SCOUTING EAST
No.222 The Journal of East Belfast Scouting JUNE 2001
From The Editor
Many thanks to all those involved in the organisation of this year’s St.George’s Day Parade and Service hosted by 33rd Group, particularly the Rev.Ron Savage, the minister of Stormont Presbyterian, ACSL Andrea and the members of the Praise Group, and the Bands who accompanied us en route (perhaps we should also thank ADC Elizabeth’s friends in Knock Fire Station who caused us to scarper off the march route twice as they raced to a shout..!!). Thanks to all those who turned out on the day. That said, I for one was a bit disappointed by this year’s parade. It was not just the turnout, which was undeniably low, perhaps coming as it did at the end of the Easter break; I felt that the collective appearance was shabby, and the behaviour of some of our members, particularly within the older Sections was disappointing both on parade and during the Service. There was too much talking and not enough singing in Church, boys and leaders talked through prayers, promises, many failed to stand to the alert for the singing of the National Anthem, and there was a lack of smartness about uniform, with some Scouts in trainers and tracksuit bottoms and Leaders with their shirt-sleeves rolled up. In PR terms we really didn’t do ourselves many favours. Surely if its worth doing, its worth doing right??I think we all can and must do better next year at Belmont Presbyterian although I am not exactly sure how this will be achieved? Perhaps the new uniform will provide all our Groups with the incentive to adopt the activity trousers so at least we should avoid the range of trousers seen this year? Would some sort of award for the Group with the best attendance/behaviour on Parade be effective? Or some sort of standard to be carried, or opportunity to lead on the return or the following year’s parade provide an incentive to the Groups? This could be awarded for example by the DC or the Executive Members? I’d be keen to know if others think this might just work or if the concept is a bit dated?
On a more positive note, it was great to see large turnouts at both the District Meeting and the A.G.M. and the large number of new appointments that have been made both on the Team and Executive. Hopefully we can look forward to further progress for the District Fellowship, Young Leaders Forum and 28th Group in the coming months. Best wishes for whatever you are planning for the summer and please keep the camp reports flooding in,
David
From the District Commissioner
Can I congratulate Derwin Campbell CSL, Sharon Campbell BSL and Roger Kane SL all from 3rd Group on recently receiving their Woodbadges. As I write I have been invited to the 3rd Group Parents’ Night to present these awards along with a 25 years Service Award to Roy Lamont GSL and a warrant for Robert Campbell ABSL. My congratulations to all at 3rd Group.
The District Fellowship was recently re-started after a number of years’ absence and I am delighted to report that 14 people (with apologies from a further 6) attended the first meeting. Harry Diamond (former GSL 10th Group) was nominated as Chairman for the first year of the Fellowship and they hope to make contact with all Groups in the District to encourage new members. The Fellowship will next meet on Tuesday 5th June at the McMordie Scout Complex and I hope that all Groups will encourage former members or Lay members to come along and join in with the District Fellowship as they plan their programme for September.
I was delighted to see a good turnout at our District Scouters’ Meeting (46 in total) and our thanks to 3rd Group for hosting and for a great supper. I hope that all Scouters in the District will co-operate fully with plans for District activities which we will introduce from September. Our plan is not to subtract the District activities but to introduce less competition and more fun and we hope that all Groups and Sections will enter the two competition events and be fully involved in the District Camp and Fun Day. One of the things that we are hoping to push in September is to get outdoor skills back and the Cub Section is planning a Sixers and Seconders weekend while the Troop Section are planning skills and outdoor events. I have also heard of at least two East Troops who intend entering the County Flag who have not entered for many years and hopefully this will be the start in getting those camping skills back in the District. As the Editor said in the last edition of Scouting East, wouldn’t it be nice for East to bring both the Cub and Scout County Flags back this year. Hopefully by the time you read this we will know.
Our recent St.George’s Day Parade went reasonably well although I was very disappointed with the turnout from most of the Groups. District President Phil Holland supplied me with figures for each Group and when compared to census figures these make pretty dismal reading. I do understand that some people may still have been away on Easter holidays, however for a Scout Parade which happens for 3 hours once a year I do think a better turnout could have been made. We will be looking and talking to Leaders in the District to seek your thoughts and ideas however for next year’s St.George’s Day which will be hosted by 99th Group to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. Perhaps it is time to think about changes. Your feedback will be welcomed. For your information however this was the District turnout compared to each Group’s census figures. My thanks to Greer and 33rd Group for hosting the Service and to the District Team for all their work in organising the Parade, to Rev.Savage of Stormont Presbyterian for taking the Service and to everyone including the Symington and 43rd BB Bands for their help in organising. It was especially nice to see a Scout Orchestra playing at the Service. Could this be developed at District Level? Perhaps we may have a Leader out there who may be interested in developing something musical for the District?
| Group | Total on Parade | Census Total |
 |
20 | 32 |
 |
28 | 63 |
 |
37 | 71 |
 |
24 | 36 |
 |
64 | 87 |
 |
27 | 53 |
 |
40 | 64 |
 |
29 | 82 |
 |
45 | 106 |
 |
0 | 24 |
 |
18 | 42 |
 |
62 | 88 |
| Total | 394 | 748 |
My thanks to all those who turned out for the District AGM and to those in the District who have got involved, including our new Badge Secretary, Nigel Watson, to Philip Osborne (ASL 27th) who has joined the District Executive, Julie McIntyre (ACSL 99th), NISC representative, and to those who will represent East as representatives on Belfast County Committees; Ian McLachlan, VSL 33rd (Executive), Suzanne McLachlan BSL 33rd (Beavers), Andrea Dorman, CSL 33rd (Cubs); Richard Harvey SL 4th (Scouts) and Chris Bryson VSL 27th (Venture Scouts). The new District handbook should now be with all GSLs. I would ask that all Scouters in the District be made aware of the handbook within your Group and organise at Group level the distribution of this. We hope that it will help communication within the District.
As the Scouting year draws to a close, can I thank you all for your support in my first year as DC. I think we have made some progress in ‘getting the buzz’ back in East Scouting but I hope in September you will all join with Alan and I in progressing this even further. Have a great summer camp or pack holiday wherever you go, keep safe, work on the skills but more importantly the FUN, send me a postcard and I look forward to seeing you all in September raring to go,
Ian
East was represented at the Cub Scout County Flag Competition at Ardnavalley on 19th May by teams from 4th, 10th, 30th and 99th Packs. Well done to all 4 teams who achieved the County Standard and did East proud. There was a good mix of badgework bases and fun activities (although no first aid, knotting or map and compass this year) and a lot of hard effort was put in to planning the event by ACC Steve Hoskins (special mention in this Prestigious Publication as requested by Steve during the closing ceremony- my bill for this is in the post! Ed) and his team of willing conscripts, especially our own ADCs, Deirdre and Harry, Carolyn White (South), and Herbie McFarland from Holywood who this year were spared from sampling camp cooking but subjected instead to about 60 eager Cubs let loose on a lunchtime Nature activity supplied by the Belfast Conservation Volunteers but run by our own aforementioned ‘volunteers’. I reckon if they ever see another packet of plaster of paris it will be too soon!! Special mention also to East ADC Suzi and daughter Cherry, Two ‘Brave’ Ladies, who decided to stage ‘Ready, Steady, Cook!’ Cub-style in the Pathfinder Pavilion resulting in surprisingly edible fruit salad and rice krispie buns and a chalet that stank of rotten egg mayonnaise by the end of the afternoon! We also hope that East’s other ADC, John, has not lost any fingers as a result of plunging them repeatedly into a bucket of ice-cold water to retrieve the coins the Cubs had to throw in. (some of East’s Leaders were tempted to nip out to a Pet shop at lunchtime to buy a goldfish and slip it in during the afternoon activities pretending it was a piranha!!) Congratulations to 99th Pack who finished in 3rd place just behind the 4th Pack who marked their return to the competition after several years absence with an impressive second place and the Novice Trophy. However, your Editor was startled but overjoyed to learn that 30th Pack were this year’s winners and had brought the County Flag back again to our District. So a clean sweep then, 1…2 and 3 for East in 2001!! Special congratulations to 30th Team, led by Chris Wilson, and including James Thompson, Chris Harvey, Ross Clarke, Stuart McGilton and Patrick Morrow. I’m really proud of all of you and very happy to shout you all dinner at Pizza Hut as suggested by our County Commissioner. Well done… David, CSL 30th Ps. All in East hope that ACC Steve’s throat recovers soon after he gave his all and scaled new ‘heights’ in the final campfire song. Ever thought of a career in opera?? Pavorotti eat your heart out!!!! (But who is paying for the smashed windows in the American Consulate Building next door we wonder???) This year’s competition was held in glorious camping weather over the weekend of 11th-13th May at Crawfordsburn while most of North Down basked in a rare heat-wave. East was represented by Scouts from 10th Troop, and 7th and 99th Troops both of whom were returning after an absence of several years from the competition. Well done to all three Troops, especially the 10th who won the Rotary Ambulance Event and were narrowly beaten into a very respectable 2nd place by the this year’s winners of the Flag, 77th Belfast (West). News from 30th Group 30th Pack entered a team in the NI Cub Scout Challenge at Crawfordsburn in April. This time events included an opportunity to try out the new climbing wall as well as archery and the assault course and several new challenges which saw the Cubs diffusing nuclear warheads, donning life-jackets to man cardboard lifeboats, and safe-cracking using a combination of padlocks. Highlight of the afternoon was the tent-peg game and tug-of-war. Take several dozen Cubs, an already soggy field and just add rain- what do you get- a full scale mud fight with Cubs slithering and sliding in a quagmire and enjoying every minute! Well done to the wardens, Eric and Vic, on an excellent event and congratulations to 30th team of Ross Clarke, Ross White, Rory Foye, Patrick Thompson, Jordan Douglas and Paul Gibson who finished in the Bronze Medal position a mere several thousand points behind the winners, Bangor. The traditional Cub Pack Easter Egg Hunt around the environs of Gilnahirk, which was postponed until the end of April due to heavy rain was as hotly contested as ever. Congratulations to the eventual winners Red Six, ably assisted by Patrick’s Mum, Hillary. The treasure hunt countered towards part of the Navigator badge which all the members of the Pack finished off the following week. Many thanks to our Group President, Audrey Beggs, herself a keen gardener who is currently working on the Gardener Badge with 10 of the Cubs. Congratulations to BSL Betty Robb who was presented with a Long Service Award (15 years) and to AGSL Karen McGilton, ACSL Fiona Thompson and ABSL Pauline Thomas who received their warrants from the DC at a recent Going-Up Ceremony which saw 3 boys transfer from Beavers to the Cub Section. 30th Beavers have also participated in the Trip to the Waterfront with Otis the Ardvark, and to Beaver Day at Crawfordsburn in May. The Troop have been getting to grips with badgework with several Scouts completing Swimming and Life Saving Badges. A camping weekend for the senior Scouts is planned for June. David, CSL 30th With the recent opening of the Bill Elliott Scout Hall in Tamar Street which many of East’s Scouters have already had the opportunity to visit, and the re-launch of the new look 28th Belfast Scout Group in May, it seemed an appropriate time to run the following item written by Ernie Sharp and published in the East Belfast Annual 1994 to remind us all of the proud tradition of the old 28th Group… Many Ballymacarratt folk of the immediate post-war years still recall the wee Scout Hall in Tamar Street with great affection. That it still evokes this lingering nostalgia stems from the fact that it was something more than a good Scout Hall- it was also a little oasis for much pleasant social activity in the area. The 28th Hall had its origins back in 1927 when the Rover Scouts of the Group transported it, sectionally, from Carrickfergus, where it had been an Army Officers’ mess Hut. They re-erected it on the site off Dee Street and there it served both Scouting and the local community for the next 37 years. In its latter years the very ordinary outside appearance belied a cheerful and tastefully decorated interior. It existed in this way by the tireless efforts of many of the 28th members. Much of their spare time, and often holidays, was given over to maintenance, decoration and modernising. Their work- in the days when grant-aid was minimal- required lots of fundraising and their place thus became the Mecca for all sorts of events and occasions. One of these was ‘The Blue and White Social Club’ (taken from the colours of their Group Scarf!)- a Saturday night dance that ran for many years and had ‘full houses’ every week. This popular wee ‘hop’ was an exclusive members only affair with the patrons ‘Moonlight Sauntering’ and ‘Quick-Stepping’ to the music of the resident band- an accordionist and a drummer! A special feature every week would be the ‘round-the-world’ medley with the dancers trying their hand at everything from the Lambeth Walk through the Canadian Barn Dance to the Tango. At the interval, with cups of tea served all round, volunteers would do their party pieces in the cabaret spot. These could be anything from budding Bing Crosby’s to impressions of Pop-Eye! The Dance floor for their Blue and White Nights was prepared with a liberal coating of grated candle wax and powdered French chalk and the ceiling lights were replaced with rose-tinted bulbs. In this cosy atmosphere many romances flourished! At ‘set times’ the Scout hall really ‘went to town’ with its special socials. These took place at such times as St.Patrick’s Night and New Year’s Eve. On these occasions a special ‘sit-down supper would be served on damask covered tables and laid on by hired caterers. The trestle tables would be afterwards stowed away to allow the dancing and games to proceed. On New Year’s Eve, at the sound of the bells the revellers, headed by the accordionist, would go out in a long gaggle and march up and down Tamar Street and then return to the Hall to continue in the festivities. This happy, trouble-free fun was always enjoyed by the neighbours and was always without the need for alcohol. But dancing and socials was not all this wee Scout Hall catered for. For a long time there were the mid-week Beatle Drives. These were occasions when old friends met for gossip and good craic with the cuppa and sandwiches led on by the Parents Committee. Jumble sales were also a regular feature at that time and were always well noted, with long queues forming long before opening time. The big main entrance door would be nailed to the floor in such a way as to restrict the first mad rush of customers and the more burly members of 28th would be in attendance to keep order! But along with all this fundraising and social activity, good Scouting was always provided for the boys and young men using the 28th Scout Hall. Parents Nights were an annual feature which saw these Scouts display their talents in a review of their year’s work. These were also nice social occasions on which parents and friends were able to meet the Leaders and join in a night of fun and games. These Parents Nights often included short stage shows which led later to the full-blown Blue and White Gang Shows. These 28th musical reviews, on the Ralph Reader model, attracted full houses in Dee Street Hall and further afield and are still remembered by many in Ballymacarratt. Like many excellent youth organisations of the period, the 28th served the area well. But all good things come to an end! The little Scout Hall in Tamar Street- the scene of so many happy occasions and a survivor of German bombers- finally succumbed to the local vandals who burned it down in 1964. So if you ever danced the night away in the ‘wee hall’ or ‘Beetle-Drived’ there, or sung along at their shows, or been involved in any way with 28th Scout Hall you will remember the place fondly.Hopefully these brief reflective jottings will have revived a few memories. Ernie Sharp
County Flag Competition (Cub Scouts)
County Flag Competition (Scouts)
Tango Time at Tamar Street (Memories of the old 28th Hall)
The Scout Fellowship
Calling on all East's Scout Groups- The District Fellowship is reborn! We now need new members from all Groups in the Distirct
We want to encourage Scouters, Lay Members, Parents. Ex-Scouters and anyone else who is interested to come along and join us.
Next Meeting: Tuesday 5th June 8.00pm 10th Group HQ, McMordie Hall, Oakland Avenue
30th Group BBQ and Campfire
Thursday 21st June May 6.45pm
Crawfordsburn Scout Centre
All profits from this event will be donated to Gilnahirk Presbyterian Church's appeal to support the work of Dr.Donald Brownlie, Livingstonia Hospital, Malawi. See you there!
Other Events in June
4th: Belfast County A.G.M. & BBQ, Ardnavalley
Contact: Ken Gillespie (HQ)
5th: East District Executive Meeting followed by District Fellowship, McMordie Scout Hall
Contact: Harry Diamond or Harry Davison
27th: Young Leaders' Forum: Activity Night at Crawfordsburn
Contact: Suzanne or Julie
News & Views, Letters & Comments, Reports & Announcements to the Editor:
e.mail: d.bell@qub.ac.uk or eastbelfast@yahoo.com
not later than 6th August for the September Issue please!
