What have we been up to in March?

Several of our units took part in District and County events this month, and our regular meetings included open-fire and indoor cooking, world record attempts, a Cub pack forum and a visit from orthodontists.

District and County events

Sea Scouts - District Rush Hockey Tournament, 18th March

Seven Sea Scouts joined 10 other teams from Spires District to take part in a hockey tournament at Oxford Hawks Hockey Club in North Oxford Although our team didn't make it to the final, they won two matches, drew one and lost one. Well done all!

Jacala and Mowgli Cubs - District Treasure Hunt, 20th March
Both of our cub packs took part in the district treasure hunt around Thame, where they worked in small teams to solve clues.

Gordo Explorer Scouts - CESAW County Camp
Our Explorer Scouts joined others from around the county at Horley for a great weekend of activities that included its own colour run.

Photos from the CESAW Facebook page

At some of our regular meetings....

Jacala Cubs held a Pack Forum to find out what the Cubs would like to do.

Mowgli Cubs had a visit from the Oxford Orthodontic Clinic to learn all about oral hygiene and how much sugar is in food and drink.

 

The Sea Scouts had a wide game evening at Youlbury.

The Land Scouts learned how not to burn breakfast.

Coming up

Quiz night: Sat 23rd April 7pm (quiz starts 7:30), Yarnton Road Football Club - All welcome!

Teams of 4-6 people. Entry fee: £25 per team. No need to book.

For more info, contact: Will Mason, gordo.explorerscouts@gmail.com 

Please come along and help Gordo Explorer Scouts raise funds for new camping kit.

Fancy getting involved?

There are plenty of opportunities to join our team of adult helpers, whether you're looking to open your own Scout troop or can occasionally cut the grass at the Scout Centre!

Visit our website for more information.

Co-op donation to the Scout Group

Ever wondered what happens to all the 5ps paid for supermarket carrier bags?

Well, if you've bought a bag in a Midcounties Co-op store in Kidlington in the last few months, your money has been split between Kidlington's Girlguiding and Scout groups.

Mark Corbett, District Manager of Midcounties Cooperative Food, presented two cheques for £2450 to the Girlguiding and Scout groups on Monday 29th February and Wednesday 2nd March.

At the same time, Mark took the opportunity to talk to members of the two groups about the importance of buying Fairtrade products as part of Fairtrade fortnight.

Both Mowgli Cubs and the Land Scout Troop attended the talk on 2nd March, and were joined by Group Scout Leader Andew Innes and District Commissioner Anna Weekes. Everyone learnt how Fairtrade products have grown from just a handful of products to thousands over the last twenty years, and why choosing to buy Fairtrade products makes a difference to farmers in poorer countries.

The Cubs and Scouts asked some great questions and got to try some Fairtrade chocolate.

Midcounties Co-op chose Kidlington Girlguiding and Scout groups as their fundraising partners almost a year ago. Originally the partnership was planned to last for 12 months, but we were delighted to hear this week that it will continue until December 2016.

Over the last couple of years, the Scout Group has put all its fundraising efforts into raising money for a new cesspit at its Blenheim Road HQ. The old one was letting in groundwater and costing hundreds of pounds a year to empty. Knowing there would be extra money from this fundraising partnership meant we could go ahead with installing a new cesspit at the end of 2015, and can now look at other ways to improve our facilities and equipment.

Read more about the fundraising partnership at the Kidlington Scout Group website.