In July, three of our Explorer Scouts travelled to Iceland to join an international jamboree with 800 Scouts and Guides from around the world.
Zak Gibson, Erin Corness and Jacob Pickering spent two weeks in Iceland as part of a group of around 100 Scouts from Oxfordshire.
The first week at the jamboree was spent with Scouts from lots of different countries including Ireland, Iceland, Germany and America. Here they enjoyed activities such as hiking, canoeing, swimming in glacial lakes, teamwork exercises, pioneering and camp skills.
The second week was just spent with the Oxfordshire Scouts, taking part in volcano hikes, sightseeing in Reykjavik, swimming in the Icelandic baths and pools, seeing geysers, waterfalls and volcanoes and hiking once again.
Everyone had a great time, and many want to go again to the next jamboree in two years' time!
Here are some of Zak's photos of the trip:
Visit the Oxfordshire Scouts - Iceland Jamboree Unit Facebook page
It's been a really busy summer for all our sections and although regular meetings have now stopped until September, there is still plenty going on with Scouts and Explorers going on summer camp.
Some of our Explore Scouts have also had the fantastic opportunity to take part in the International Jamboree in Iceland.
What else have we been up to since the last update?
Sea Scouts expedition camp
July began with our Sea Scouts' annual expedition camp at our boat base at Kings Lock Island, Wolvercote. They had a great weekend boating along the Thames, with plenty of fun in the water along the way.
Districts Cubs sports day
Both Mowgli and Jacala Cub packs were lucky enough to see what it's like to compete at a real athletics venue when they took part in the District sports day at Horspath Athletics Ground. Everyone had great fun!
End of term celebrations
Jacala Cubs and our Land Scouts marked the end of term with a water fight and barbecue. Jacala Cubs held there's at Youlbury Scout Camp at Boars Hill and a great time chasing each other through the woods and getting thoroughly soaked.
Mowgli Cubs spent their last meeting of the term ten pin bowling.
Behind the scenes
You may have noticed that we've recently made some improvements at the Scout Centre, including a new fence around the cesspit that was installed last year, new ceiling tiles to replace the ones that were damaged, and new radiator covers.
Over the summer, volunteers from our fundraising partners, the Midcounties Cooperative, are helping us out by cleaning the Centre, and we plan to repaint the walls soon too.
We were extremely grateful for all the help we received on our gardening day at the start of July, and we'll be holding another working party day in the autumn to do some more gardening and maintenance jobs around the centre.
Fancy getting involved?
Whether you can spare an hour to make cups of tea at a fundraising event or want to become a leader, we want to hear from you! Get in touch at www.kidlingtonscoutgroup.org.uk/help
Both our Cub Packs celebrated 100 years of Cubs this month at CubFest County Camp. Around 2000 Cubs and Leaders from all over Oxfordshire had a great weekend at Cornbury Park, taking part in activities based on the past, present and future.
Dressed as evacuees for the opening parade. Each group dressed in the style of a different era.
Bubble football
Traditional fairground games
Gladiator games
All about the (boat) base
Our Sea Scout and Explorer units are well into their boating seasons now, spending their weekly meetings at our boat base on the Thames in Wolvercote.
The Cubs have also been joining in, by taking part in the District boating day on 25th June, and having special boating evenings run by the Sea Scout leaders.
David the Sea Scout Leader with Mowgli Cubs
The Cubs practicing their skills on the water
Fire safety
Once again, Kidlington Fire Station have welcomed us to a tour and the opportunity to learn about fire safety. This time it was the Land Scouts' turn.
The Land Scouts trying out the rescue boat.
Learning what equipment is on a Fire Engine.
AGM and donation from Oxfordshire Freemasons
At the start of June we held our Annual General Meeting and open evening, where parents had the opportunity to learn about what we've been up to over the last 12 months.
District Commissioner Anna Weekes joined us to present Group Chairman Margaret Boggs with a certificate for 20 years' service, and Group Deputy Chairman and Administrator, Ron Shewry, with a certificate for 40 years' service.
We also welcomed a special guest, Roger Hampshire, representing the Oxfordshire Freemasons. Roger has been a friend of the Scout Group for several years, supporting out annual fundraising model railway event, ScoutRail, by displaying two of his own model rail layouts.
Roger gave a talk about the Freemasons' charity work and kindly presented us with a cheque for £150.
If you were unable to join us at the AGM, watch this video for a taste of what goes on around the group. We also announced plans for a big celebration in 2017 to mark the Scout Group's 75th anniversary, so watch this space!
Fancy getting involved?
We're always happy to welcome more volunteers, whether as a regular leader or occasional helper. To learn more about the different ways you can join us, see the 'adult help' pages on our website.
Country Awards Day We're very proud of our members who were invited to the County Awards Day at Youlbury Scout Activity Centre to receive their Chief Scout Silver and Chief Scout Gold Awards. Our Group Administrator, Ron Shewry, also received a long service award to recognize 40 years of Scouting.
Oxfordshire County Awards Day
Watch the presentations on YouTube
Sea Scouts On 5th May, Oxford University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) invited four Sea Scouts to take part in a practical leadership evening at Falklands House in Oxpens Road, Oxford. With uniforms ironed and shoes polished, the four set off for an evening of activities set up by URNU students to help them practice leadership and teamwork skills in a maritime environment. The evening was possible thanks to our Sea Scout Troop’s official Royal Navy recognition, which is held by only around a quarter of the Sea Scout Troops in the country. The Troop is now back on the water for the summer, and between now and September, they will spend every Tuesday evening meeting at Wolvercote boat base kayaking, canoeing and pulling and working towards various water activity badges. Some of the older Sea Scouts completed their sailing course at Dorchester Sailing Club.
Sea Scouts at Dorchester Sailing Club
Jacala Cubs Over the weekend of 6-8th May, Jacala Cubs held their Adventure Camp at Youlbury Scout Activity Centre in Oxford. The Cubs spent the weekend learning Scouting skills such as fire lighting, tent pitching, first aid and pioneering, as well as taking part in on-site activities such as archery and crate stacking. In their Thursday night meetings, they have visited Kidlington Fire Station, learnt about our community and worked towards their road safety badge.
Jacala Cubs at Youlbury Scout Activity Centre
Mowgli Cubs Mowgli Cubs have been learning some useful skills so they can help out around the house as part of their Skills Challenge Award. They learnt to iron, peel vegetables and change a plug! They also spent time with staff at Tesco, learning where their food is farmed and how it gets to the shops. On 14th May they camped at Kidlington Scout Centre in preparation for the big CubFest County Camp taking place at Cornbury Park in June to mark 100 years of Cubs, and hiked out to Thrupp on Sunday 15th May.
Camping out at the Scout Centre
'Farm to Fork' night at Tesco
Land Scouts This term the Land Scouts have made Roman swords and shields, been out on a treaure hunt and hike from the Scout Centre and took the 'tea challenge' using open fires and camping stoves to boil their water.
Explorer Scouts As with the Sea Scouts, out older members are now spending all of their weekly evening meetings at our Wolvercote boat base from now until September, with activities both on and off the water. Beavers Our youngest members have been busy making and painting junk model robots, and also took part in a District picnic at University Parks in Oxford to celebrate 30 years of Beavers.
Dates for the diary AGM and Open Evening - Monday 6th June 7-8pm, Kidlington Scout Centre Please join us to find out more about what the Group does, who runs it and what we have planned for the year ahead. Scout Centre Maintenance - Saturday 25th June and Monday 27th June (evening) We need help to remove ceiling tiles and move equipment ready for the roof to be insulated in the day on Monday 27th June. If you can help, please contact our Scout Active Support Manager, Giles Puleston at giles.puleston@virginmedia.com
Watch the video: 12 months of Kidlington Scout Group
We had another packed month in April with camps, expeditions, badge work and taking part in the Oxford Spires District St George's Day Parade.
Our camping season is now well and truly under way with both the Land Scouts and Sea Scouts holding weekend camps at Youlbury in April.
The Land Scouts held a tracking and survival camp on the weekend of 8-10th April, and the following week the Sea Scouts held their back-to-basics Spring camp, learning camping skills such as cooking on open fires.
The Sea Scouts woke up to snow on the first morning of their Spring camp at Youlbury.
On Saturday 16th, some of the older Land Scouts took part in an expedition from Kidlington Scout Centre in Blenheim Road to Youlbury as part of their Expedition Challenge.
The Land Scouts' expedition had a cold, wet start...
but the sun was shining by the time they reached Youlbury...
and they were soon busy preparing their evening meal...
with leader Andrew Davies showing the Scouts how it's done.
What's been happening in our regular meetings?
Mowgli Cubs spent an evening cooking on a campfire to get ready for their camp in May and visited Kidlington Fire Station
Jacala Cubs have been working towards their Skills Challenge by learning how to stay fit and healthy, and spent two weeks working towards their Communicator badge
Land Scouts had a go at making their own leather woggles
Sea Scouts continued building their Scouting Skills after Spring camp and some of the older Scouts have been sailing at Dorchester Sailing Club, working towards the Youth Sailing Scheme
The leaders, Scouts and parents have also been extremely busy getting the boat base ready for the new season on the water. The Sea Scouts will hold their Tuesday night meetings at the boat base in Wolvercote from now until September.
The heavy pulling boats are back in the water ready for the start of the boating season.
