Hello, we hope you’re enjoying your Summer?
The last 18 months have been challenging for everyone, and our Group is no exception. With no face-to-face scouting for much of the year, the leaders for every section have done a fantastic job keeping our young people engaged with virtual sessions. This amazing effort has meant we actually grew in size, a feat recognised by Joe Rogerson, our County Commissioner:
Congratulations for increasing the number of young people that are members of your Group by 8% during the past year.
This is an impressive achievement, and all the more remarkable given that we have experienced the most challenging year for Scouting since the war. It reflects both the hard work that you have done and the quality programme that you have delivered to achieve this superb increase.
More children enjoying good quality Scouting is what it’s all about!
Well done indeed!
Joe Rogerson, County Commissioner – Surrey Scouts
My thanks go to our leaders, the committee and parents who give their time so freely and willingly for the benefit of scouting and without whom we wouldn’t have such a vibrant, busy, and active group – THANK YOU!
Liam, Group Scout Leader
Our favourite bits of last term
A warm welcome to our new Thursday Cubs
Our new Thursday Cubs have got off to a flying start with a brilliant first term. They’ve been lucky enough to do lots of activities at the hut including a fire and ice evening, as well as taking their first trips out in Kayaks and joining the camps held at Polyapes.
Thanks to our wonderful team of volunteers for getting it off the ground.
Beavers
Beavers were able to get out and about during the Summer Term with a ramble along the towpath from Walton to Molesey where we discovered we had some great walkers; a visit to Bushy Park to learn some navigation skills and a fun walk through Esher Woods for some nature spotting.
We also visited Walton Firs to use their adventure course with a difference – the course is negotiated blindfolded! Trusting your sighted buddy to get you safely to the end is imperative and we were impressed with some of the detailed instructions being given to get over, under, around and through each obstacle.
Despite the weather, our weekend camp at Polyapes was fun filled with so many outdoor activities, quite a few of which included eating?!!
At the end of June Beavers had their first experience kayaking/canoeing with some excitement, unfortunately the second session planned was negated by heavy rain but some lucky Beavers enjoyed a fantastic day of water sports at Paxmead attending our Group event.
Monday Cubs
The Monday Cubs have had a busy Summer term packed full of adventure, new skills and of course, lots of fun!
We’ve been focusing on outdoor skills and adventure this term and between us completed an impressive 94 activity badges! Some highlights this term have been bleach art, knife and axe skills, kayaking, backwoods cooking and of course two fantastic Cub Camps that almost all our Cubs took part in.
Tuesday Scouts
During our Summer of water activities, we have gone further than we’ve ever gone before! For the first time, we have paddled down through Hampton Court and up the River Ember. We’ve also been up to Walton and paddled around the whole of Desborough Island. We ended the term with a trip to Liquid Leisure!
A trip upriver to Windsor enabled our Scouts to learn how to drive different powerboats as well as going through locks.
Eight of our oldest Scouts (now Explorers) successfully completed their Gold Awards following a canoe expedition. CONGRATULATIONS!
Wednesday Scouts
Everything we do at Scouts is about experiencing adventure or learning life skills and this term has been no exception for the Wednesday Scouts. We are super proud to have over 15 different schools represented in the Scouts at 1st Molesey which means there have been plenty of opportunities for the Wednesday Scouts to work in teams and meet new friends.
Since Easter, we have run 2 Bushcraft Camps, offered over 400 water opportunities (including lots of kayaking and a powerboat expedition), cooked on fires at Polyapes and visited Walton Fire station.
We have all loved getting back to face-to-face Scouting and doing what we do best, challenging ourselves to adventure every day!
Explorers
Our Explorer Unit currently has 20 Explorer Scouts! Explorers enjoyed the summer doing what they like best, which is getting out on the water! Weekly sessions of kayaking/canoeing from Sadlers Ride as well as around Desborough Island from Cowey Sale was provided finishing the term with a session at Liquid Leisure. One week we were fortunate to have the opportunity to use stand up paddle boards; an activity that was undertaken with great enthusiasm mostly with huge success.
A group of Explorers undertook a Saturday hike from our Scout Hut to Polyapes, a distance of just under 8 miles that they achieved in about 3 hours including a lunch stop on Oxshott Heath. Well done, Explorers!
Camping at Santa Pod for Dragstalgia provided a weekend of action-packed motorsport, which was a new experience for most and judging from feedback, one that they are keen to repeat. Nearer to home, some Explorers were free to attend the Paxmead camp, enjoying a wide range of water sports and card games!
Thank you to Not Just Travel for your continued sponsorship
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