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Welcome to Edition 25 of Tails of the New Forest. This month, events, adverts, camps celebrating Scouting for All, dragons, adult awards and much more. See what we’re on about below:
What’s coming up?
Chameleon Camp
By Ferny Crofts Activity Centre team
Chameleon Camp takes place on Saturday 13th April 2024 and is specifically designed for participants with special needs, who can benefit from a total inclusion experience. We’re keen to make sure that the message reaches the right people so please pass it on so everyone gets the message!
Event Details
Taking place at Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre. it is specifically designed for participants with special needs, who can benefit from the opportunity to succeed in an outdoor environment and to share their experiences alongside members of their peer group, friends and siblings.
This shall be a day full of activities ranging from Backwoods Cooking, Archery, Tomahawk Throwing and Zip Wire. Finishing around a campfire for some traditional campfire songs. This event is open to young people in Scouting aged 6-18 years old. All participants may also bring a friend or sibling (who do not need to be within Scouts) to enjoy the day with.
The day shall run between 10:00 – 4:00pm and places shall be £15 per young person. Each participant shall receive a Chameleon Camp badge. Any attending carers/parents can attend for free. All activities will take place outside, so please ensure that you are prepared with appropriate clothing for outdoor activities.
How to Make a Booking
Please visit the Ferny Crofts booking portal to make a booking. They require details about main contact name, email address, postal address and contact number. The portal shall then require you to fill in the following details for each of the attending participants:
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Medical Conditions
- Disabilities and Additional Support Needs – We want to ensure that our instructors can provide the best experience for all attending young people. Any information you can provide about additional support that will be required, will help them to adjust activities/procedures accordingly for the event. This could include any sensory issues they may have, varying forms of communication, whether they have limited/restricted use of their limbs. Anything that you think will aide our instructors in delivering the activities would be greatly appreciated.
- Emergency Contact Details (of someone who shall not be present at the event).
If you do have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact the office on 02380845092 or via email: [email protected]
County Beaver Scout events coming up
By Hampshire Beavers team
Hampshire’s Beavers team have announced the dates for various events coming up this year. These are:
- 4 Kingdoms – 20th April
- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard – 29th & 30th June
- Paultons Park – 12th October (Basingstoke), 19th & 20th October
- Picnic in the Park – No set date, hold your own picnic
The team are currently working on releasing an online form to order badges for the Picnic in the Park and spare badges for any other events. This is due to be released shortly.
Young Leader training and opportunities
By Finn Le Page, Hampshire Scouts Young Leader Coordinator
The Young Leader calendar of events is bursting for the next month. It kicks off with a Module B-J Training Day on Saturday 9th March, 10:00 – 20:00 in the Romsey area. Cost £10.00. Sign up here.
Module A – Prepare for Take off, this is a mandatory module for all Young Leaders, is on Sunday 10th March via Zoom between 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Sign up here.
Module K (First Aid) is on Sunday 24th March, via Zoom, between 7 pm – 9:30 pm. E-learning module to be completed prior and sign up here.
Finally, join us on a Young Leader Call on Sunday 17th March, via Zoom, 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm. This is for Young Leaders to discuss what they have learned, play games, and also help with getting missions signed off or help with getting advice. Even the experienced YL still learn something. Sign up here
Science abounds at SOTSEF
By Sian Winter, District Treasurer
The Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (SOTSEF) Open Day 16 March 2024 and is a perfect idea as a day out for our Scouts, families and community. If you’ve not been before, it’s a fun day with lots of free activities for anyone to try run by the University of Southampton.
Book shows and talks early (especially if you want the lasers, astronomy and magic science demo’s), information about the typical sort of things on offer can be seen in the highlights of last year. They are not only really good, but there is a surprising amount of walking around, so sitting down for a show is a rest for your feet. Please share with anyone who might be interested.
Things usually start around 10am. Details at www.sotsef.co.uk.
Copythorne Quiz Night
Ferny Crofts Volunteer Day
Reminders, opportunities and notices
Can you help Henry’s fundraising efforts?
Young Leader Survey
By Finn Le Page, Hampshire Scouts Young Leader Coordinator
Every two years we do a survey in Hampshire to see how Young Leaders are getting on in their role and what additional support is required. The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete and allow us to gain feedback on what needs improving for Young Leaders in Hampshire. Your feedback allows us to make positive changes towards the Young Leaders scheme and give you a better experience through your volunteering, learning and development and more.
Survey Link: https://bit.ly/2024youngleadersurvey
If you have any questions please get in touch via [email protected]
Badges for Sale
By Emma Hanslip, ADC Beavers
I have a few surplus blanket badges for sale, with money going back to support the District and future activities. You can choose from the list below. Contact Emma to arrange payment and collection.
- 27 x Beaver Sleepover 2024 @ £2.50 each
- 18 x Beaver Sleepover 2023 @ £2.50 each
- 11 x 35 Years of Beavers Birthday @ £2.50 each
- 10 x Paulton’s Park 40 Years @ £1 each.
Advertise at the Donkey Derby
By the 4th Eling Sea Scouts and 5t Testwood organising team
We still have space in our on-the-day programme for adverts and a few donkeys you are able to sponsor in the races. Support these 2 great scout groups, advertise your business or cause and your ad will reach over 2,000 members of the local community!
Donkey sponsorship is a £10 minimum donation, full page programme ad is £80 and a half page ad is £50. Or sponsor our Donkey Hunt activity for £100 which includes full page ad.
Contact [email protected] for more information and apply.
What’s been happening?
It may be a short month but enough has happened thank you very much! First up, our Beaver Scouts from across the district took over Calshot Activity Centre for a sleepover:
4th Eling have had a busy month it would seem with loads of activities from across the sections, before we think about planning for Donkey Derby:
We’ve had news from 6th Netley Marsh Beavers who have had a busy few months:
We have completed our space badge and we have made a start on our YOUSHAPE badge, each of our lodges have decided what activity they would like to run over the next four weeks. We have had a marble run, where we made our own marble run and used tennis balls. The Beavers worked very well together and Orange Lodge who’s evening it was showed good leadership skills. I am looking forward to the next 3 weeks when we have a puppet show, lots of games with pries and a glow stick disco!
We also did an evening of doing things backwards to celebrate backwards day, we had loads of fun and one beaver even put his pants over his trousers!
We celebrated Chinese New Year and beavers tried new foods, we had seaweed, egg fried rice, plain rice, chicken balls and prawn crackers. Most went home and told their parents they would like seaweed with their Chinese from now on!
We have also visited the local food bank where we learned where people get baptised at a Baptist church, they were very shocked that it was under the floorboards! We then went round to the food bank where they helped label some tins and sorted them into the right boxes. At the end of term we are having a treat night at the soft play in Eastleigh.
Speaking of dragons, take a look at this one from 5th Testwood Cubs for their Lunar New Year evenings:
Pancakes. Tin Can Pancakes. Cancakes if you will. That’s what 1st Fordingbridge Scouts tried this year:
And finally, adult awards and cake for the Founder’s Day tea last weekend:
Remember you can stay up to date with what’s going on on our Facebook page (/newforestscouts) or Instagram (@newforestscouts). Plus if you’re a volunteer you can be part of the Facebook group for members too.
Lynn, Robin and Kevin.