News Archive
St Georges Day 2017
On St. George's Day Sunday 23rd April, approximately 300 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorer Scouts, and Leaders, attended their annual service, this year at St. Christopher's Church in Weyhill. The Church was full to capacity, with parents standing at the back, and the service was led by the Rev. Mary Bowden. At the start of the service the District Commissioner Fr Jonathan How asked some of the Scouts what they knew about St. George. One Scout said, "his favourite colour was green". Think he must have been confusing St. George with Robin Hood! Then Jamie Short, the Explorer Scout Commissioner, outlined some of the stories of St. George and the dragon, some to be believed and some not! During the service the District Commissioner presented 4 Long Service Awards:- Matthew Beveridge 5 years; Clare Short & Stuart Ward 10 years; Chris Lloyd 15 years. 3 Explorer Scouts had gained the Duke of Edinburgh Award:- Georgina Dayne Bronze, Max Smith Silver, and Joe Byham Gold. Sue Styles, Cub Scout Leader at Churt received the Chief Scout's Commendation for good services.
All Promises were renewed, the Beaver Scouts led by Sue Gibbon, the Cub Scouts led by Chris Lloyd. Jamie Short read the Scout Laws, and then the District Commissioner led the Scouts, Leaders, and any others who had previously made the Scout Promise, in its renewal. Following the National Anthem, colours were returned during the singing of "He's got the whole world in his hands".
John Stone
Haslemere & District Scouts Media Manager
District Cub Quiz
On Saturday 4th March teams of 6 Cub Scouts from 5 Packs in Haslemere & District, competed in a very close fought District round of the County Quiz, at the 1st Fernhurst Scout Headquarters. The competition lasted 3 hours with 7 rounds of questions including identifying badges; general knowledge; knots; music; maps; magic numbers, and movies. The afternoon was organised by Chris Lloyd the Assistant District Commissioner for Cub Scouts, and after he gave the answers to each round, the answer sheets were passed around clockwise to be marked by another Pack, before the results were recorded. Finally, after the last round of movies, the scores were totted up and the results announced. The winners with 40.5 points were Grayshott, a Pack very small in numbers (but obviously of high quality!!), with the runners up Haslemere very close behind with 39.5 points. In 3rd position were Hindhead with 38.5; 4th Camelsdale with 35.5, and Churt not far behind with 32. Congratulations to Grayshott who will go forward to represent Haslemere & District in the County Competition on 19th March.
The winning team from Grayshott with their Leader Matthew Sabourn (Baloo) and the Assistant District Commissioner for Cub Scouts Chris Lloyd.
John Stone
Haslemere & District Scouts Media Manager
100 years of Cub Scouting
Cubs100 Celebration
On Friday 16th December Haslemere Hall was buzzing with about 150 excited Cub Scouts from around Haslemere and District, excited perhaps at the thought of being able to perform on that famous stage, many of them in fancy dress for their particular stint. It was, of course, exactly 100 years since Baden-Powell founded the Wolf Cub section as it was then in 1916, the main purpose of this evening being the renewal of their Promise at precisely 7.16 p.m. (1916). This was being done all over the Country at exactly the same time. The evening was compered by Chris Lloyd the Asst. District Commissioner for Cub Scouts. The District Commissioner Fr Jonathan How was present, as was the Haslemere Deputy Mayor, who said he had enjoyed the whole evening so much, as it brought back happy memories of his days in the Cubs.
1st Camelsdale Pack, representing the 1920's, opened the evening with a Bugsy Malone song, followed by the 1st Haslemere Pack representing the 1930's. This was the year the 999 system and the FIFA World Cub started, and the first woman was to fly across the Atlantic. They sang "The wonderful wizard of Oz". Next came 1st Hindhead Pack representing the 1940's and they sang "Rudolf the red nosed reindeer". Then came another bunch from 1st Camelsdale Pack all dressed in blue & white striped tops complete with prison numbers, and of course they sang and danced to "Jailhouse Rock".
1st Chiddingfold Pack represented the 60's and sang and danced to a Beatles number "Help" complete with the letters H - E - L - P which they held up every time the word was mentioned.
Next came 1st Fernhurst Pack representing the 70's and the "Punks" with the best collection of wigs ever to be seen.
The final entertainment spot was 1st Churt Pack who sang "You've got a friend in me".
At 7.16 p.m. precisely, all of the Cubs in a large circle around the hall, renewed their Cub Scout Promise led by Fr Jonathan How, and then the largest (and noisiest) Grand Howl heard for a long time took place.
Then arrived "The Peace Light" carried in by Ken Lindup, the chairman of 1st Chiddingfold.
Sarah Brough the Vicar of St. Mary's at Chiddingfold outlined the story behind the light which had its origins in Austria and is now distributed throughout Europe. It is an unbroken light originating in Bethlehem carrying a message of peace. It came into Dover in the custody of the Captain of a ferry for safety reasons, and from Haslemere Hall, lights that have been taken from it will be in Churches around the area over the Christmas period.
Then it was food time in the annexe so there was a mass exodus from the hall. A fantastic evening all round.
Cub Scout Muir Trophy
Teams from all of the 6 Packs in Haslemere District entered this year’s competition, which took place over a distance of 4 miles in and around Fernhurst, on Sunday 16th October, getting out as far as Blackdown, Fernden Lane, and Lurgashall Winery. The morning started with torrential rain and it was thought the event might have to be called off, but by start time of 11.00 a.m. the weather improved and remained so until the finish at 4.30 p.m. Over the course the teams had to take part in a number of activities which were marked for success, teamwork, efficiency, and morale. These included an obstacle course, a blindfold trail, minesweeper using co-ordinates to avoid the mines, a teamwork challenge picking up bottles with a spider of ropes and elastic bands, making a stretcher, and moving water with least spillage. The teams also had to carry a fresh egg. If it got to the finish unbroken there was a bonus of 10 points, cracked there was a bonus of 5 points, and smashed there was nothing.
Haslemere finished the course in 3rd position with 98 points, but gaining 10 points for an unbroken egg, they finished in joint FIRST position with Fernhurst, who had gained 5 points for a cracked egg. Both scored 108 points. The runners up were Camelsdale B team with 103, followed by Grayshott with 102. Other results were Camelsdale A 101, Hindhead 91, and Chiddingfold 80.
The Asst. District Commissioner for Cub Scouts, Chris Lloyd, thanked everyone for taking part, Fernhurst Group for the refreshments, and Tim Braithwaite, the Cub Scout Leader at Fernhurst, for organising such a successful and enjoyable event.
The winning teams from Haslemere and Fernhurst who will have to share the trophy.
Scout Section Muir Trophy
Haslemere and District Scouts annual "Muir Trophy" competition took place recently. Organised by newly appointed Asst. District Commissioner for Scouts Peter Callender, Troops could enter teams of 4-6 Scouts. They had to complete a 7Km hike around the Marley Common area, during which they had to tackle 6 challenges. This took 4 hours, and points were awarded 12,10,8,6,4 judged by Leaders from the District. Challenges included mini pioneering (building the tallest flag pole); nature (recognising leaves & animals); nuclear bomb (moving it from one circle to another using just ropes); estimating (using distances and compass bearings); and micro navigation (pegging out). Returing to the Camelsdale H.Q. the teams enjoyed an evening meal, followed by a traditional camp fire with songs, stunts, and games.
Sunday morning was bacon butty time, before the results were announced. 1st Haslemere Troop had entered 2 teams of 4, 1st Camelsdale 1 team of 6, and 1st Fernhurst 1 team of 4. The results were very close with 1st Fernhurst winning with 57 points, followed by 1st Haslemere A team with 55, 1st Camelsdale 53, and 1st Haslemere B with 51. The trophy, which has been in existence since 1926 was presented by John Stone, District Media Manager.
