Spring term was once again busy for 3rd Hampton Hill Scout Group. There have been a couple of improvements to the headquarters including soundproofing (appreciated by the leaders) and work on the footpath. The Ordnance Survey visited us to update their maps, with the details of our headquarters building and land.

Several of the older Scouts have moved up to Ventures, rejuvenating the unit. They came second in their district volleyball competition and have decorated their room in our headquarters. They are planning many activities for next term including a raft race and a camp.

The Scout Troop's programme included a mix of activities such as first aid, camping skills, observation and codes. Creative skills came to the fore in the hot air balloon challenge. Like the cubs the Scouts also had a pancake evening and of course tin cans and candles featured amongst the methods used. Competitively the Scouts did well, with creditable performances in the district first aid competition and second place in the district volleyball and air rifle competitions.

The Cubs have used a Scouting in the Seychelles as a theme for some of their evenings, incorporating map work, menu writing and thinking about immunisation. Additionally they have based evenings around Mother's day, Easter and St George's day. Pancake evening was great fun, with cubs cooking pancakes on top of tin cans and candles.

The Dads night was particularly successful where the fathers joined in as Beavers for the night, although unfortunatly they beat the boys at nearly every game, despite our best efforts to swing it the other way! A further competition with lego cars proved to be great fun, although the leaders did tend to get a little bit too involved. The group sponsered walk was also a great success, with our beavers making up the majority, spurred on by a very long game of eye-spy.

The group undertook a sponsored walk in April, which we hope to make an annual event. The summer term promises to be packed, In addition to the regular evening meetings there will be a training camp for cubs and Scouts on the first weekend in May, group campfire on 29th June, cub adventure 2001 and Borough Camp and a Scout camp in the summer holidays.

Source: Peter Horner, The Spire Magazine - 2001 May