Entry

SCOUTING EAST

No.226 The Journal of East Belfast Scouting DECEMBER 2001

From The Editor

Its amazing how quickly the weeks roll by! The Christmas season will soon be upon us again and our thoughts will be turning to last minute shopping for Harry Potter merchandise, stuffing the turkey , writing cards and decorating trees. For many it has been a mixed year. We will all have memories of 2001, some good, some not. In the wider world, the people of New York, still struggling to come to terms with the attack on the Twin Towers, have been left reeling by another plane crash. In Afghanistan, the people of Kabul are celebrating liberation from the Talliban regime, but facing the uncertainty of continuing conflict in other parts of their country coupled with food shortages and a harsh winter. In the west, families of US and British servicemen face Christmas without loved ones on active service in Afghanistan and the Gulf. Here in Northern Ireland, despite many set-backs we seem to be making some progress along the road to a lasting peace. Thinking about the terrorist outrage in New York and the continuing civil unrest in North Belfast has brought home to me again a very real sense of the value of the contribution made to society by organisations such as ours. We can be justifiably proud of the work that Scouters throughout Ulster, not least in our own little corner of Belfast have undertaken with the young people of today week in and week out in 2001. But we should be mindful too of our ongoing commitment to our Aim to promote the mental, physical and spiritual development of young people across East, to be an influence for all that is right and good. With this in mind, I would urge YOU to think seriously about how you can respond to the District President’s appeal in this issue. The DC has also announced a mini conference to be held on a Sunday in February at which Brian Laffin will present his ‘State of the District’ report and make recommendations for the way ahead. In today’s society more than ever, we do have a responsibility for the moral and spiritual development of those in our care. I think we can and should acknowledge this at our conference, and perhaps even consider asking one of the local minsters or some of our youth pastors to lead a Scouts’ Own and contribute to a debate on this area as an important part of our agenda and our strategy for the years ahead. Please try to attend the conference and play your part in shaping East in 2002. With best wishes to all our Leaders and members for a merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year,

David

From the District Commissioner

I recently attended our District Scout " mountain bike " activity at Crawfordsburn which was very professionally organised by the 7th Troop Scouters and like the recent volleyball competition saw a very well run activity and very enthusiastic scouts taking part. The weather was good, the competition and enthusiasm of the boys was brilliant and the enthusiasm and comradeship of the leaders running the event was very encouraging. However my sympathies lie with the Troops and Leaders from East who didn’t bother to take part. You missed a great day or rather your boys missed a great day and the opportunity to earn their cyclist badge as well. My thanks to Des, John, Stephen and all the other Scouters who helped make it all happen. Well done all.

I would draw your attention to the advertising leaflet regarding the District Scouters weekend at Lorne on 16th and 17th February 2002. This will be a relaxing and fun weekend open to all Leaders, helpers etc in the District but with a more serious side on Sunday 17th when I hope as many people as possible from the District will attend our short District Conference when the report put together by Brian Laffin and Victor Corbett and their "Team" on the future way ahead for Scouting in East Belfast will be discussed. I hope that all Leaders, Fellowship Members, District Executive Members and Lay members from the District will make every effort to attend this important get-together to plot out our plans to make Scouting better in East for the future. Remember " Our District, Our Future, Your weekend".

I hope as many Beaver Colonies and Cub Packs will join in at our Annual District Christingle Service on Sunday 9th December at 7.00pm. at Knock Methodist Church. The A.D.Cs will be forwarding information sheets to all Colonies and Packs and I hope to see a great turnout this year from the District.

Alan, A.D.C (L.T ) Paula, Colin McShane and myself will be attending the briefing session on the forthcoming changes in programme, ages etc. later in November at Greenmount and we hope to be able to report back to the District all the information which you all are looking for . Colin McShane our District Representative on the County Change Team will be advising all Groups on these changes.

The 64th Group due to the continuing difficulties at their Knock Area Hall are meeting at Knock Methodist Church. My thanks to the 24th Group for this nice piece of "inter Group co-operation and help".

Ian

33rd Venture Scouts' Summer Expedition

The beginning of August saw seven of our Unit heading off to Scotland with the aim of conquering the West Highland Way.

The expedition began at Ardlui with a pleasant boat trip across Lough Lomond. The weather started off fairly pleasant but after an hour we had our first down pour. We were so glad to make camp that night and off load rucksacks for a few hours. We heard about the invasion of midges but it wasn’t too bad.

Day 2 was very sunny, unfortunately too warm for the long walk ahead. Happily lunch was beside a lake, which was rather welcoming to our tired and aching feet. Everyone seemed to be getting use to their heavy rucksacks, or else we weren’t listening to each other moan!!

Day 3 & 4 just seemed to blend into each other. Further into the hike the scenery became more rugged but in its own “highland way”, still picturesque. At the campsite on day 4 the midges were again out in force. Despite having midge nets, the little … flies still managed to get everywhere! Our bodies seemed to turn black in an instant. Lights out at 8 pm, or so we hoped. The midges weren’t the only annoying little things that night. A group of scouts from Luxembourg were also hiking the West Highland Way but (thankfully) in the opposite direction. I don’t think we could have coped another night with typical campfire songs blaring out until after 11 at night.

Day 5 we final reach Fort William – we made it. We could hang up our boots, count our blisters, and have some real food - at least until the next time.

33rd Venture Scouts

On 3 October the 33rd Venture Scout Unit hosted the district night and was joined by 10th and 99th Units. Joan Reid, Scout Link, was talking about the Kinship Award Programme. Venture Scouts and leaders were impressed by the Award and how easy and enjoyable it all seems. We look forward to our next district unit night and I would encourage other units to attend.

Ian McLachlan, 33rd VSL

PS.Congratulations to our Queen's Scout Achievers: To Sarah Johnstonand Andrew Robinson from 33rd Venture Scout Unit on gaining the very prestigious Queen's Scout Award. Well done

Beaver Sports Day, Saturday 10th November

A fun filled morning with 12 teams representing 9 Colonies from East happened at Avoneil Leisure Centre recently. The boys were all brimming with enthusiasm, if not always blessed with the necessary height or strength to overcome the opposition. Spectators and leaders alike went home hoarse from cheering their favourite team. All the Beaver ADCs tried to remain impartial without much success. Even our favourite DC was suitably impressed by the turnout which was almost doubled from last year. He also suggested that it would be nice to have all 13 Colonies represented at the forthcoming Unihoc in February. So congratulations and well done to the boys from 4th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 24th, 27th , 30th, 33rd and 99th who participated and special congratulations to 9th Colony who were overall winners.

Liz Whitley, ADC [Beavers]

On Saturday 10th November, 4 boys from 9th Beaver Colony headed off to Avoneil for the East Belfast District Beaver Sports Day, hoping our missing Beaver would turn up en route. To our great relief he arrived on time. The hall was full of noisy Beavers and their parents. To kick off we had the egg and spoon race with the parents egging on their own boys. Luckily the eggs had miraculously turned into potatoes or there would have been a scramble rather than a race! As the events proceeded our Colony was looking good with a third place and some seconds. We were pinning our hopes on a win in the tug-of-war. Of the 12 teams to take part we were called up first. As the rope took the strain the parents’ faces were inches away as they cheered their side on. In fact there was more strain on their faces than on the rope! Unfortunately our team hadn’t had their wheetabix that morning and we were out in the first round. At the end of a fun filled morning the Beavers who came 1st, 2nd or 3rd received their certificates from DC Ian Diamond. All that was left was for the ADCs to count up the points to see who the overall winners were. ADC Dierdre Kissock announced that it was a close thing but 9th Colony had won. The first time ever! This was due to the expert management and tactics of their leaders. Look out Sir Alex Ferguson. Thanks to all who organised the event, it was great.

Pat Gordon, BSL 9th

Tuesday 9th October saw Oakland Avenue HQ playing host to a re-enactment of Braveheart, when the Beavers from 9th and 10th Colonies, some in complete Highland dress, enjoyed a joint meeting. In keeping with the Scottish theme, the boys dined on traditional Scottish fayre:- Shortbread, Irn Bru and Highland crisps, made versions of Nessie out of egg boxes and played ‘Murder in a Scottish Castle’. Our DC visited and hinted to the BSL from 10th that he would like to see similar numbers (40+ boys) every Tuesday night. Her reply could not be printed!! However, a very successful evening enjoyed by boys and leaders alike and definitely to be repeated.

Liz Whitley, BSL 10th

News from 30th Pack

Congratulations to those members of 30th Pack who took part in the recent Junior Ardnavalley Walk on a wet Saturday in October, raising over £200 in sponsorship to be split between Group funds and SE District at Ardnavalley. 30th Pack also entered the Belfast County Alexander Swimming Competition in November. We managed to muster one of our largest turnouts in recent years at this event, with footballers and rugby players alike racing straight from the pitch and into the pool. Unfortunately this still wasn’t enough to steal the trophy from perpetual winners, 1st Carryduff Pack, but we went home well pleased with second place. It was disappointing though not to see any other Cubs from East taking part in this event. This prompts the question ‘is there something wrong with the event?’ or would Cubs and Leaders not want to attend yet another Saturday event no matter what was organised? Is it worth looking again at the events offered at District and County level and trying to come up with some fresh ideas or should we just keep things as they are and rely on the usual Packs to enter? I wonder….

David, CSL 30th

Help!

Time and again the DC has pleaded for someone to ‘take the reins’ at 28th at Tamar Street- Alas! With no response. As you all know, there is a nucleus of a strong Group in an area which has been devoid of Scouting for far too many years and yet, there is a set-up potential for a 28th Group which could vie with the best in ‘East’ –if only there was someone who would grasp the steering wheel and get the road wheels rolling. The Hall is there; a solid financial base is there; the kids are there; all that is needed is someone to act in a stop-gap GSL capacity (ideally not just stop-gap) to recruit some Leaders, to get a Group Committee off the ground and to organise a few short-term working parties to knock the Hall into a better decorative and maintenance order. Many, many years ago, I took on the creation of a new Group in a newly developed area, and there today is an Admiralty-recognised Sea Scout Group. Taking on that challenge, and succeeding, was one of the most satisfying aspects of my Scouting involvement. Surely there is someone in East who can take the 28th on board; even for an agreed limited period. How about you?

Philip Holland, District President

News from 99th Cub Scout Pack

I had just finished my supper when the telephone rang and Akela asked if I would represent our 99th Cub Pack on a local television talk show - The John Daly Show. I immediately agreed as I had never been on TV before. When I got there I was very excited. There were lots of guests - John Leslie, Keith Duffy, Annabel Giles and my favourite local comedian Marty Reid. I went to the studio with another Cub called Johnny McLearnon and we had to set up and put away a tent. We were allowed to practice so we were quite fast. We then set this 'Survivor' challenge to Keith Duffy and John Leslie. Keith Duffy was very fast and he won. They teased us about all the badges we have and said that we had a tent folding badge! The audience clapped and everyone said how smart we looked. We felt very proud. I enjoyed going to the rehearsal, having dinner in the 'Green Room' and recording the show.

Michael Campbell, 99th Pack

On Tuesday evening Akela rang my house asking if I would like to take part in the John Daly Show on Wednesday 10 October 2001 and I said I would love to take part in the John Daly Show. The rehearsals and the show was in the enormous BBC studio building in Belfast near the city centre. It all started at 3.45 pm on Wednesday 10 October 2001. We met Tara the floor manager, John Daly, John Leslie, Keith Duffy and Uncle Andy from Give My Head Peace. We had to practice putting a big tent into a small bag more quickly than two of the special guests we had met earlier. In the proper show we did this in the BBC garden that was decorated to be like a jungle. Watching the rehearsals and folding the tents into the small bag in the jungle garden was really fun. I really liked Uncle Andy from Give My Head Peace. We also like the music, the band was cool and so was the camera number 3. We saw the special guests, John Daly, the TV cameras and the people that were on the show. We also saw the green room which was mostly blue. The whole day took 5 hours and 45 minutes. I thought it was really good fun and I really enjoyed it.

Jonathan McLearnon, 99th Pack

News from 10th Belfast Scout Troop

Well Hello to all in East. Things with the Tenth have got off to a good start with 3 new cubs from our own Pack joining the Troop. A big welcome to D.Mosgrove ( not another one), D.Whitley and C,Algie. Well done to the four Scouts, Simon, Cookie, Andrew and Ben for their attendance at the Mountain Bike Races and coming home with the overall Winners’ Cup. Thanks also to Des and John at the 7th for running the day. The Troop stays steady with 23 scouts and this has lead to the forming of a new Patrol. The Curlew Patrol has been reformed at the Tenth with Dwyane Mosgrove and Martin Price as P.L and A.PL. Matthew Thompson has been appointed as P.L of the Falcon Patrol after Graham McKee became S.P.L. Graham will help the Troop Scouters with the running of the Troop and also lend a hand to our Court of Honour. Mike has just returned from a weekend in the Cottage that saw 10 Scouts relaxing in the fine November weather. Our best wishes to Mike as he heads off on a short break to Nepal.The Troop is in shape for the many changes that lie ahead under the careful watch of Chunky as he keeps us up to date on the flow (or not) of information from the mainland. Wishing all in East a very merry Christmas and a Good New Year. Don’t forget all you old members that the Xmas morning football match is still on.

Robert McKissick, Scout Leader

Events in December