Well done and thanks to all youths and adults who turned out to remember the fallen. Lest we forget
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Remembrance Parade 2023
Category: News
Squirrels worked on their Let’s Celebrate badge tonight by learning all about Diwali. We read a story together to learn about the meaning of Diwali, tested our dancing abilities by learning a Bollywood dance routine, made Diwali lanterns and chocolate sparklers and lit some real sparklers to finish up.
Squirrels had a mini soccer training session this evening led by Coach Lee from TW Sports. They had great fun playing sneak tag, Toy Story and Superhero themed games, before having a halftime snack and finishing up with Wacky Races. Thanks to Coach Lee and TW Sports for a brilliant night!
Cubs had their first camp. Cubs started by preparing their own lunch to take with them on train ride to Botanic. We explored Ulster Museum. Once back in hall we enjoyed dinner, played games and set up tents for good nights sleep. Next morning after breakfast and tidy up cubs worked on some DIY skills.
Beavers enjoyed lots of fairground style games at their Halloween party night. There was mummy bowling using a pumpkin as a bowling ball, pumpkin toss, feeding stick people to the one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater, a pumpkin shooting range, toss the rings onto witches hats and a gross feely box alongside colouring in and tabletop games. Lots of sweet treats won. Finally some party food and balloons.
Our Phoenix ENSU had asked to attend Fright night at The Jungle NI when gathering ideas at the beginning of this year. Therefore we planned our Autumn camp around this activity!!
After setting up camp, they had time to explore the site, chill out, face paint and play before dinner time. After a hearty dinner (sausage baps, potato waffles and beans) it was time to experience Fright night 🤡 🧟♂️ They took part in the woodland trail and a couple of scare attractions. They also enjoyed the entertainment provided by Reggie and the freak show – getting up on stage to sing and dance along, and take part in some challenges. Finally all back to camp to sit around the campfire until they all eventually drifted off to their tents to sleep.
Sunday morning lie-in!! It was 9:00 before the bell was rang to get ready for breakfast. Last few activities (pumpkin carving, rounders and dangling donuts), another couple of investitures before dropping camp for home.
Lots of laughs throughout camp, a fantastic bunch of youths! Check out the YouTube video below ⬇️
Squirrels enjoyed a Halloween party this evening, with face painting, smores, a game of Pass the Squirrel, and turning leaders (and themselves) into mummies!
Last weekend 29 scouts caught the train to Helen’s bay then walked to Crawfordsburn scout centre for an overnight camp, in tents outdoors. Shortly after they arrived they had a tour of the site and then it was time for some archery and tomahawk/angel throwing. After setting up tents there was some free time before dinner. Then scouts were split into small groups to complete a blind trail before everyone headed off along the coastal path for a short night hike. Back to camp for hot chocolate and s’mores before heading to bed with temperature of 2 degrees. Up next morning for breakfast and exploring Crawfordsburn Forest before lunch and packing up ready for home.
Our Phoenix ENSU recently took part in a hike around some of the Glenariff forest park trails. While lots of our YLs were attending County 1st aid training the others were tasked with taking photos while on their hike. The prize for best photo (voted by leaders from our other sections) went to Aaron. Well done on winning your Greggs voucher. Robyn took 2nd place and Adam got 3rd. We also invested some of our new members during the waterfall walk.
Squirrels completed more work on their Go Wild badge by taking a trip to a local dairy farm. We got to see the milking machines in action, feed the calves, make our very own Scout scarecrow and finished the evening off with fresh hot chocolate and biscuits in the yard. Huge thanks to the farm for hosting us!
Squirrels have had a busy few weeks working on their initial badges, making sure our new Squirrels were ready for their investiture and making bird feeders to hang in their gardens. Parents were welcomed to our last session to see the investiture and hear about our planned farm visit next week.
We welcomed Squirrels back after the summer break and it was great to see so many returning faces, and plenty of new ones. We had a fun evening learning our Squirrel promise, learning about the badges we will be covering over the coming months, and decorating campfire biscuits.
Leaders spent 6 months planning summer camp for our Scouts and Phoenix Explorers in Newcastle, County Down. We got to the site and set up for the week. Unfortunately Storm Betty (just named after our arrival) had different plans. The campsite started to flood around 23:00 and so we were all evacuated offsite to take shelter overnight in Newcastle Scout hall. Thanks to Peter from Newcastle Scouts for supplying some tea bags and milk. Checked the site and equipment the next morning and concluded that camp had to come to an end 😢
However, leaders got together and planned 3 days out so the young people could still get together for some fun. A morning shopping in Belfast, a visit to Botanic gardens then onto airtastic in Bangor, a day pass to Let’s go hydro and finally a trip to Prison Island for some team challenges and problem solving.
#resilience#stormbetty#itscharacterbuilding#survivors#itsrobsfault
Click on the link below ⬇️
Last weekend cubs enjoyed summer camp at Lorne estate. We started Friday with train trip to Cultra. After setting up camp cubs explored local beach and Lorne estate grounds finishing night with camp fire and songs. Saturday was fun filled with lots activities. First we did climbing tower followed by abseil. After lunch we returned to archery and zip line. Saturday was finished with Smores and campfire songs. Sunday we left Lorne estate and went exploring Ulster Folk museum. We took train journey back home tired and soak through.
Ballymoney Scout Group enjoyed an all section camp at the weekend. Smallest squirrels (4 year olds) to our tallest explorers (17 year olds) and leaders/network/executive helpers took part!
Friday – Cubs, Scouts and Explorers arrived on site and listened to camp rules. Scout sections worked on pioneering wash stands. Explorers discussed DofE for September, cooked and sampled different ration packs on a jet boil. Cubs enjoyed a movie in the Hen Hoose.
Saturday – relaxing morning, then Beavers and squirrels arrived just after lunch time. Phoenix Explorers and some scouts helped to set up camp for the wee ones. Busy day doing crafts, bouncy castle, face painting, laser tag and team games. BBQ for dinner then Squirrels enjoyed a mini campfire before heading home. Main campfire led by our fabulous explorers (renamed Phoenix entertainers by our Beavers) with campfire cones, songs, skits, dancing and singalong!
Sunday – Breakfast then pack up before wacky relay races 😂😂
Well done to all the young people, your behaviour on camp was exceptional!
A HUGE well done to our older sections for all their help and entertainment throughout the weekend. You guys are awesome 😎
Again, massive thanks to Lislagan Farm for allowing us to camp at their farm. Also to all the volunteer leaders and executive. Well done to our newest section leaders (squirrels) for getting stuck in 🌟
Also thanks to #limitless for running laser tag. Thanks to a friend of the group for a donation of £40 towards food.
We had some silly games this week to finish up for the year. Balloons were used for the over and under game, pairs race, balloon hopping race, longest keepy uppie and other fun games. Good work YLs. Then some party foods and social time followed by badge awards.
Well done to 10 of our Beavers who managed to complete their Chief Scout Bronze during their time with us 👏🏻👏🏻
Squirrels spent time in the hall this evening working on their All About Me and Feel Good badges. We built a den out of chairs, blankets and mats and sat inside to have a special snack pack, before learning how to roll our neckers properly. We then got to spend some time on the hall’s new bouldering wall, which proved a bit tricky but very popular!
This week Beavers met at the hall. They enjoyed an ice lolly on arrival before starting into activities. They were working in their lodges to build a machine out of Lego. They discussed their ideas in their lodges, drew their design and then attempted to create them from Lego.
At the same time they took turns in their lodges to conquer our new bouldering wall. Well done to our YL Lotars for running this activity with leaders assisting.
Some very interesting machine ideas, especially the diamond making machine and the teleporter car which send people who are bad to jail and people who are good to their favourite place. Well done to all lodges for presenting their machines at the end of the night to all the other lodges and leaders 👏🏻
Next week is our end of year party and awards and group camp at the weekend 🏕️
Finally we say goodbye to one of our leaders, Ash, who will be missed by all. Enjoy your chocolates 😋
Tonight, Squirrels headed to Riverside Park again to work on their Explore Outdoors badge. We played games and then split into teams to take on a treasure hunt where they worked together to find minibeasts hidden in the trees. We ended the evening with some time in the playpark as a reward for working so well together.
This week our young leaders were running the show. They sent through activities and risk assessments earlier in the week then took the reins tonight. We think they might appreciate the struggle of getting young people to listen now 😂😂 Some beach games and a water fight enjoyed by all. Well done guys 👏🏻
This week Cubs learnt all about good teamwork. They played multiple games each time trying to improve they’re teamwork skill, adapting to new challenges and appointing responsibilities within teams.
Beavers met at the Riverside park for some fun tonight. After some parachute games ran by our YLs, we had some teddy bear 1st aid to learn how to treat small cuts.
Then they all had a mini teddy bears picnic French style. They learned some French words and sampled some Brie, Camembert and Saint Agur blue cheese on crackers, followed up with some pain au chocolat. Mixed reactions to the cheeses but everyone enjoyed the pain au chocolat.
Finally, time for a nature walk around the trim trail before home time
Squirrels spent the night at Riverside Park and Rodden Foot Wood to work on their Explore Outdoors and Feel Good badges. They learnt some compass skills and then spent time collecting materials to build a den for our Drey mascot.
This morning cubs met up in Portbalintrea for a 5 mile hike up to Giants Causeway and back. Weather was on our side as we had cooler breeze in morning hours. Cubs hiked, climbed around rocks and was also greeted by a pod of dolphins.
Tonight cubs learnt how to upcycle furniture. We had a bit of fun and lots of mess painting chairs and bedside tables. Thanks to amazing Jane and Phoebe from Can Can for teaching our boys and girls
Beavers took advantage of another beautiful evening by meeting at Downhill forest. They went for a hike identifying tree leaves and wildflowers. Then once up on the hill they practiced making sparks with fire steel before lighting 4 mini campfires to make s’mores.
Tonight Squirrels worked on their All About Me and Let It Grow badges, decorating flowerpots and then planting sunflower seeds to take home and look after. We will spend the next few weeks completing a plant diary, to track how tall our sunflowers grow. We also measured ourselves against a huge sunflower height chart and were given special giant sunflower seeds to plant at home. Squirrels have been challenged to grow a sunflower as big as the height chart!
Throughout May, Scout section have been helping out at Lislagan Farm, Ballymoney. Last night was the final night of clearing grass from the base of fruit trees and doing some weeding. Well done to all the scouts, young leaders and leaders who volunteered their time to help out at CAN’s farm. Thank you so much to Janet from CAN for feeding our hungry scouts on the last night. Much appreciated.
For last few weeks cubs have been finishing off Environmental conservation badge working hard on some projects. We planted our own strawberries with hope to have plenty of fruit and created cosy bug hotels for our small criters.
Tonight, Squirrels worked on their All Together badge, learning about teamwork and communication. We tested our concentration skills while listening to a story, then paired up to try a blindfolded obstacle course, with Squirrels taking turns to guide each other around the course.
