16th Bermondsey Scout Group

Since Sept the scouts have have been concentrating on training for our half term New Forest Hiking camp for older scouts and YLs. Friday nights have been spent cooking on lightweight stoves, menu planning, map reading, first aid and pitching hike tents. Everyone wanting to go on the New Forest camp had to undertake a training hike camp with full rucacs along the North Downs 2 weeks before.  The weeks of training paid-off as we found ourselves pitching tents late at night in the dark and pouring rain. ( Decathlon tents beat the Vango’s for speed every time!) We spent 2 days hiking through the forest in lovely weather and an even better day visiting Brownsea island. We took 4 YLs and 6 older scouts who all managed to hike about 22 miles with full camping kit during a 2 day hike, mostly through some very rough and boggy forest paths.

After feeling that Eddie and Sonia were alone running Cubs and Scouts, save for our amazing teenage Young Leaders, quite suddenly Eddie started getting emails from people volunteering to help. Lin’s brother Dave is shaping-up to accompany Eds on an over night backpacking hike next w/e and new leader Giles has been canoeing today with the scouts and was camping with us the previous week end. Two more adults have been to meet us and we will tell you about them if they choose to stay and help. Eddie always said we needed faith and a belief in prayer and patience. ( combined with crossing all fingers and toes and howling at a full moon.)

When the dust had settled after the summer exodus of leaders to university, Singapore and to have babies…. our Cub leader Sonia and Scout leader Eddie found themselves with lots of  young members returning after the holidays, but with very little help!  Cub admin helper Sheila and Young Leaders Tom and Josh are helping Akela Sonia. While Eddie had new helper Dave with Joseph Ewing starting as a Young Leader.  It is a far cry from just a few weeks ago when half the room seemed to be leaders and helpers all jostling to run something!

To be honest, this happens year after year in the 16th, its really scary, but we hold our breath, pray and await volunteers and parents to arive and start to become leaders.  We will survive and grow, just you see. ( only we can’t quite see it at the present moment!  Look at the scout’s first- night -back creativity: http://www.bermondseyscout.co.uk/gallery2/v/Pasta909/

Beavers is the exception: Sue and Sandy have YLs Kirsten, Kweku and Lydia back in action.