NEWS

A KIND GESTURE

Since the birth of Scouting in 1907, Scout Groups like ours have survived on people's generosity in donating equipment and other material without
which they would not survive. When Roger Andrews of Brockworth died some time ago, his friend's mum, Mrs Chapman urged her son to give the equipment to a Scout Group. Roger loved camping and regularly camped on the south coast. It was thus that Anthony Chapman, who lives in Charlton Kings, recently turned up at the Millennium Hall and offered the Scouts several items of camping equipment. Gloucestershire Echo visited the Scout HQ in Shurdington and took some photographs of Cubs with the equipment. This consisted of three tents, canvas sheets, wind break, a portable gas cooker and portable gas/electric refrigerator. A good example of someone's tragedy contributing to another's generosity.

OUR FIRST EXPLORER SCOUT

In 1991 Her Majesty the Queen agreed by Royal Charter to grant the Scout Movement license to admit girls as members for the first time since its birth in 1907. Shurdington was the first to invest a girl into a Scout Troop in Cheltenham District, and one of the first in Gloucestershire. Helen Grinnell has been with the Group since, and is now an active Assistant Cub Scout Leader.

We have yet another first in our Group. These last few weeks Kate Slee, who has been with us since she was a Beaver Scout, has been attending the Cheltenham District Explorer Scout Unit. Explorer Scouts are young people, usually aged between 14 and 18 years. They make up the fourth Section of the new Scouting family, and partly replace the Venture Unit. No doubt many of you will remember the antics of our Venture Scouts in Shurdington. On Thursday 14^th November Kate was officially invested as our first Explorer Scout by Debbie Robinson (District Explorer Scout Commissioner - DESC), not just standing saluting in front of a flag, but underwater in a swimming pool in Tewkesbury. Well done Kate, and perhaps she will follow in her mother's footsteps. Mum Louise is one of the Leaders who has been looking after Shurdington Beavers for many years. (I am expecting some photos soon for display!)

Operation Bald Eagle took place 18th to 20th October 2002 at Ashton under Hill. This is a Scouting event, which was started many years ago and consists of a fairly basic weekend camp, and an evening six-mile hike on the Saturday with several challenges throughout the route. Five of our scouts took part, and it was made possible by some Leaders and helpers who spent the weekend with them. There were over 300 Scouts from Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire camping in the village school playground, and it was good to see the friendly atmosphere generated. It was good also to see them making new friends. Sunday they attended a Scouts Own service in the open air, and later attended the presentation of certificates. Our patrol, and indeed the adults, were overjoyed when 15^th Cheltenham were called out to receive 1^st prize in one of the night challenges, a Lunar Rescue, a framed certificate. It is a pity that only five of the thirty-five Scouts now in the Troop took up the offer of a weekend away, and from what I heard from the five they had a brilliant time. That included doing all their own cooking and washing up, with only the occasional moan. The Spaghetti Bolognese, I was told, was first class. Many congratulations to Kate and Emma, Anthony, Matthew and Chris, and thanks to Louise, Sharon and Tim for sleeping rough on two very cold nights, and Steve for turning up to pitch and strike camp. Next year's Bald Eagle will probably be held in Gloucestershire, and we hope to have many more than one team after they discover what fun they missed.

Copyright since 1998 ã Paul Calleja-Gera - All rights reserved.