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1st Northop Hall have held a family quiz with Katie and Georgia, who will be attending the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden helping with the raffle tickets, marking and round announcements. A good night was had by all and the event raised some cash towards Sweden.
The Mad Fluffy Dragons Unit will be bag packing in Marks and Spencer in Eagles Meadow, Wrexham this Saturday from 10am until 5.30pm. Added on 16/02/2010
Added on 06/02/2010
We've been contactd by Kristina McDermot from NEW Dance, a charity funded dance company based in North East Wales. They are looking to advertise their classes held at the Stiwt Theatr Rhos, to all childrens clubs/groups within the area. They also would like to promote workshops and special projects that they can organise for groups.
Call Kristina or Angela Fessi on 01978869456, or check out their website and social networking pages too (Facebook and Twitter - NEW Dance) www.newdance.org.uk Added on 05/02/2010
2nd Rhyl Cubs recently visited Resources Recycling in Rhyl, to learn all about how things are recycled. They brought newspapers, cans, bottles and junk mail to see what happens to them after they are put out for recycling. Added on 01/02/2010
This years biggest achievement for the group was winning the swimming double, both the Cubs and the Scouts won the District swimming competitions.
Also this year, five Scouts earned the Chief Scouts Gold, PLs and APLs summited Snowdon, and they had a group camp, joined District camp, Jamboree on the Trail, and Jamboree on the Internet.
The Group has run an active programme including climbing, cycling, family BBQ, archery and loads of fab and fun activities. Added on 26/01/2010
It was all in a good cause though as they were raising money for ShelterBox, one of the charities providing much needed help to the earthquake striken country of Haiti. Money is still coming in, but the group estimate they have made over £1,300 so far.
Assistant Scout Leader Sam Roberts said, ''We're amazed by the total that has been donated. We'd aimed to raise the £490 it costs to put together and send out one ShelterBox, but we've now got enough for more than two! We'd like to thank everyone who's donated.''
The Scouts were given a big hand with their fundraising by BNI Wrexham, a business networking organisation, whose members donated almost £700 to kick start the campaign. Laura, one of the 1st Rhosnesni Scouts went along to give a presentation on what they were raising the money for.
Jason Thelwell, President of BNI Wrexham, said: ''As a group of businessmen we were only too happy to help out. So many teenagers get a bad press, but when Laura came along to say what they were doing we were very impressed.''
ShelterBox, who the Scouts are supporting, have already sent out over 1,500 boxes to the disaster hit zone. Many are being used as hospital tents with the packs of crayons, colouring books and pens helping to put a smile back on the children's faces. Added on 24/01/2010
Escape and Evasion is an activity that will challenge you and your Special Forces Unit (team of Explorer Scouts). You will be deployed in an overnight exercise, undertaking a special mission requiring you to evade capture and avoid being interrogated while navigating behind enemy lines and completing a number of special challenges. Your Special Forces Unit will consist of between 4 and 7 participants. Your base for the event will be Penycae Scout Group Headquarters where you will be required to arrive by no later than 1700 hours. After being fed, you will receive your briefing before being transported behind enemy lines. Having completed your mission you will arrive back at your base for a debrief and some breakfast before leaving at around 0900 hours.
Planning is ongoing but we need to confirm numbers as soon as possible to enable us to complete the details of the event - sorry, your mission. The mission will have a limited number of vacancies so priority will be given on a 'first come, first served' basis. The cost is £5 per person - to cover food and 'activity' transport. This should be an exciting event and one not to miss! So make sure that you will be there by completing the Booking Form below (one form for each Special Forces Unit) and returning it along with the fee of £5 asap - certainly by no later than Friday, 5 February to:
Gerry Kellett, Llangollen DESC, Dunmore, Church Street, Penycae, Wrexham LL14 2RL (Make any cheques payable to Clwyd Area Scouts)
You will receive further mission instructions nearer the time.
Added on 21/01/2010
The North Wales Jamboree Unit met for the first time at the weekend, and voted to name themselves the Mad Fluffy Dragons.
The 27 Scouts and Explorer Scouts from across North Wales met at Wrexham Scout headquarters, and as well as choosing a name they designed a logo, were introduced to media technique and enjoyed several team building and ice breaker games.
You can follow the Mad Fluffy Dragons on our Jamboree page. Added on 20/01/2010
Those who take part must be committed to
- Attend a weekend residential training session on 26th to 28th February at Margam Discovery Centre in Port Talbot
This is your chance to make a difference to local communities in Wales and represent Wales in the wider British Council network of Climate Champions. We will support you with training and guidance, as well as opportunities to meet with decision makers such as the Welsh Assembly officials, but the ideas and time will come from you.
Fill out our application form and send it back to mary.stansfeld@britishcouncil.org or sebastian.g.dasilva@britishcouncil.org at British Council Wales before the 5th February 2010. If you would like more information please contact us. For further information on the British Council's climate change work please visit http://www.britishcouncil.org/climatechange.htm
Added on 14/01/2010
The new look is currently just on the front page, but will eventually be rolled out across the site. We'd love to know what you think.
Added on 13/01/2010
''I've got two boys aged 4 and 5, so I was looking to see what was available in the area for them to do outside of school. I was very keen for them to become involved in the Scouting movement because I was a Girl Guide when I was younger and also a Sea Scout young leader, two experiences I really enjoyed.
''I felt that Scouts offers young people a different view on life than the one they get just from school or home. It gives them new opportunities to make friends, learn about the wider world, have lots of fun and take a bit of social responsibility.
''Our nearest Beaver Scouts was in Llangollen or Bala, both a little to far to travel so we decided to try to start a group up ourselves. We approached Roger Cragg who along with Jo Gregory and then Mark Winson really got us on our feet and held our hands through the early stages of set up and told us what we had to do to get a colony started.
''We're on Facebook now! search for 1st Corwen (Glyndwr) Beaver Scouts and become a fan.'' Added on 13/01/2010
Around 2,500 Scouts and leaders are braving the sub-zero temperatures at a winter camp at the the Scout movement's national campsite in Essex.
They hammered their tent pegs into the frozen ground at Gilwell Park near Chingford and slept under canvas.
As well as outdoor pursuits ranging from trampolining to quad biking, they have been helping local people who have had trouble getting out.
During the day they have kept warm with activities ranging from trampolining to rope climbing, and there has been time for the traditional camp fire sing-song.
The Winter Camp provides the opportunity for Scouts to take part in over 70 adventurous activities.
''It's a bit cold but there's a great atmosphere,'' said 14-year-old Fraser from Wrexham.
''When you're in your clothes and your sleeping bag it's not all that cold. There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.''
Another Scout, Jordan, added: ''We were quite warm because we had lots of sleeping bags, we even doubled up on sleeping bags for extra warmth.''
Grace, 15, from north London, said everyone was having a laugh and there were snowballs everywhere.
''I don't think it's been too cold because everyone's taken precautions, like so many layers, so many pairs of gloves. People are so big because of all the layers they've got on.''
Organisers considered cancelling the annual event, but decided that with the roads to the campsite clear and no more snow forecast over the weekend, they could minimise the risks for the young people.
They also wanted to pass on the message that it is worth persevering no matter how tough the conditions.
Chief Scout Bear Grylls said: ''Every young person deserves an adventure.
''It's great to see that so many young people are going to get stuck into adventurous activities like climbing, abseiling, quad biking and having a go on the high ropes, all in the coldest month of the year.''
While the campsite boasts modern features such as simulated snowboarding, the traditional Scouts' motto 'be prepared' is still observed.
One young scout came to the rescue of a BBC reporter when the freezing temperatures drained the batteries of his recording equipment, providing replacements from his kit bag.
Originally appeared on the BBC News website
Click here to listen to Moz, Fraser and Jordan on BBC Radio 5 Live Added on 11/01/2010
Added on 05/01/2010
Wrexham District are putting on another archery course to train Leaders and Young Leaders aged 17.
The four day course will be held at Wrexham District Scout HQ in February.
Added on 20/12/2009
The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch - the world's largest wildlife survey - takes place Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January 2010 and we really need your help. Now in it's 31st year, we have half a million people participating annually across the UK but we can always do with a couple more!
In fact, over a record-breaking 33,000 participants in Wales helped celebrate the Big Garden Birdwatch 30th birthday in 2009, spotting over 72 species across nearly 74,000 gardens.
Dana Thomas, from RSPB Cymru, said, ''Big Garden Birdwatch provides a fun activity for all the family in the depths of winter. Participation just keeps increasing, I believe in part, because it's so easy to join in!''
''By giving up just one hour of your day, you can make a real difference to our knowledge of garden birds. We're able to distinguish the ones that are doing well from those that need our help.''
Once an activity for children, Big Garden Birdwatch is now hugely popular with children and adults alike and we're particularly keen to get more families involved this year. Why not make a day of it by creating bird feeders made from recycled household goods or bird cakes for the birds in your garden?
Alternatively see it as a chance to kick back and take an hour out of your busy schedule to watch the world go by - recording the birds you see along the way of course!
Says Dana Thomas, ''Big Garden Birdwatch is a vital way for you to contribute to a significant piece of wildlife research without leaving the comfort of your home - in fact, we'd really rather you stayed indoors so as not to disturb the visitors to your garden. You don't need to be an expert but we really couldn't do it without your help!''
Past Big Garden Birdwatch findings have enabled us to embark upon studies to identify the cause of certain species decline as well as steps we can take to help them recover. The long-tailed tit flew into the top ten for the first time last year, the increase is being linked to milder winters up to 2009.
To do your bit for our garden birds, simply spend one hour over the weekend 30/31 January 2010 counting the birds in your garden or local park and record the highest number of every bird species seen at any one time.
For further information and online resources to help you with your birdwatch, visit the RSPB website, www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch. An online results form will be available from Saturday 30 January until 19 February 2010.
Alternatively call 02920 353 007 to request a Big Garden Birdwatch form to be sent to you (calls charged at standard rate). The hotline number will be in operation from 16 November 2009 to 29 January 2010. Added on 17/12/2009
A selection weekend was held at Gwernyfed High School near Brecon in November after 158 young people applied for just 129 available places. During the weekend the Scouts aged 12 to 16 were put in mixed teams of ten and took part in various team building challenges while being assessed to see how they got on with their peers.
Out of the 27 Scouts that applied from Clwyd, 24 got through including 11 from Flintshire District, 5 from Llangollen District, 1 from Vale of Clwyd District and 7 from Wrexham District.
Chloe Lloyd, a 13 year old Scout with the 1st Mynydd Isa got her letter this morning, and it was good news. Chloe said: ''I was really happy when I got the news. I wasn't expecting to get through as I was in a really good group and there was lots of competition. I'm so looking forward to meeting new people from across the world at the Jamboree.''
Four units of young people and volunteer Leaders will be representing Wales as part of the United Kingdom contingent. World Scout Jamborees occur once every four years and are attended by Scouts from over 200 countries as diverse as India, New Zealand, Brazil and Uganda. During the 12 day camp the youngsters will take part in a packed programme including adventurous activities, learning new skills and finding out about each other's cultures.
Simon Fairless from Scouts Wales said, ''The selection weekend was completely hectic. However, a lot of fun was had by all and Wales will definitely benefit from having a fantastic group of motivated, keen individuals, thrilled to be attending such a prestigious event.''
Those Scouts who are chosen will now face the challenge of raising money to pay for their trip of a lifetime. Added on 17/12/2009
A 'worn-out, ugly' Scout hut is being given a makeover by a company which designs and refurbishes some of Britain's biggest retail stores.
Styles and Wood promised to transform it as part of its Big Challenge scheme to help local causes.
The firm, which has clients including Barclays and Tesco, said the Flintshire hut was 'in desperate need of a bit of TLC (tender loving care)'.
Peter Jackson, Scout Leader of the Flint group, said he was extremely grateful.
The 1st Flint Scouts' hut was chosen from five entries, and the revived hut is due to be revealed on 22 December, three weeks after work began.
Styles and Wood said it would give the hut 'exactly the same level of planning and building precision as it does on all its multi-million pound projects'.
A designer, project manager and quantity surveyor are among the team working on the project and planning applications were made before the work began.
Anne-Marie Wedd, of Styles and Wood, said: 'Each year we go through a competitive tender process to help pick out what we feel is the most deserving cause.
'This year's project stood out from the crowd as a great community facility that's in desperate need of a bit of TLC.
'It's housed in a worn-out, ugly prefab that hasn't been touched for nearly 40 years.
'Our aim is not only to transform the hut, but to go beyond this and create a facility that the scouts can be extremely proud of - somewhere they can hire out and generate vital funds to ensure the sustainability of the group.'
Scout leader Peter Jackson, of the Flint Scouts Association, said: 'We're extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication that's been shown by Styles & Wood and its team of generous suppliers.
'The Scout hut is an extremely important place, not just for the association, but for the community as a whole.'
Originally appeared on the BBC News website Added on 14/12/2009
The project was completed by the Cox Wood Crew volunteers, including Explorer Scouts, who have been working on the project for over 6 months to transform two old containers into an indoor gallery that can be used for archery, shooting, and indoor activities.
Added on 10/12/2009
Over 150 Scouts and Explorer Scouts were after just 126 places so the stakes were high. Split into groups of ten, each with two assessors, the teenagers were given various teambuilding and practical skills exercises to do and assessed on their ability to work together, take the lead and get on with the others.
AAC International David Morris, who was an assessor on the weekend, said: 'It was just fantastic that so many from Clwyd have applied to go to the World Scout Jamboree. It shows that at long last we're getting the message out to the Scouts. I really hope they all do well and get selected to attend this life-changing event.' Added on 02/12/2009
The award scheme enables groups already working within communities to get online and experience the benefits of the internet, helping them to build capacity and encourage their members to support each other in their own digital journeys.
To apply simply log on to www.btcommunityconnections.com or write to PO Box 6919, London W1A Added on 12/11/2009
Children struggle to be heard. Save the Children are helping to change that by speaking out on their behalf. They are offering FREE talks to a wide range of audiences.
1. Have you heard of Save the Children?
They offer insightful and inspiring talks on our work in health, education, protection, poverty and emergencies and can tailor our talks to suit your needs. Save the Children has a network of speakers all over Wales, it could not be easier! Their aim is to raise awareness and gain support for our work both in the UK and worldwide.
For more information contact Beca Added on 12/11/2009
Cub Scouts from Wrexham are in London taking part in the Remembrance Sunday service at Westminster Abbey. They are the only Scout Group who take part in the service.
The 37 Cub Scouts from 1st Moss and 6th Wrexham travelled down to London by coach on Friday night, spending the night at a Scout hut in the west of the city, before heading into the centre for a day of sightseeing.
The main reason for the visit is taking place this morning as the Scouts join dignitaries from the City of Westminster, the armed forces and other VIPs at the service of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. Added on 08/11/2009
Join the BBC by planting a tree on Saturday 5 December 2009, between 11am-12noon.
If thousands of you - both national and international - join in, we might even break a Guinness World Record or two, for the most number of trees planted within one hour!
Take part and learn something new about the benefits of trees. It's easy to get involved - you can plant a tree in your garden or join up with others planting trees as part of local events.
If you can't plant a tree yourself there'll be lots of other ways for you to get involved.
If your Group is planning on joining in, please contact us as we'd love to send a media officer along to get some great publicity for you. Email communications@clwydscouts.org.uk Added on 04/11/2009
Huw's dad Peter volunteers as a Leader at the 1st Esclusham Cub Scouts and arranged the sponsored event. Peter said: ''The Cubs did really well during the ride which took almost five hours. They raised almost £300 but we're still after people to sponsor them.''
Both Huw and Josh are members of the Scouts and local cycling clubs. They have been members of 1st Esclusham since the age of six, and are members of the Alf Jones Cycle club.
1st Esclusham Cubs, based on Spring Road in Rhostyllen, currently have room for new members aged eight to ten and a half. Boys and girls are welcome to make new friends and join the fun and adventure. Contact Peter on 01978 753900 to join the Cubs or to sponsor Huw and Josh. Added on 03/11/2009
The application window will remain open until 19th November and applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis, with the first 500 suitable candidates invited to one of a series of selection events in January and February 2010. The Scout Association aims to confirm IST applications for those successful in March 2010.
Following receipt of the online form, candidates will be emailed within 5 working days, to confirm receipt. However, no further communication is expected until mid December when all applicants will be contacted to confirm shortlisting or otherwise. You support in communicating this information is greatly appreciated. We are expecting a high demand. Added on 19/10/2009
The certificates were presented by Her Majety's Lord Lieutenant, Mr Trevor Jones CBE, who praised the achievements of the young people, highlighting that the awards showed future empoyers that they had something more about them than exam qualifications.
Mark Jones, who was awarded the Queen's Scout Award - the highest award available to youth members - gave a presentation on what he'd done to achieve the award. Mark improved his rock climbing skills, learned how to power boat, volunteered as a Scout Leader, joined an RNLI lifeboat training course, and took part in a five day expedition across Snowdonia to gain his award.
Also recognised during the evening was the hard work put in by adult Leaders. Outgoing District Commissioners Lesley Bordoli and May Castrey were thanked, and Steve Rimmer, Cub Scout Leader with 6th Prestatyn received the Award for Merit.
Added on 15/10/2009
On Saturday 26th September 2009, members 3rd Prestatyn Scout Group took part in a beach litter pick as part of the Tidy Wales Week. Gareth Jones from Keep Wales Tidy provided the necessary equipment and advice before we started.
Cub Scout Leader John Bebbington said, ''Luckily the sun shone and the tide wasn't too far out. As well as Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, lots of Mums, Dads, brothers and sisters turned out to help. We started at the Nova and went along the promenade towards the Ffrith and came back on the beach.'' Added on 05/10/2009
MDM and YSP training event - Cardiff
Are you interested in helping to promote the best of Scouting through the media? This training day is for people interested and involved in the Media Development Manager and Young Spokesperson roles.
The training day will provide the following opportunities:
The target audience for this event are 14- 16 years old Explorer Scouts. The experience will help those attend talk confidently to local Print, TV and radio journalists about the Scouting activities they involved in.
Newly appointed Media Development Managers (MDMs)
The target audience for this event is newly appointed MDMs. This experience will help those who attend understand and value the Scout brand, spot and craft a story and pitch it to journalists.
Experienced Media Development Managers (MDMs)
The Target audience for this event is MDMs that have been in post for some time and who know how to spot a story, can craft a press release and can pitch a story. The event is designed to help experienced MDMs with skills like working with TV crews, brief and support YSPs and work on feature based events
Where and when?
Saturday 10 October, Cardiff - The Hub
There will be no cost. Lunch tea and coffee will be provided. Contact Moz if you'd like anymore information or wish to attend. Added on 01/10/2009
Please find attached information about fully funded international volunteering opportunities for Network Scouts to developing countries such as India, South Africa, Ghana, Nepal, Kenya and Peru.
Unfortunately by the time the email had reached us having been forwarded via numerous agencies, its now too late to apply for January trips, but applications are being accepted for trips later in 2010.
Added on 28/09/2009 |
