Cambridge 12th scouts will be rolling up their sleeves this Saturday to wash as many cars as possible in a drive to raise funds to go to Canada in summer 2017 to meet up and spend time with the 12th Cambridge Canadian Scout troop.

15 scouts will have soapy sponges and chamois leathers at the ready at Chesterton Sports Centre in Cambridge in a bid to raise buckets of cash to help fund their adventure.

For fourteen days days they will all live together under canvas, stay with host families, and take part in a packed programme of activities.

This will be a fantastic experience for all concerned. But before then, all the scouts are really looking forward to seeing as many people as possible with their cars at Chesterton Sports Centre on Saturday.

The Car wash is kick starting their year of fundraising activities, including baking cakes to sell at local events and bag-packing at local stores, with other plans in the pipeline in the coming months.

The car wash will take place between 8.30am and 2.30pm at Chesterton Sports Centre car park on Gilbert Road, Cambridge this Saturday 24th November.

For each car wash, we suggest a minimum donation of £7. More appreciative donations are gladly accepted!

This year for summer camp scouts from both Raptor and Wildcat troops spent a week in the woods in Sussex for summer camp. Broadstone Warren is the country’s largest scout campsite, set in the middle of Ashdown Forest and close to the home of Winnie The Pooh.

Day 1 saw the troop terrorise the public transport system on route to Sussex before setting themselves up in a woodland clearing at Broadstone

Day 2 and things started to get properly fun! First with the construction of bivouacs for the following night and then, in a challenge set by our Canadian friends, building cardboard canoes for sailing along side rafts that afternoon.

The quality of the rafts was….er….. variable…. sparking rumors that it may have descended into an impromptu swimming session. Something we hotly deny 🙂

Day 3 and it got a little bit white knuckle as we hit the high ropes before assisting the site staff in the afternoon keep the rhododendrons under control. Broadstone is a site of Special Scientific Interest due to its incredible biodiversity. The rhododendrons are an invasive species, preventing the growth of native species of trees and shrubs.

Day 4…. dawned wet and soggy. A perfect day to head for the coast! In true British fashion the scouts braved the weather to take in the Sea Life centre, consume vast quantities of fish and chips and of course lose all their money on the pier. What more would you want from the seaside?

Day 5… Back to site activities in the morning as the scouts learned to walk on water and shoot like Robin Hood. Afternoon saw them split into those earning their meteorology badge and those geocaching.

Day 6….. and we left site again. This time to hike around the local area and of course find Poo Sticks Bridge! And there fierce competition broke out as the scouts stripped the local area of every twig they could find. The return leg of the hike saw the return of some er…. weather! And it all got a little bit soggy….

Day 7….. and after a night sleeping under the stars it was time to go home! Once again the public transport system was invaded prompting a couple of passengers on a bus to move due to the smell of camp fire coming off everyone!

A  massive well done to all the scouts and explorer who went, AK, Alex P, Will, Jonnie, Biba, Izzy, Eleanor H, Eleanor V, Ebba, Teilo, Adam, Dan, Alex B, Jamie, Rosie, Jenny, Harry, Lucas and Kitty. And inparticular Ebba, our scout of the camp for 100% enthusiasm for absolutely everything 🙂

We have taken hundreds of photos of the camp and you can find them all here. The Summer Camp Diaries movie is now in production. Watch this space!

Raptors Troop ventured in punts onto the Cam once again.  Graham had ‘had a word’ with the powers-that-be on this occasion, cancelling the side-order of torrential rain and lightning served up previously.

The scene was perfect – warm, calm as a millpond and blue sky.  The ‘mate’s rates’ from Scudamores meant that we had the punts for an hour and a half, more than enough to reach the ‘money-shot’ location near King’s College chapel.

All the scouts got the opportunity to wield poles and, ahem, navigate the mighty river.

On the subject of navigation, one punt (Izzie, you shan’t remain nameless!) received the order to stop and reverse a little.  Apparently, this was to enable the capture of a nearby-located Pokemon Go character.  It’s amazing what you can spot amongst Cambridge’s world-class architecture.

Somwhat disappointingly to the GSL (who had brought a towel and combat-stripped his wallet for the occasion), nobody fell in and waterfights failed to break out.  Parents may have had a different opinion. Maybe next time!

Last Friday Wildcats Troop celebrated their first anniversary in style with a night hike followed by a sleepover at the hut.

The scouts navigated their way around a 10km route with several challenges along the way. Despite the sub-optimal weather the scouts soldiered on marvelously with nary a grumble or disparaging remark towards the conditions.

Much to the leaders vexation the scouts showed no signs of collapse upon finishing the hike and continued well into the wee hours. Finding entertainment in such varied activies as hair tieing lessons, which Maddie happily volunteered for after some serious cajoling.

To just general manic activity, unfortunately no footage survives of this but here is an artist’s impression of events:

Once all of the groups had returned to the hut it was time to invest our newest member (at the time). Rosie chose to join wildcats on our anniversary and she also had the privilege of blowing out the candle on our anniversary cake. Fortunately this momentous occasion was recorded so that future generations can experience this moment, although the footage is being kept in a locked safe.

Then after a rejuvenating 3-4 hours kip the scouts roused themselves and cooked breakfast on roaring fires, dispensing with both hunger and the chilly morning air splendidly.

With spring having sprung and the weather getting better what better time to do something a bit different and learn to fly? And so 18 intrepid scouts made for Gransden Lodge Airfield where the were introduced to the principles of flight, took to the air and got to take control of a motorised glider.

Some scouts had a few nerves, some looked a little “green around the gills” after landing but all had their first taste of being a pilot with a few making noises about a new career as pilots…..

Back in January Raptor troop waved a sad goodbye to Rebecka, one of our scouts who emigrated with her family to New Zealand. Scouting though is international and very much thriving in New Zealand so it wasn’t long before she was signed up with a new troop “down under”. Her mum (former group treasurer!) wrote to us with an update on their adventures……..

Dear all at 12th Cambridge

I just thought I would give you an update on what Rebekah has been doing Scouting wise since arriving in NZ!

Tonight (15 March) she was invested into the Brooklyn 1909 Scout Troup. She was made an Assistant Patrol Leader (for Patrol Four) and given a new scarf (or necker in UK parlance!). The scarf is green with a gold band at the edge.

In addition she was awarded the ‘Bronze Badge’. This was given to her in recognition of all the things that she has done in the UK and since arriving in NZ. All new scouts work thorough the bronze, silver and gold badges.

Also tonight one of the Scouts was awarded his gold badge which is the highest award in Scouts (last year only 6 were awarded in the Wellington district, so this is quite an achievement). Lots of badges were given out and about 6 other scouts were invested.

The Brooklyn troop is one of the oldest in NZ (with Scouting starting in 1908!).

The Brooklyn Troop is very active and is very busy fundraising as this is a Jamboree year for New Zealand. It is being held near Blenheim at the top of the South Island. The aim is to send 24 Scouts and to raise 80% of the cost for each scout. This means that every scout going has to be involved in fundraising. Each scout has to ‘do’ a minimum of 20 hours; the Scout family also has to contribute 20 hours and together work a total of at least 60 hours.

To this end Rebekah and I ‘worked’ at the Edinburgh Tattoo which was held at the WestPac stadium (known as the Cake Tin! on account of its shape). We saw most of the show (which was a bonus). This is only the 6th time the Tattoo has been held outside Scotland. The Brooklyn scouts were involved in running a bar – this means the adults deal with the money and actually serving customers (the scouts pour the drinks and pass them to the till operators).

Last week she went kayaking on Wellington harbour and this weekend she is on a camp (for about 300 Scouts and Venturers – near Hastings and it is a huge Battle of the Flag). All scouts attending the jamboree have to have 10 nights under canvas – as we know Rebekah has done this already (but it is important that she does this under NZ conditions!).

Please see attached photos.

They are two of the Tattoo (with the Castle built, traditional Maori performers) and two of the investiture.

Regards Catherine, Neil and Rebekah

Fantastic to see her UK necker still in use 🙂

Two intrepid teams of 12th Cambridge scouts braved the elements in FORWARD 2016, the 10-mile incident hike organised by Cambridge University Scout and Guide Club.

With the forecast for rain all day (thankfully, a little pessimistic) and a biting northerly wind & hail showers failing to deter our young teams, the scouts embraced all the challenges set for them by the organisers (who themselves had to fend off hypothermia).

In addition to the hike, there were 7 checkpoints with challenges including code-breaking, semaphore, an observation quiz, shepherding (yes, seriously!) and spaghetti-bridge-building.

Well done to all our scouts for completing the challenge safely and with enthusiasm!

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A contingent of 19 scouts from Raptors and Wildcats headed to Gilwell Park for the weekend along with 3000 others for a lot of fun and an absolute mud bath. Hat tip to scouts from 11th/9th Cambridge, 14th Cambridge, 16th Cambridge and 18th Cambridge and Shackleton and Avenger Explorer Scout Units who we camped with…..

As well as the Photos below head over to our Youtube page for a few vids of what we got up to….

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August saw Raptor troop head to The New Forest for summer camp. We were joined by our friends from 12th Cambridge in Ontario Canada, our twin troop.

As well as trail biking, axe throwing, pioneering, high ropes and climbing it was also just a little bit wet….. many scouts came home having grown gills and webbed feet

All the photos from the week can be found here.