July 2013
32nd Pack Chingford
"Running the very best pack possible"
JULY 2013
PACK NEWSLETTER
Statistics 43 cubs 6 leaders 5 core helpers
Funday, science activity badge, campfire with hotdogs, father's day craft, bag packing, investments and pushing Monty into a lake full of piranhas. What more could you ask for from June. People have complained about the weather but we had no problems. The first outdoors night at Connaught waters was truly glorious weather. The cub year is rushing to a close and we intend to make sure July is as good as it gets. The jewel in the crown for the whole year is expected to be our Brownsea Island trip, please make sure you don't miss the coach and don't have too much to carry. That said the rest is all good. We are currently working on a new online picture archive that you all should be able to access in September, our trips and adventures will be recorded there. All families are cordially invited to our 32nd Scout Group AGM party by the poolside at Gilwell park on Tuesday 23rd which will be our last meeting this academic year. Swimming trunks and towels would be an advantage. Cubs in smart uniform as I hope to capture the end of 2013 with a Group photograph, something we last managed twenty years ago.
SAINSBURYS What a fantastic result for our Scout Group with just over £950 being raised on the Saturday and just over £1,250 on the Sunday, with the Sainsbury's bag packing over the last weekend in June. We can claim Gift Aid on this money which means your fundraising efforts the past weekend have put over £2,750.00p into your Group coffers. This money will help provide the very best Scouting programme, subsidizing camps and excursions for our membership (your children). Well done and Thank you to the majority of the Pack that supported this effort. I lost count of the number of compliments your children received from members of the public, We should all be very proud of them (except Tommy).
Tuesday 2nd July We meet at the Ridgeway park for a activity evening. Our friends from the 40th should be joining us and our cubs will complete their Fitness challenge badge.
Tuesday 9th July We are back at the hall for a games night.
Tuesday 16th July We are back at the hall for a talent night, cubs who take part in a certain sport, have an interesting hobby (maybe they are a budding blond haired magician) skill or talent (maybe they got awarded a rugby award by a second rate club)can present themselves on this night and after giving a small demonstration or presentation can gain badges for their pastime.
Tuesday 23rd JulyMeaty, Beatty, Big and Bouncy
32nd Scout Group BBQ AGM Evening Our Group Scout Leader has told me he is intending to hire a real wild animal three ring circus, several big bouncy castles, jugglers, live musicians, free food wine and strong drink, entertainers with a black theatre shadow show and a WW1 flying acrobatic display team along with the normal pool and BBQ for our last evening of the year.(some of these details may change on the night) . Please support this event, this is a family night, we need chiefs and helpers. We have booked the pool. Bring a folding camp chair.
Numbers
As compulsive numerologists the pack track cubs numbers and attendance. Measuring what is happening is a good indicator of how good or bad a job we are doing.
Cub pack attendance is currently 91% with 33 absences. Interestingly just three cubs caused most of the absences. Considering that cubs are volunteers 32nd pack attendance is very good. We have seven more cubs now than this time last year, we invested seventeen new cubs in the past year. We lost ten members, one moved location, five went into scouts and four decided they did not wish to continue. You can't please all the people all the time.
Pack News
We are losing Joe to Ireland and five of our oldest cubs into scouts. This adjusts Pack numbers slightly but we still face excessive numbers for the foreseeable future. With several Beavers moving up in the next term any respite is short term and limited. With my team we are developing a strategy for managing such a large cub group. We have a project which we call "Shadow Pack". In essence from September we will be hiving off different sections of the pack each week for alternative activities. This could be badge work, visits, different games or projects. We have the room and leaders to do this. My view is this enhances our current programme and gives our cubs more opportunities. Sometimes your child will be in a group meeting at a different location for an alternative evenings agenda. We will aim to advise you of changes in advance and for the most part your child will only notice the more diverse activities on offer. Please do your usual best to support this initiative. Currently it's a plan, let's see if its workable.
Brownsea Island Summer Camp July
Plans are set, the group quivers with anticipation and nervous energy. Lots can and probably will go wrong, but I am sure it will all be good fun and a great experience for our youngsters to lock in their memories. Cubs should try and find a big Edwardian style hat for the trip. They look good in the photographs. Cubs should also practice packing their kit as this needs to be carefully selected, they will not be allowed to bring anything they can't carry. Something I will take which is not on the list is a toilet roll, not knowing what I will find this seems prudent, I would advise everybody to take one. I am also bringing my sunglasses.
A large garden chess set and an extra large tin of drinking chocolate
Are amongst the long list items currently missing from our stores, they have been taken home from a camp and left in the bottom of a garden shed. If you are holding onto any of our kit please return it to the hall. Things cost money to replace, money better spent on exciting activities for your youngster. An amnesty is currently in place, bring it back and be thanked for returning it, sending the boys in blue around is option two.
Parent help
If you look at any successful youth based organization they always have help. We are easily the largest Scout group in the area and the biggest cub pack, nothing compares. This is simply because our parents help it to be so, without your active support we would diminish and end up closing. Thank you very much for the support given in the past year, special mention for Liz who collects our pennies and Bob our home contact. We are checking through paperwork at present, please assist if you are request to complete a CRB form, Gift Aid mandate or Membership sheet. Even I get chased to complete these records, it's or own fault for living in the age of the big bureaucracy.
Dates in the pipeline
Items are subject to change and additional items will be added. Handouts will be available for core event.
we are currently planning a Warwick Castle trip; Halloween camp, visit from a big bloke with a pile of toys, London visit, fireworks night, badge work and a night at the west end theatre in the next term. Lots going on, cubs do not need to do everything but they should aim to turn up for most meetings. Pack places are at a premium at present and if your child is not taking advantage of their membership we will ask them to move on so somebody else can.
Any questions or issues please have a word with a leader. Scouting information is obtainable from https://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources
Our pack photograph album is currently getting some TLC and updating our old site is http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/32ndchingfordcubs/