On Friday i went to Kernow 24 with my Explorers and some of the older Scouts who will be moving up over the next few months.  The weather was freezing, windy and wet.   I tryed to get some sleep whilst the Explorers were on a night hike, but sleeping on benches in the cold didn’t work well.

The Explorers did really well crate stacking and i managed to get the highest score in archery outta the entire event.

During a heavy downpour we decided to keep dry by walking around with a car roof over our heads, which work very effectivly.

Whilst some of the scouts were having a kip, me, Kev, Wez and 3 of the scouts tied ourselves together at our feet and wrists and were climbing through scafolding in a little hut whilst we were waiting to do the laser battle field.  When we got raound to doing the battle field we stayed tied together which made moving around the woods very difficult but hilarious!  Unfortuently back at camp 5 of the younger scouts came down with mild hypothermia so we went back to make sure they were ok.  They’d been moved indoors, wrapped up warm and were giving a hot meal.  I stayed with them for the rest of the event indoors to make sure they kept warm and were ok.  They were fine after warming up but we were all exhausted and dozing.  We did’t go down to the campfire as we were all tired and still a little cold and the scouts didn’t want to risk being outside after spending the last few hours trying to warm up.  we did all go out to watch the fireworks before heading home.

It’s a fun event apart from the wintery weather and am looking forward to next years.

Sunday i went to the rememberance parade a Bude.  It was my first time at this one as i go to the one at Marhamchurch with the Explorers.  The was a huge turn out of organisations and onlookers.  It was very cold and my fingers were numb by the time a got to the church.  When i got home i was still tired from Kernow 24 and ended up having a little kip.  That event really wipes you out.

Tonight at beavers the kids were making rockets, cathrine wheel biscuits, toasting marshmallows and were told the story of Guy Fawks.  Some of the beavers managed to coat themselves in melted marshmallows!, they got covered and somehow got it in their hair!

I left beavers early to go along to Jacobstow scouts bonfire and firework fundraiser.  It was very cold and wet but a nice little evening, and on the way home i saw a badger for the first time ever

On Sunday i spent the day at Lea Moor on Dartmoor at the letterbox meet with Skip, Tome and Syranne.  It’s where letterboxers get together and charity walks are sold.  We’ve put out a walk near Princetown to raise some money for the Switzerland camp.  We made just over £200 which isn’t too bad.  There did seem to be fewer people there than normal, but the spring meet we should make some more money as more people come out to that.  Not a lot of people like doing the walks during winter cus of the weather, and i don’t blame them!

Tuesday i went with Skip and his family out to Princetown to put out our walk.  Weather weren’t too bad but a little windy. 

Tuesday evening at explorers we had a halloween evening.  We all dressed up and played games.  Yum yum yak went down quite well.  It’s basically Russian roulette with chocolate covered marshmallows with something rather horrid in some of them.  Some of ours had marmite in them and Tom actually liked these!  I think Skip was a little over enthusiastic at the chocolate game.  He and Lisa managed to eat the entire bar between them. It’s was a really funny evening and quite messy

Wednesday me, Anna and Lisa spent the day at a table top sale raising funds for the Switzerland camp.  We ended up being given boxes of books to sell at some point so were gunna do a book sale the same time as our sponsored cycle in December. 

I’ve been contemplating the idea of going to Sweden on holiday during the Jamboree so i can go and visit it and it looks like Anna wants to come with the kids so we might make a road trip of it

Last night i had a meeting with our EL to go through the activities for our Kandersteg camp.  We have so far decided on our bigger activities and when were doing them.  Were gunna visit Kandersteg village, Lake Oeschinensee, go ice climbing, take the under 14’s up to a hut for the night, swimming and the choc and cheese tour.  We have a few filler activities to still sort out and 2 days to fill.  Due to the number of our group we’ve split everyone into 3 groups, one under 14 group and two over 14 groups.  Unfortuently the under14’s can’t ice climb so were gunna make sure we get them up a mountain for a night in a hut.  Going through the ages of everyone going, we are going to have 3 of the group celebrating their birthdays out there.

Were steadily sorting out fundraising and were gunna try and have a sit down with all the leaders going, to go through things.

It’s so exciting!!!!

Last week was the first week back to Beavers and Explorers.  We’ve had some new kids join both sections. Unfortuently one of our explorers has left which was a complete shock to us and really sad news. I’ve known him for about 8 years nowand it feels like theres a big hole in our unit now. We were hopeing he’d become a leader with us. Hopefully we’ll see him around though.

Over the weekend i went camping with some of the leaders at Gidliegh near Chagford. We’ve found the reason behind the name of the field we camped in. It’s called Bloody Meadow and we always thought so because it was said a man was killed by a bull, but it turns out many years ago there was a battle in the area and the dead were buried in the field, and it’s said on a certain day in Feburary you can hear the smash of swords and horses hooves galloping, so hopefully we’ll avoid ever camping in Feb, lol. Also a woman drowned in the stream and haunts the area.

On the Saturday we spent some time in Chagford and had tea at the local pub and on Sunday we went and visited Kitty Jay’s grave, saw the ten commandments at Buckland Beacon, visited Widecombe in the moor and visited the giants chair at Natsworthy.

We made model campsites with the beavers tonight and drop scones.

I’ve now set the Explorer Unit up with a webpage which has info on alsorts of stuff from what were up to, how our plans for kandersteg are coming and links to our picture and video webpage. Please have a wee look at it all. http://budeesu.wordpress.com/

I’m back to Beavers tomorrow and Explorers on Tuesday.  Hopefully we’ll have a few new Explorers turn up, were loosing a few as there now going to college but will hopefully beable to come to weekend activities.  Should also be off on camp this weekend which im really looking forward to as it’s a nice little spot to camp and not far from Chagford which is a great little village.  The site were staying at was the first place i ever went camping with the scouts so holds quite a few memories

On Friday 28th we had a camp at mine.  Me and our BL organised the camp to get our greenfield permit.

We had some scouts from a local group and one explorer camping.  Over the weekend we did backwoods cooking, bamboo catapults, crazy frisbee golf, firelighting challenge, quizes and a few other things.  We awared the scouts points for particular things with the winning group getting a little prize at the end of camp.  We had an inspection on Sunday morning after which me and our BL got our permits .  Saturday evening we had a bunch of people come around who are all involved in scouting someway for a BBQ and campfire.

As of yesturday our District merged with Bodmin District and were now known as North Cornwall District. I didn’t want the Disitrict to merge, along with several other leaders, but i suppose we have to move with the times.

Im back to Beavers and Explorers next week and am off camping again in a few weekends time

Monday was the Marhamchurch revel.  I spent the day there, setting up in the morning and cooking camp donuts all afternoon.  2 of the explorers were running a crockery smashing stall which went down really well. Us leaders were cooking camp donuts and hot dogs and we carried on with some cake competitions from the carnival fete. The day went really well, there were loads of people and the weather was good. We got rid of all the food and someone won our big chocolate cake. Not sure how much we made, but the revel commitee get all the money and later in the year will hand out some to local causes and organisations. Last year they gave us £300. 

We made over £200 at the carnival fete which will help us on our way to Switzerland

Off to meet up with some leaders tonight to sort out a camp at the end of the month.

Today we spent the afternoon in the Castle grounds at Bude for the carnival fete.  We had a cake stall to raise money for our Switzerland trip. Several local bakeries had donated cakes and pasties, as well as several of us leaders making some.  Not sure yet how much we raised, but i think it was quite a bit as we were overloaded with cakes and they all just about sold.

Monday we’ve got the Marhamchurch revel, so more money to go towards out trip.

Got back from OZ on Saturday. Went down to the scout hut tonight with some of the other leaders to sort out some of our equipment. It now all looks like organised caos, instead of just caos! Friday im gunna have to do some baking for our cake stall at the Bude carnival. The money raised will be going towards our Kandersteg camp next year. Then on Monday we have the Marhamchurch Revel, so more fundraising.

the explorer summer camp went quite well, but rather wet. They went up near Cheddar Gorge for a week.