Jumping off the top...

...of the year!
It is the end - of term and so there is no official meeting on Thursday 21 December, but there are a few things we didn't get round to finishing, or even properly starting!

I will be at a loose end on Thursday - what to do with that gaping hole in my schedule?! A desolate wasteland of an evening! It would be driving me up the walls...

So... I thought some of you might like to sort out your DofE routes and dates, and also we decided to enter the rocketry competition again, but better prepared (which means we actually have to build it a bit earlier and think about how to be better).

I propose to be 'at home' on Thurs to help with rocketry things say 5:00-6:30, and then DofE things say 6:30-8:00 if any of you are able to get across and move things along. If you come for DofE prep, come with a list of w/es in March that you are able to do your practice expedition.

Also - now is the time to sign up for Scotland if you want to do the Winter Mountain Week in Glen Coe (so long as you have been coming to the regular walks and are known to the group).

Meanwhile, have a good break if I don't see you on Thursday, and we will meet back on Thursday 11 January 2018.

Climbing the walls on 14 December

It's end of term nearly and we will have or end of term activity at The Activity Walls at Climb The Walls at Harlescott - more like fun challenges than serious Bouldering!



Please book yourself in 

and get me a copy of your consent form

Arenig Snow

It'll be all white on the day! We are hiking on Arenig Fawr on Sunday - details below, but when I tell Richard who's going I'll see if some or all of us can be collected en route.

Could be our first snowballs of the SBSMG season!

Great Boreatton Bake

Its cold and dark so we need filling up with energy (aka chocolate) - the meeting on 7 December this week will feature our regularish Bake-off competition... 
I will set a technical challenge but bring your own ingredients and utensils to make your festive showstopper!



Our masterchef at the end of the meeting will bask in Glory! and the worst baker will have to eat their bake... 

Please note new gate code is 1717

Down town...

Ahem - bit late bt the plan is as we discussed to meet down town on 30 Nov and prep a fund-raising town train to give to Rae Valley... we can also award our Chip adviser certificate to Coleham Chippy, and perhaps eat sum chips ... just to confirm we made the right call...
We'll meet in the square at 8:05 and end at 9:35 or so...



Bring head torch, camera, uv gear, warm coat, and chip hunger!

Refugee Response

Thank to all who turned out to remembrance parade last Sunday - we get a badge for that! (coming soon)

Its a reminder of how lucky we are to live in a rich and peaceful part of the world! Coincidentally, the latest edition of the Scouting Magazine was promoting a resource that they have developed to help scouts respond to the issue of refugees coming to the UK to escape from much less fortunate parts of the world or from other dangers in their own country. 

I thought we could look into how we help refugees locally and also do some fundraising to help others - a lot of our recent fundraising has been to support our expeditions so it would be nice to help others directly this term.
To get us in mind of what issues and difficulties refugees face - imagine that you suddenly have to run away to escape danger - grab a rucksack and just 5 items that you would really want to take with you! Actually, why just image that - one hour before the meeting on Thursday, recognize that you have to leave in just an hour - grab the 5 things you couldn't do without and flee to the explorer meeting! We will see what the Scouting Resource 'Refugee Response' inspires us to do!

Don't Forget!

 

It's Remembrance Parade this Sunday. Be smart and meet at Admiral Duncan at 10:00 - we will dismiss soon after 12:00.

Remember remember the 9th of November

Less auspicious than the 5th perhaps but still a memorable date in the Glorious Revolution, with the capture of Exeter marking a small step in the establishment of the primacy of parliamentary democracy over the tyranny of kings...
We will celebrate with fire and rockets at my place from 6:30pm to 8pm on Thursday. Explorers will help run the fireworks and look after Beavers with sparklers whilst the cubs look after bangers etc.
Rea Valley will join us too :)

Day of the dead...

OK so it's not Halloween, but it is the night of the day of the dead!
I thought we would make day-of-the-dead-pumpkins and try and make some spooky art!
I will bring some pumpkins etc - bring a knife and make-up, and a camera for arty shots.
Actually come with day-of-the-dead makeup yourself! It's not just for pumpkin heads!

Relax

No meeting this week as you are all off on holiday and I'd be lonely by myself at the hut! See you next Thursday!

Chip adviser

OK - sorry about short notice - it's exam board week...
We will do our annual review of our favourite chippies this week meeting at 7:05 in the square to finish with the award our the prized certificate to our favourite chippy at 8:30.
Come hungry! It's a tough job but someone has to eat those chips!

Tryfan

Here are the details for the hike on Tryfan! It may be a bit drizzly in the morning but brightening up by the afternoon :) One of the best scrambles we do!

Top of the world! (spot the old explorers when they were little!)

rifle forms

...are on the scouts blog (because they are legion, and more numerous than us)

Photography without Photons

Thursday 28 Sept is or Astronomy night with Rea Valley. We are attempting to find some dark sky so heading deep into Rea-Valley-Land! Whilst we can be sure of dark skies, I'm not so sure about clear skies... but hey! It will be a night hike anyway! The most important thing is to bring waterproofs so as to scare away the clouds (if you leave them at home the clouds will know and come to get us...) 

Bring cameras too for 'photography without the photons' - we'll see what we can see! I'll bring a big scope and we'll use it if we can. Saturn and the Moon are the top targets at the moment.

Meet at Large Lay-by above Stiperstones village – (on corner about 1 mile from Stiperstones Inn)   Grid Ref SO 356 997.    Bring binoculars telescopes etc.  Warm clothes, waterproofs and good footwear and headtorch etc.  If cloudy we will do a group walk.

 

Alan is coming along with his Explorers and a large telescope.  We can get up a “green lane” with his Landrover to get up high with his telescope.

 

Meet at 7.30pm, finish at 9.30pm at same place.

I will aim to leave my house around 6:45 and will have half a dozen seats spare if that helps with transport - getting back around 10:00pm.

It's that time again!  Get ready for the great Boreatton Group Camp, where Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers all get together at Bickley Coppice Scout camp site to enjoy the last of the good weather before winter sets in.

We shall have axe and saw lessons, whittling, camp cooking, bivouac building (and sleeping in it if you dare, tents provided as well!), wide games in the dark, a camp fire and the opportunity to hoon around in the woods in one of the most beautiful camp sites in the UK.

If you want to take part (and who wouldn't?) then return the permission form to Alan by Thursday 21st  September - cheques or cash please for the camp fees, not bank transfer. 

Dead batt working

Whilst this week we will be 'Planning' as our first week back (as always), I thought it might be useful to be better prepared for our expeditions... I know you always bring a head torch, but sometimes the batteries are not all that good and it runs out... Oh no! Lost in the dark!
I thought we could make magic lights that use a dead bulb and a dead battery so we wouldn't get caught out like that again!

Please bring:
1 Yourself
2 Your ideas for our prog
3 A dead 1.5V Battery (AA or AAA as per your head torch)
4 A dead CFL (compact fluorecent light) bulb (that's the sort in the picture below)
5 A sticking plaster to make it alright

I wonder if it will work!

PS 6 please bring subs too!

Autumn

It's next year all ready! But you are not yet ready for all that scouty excitement as you are still coming to terms with the thrill of another term at school so we don't meet until next week - Thursday 14 September (as usual).
Or first meeting will be titled planning, but if you have any good plans do feel free to share them ahead of the meeting. Many of us are off to S Wales with the mountain group the next day 15 September and details will follow soon.
Also we need to start practice for the rifles camp soon - again details to follow.
Meanwhile, do take the opportunity to update your aim for your Bronze DofE expedition that you did ages ago (those that haven't done it yet and whose name begins with Im..) or try and sort out what w/e dates you are free to do a practice expedition (those that didn't agree in the summer hols)... 

Those that did get their act together had a great w/e in the Berwyns...

Enjoy the new term and see you all soon! With your subs! 

Here's a throwback Autumn camp video from long ago... 'cause the backing track is so autumnal...



(OMG - Biz was so little that camp!)

(if you are at a loose end check this out? We could save the weather! www.zooniverse.org/projects/edh/weather-rescue )

Mountain Group September camp

Those doing DofE that want to do their fitness by joining in with the Mountain Group for the next year, and those that just enjoy the mountains, the first activity is the September Caving and Gorge walking camp - doing the mountains from the inside!
It gets booked up quickly and Chris wants your money now to reserve your place!
Here's the info letter:

Life lessons from the beet

Well done everyone that turned out today to do some weeding!

Some life lessons from the field (imho etc... )

A low productivity/low pay economy is fun for less than a day :( - do your GCSEs well!

There is some satisfaction to be had in a job well done and if a jobs worth doing well, its worth being paid for and its worth finishing well! Thanks to everyone that turned out and worked well to the end of their shift!

A lot of weed is a very bad thing!

and very muddy...

Finally, we have a special muscle for weeding that only makes itself known on days like today :) ... at least it seems I have!

Have a great summer, and lets be bouncy tomorrow! 

End of term

Don't forget - no meeting tonight. It's the end of term and we're weeding and bouncing at the weekend instead!

Bouncing/cheques

For those that have confirmed their tickets for or end of term Bounce, here are the forms! (No form no bounce) Note dress code! Clothes cover arms and legs, trainers that cover toes...

It wont cost you anything but you need to have paid subs (several of you have not done so yet!!!) and there is a snack bar/drinks machine yo may wish to avail yourselves of...

Come fed (or with a pack lunch)

Explorers discover the joy of weeding

We did a recce to check out the weed field and it all looks quite do-able. (and apparently fun!)

We will meet at the field (on the corner of Shotatton) at 10:00am on Sat 22 July - bring a picnic and there will be bribes for each row weeded. Should be finished about 3pm? We can play it by ear a bit...

Meanwhile a big thank you to all the explorers that turned out to help paint and refresh the hut! It's our hut too and always good to give back a bit... Stock up some karma as our Nepali friends would have it! (and the BBQ was nice) :)

Do decide DofE date!

Here's a poll to choose when we do the Bronze DofE practice expedition! (sorry about the adds - they come with the widget) Please check all possible dates (not just your preference) as we need to find a date that all 7 of you can do!

boing! (bouncy-bouncy...)

We said we'd go bounce ... below...

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A sausage at the doors

The end of the year is upon us and the weather set fair, so I thought we should seize the moment and BBQ at my house to celebrate the dawning of a long hot summer...
We will meet at the usual time at my house, feast on summer fare, and plan our expeditions...

Hug the Hut!!! Sunday 16th July 10 - 4

A long time ago in a galaxy far way our Hut received it first coat of paint and set out on a journey to finally come to rest in Boreatton. Since that distant time the paint has faded and our Hut is showing it's age. This coming Sunday 16th July we would like to invite you and any adult helpers [parents and grow-up family] to join us in a Big Day of painting and decorating. 

We will have a pay-as-you-eat BBQ running through the day, so please bring a little cash for a burger. All funds raised will help with the costs of the re-paint. 

For all Scouts, Beavers and Cubs who turn up and muck in to help you will be in line for the DIY activity badge. Please wear old clothes as you will get paint dripped!!

If any parent can spare some additional time on Saturday [15th]  10 - 4 to help with wall preparation and painting you would be very welcome. Please let Pete or Phil know if you can attend either of the days to help with planning and materials. 

Thank you all in advance for helping look after the Hut, she needs a little Hug! 

Rifle squad sign up for 2017

Here's the booking form for the Rifle champs for 2017! It will cost £65 and take place 20-22 October, but I need to make our entry and pay the bulk of the cost now (it takes time to organise 800 scouts with guns!) so sign up now and I will then need your camp fees and a form signing to allow you to shoot.

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Coracle crisis craft

Our rescue coracle will be standing by - just in case...
Uh oh - will the chardboard chraft prevail against the challenges of the rafting lake?!?!?
(ok that was cardboard and craft  but I had an aliteration aberation and ended up chuffing it...) In any event we will race our canoes tomorrow so come prepared for sogginess...

Cardboat craft night

Hmmm... these look rather unseaworthy but they do look more like a boat than some designs I've seen recently... Bring structural cardboard and duck tape (the more duck-like our boats the better!) and we'll see if we can do better than the last two attempts at cardboard canoes

 

Here are this years' winning designs...

Rifle shooting

Thurday meeting this week is a rifle squad selection shoot for the national champs in October - this could be a good skill section for your DofE?
You need to bring a consent form for this! We meet at my range at the usual time but book up as I may need to split you into two details if everyone wants to come! Note this is of course at my shooting barn!
I've updated with a form and an eventbrite thingy... Dont forget the form! Its the law (Firearms Act) and sign up on the thingy - its says July 8th cos I got the month wrong - sorry, but I cant be bothered to redoit - you know its on Thursday and thats June 8th...

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Trevor

Its the SBSMG climbing day on Sunday 11th - we need to book this one as they limit numbers! Let me know if you want to come and climb and chill in the sunshine (climbing day is always sunny!) at Trevor Rocks with Biz and me.

Do do dofe

Here's the forms I promised to post for the new bronze group! (oops - rather late...)

Phil's surprise night

Sorry I can't be there tonight, but it is Phil's surprise night on Thursday!
Usual time and place (hut at 8:05) he says in the group facebook chat!

Planning

We need to plan the plan but as you said planning was dull, I thought we would plan a more entertaining planning plan... (!)

So - to coerce you all into engaging with the plan, we will meet for our first meeting tomorrow at AMF bowling Harlescott at 7:00pm (EARLY) 'till 8:30pm on Star Wars evening

Anyone who gets a strike has to contribute an idea! :)

Bring your bowling shoes and your thinking caps!

Rocketry days consents

We need consent forms... as ever... Especially as the competition is on Monday so counts as a day educated away from school! (I need confirmation that your parents know you have elected to take a day off school!

Here they are:

Intercounty Rifle Competition forms

Here's an info sheet, the shooting consent, John's camp consent form (again) and a kit list Make sure you print them all off and make sure I have the signed consents if you haven't already given them to me!

Flaming alcohol

No! Not unhealthy dangerous cocktails - Trangia cooking! We will do our own mini-DofE (Rusty-old-iron DofE instead of the more precious Bronze/Silver/Gold which requires a 30min travelling, cook an unwholesome meal, no nights camping, and no volunteering skill or fitness! ) 

Bring something unwholesome to cook on a DofE stove and we'll cook it at the end of our night hike!

Shropshire Rifles practices for the Intercounty competition

The squad are practising at Leaton Hall Ranges (sounds better than 'in my barn') so here is a map/details for those that haven't been before!

The address is Leaton Hall Farm, Leaton, nr Bomere Heath, Shrewsbury SY4 3AP

The map below shows where my house is - note that satnav will take you to the opposite end of our road and drop you at a small Industrial Estate - we are at the other end of that road by the T-junction with a small plant hire company EAGLE in another barn.

My phone no. is 01939 291352

Please also print out and bring the consent to shoot form - you can save the image below and then print. This is a legal requirement.