Flysheet
The Sutton District Scouting Newsletter – January 2006
Contents
- Contents
- Chairman’s Notes
- Notes from the District Commissioner
- Beavers
- Cubs
- Scouts
- Scouts Go Caving
- District Camp
- Gone Home
- Sutton District Band
- Walton Firs Scout Campsite
- SOUWEST 2006 Gang Show
- Flysheet
- Diary 2006
Chairman’s Notes
A Happy and Prosperous New Year to all and best wishes for successful Scouting in 2006. Christmas has passed all too soon. Hopefully we have been able to spend more time with family and friends and perhaps help others with our Scouting good turns. Families and their needs are most important and with the busy life of Scouting, and other pursuits, it is easy to take them for granted. Perhaps one of our New Year’s Resolutions would be to try and keep the balance necessary with family very much in mind.
In this coming year we have much to do to consolidate and develop our Sutton District. It is pleasing to report that Paul Whitcher has agreed to take on the appointment of District Media Manager. Paul is known to many as he has held appointments in both the former Districts now merged in Sutton, as well as an Assistant County Commissioner. His experience will be well used through the District Executive in helping our development, image and publicity. He is most interested to hear from you concerning your needs and ideas.
A meeting is being planned for all Group Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers on the evening of the 16th March (at District HQ) to meet with their District equivalents. The purpose of this, apart from getting to know each other, is to discuss common problems and to look at procedures necessary to help the smooth running and development of the District. Please note this date in you diaries so we can expect all Groups to be represented. Further details will be circulated.
Notes from the District Commissioner
At the beginning of a new year it is customary to look back at the old year and forward to the months to come. 2005 has been a very busy time for our new District and despite some problems I am very encouraged at all we have achieved. Having had a sneak preview of the contributions to this edition of the Flysheet I am very pleased to read the accounts of Troop camps, caving, the 1st Wallington Band and the various District events. The next 12 months must see us build on what we have done so far and continue to provide exciting and challenging programmes and activities for all our members.
2007 will see the start of a universal co-education policy in Scouting. Some Groups have already successfully accepted girls into their sections and others are actively making plans to do so. I hope that Groups that have not yet done so begin the process as soon as possible as the next twelve months will pass by all too quickly.
The next big event is Join the Adventure on Saturday 18th March, a county-wide recruitment drive aimed mainly at adults. Our District will be arranging for stands in the various centres of the borough and help will be needed to staff them. Details will follow shortly.
Beavers
A Happy New Year to you all.
Let’s hope that 2006 brings us all more closely together, especially as Beaver Scouts will be celebrating their 20th Birthday with a big party at Walton Firs Scout Campsite at beginning of July.
In early December we held the District Panto at the 4th Worcester Park HQ. Between the two performances nearly 200 Beavers and leaders enjoyed a fantastic show of Puss in Boots. If you did not make it you missed a great occasion.
During this coming year several events are to be organised and I hope that you will give your Beavers the chance to join in. Remember, your enthusiasm will encourage them.
Our first meeting of this year will be on Tuesday 7th February, 7.45pm at the District HQ, Wallington. Lots of information will be available and you need to be there to receive it.
I look forward to seeing you all.
Cubs
It was an extremely cold morning, there was a thick frost and the ground was frozen and glistening white, yet over 50 Cubs took numerous leaders to Park Farm Campsite, Banstead in order to compete in the Challenge Trophy. The Cubs, in teams of four, visited each of eight bases, demonstrating their Scouting knowledge and putting their outdoors skills to the test at each of them. There was tent-pitching (hard work trying to bang pegs into the frozen earth!), pioneering, compass skills, fire-lighting (a chance to warm up), tracking (where they kept taking the wood from the fire lighters to make tracking signs!), first aid, nature knowledge, and communication (we all know Cubs can talk, but can they walk in a straight line with a blindfold on?). At each base they were marked for achievement and teamwork.
Several hours later, and colder, all the bases had been visited and the scores were being added up. Congratulations go to 14th Wallington who came first; 5th Sutton who were 2nd and 1st North Wallington Bren Pack and 1st Wallington who shared 3rd place.
From the Challenge Trophy the Cubs all went home to warm up, as did some of the leaders. Others were mad enough to go on to the Scout Tate Shield Competition, which I’m told was even colder.
![[Picture from Challenge Trophy Competition]](flysheet-2006-01-p1.jpg)
The pioneering base at the Challenge Trophy Competition
Meanwhile the District’s elite swimmers were at Trinity School swimming pool (which was nice and warm) competing in the County Cub swimming gala. We were fortunate enough to be able to enter two teams this year and we did very well. One of the teams came joint 2nd – congratulations to all the swimmers! Thanks go to Ann Morley, Chris and Sue Sowden for organising our District’s teams for this.
I hope you have all had a good break over the festive season and look forward to seeing and hearing what you get up to in the New Year.
Scouts
Let me wish you all a Happy New Year – and what a year it’s going to be in the Scout section. We are setting our year off with a hearty feast (cooking competition). Last year, in the Sutton and Cheam District, this was won by 3rd Cheam Scouts who then went on to win the County competition – so can your Troop top that?
February will see our annual five-a-side football competition move to a new date and a new venue so that we can accommodate the expected greater numbers – I hope that you are all in training.
As I write this in January, I have just received the first report back on a camp attended by two Troops – the Gilwell Winter Camp. This was all under canvas and lots of mud, not that this ever seems to worry the hardy souls at 1st North Sutton who regularly attend this event. They were joined by several members of 3rd Cheam – what a great start to any year.
Well that’s it for now but I look forward to writing in the next edition of the “Flysheet” of all the great things that are going on within the Scout section.
Scouts Go Caving
On Sunday 4th December, seven Scouts and two leaders from 1st North Wallington went caving at Merstham Mines.
We arrived at 09:30 and crossed over a stile into the woods where we found a manhole in the middle of nowhere. The manhole was opened and a 20-foot vertical tube appeared. With some trepidation the Scouts were belayed into the dark. After some words of safety we moved off into the mine. I had always thought mines were square holes in the ground with rails to carry the little wooden cars on them. This was not like that in any way – it was very much like a proper cave with quite small passages that required a lot of bending over. We were taken to the western end of the mine via the “Letterbox” (a small rectangular hole 3 feet off the ground) and shown where the concrete that the M23 construction crew had used to try and fill the mines. On the way we saw a “grotto” with hundreds of stalactites dating back to around the 15th Century and the remains of some poor rabbit, lost many years ago.
![[Pictures taken in Merstham Mines]](flysheet-2006-01-p3.jpg)
The Scouts in Merstham Mines
After lunch we re-entered the mine and went to the eastern side which gave the Scouts a go at some small crawls, one of which goes through the “Cheese Grater”. Here the Scouts were allowed to explore in small groups guarded by the two Wealden Cave & Mine Society members. This was great as we followed the Scouts deciding which way they should go and how they knew where they were going (if they did we certainly didn’t!!! ). After a while both groups met up and awaited the Mine team who then guided us out of the cave via another small crawl (it was funny but the mine team knew how to get there without crawling).
We would like to thank Chippie and Andy from the Wealden Cave & Mine Society who gave a very professional and knowledgeable trip. If you would like to try this out with your Scouts or Explorers, contact Chippie on 020 8647 9961.
District Camp 2007
In the last edition of the Flysheet I informed you all about District Camp 2007. I also asked for some volunteers to help with the organisation of this great event – well, to date, only one person has come forward – this is very disappointing to say the very least. So if you said to yourself (or to others) “I wouldn’t have done it that way”, well here is your chance to come and share your wisdom with us and be part of a team that will strive to deliver a camp worthy of the event it is being set up to celebrate. So, if this has inspired you, please do get in touch. My e-mail address is shawrayathome@supanet.com.
Gone Home
Ros Hill
We are sorry to report the death of Ros Hill, aged 84, in the Atkinson Morley Hospital last year. Ros had been diagnosed as suffering from Motor Neurone Disease.
Ros was Cub Scout Leader with the 11th Wallington Group from 1967 until her retirement in 1981. Her daughter Melodie and son-in-law Peter Shelbourne also became Leaders with the Group, having run other Packs and Units in the area.
Melodie says that Ros would have appreciated being remembered for her work with the Cubs.
Sutton District Band
On Sunday 13th November, the 1st Wallington (Sutton District) Scout Band were joined by the Wimbledon & Wandle District Scout Band to lead the British Legion Remembrance Day Parade from Mitcham Fair Green to the War Memorial by the Cricket Green and back. It was a bright, crisp, autumnal day but very solemn as war veterans laid their wreaths and paid their respects.
![[Picture of the Mitcham, Morden & Wimbledon Post front page]](flysheet-2006-01-p2.jpg)
This photograph appeared on the front page of the Mitcham, Morden & Wimbledon Post, but the caption mistakenly refers to Wimbledon Common
Don’t forget, although based at 1st Wallington Group, this is our District Band and anyone in the District is welcome to join. We are always looking for new members, and particularly Scouts who may be learning or even starting to learn a brass or woodwind instrument. If you are interested, please contact Ian King.
Walton Firs Scout Campsite
As many in the District will be aware, the future of Walton Firs Campsite has been the subject of much speculation over the past 18 months. We are pleased to announce that arrangements are now in place to secure the site’s future.
Surrey County Scout Council will enter into a two-year lease to manage Walton Firs until 31st December 2007. During this period “The Walton Firs Foundation” will raise the £800,000 needed to buy the site from the Scout Association. Once acquired, the site will continue to be leased to Surrey County Scout Council to secure its future as a place for Scouts and Guides.
For further information see the Walton Firs page on the GLSW web site or e-mail the Surrey County Scout Council Office at countyoffice@surrey-scouts.org.uk.
SOUWEST 2006 Gang Show
Are you or your Cubs or Scouts enthusiastic? Able to sing? Move in time to music? Act a little? And most importantly able to have fun!!?
The SOUWEST 2006 Gang Show will run at the Secombe Theatre, Sutton, from Tuesday 24th October to Saturday 28th October 2006. Auditions are open to members of both Scout & Guide Associations and will take place on Sundays 26th February, 5th & 12th March 2006 in Worcester Park.
For further information see the Gang Show audition pages on the GLSW web site or e-mail gangshow@glswscouts.org.uk.
Flysheet
Flysheet is the Sutton District Scouting newsletter. Please send material to the editor, Chris Sowden, preferably by e-mail to flysheet@suttonscouts.org.uk.
Submissions for the March issue should be sent to reach the editor by 24th February 2006.
Diary 2006
| January 2006 | |
|---|---|
| 15th Sun | Canoe Club Pool Session |
| 18th Wed | PAGGS Camp 2006 Meeting |
| 20th Fri | District Explorer Handball Competition |
| 22nd Sun | District Scout Cooking Competition |
| 24th Tue | District Scout Leaders Meeting |
| February 2006 | |
| 5th Sun | County Scout Cooking Competition |
| 7th Tue | District Beaver Leaders Meeting |
| 11th Sat | District Cub Chess Competition |
| 12th Sun | District GSLs Meeting, DHQ, 10:00am |
| 13th–17th Mon–Fri |
Sutton LEA Half-Term |
| 16th–19th Thu–Sun |
County Network Winter Mountaineering Trip to Bethesda |
| 19th Sun | Canoe Club Pool Session |
| 26th Sun | District Scout Five-a-Side Football Tournament |
| March 2006 | |
| TBA | District Cub Swimmer Badge and Fun Splash |
| 4th–5th Sat–Sun |
County Explorer/Network Operation Red Flare Night Hike |
| 11th–12th Sat–Sun |
County Scout Night Exercise |
| 16th Thu | Group Chairmen/Secretaries/Treasurers Meeting |
| 17th Fri | District Scout Handball Competition |
| 18th Sat | County-wide “Join the adventure” Day |
| 19th Sun | Canoe Club Pool Session |
| 25th Sat | District Cub “Peggy Charman” First Aid Competition |
| 31st Fri | Sutton LEA Spring Term ends |
| April 2006 | |
| 8th Sat | PAGGS Camp 2006 Activity Day |
| 13th–17th Thu–Mon |
Explorer Estrek Expedition to Derbyshire |
| 18th Tue | Sutton LEA Summer Term starts |
| 22nd Sat | District Scout Indoor Climbing Day |
| 23rd Sun | District St George’s Day Parade |
| May 2006 | |
| 5th–7th Fri–Sun |
District Cub Camping Weekend |
| 13th–14th Sat–Sun |
PAGGS Camp 2006 Camping Weekend |
| 19th–21st Fri–Sun |
District Scout Water Activities Weekend |
| 29th–2nd Jun Mon–Fri |
Sutton LEA Half-Term |
| June 2006 | |
| TBA | District Cub Mat Ball Competition |
| 7th Wed | County AGM |
| 8th Thu | District AGM |
| July 2006 | |
| TBA | District Cub Sports Day |
| 2nd Sun | County Beaver/Cub Fun Day at Walton Firs |
| 14th–16th Fri–Sun |
District Scout How Cup Camping Competition (provisional) |
| 25th Tue | Sutton LEA Summer Term ends |