A fourth-generation King’s Scout, a Chief Scout’s Acorn Award, and a quintet of volunteer good service awards top off an amazing weekend of fun and activities.
By Paddy Butler, Scout leader and Camp leader, 3rd Ringwood Scouts
Towards the end of June, 3rd Ringwood Scouts held their annual all-sections weekend Group camp at Headlands Adventure Centre, just outside of Ringwood, welcoming all ages from 4 to 14 to share adventure together.
Around 50 excited Beavers, Cubs and Scouts help set up camp on Friday, and prepared for a full weekend of activities. Following the traditional early awakening, it wasn’t long before they got stuck into base activities, including ‘Cactus Country Capers’ (air rifle shooting), ‘The Amazon Expedition’ (archery), ‘Perilous Penguins’ (kayak antics), a makeshift Highland Games, craft, pioneering, trading post & fire. Many parents joined us for the day (or weekend), and got enthusiastically involved in helping the Leaders so children could enjoy all the bases – abundant thanks to them all!
In the afternoon, we were joined by Squirrels Leader Peter Rabbit and members of his Squirrel Drey, who got stuck into their own range of exciting activities including Tomahawk throwing, archery, parachute games, a nature hunt, throwing poo in the loo (naturally) and finishing with classic camp food of dampers and songs round the camp fire. We also awarded the Chief Scout Acorn Award, the highest programme award for Squirrel Scouts, to Jocelyn – a big well done to her!
Sunday morning brought glorious sunshine, and as we bade farewell to both Beavers and Cub sections, the Scouts got engrossed for a little bit longer and got stuck into raft building with a twist – they had to use cardboard tubes that weren’t very waterproof, but great fun!
Celebrating amazing volunteers
During the morning, we were joined by two distinguished guests: District Lead Volunteer Robin Mair and Andy Chatwin, the Programme Team Lead for Hampshire Scouts and 14-24 Team Lead for New Forest Scouts. In front of the group, they celebrated and recognised the amazing achievements of many of the dedicated adult volunteers present. Robin presented a Chief Scouts Commendation for Good Service to Mark Knös and the well-deserved Award for Merits to Paddy Butler, Angela Cork, David Evans and Emma McNally. A huge congratulations to them all!
Reaching the Top
Finally, but by no means least, was the turn of Rebecca McNally who wonderfully and well deservedly received her King’s Scout Award from Andy Chatwin on behalf of the County Lead Volunteer. The King’s Scout Award is the highest award a young person can achieve in Scouting by honing their skills and putting them into practice to both the benefit of the young person themselves and the wider community too.
What makes this even more special is that Rebecca is continuing a family tradition of achievement that now spans four generations! Rebecca’s great-grandfather, born in 1900, was an early Scout and achieved his King’s Scout Award in the 1920s and set the family on the path of being heavily involved in the youth movement – both Rebecca’s grandfather and great uncle earned their Queen’s Scouts Awards early in Queen Elizabeth’s reign. Moving one generation down, Rebecca’s mother and aunts achieved their Queen’s Guide Awards, the highest equivalent in Girlguiding – as her mother Emma would recount “their mother was Brown Owl and father a Cub leader, so they didn’t stand a chance of not being involved with Scouts!” And with such an achievement, Rebecca continues the tradition and volunteers at 3rd Ringwood alongside her mother and sisters – one of whom is already following the path with a Chief Scout’s Platinum Award. A fantastic achievement all round!
A sign of a good weekend is all the messages of thanks afterwards, normally followed by ‘they’re fast asleep now!’ Great result 😊
Paddy Butler
Camp, and Scout leader
You can help bring a smile to the faces of young people in Ringwood. The 3rd Ringwood are currently looking for volunteers to help with Squirrels on Friday evenings and Cubs on Tuesday evenings. Follow the links to find out how you can help.