for subs so that payments can be taken on a scheduled bases.

Some of the benefits for parents/carers are:

  • Parents can pay for events and fees
  • Parents can sign up to events
  • Parents can view the programme
  • Parents can see their child’s badge progress
  • Parents can keep their contact and medical info up to date

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Scouts

4th October 2015

Halloween Group Camp

Our Group Camp returns to Huish Woods, near Taunton on the Halloween weekend of 30th October to 1st November – don’t panic if your children think they will miss trick or treating, there will be plenty of that going on, plus pumpkin carving and maybe a movie and popcorn!

Accommodation will be in the bunkhouses for Scouts (although they might be sleeping in tents, we will let you know) and in the main hall for Cubs and Beavers.

A full kit list will be provided before the weekend.

The cost of the weekend is £60.00, if you would like you children to attend but have not yet booked, please speak to your Section Leader or a Committee Member.

 

Posted in 78th Kingswood Scout Group, Beavers, Cubs, Featured, Scouts