Yes, it’s July. It’s HOT! And it’s party time!!!!!
After a busy scouting year, the committee and leaders of 12th Cambridge invite all members, friends and family to our Summer Party 2015 on 20 July, 6pm on.
With catering by our very own professionals and fun & games organised by our scouters, this is the event not to be missed!
FREE entry*, just RSVP to summerparty@12thcambridge.org.uk (*but donations via our Virgin site are welcome at any time!)
It’s been a while since the Cub pack’s Spring Camp in the Peak District: it’s about time I got some photos out to the world! See the bottom of this page for a large number of photos.
The theme of the camp was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a story with a close connection to where we were camping. Our band of knights encountered many a challenge and accomplished many a feat of derring-do, too many to recount in full, but particular highlights should be recorded.
Perhaps most notable was their descent from a terrifyingly high bridge, lowering themselves through thin air. Then there was the epic journey on foot along the spectacular Roaches ridge in two separate groups, navigating themselves.
Back at camp, our knights were never idle. When they weren’t building our grand fortress gate, they were inventing and building numerous items of camp furniture, making flags and heraldic crests, laying trails of tracking symbols, hunting for treasure, cooking food over a fire and digging around in the undergrowth to discover its hidden inhabitants. And let’s not forget the necessary components of day-to-day life on camp: collecting firewood, helping with cooking, washing up, fetching water, and so on.
The cubs’ enthusiasm, helpfulness and general positive attitude to the activities, as well as the more mundane everyday aspects of camp life, was fantastic and made the camp great fun for all of us! Well done to them all, especially those camping with us for the first time!
[alpine-phototile-for-picasa-and-google-plus src=”user_album” uid=”102300161421707243528″ ualb=”6138253617712637905″ imgl=”fancybox” style=”wall” col=”4″ size=”320″ num=”1000″ highlight=”1″ align=”center” max=”100″]
So on Thursday a series of school trips left Raptor troop with just 14 scouts compared to our normal 35. There was only one answer….. Two make shift patrols of 7 and a game of Quidditch!
In April this year, we launched a second Scout Troop and meeting night. Up to now, it’s been known – rather boringly! – as the 12th Cambridge (Wednesday) Troop.
Last week, the Scouts at the new Troop got to vote on their choice of name. The clear winner, seeing off Reptiles, Mountains and even Dinosaurs, was Wildcats.
This led onto decisions about patrol names, and we now have the Black Panthers, Jaguars and Pumas. They’re led by our three new Patrol Leaders, who will be appointing their assistants later in the term.
With fifteen Scouts and now a Troop name, things are settling down at Wildcats. We’ve got our first camp in July (joint with Raptors, the Thursday evening Troop), and will be launching a patrol points competition over the summer, as well as designing a Troop badge.
If you’ve got any questions, or would like to get involved (either as a Scout or as an adult helper/leader) do email us at newtroop@12thcambridge.org.uk And yes, we might change that email to wildcats@ soon!
With the summer season well and truly on us it’s the time of year where we can really let our scouts do what we train them to do, take the lead and run their own camps. During the summer each of the 5 patrols that make up Raptor troop plan and run their own camps with no adults going with them! For the patrol leaders, our 13 and 14 year olds it is a big responsibility and one of the highlights of their time in the troop.
Selfie tastic!
Our first patrol, The Hawks, are just back from their trip to Gilwell Park in Epping Forest where they swung from the high ropes, zipped the zip wire and ran their own grand prix. Photos below! Further down are photos of Kingfishers expedition to Thriftwood. Over the next few weekends Kestrels, Eagles and Owls will follow them…..
12th Cambridge Scouts took part in the SWAN65 sailing expedition over Easter. Half a dozen of our fine galley-boys and girls set sail in a group of 28 scouts and 22 leaders in traditional 1930s Broads cruisers.
As is often the case around Easter, the weather provided its challenges. After a couple of days of sailing, a storm blew in and the fleet was confined to home port. This provided the opportunity to engage with some shore-based activities, including archery & crate-stacking (kindly hosted by 50th Norwich) and trips to Norwich cathedral & castle and Yarmouth.
Later in the week, conditions improved and some fine sail-training was had by all. Suncream was deployed. Wroxham and its bridges became the location for mast-lowering practice and a spot of quanting.
Friday evening saw the return of the fleet to the boatyard, fish & chips for everyone and prize-giving, with Ben “can we switch the engine off?” Binks being awarded the Quant Fever prize.
Well done to all our Scouts (& Explorer) for being such enthusiastic crew-mates for the week.
It’s 1 week today til the 12th Cambridge launches its second Scout Troop!
So, our very first meeting kicks off at 7:45pm next Wednesday, at the Scout Hut on Gilbert Road. The entrance is through a fairly narrow set of gates between the Gurney Way and Courtney Way turns; there’s a full map here (under the “The 12th” tab). The meeting will run to 9:15pm, and parents are welcome to pop in for a chat at the end (or indeed at the start, but the leaders may be a little busier sorting things out then).
We’ve got a couple of games included in the programme, as well as a general introduction to Scouting, a getting-to-know-you activity, and a session on using pen knives safely. As with most Scout evenings, no specific kit is needed, other than uniform for those Scouts who are already invested (i.e. those transferring from Thursdays). It’s a good idea to wear old clothes, just in case we have some messier or outdoor activities, and to bring a coat/waterproof that’s suitable for the weather. We’ll be doing quite a few things outdoors over the summer term in particular.
For those few people who haven’t returned information forms yet, it would be really handy to have them in advance, but otherwise do please bring them in at the start of the meeting. As you’ll appreciate, we need contact and basic information before any Scout is left for the meeting.
If there are any queries, please do email, or give Toby a call on 07912 494875.
Events to look forward to…
With the General Election quickly approaching the troop’s Patrol Leaders, our senior 13 and 14 year old scouts, decided that they wanted to have a night themed on it and decided to invite the candidates for the Cambridge seat at May’s election to an evening to be grilled by the troop in a “Question Time” style event.
We were joined for the evening by Valerie Holt, campaigned for Liberal Democrat candidate Julian Huppert, Labour candidate Daniel Zeichner, Green Party Councillor Oscar Gillespie and UKIP candidate for South East Cambs Deborah Rennie.
Just like on the tv show none of the candidates knew any of the questions in advance and some were clearly surprised by the nature of some of them which varied between the voting age, use of cycle helmets, GCSE grade inflation and immigration. UKIP’s Deborah Rennie said “I was really impressed with the questions” and Labour’s Daniel Zeichner said ” it was actually the most interesting event we have done so far, because the audience was a much more genuine cross-section. I was very impressed by the young people”
They were clearly not the only ones to enjoy it as one scout called it “the best night I’ve had at scouts this year”, it looks like we may have now got some budding politicians in the making. The event also got coverage from the local press
The group would like to thank all those who gave up their time for the group in what is a very busy time in the run up to the election.
So while reorganising a load of our archives we came across a huge number of photos showing what our cubs got up to between 2006 and 2009. It includes what we got up to in the scouts centenary year in 2007, a really special time to have been involved 🙂
Many of those featured are now explorer scouts or even leaders now. We’ve put them all in the gallery now here. Enjoy!
It’s 4 weeks today til the 12th Cambridge launches its second Scout Troop!
We talked last week about what normally happens during meetings, including games, team activities, learning skills, etc. As we’ll be a new Troop, however, the first few weeks will include a few special introductory activities, helping Scouts to get ready for their investiture. This is the short ceremony when they officially join the Troop, and we’d expect to run a big investiture around half term. We’ll try to find somewhere unusual for it – maybe up a climbing wall, or in a swimming pool! – and Scouts are welcome to suggest ideas for this!
Making the Scout Promise is one of the main parts of getting invested – it’s our commitment to acting in a certain way during Scout activities, and in fact throughout life. The core Promise is as follows;
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God, and to the Queen, to help other people, and to keep the Scout Law.
There are alternative versions of the Promise for those different faiths and nationalities. The Scout Law sets out seven values, including trust, loyalty and respect. You can find out more about both the Promise and Law at www.scouts.org.uk
and one new Cub
Events to look forward to…