1st Wotton Welcomes new Chief Scout 

18 May 2009 

Today the Scout Association annouced the appointment of the youngest ever Chief Scout. Bear  Grylls - a former cub and scout - starting with a demonstration at Gilwell Acitivity Centre a week after we were there! See video below.

January 2009

Newsletter Start of our centenary year. Read all about it. Click here. A new Scout Troop, New Akela and a great plan to celebrate our centenary.

Old newsletters: AGM 2007-08, September 2008

September 2008

Quartermaster appointed We are pleased to have recruited a Quartermaster to help us review our £10,000 worth of equipment which is in need of some investment. We plan to raise £2000 to replace and our tents, camping gear, sports equipment etc. We also want to add new items so that we can organise some new activities.

Second Scout troop being planned 1st Wotton-under-Edge Scout Group is planning to re-start a second Scout Troop in January 2009 as we start our 100th year. We may well grow to 100 members (including leaders) in our Centenary year. Click here to see how you can help - we still need more leaders.

Regular newsletter launched A new school year start and our Beavers, Cubs and Scouts await another great term in 1st Wotton-under-Edge Scout Group. Why not have a look at our newsletter which will be produced at the start of every term. Click here to see the newsletter.

June 2008
AGM - Reporting on another great year!On 18th June we held our Annual General Meeting with many parents attending. We presented the annual accounts, annual newsletter and age profile (demonstrating the need for a second Scout Troop. Read all about the past year and the plans for next year in the newsletter.

May 2008

Pioneering weekend - learning the ropes!The scouts worked hard to meet the requirements of the pioneering badge (click here for details); learning about knots, lashings, building structures and safety. But it wasn't just hard work - camping with a traditional campfire was all part of a fun weekend.

The grand finale was the bridge (see video below) which they were able to build and operate after just a few hours. A great achievement: well done to all the scouts involved - who deserve the badge!

April 2008

Scouts on Brownsea Island.Once again Scouts from Pathfinder Troop joined up with Slimbridge Scouts to enjoy a stay in South Shore Lodge on Brownsea Island. Activities included pioneering, a scavenger hunt, fishing for crabs, low ropes, archery and a play parachute, plus wide games, rounders and spare time fill-ins. For the first time we were able to do some kayaking - an unplanned opportunity that was welcomed with enthusiasm.

Quiz nightThe first Scout Group Quiz Night was held at Blue Coat School to bring all members of the group and parents together. Questions were for all ages - with some parents struggling with 'kids TV' questions, while the music questions were not just the latest cool rap! A slideshow of the activities in the last year gave parents a good idea of what their kids are up to while at camp. £126.98 was raised during a raffle with prizes kindly donated by Tortworth Court Hotel, Cotwold Edge Golf Course and some parents.

Fit Cubs!The Heron Cubs rose to the Fitness Challenge. They undertook a body overhaul, considered what they eat and how much sleep they need and they tried two new activities – Fusion Fitness and Golf.

March 2008

Beavers celebrate 18th Birthday.Captain Spanner joined the beavers to celebrate their 18th birthday. Lots of fun and laughter. The cake and drinks were a good way to get the party spirit going.

Scientists of the future.One Thursday evening in March found Kingfisher Cubs heading down the motorway to Bristol to take part in the science badge. Due to the hardwork of Greybeard, Rolls Royce now sponsor this badge and we were invited down to BAWA Sports and Social Club to join with other cubs in a number of tasks included in the Scientist Badge. Rolls Royce made the cubs very welcome and provided a stimulating and well organisedevening.

Wet Wales!The Heron Cubs spent a weekend at Danywenallt Youth Hostel in the Brecon Beacons. On the Friday evening they enjoyed scary stories from a story-teller dressed in traditional Welsh costume. The weather was not kind on the Saturday but the Cubs kitted out in their waterproofs and wellies and rose to the challenges of a team activity to cross a river using a barrel of ropes, pulleys and safety equipment; a walk through a disused railway tunnel with the aid of only a candle to walk in and no light to walk out (with another scary story in the middle!) and then a mini gorge scramble.

The night walk was abandoned that evening and the Cubs enjoyed making and using sling shots, making walking sticks and learning how to sharpen flints, trap rabbits and use semaphore.

On Sunday the Cubs completed team survival challenges including making a shelter from a tarpaulin and logs which they had to sit in as the rain (a hosepipe) poured down. They carried water on their heads and they hunted insects for food (plastic ones!). After lunch theyembarked on an Earth Walk where they hugged trees, experienced flying through the trees, listened to the countryside and learned about the National Park.

This was a brilliant weekend which we hope to make a bi-annual event.

KingfishersOff to the Brecons! Two years ago this trip gave the cubs such great experiences and memories we wanted to do it all again. Due to some marvellous fund raising by the parents we were able to subsidize the trip and 20 cubs headed off to the youth hostel near Talypont on Usk in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Although the weather was not kind it did not stop us from having a fantastic adventure. We had storytelling, orienteering, making walking sticks,shelter building, team building exercises, a full day at the climbing centre and then a walk at night in the woods to the disused railway tunnel with only a lantern to guide us. Do you think the the stories were true?

Toni at the hostel made us all feel very welcome with plenty of food and lovely warm rooms. All the cubs are now in the process of finishing their walking sticks which I hope will be a lasting reminder of their adventurous weekend away.

February 2008

District Night Hike.Team 'Wotton B' won the District Night Hike in the hills around Wotton-under-Edge, by putting their orienteering skills to good use. All the teams worked well together to find 6 stations and carrying out a variety of different challenges. From a 'memory game', first aid and tying knots to recalling the points of the compass.They all did so well that we all finished early. But wide games filled the time to midnight.

Scouts 'on air'.WOT FM, the community radio station for Wotton-under-Edge and district was back on the air on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd February 2008. Of course the scouts as well as local schools and other groups, took the opportunity to tell the community what they are all about. You can see a picture of the scouts broadcasting their piece on the www.wotfm.com website. Click here. Listen again here.

January 2008

Star Gazers. The Cubs spent an evening outside observing the stars with the help of a knowledgeable parent. Another evening spent telling each other about two aspects of space they each found interesting and an evening making models and playing space games completed the requirements for the Astronomer Badge which the Cubs now all wear with pride.

December 2007

Cubs raised money to go to their camp in the Brecon Becons. Two local companies (Renishaw and Lloyds TSB) have kindly donated money for this special trip which takes place every other year.

Kingfisher Cubs “ENTERTAIN” their families at Christmas.

During the autumn term the cubs worked towards their Entertainer Badge. Each Six created a play around the theme of Christmas and then made puppets using wooden spoons. The cubs worked enthusiastically and made some wonderful creations.

On the final meeting before Christmas all the families were invited to come along for an evening of “entertainment”. The cubs were brilliant and everybody laughed in the right places!! The cubs sang “The Twelve Days Of Camping” and “We Wish You A MerryChristmas”.Refreshments were served and a great evening was had by all.

November 2007

Beavers ring the bells!If people in Wotton heard some unscheduled bell-ringing, they may have wondered if there were some ghostly goings-on. Not to worry it was only the Beavers on their visit to St Mary's Church.

Memorial service.The 1st Wotton-under-Edge Scout Group was well presented at the annual Memorial Serice. They marched together with other local groups from the Chipping to St Mary's Church. After the service, a ceremony took place at the War Memorial.

Fire Fire! Heron cubs visit Wotton Fire Station for Personal Safety and Local Knowledge badges. They listened attentively to a fire safety talk and learned what they should do if there was a fire in their home and what they should have already planned in case of a fire. They then had a tour of the Fire engine and a demonstration of the hoses. There was a dramatic end to the evening as there was a call out and the fire personnel arrived and left in the engine within a few minutes.

September 2007

Cowboys and Indians. TheHeron and Kingfishers cub packs held a joint camp at Pen Wood Scout Camp site. Many activities were enjoyed including archery, making totem poles, tracking, rope throwing, fire lighting, a camp fire and a wide game.

Heron cubs go underground!The Cubs spent a pack evening at Castle Quarry Activity Centre doing tunneling. After a safety talk the boys were let loose in a man made tunnel system where they challenged themselves and played games for an hour.

July 2007

Kingfisher Cubs go underground!On one of the warmer, drier summer evenings 16 cubs found themselves putting on safety gear in order to explore and have fun at Castle Quarry, Tytherington. On hands and knees they crawled through the maze of tunnels, getting dirty not worrying about who would wash their clothes.