This week at Cubs

We have a special guest for this week's meeting.

Austin, a guide dog for the blind, will be paying us a visit. He will be bringing his owner with him to talk about her experience of being blind. We will then be playing a few games involving blindfolds!

Hopefully we will also get some time to look at any decorating work that Cubs have done to their Pinewood Derby cars. I will need to keep the cars for the week to do some drilling prior to fitting the wheels next week so please make sure they bring the cars along.

Thanks,

Tim

******************************************
31st Brighton Cubs
31stcubs@gmail.com
www.31stcubs.blogspot.com

District Bivouac Camp

The District Cubs are organising a Bivouac Camp in June at Parkwood.

The minimum age limit for attendance is 9.5 years so only a handful of Cubs from the 31st are eligible.

We are not organising anything as a pack activity but I thought I would let you know that it is running because we can probably organise joining with another Cub pack or if any of the older cubs wanted to go.  Parents and carers can accompany the cubs if we sort out a CRB check. 

The Cubs who are old enough are:

Harvey Eatenton

Harry Mortensen

Kaio Middleton

Jack Parker

Liam Walsh

George Borer

Alfie Ballard

The details I have are added at the end of this email.

Let me know if you are interested or need more information.

Thanks,

Tim


******************************************
31st Brighton Cubs
31stcubs@gmail.com
www.31stcubs.blogspot.com

East Sussex Cub Scouts                                The 2013 Bivouac Camp

Where: Parkwood Campsite (Brighton District Site)

When: 10am Saturday June 8^th  (leaders can arrive earlier to set up but time will be built into the     day to develop the campsites)

                            Until   Sunday June 9^th  at 12pm

Cost;  £16 per Cub Scout    £5 per accompanying adult

Eligible:  Cub Scouts who are 9.5 years old or above on the date of the event

Closing Date:  Friday April 12^th  at the latest (** A minimum deposit of £20 per pack is required at this stage but please note the full amount is due by Saturday May 10^th **)

This event will give the cubs a taste in building a bivouac out of plastic sheeting, personalise it, then the opportunity to sleep in it. They will also have the chance to make some gadgets, eat food cooked over a wood fire backwoods style, take part in a wide game and cook some of their breakfast over a wood fire. There should also be the chance to do a bit of bodging and orienteering.

We can only accommodate around 100 Cubs. 

Therefore places will only be confirmed after the closing date and all packs given places will be told by end of Monday April 15th .

One Adult , who must have full CRB clearance, is required for every four cubs. If you only have a couple of cub scouts interested please let me know and we will try and offer a mix with another pack (or combine yourself with a cub pack in your District).

All instructions for building the bivouac will be available beforehand and everything will be provided although you can embellish your bivouacs if you wish !! (There will be a prize this time for the most creative bivouac).  The adult helping must have at least a rudimentary knowledge of fire lighting because Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast will be cooked on their own wood fire. FOOD will be provided (for cubs and adults) so please advise of any special dietary conditions.

We have plenty of indoor accommodation available at Parkwood in the case of bad weather – also some cooking may be done centrally.

The Cub Scouts will need sleeping bag, carrymat, torch, unbreakable plate, bowls, cup, eating utensils as well as their personal gear.

The adults will need a tent, cooking utensils for dinner and breakfast as well as eating implements and anything else you would like to make the camp more comfortable for you. You can bring a stove for emergencies. If you want to socialise after the cubs are settled please do so – please remember to do so considerately and quietly.

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Cubs Update

Don't panic this isn't going to become a regular newsletter to fill up your in box but there are a few things I wanted to tell you about regarding Cubs.

Pinewood Derby

Thanks to the sterling effort of Gary Williams and Steve Birch at last night's meeting all the cars now have a base coat of paint and are ready for the Cubs to decorate as they wish. The paint is now dry and I will bring the cars to school pickup at Westdene this afternoon. If your Cub picks up the car then they can decorate it with numbers, stickers or a painted detail over half term if they want to. The wheels still haven't been delivered but we still have time after half term to sort that.

Sixer's Forum

A big thank you to Kaio Middleton and Jamie Laird for representing the 31st at the Sixer's Forum to feedback the Cub's thoughts on other activities they would like to see.

Upcoming events

Thursday 28th February - Visit from Alison Evans and her guide dog Austin to talk to the Cubs about what it is like to be blind.

Thursday 18th April - Visit to Hove Fire Station - Part of Community Challenge and Local Knowledge Activity Badges

Sunday 21st April - St Georges Day Parade and celebration of Scouting. Counts as one quarter of the Promise Challenge Badge Requirement.

Activity Badges

Over the next year or so we are hoping to cover as many of these badges as pack activities:

Air Activities

Astronomer

Athletics

Athletics (Plus)

Camper

DIY

My Faith

Global Conservation

Home Safety

Local Knowledge

Map Reader

Naturalist

Navigator

Personal Safety

Road Safety

Scientist

World Faiths

This leaves the following badges which are probably more suitable for Cubs to consider individually: 

Animal Carer

Artist

Book Reader

Chef

Collector

Communicator

Cyclist

Entertainer

Equestrian

Hobbies

Home Help

Martial Arts

Physical Recreation

Skater

Sports Enthusiast

Water Activities

So if your cub has swimming certificates, musical instrument grade exams, is a season ticket holder at the Amex, is a member of a cycling club, has a fabulous collection of model soldiers or does any other activity related to these any badges in either list then get them to let me know because they can get a badge for it.

If they want more information on what the badge requirements are then point them towards:

http://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/search/?cat=12,67,127

County Mystery Trip

We have thirteen Cubs attending but only one leader available to go. If you fancy helping to herd the flock and love a mystery then please let me know.  I need the remaining deposit payments by the next meeting please.

Online Scout Manager

I have had no complaints about the new way of booking events and activities so hopefully it is working well for everyone. Thank you all for updating the attendance requests even if your Cub isn't going because it means less work this end and hopefully less unwanted emails for you. If the reminders are coming too frequently or you have alternative email addresses that you would prefer I use then let me know. 

Hopefully you have all found the section on badge progress you can see how far through earning a particular badge they are. If you notice a mismatch between the badges listed and the ones on their sleeve then let me know.

The reason for not using the online payment section is simply that it would add 2.95% to the cost of every activity. So for example the Pinewood Derby would cost £2.58 instead of £2.50. If you think this would be worth it to save the hassle of cheques or cash then let me know.

That's all I have apart from have a fun half term.

Tim

Conservation Activity Badge

Hi everyone,

Broadstone Warren Scout Activity Centre is running a series of one day activity days based around the Global Conservation Activity Badge.

All the information I have is in the attached letter and application form.

It is not a an organised pack activity, but rather it is bookable on an individual basis. If a group of Cubs all wanted to go together then all they have to do is all book for the same day.

For reasons known only to themselves the organisers require sign off from the Cub Scout Leader, which is me. Look out for me on the school run or bring the form on Thursday and I'll sign it there and then.

Places are allocated on a first come first served basis. 

Details about the badge can be found at.

https://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/1419/global-conservation-activity-badge/?cat=12,67,127&moduleID=10

Broadstone Warren Scout Site and Activity Centre Cub Scout Global Conservation Badge 2013
In 2013 we will be offering the Cub Scout Global Conservation Badge at Broadstone Warren. This is a one day badge course.
Ø The dates are 9th , 10th , 23rd and 24th March 2013. Please note you only have to attend one day.
Ø Plus other dates by arrangement with us for Cub Packs, with a minimum of 10 cubs. Please contact us to arrange this.
Registration for each course commences from 9:45am in the morning, and the course starts at 10am. The course concludes at 3:00pm with a presentation of certificates. Parents, guardians and leaders are invited to attend this.
The cost of this course will be £8.00 per person, and this will cover all tuition, materials and equipment.
The Global Conservation Badge Course that is run by Broadstone Warren is an outdoor activity and suitable waterproofs and footwear will be required, along with a packed lunch.
At the end of the course, successful participants will be awarded with a certificate. This should be passed to their Leader who will award the badge. Any participant who does not complete the course will be informed of how they need to improve before the badge can be awarded.
To book a place please complete the attached form, and return it with the fee (cheques payable to Broadstone Warren) Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Only completed forms which include payment will be accepted. Incomplete forms, or any received without payment or after the date above will be returned.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to receiving your form and payment, and seeing you on the course.

Broadstone Warren 

Fwd: The Pinewood Challenge

Dear All,

over the last few weeks the Cubs have been working on the design and build of a Pinewood Derby car.

At the end of the exercise they will have earned their DIY badge and have a car to race at the Pinewood Derby event if they are able to attend.

Most of them took home the start of their racer and some sandpaper to carry on shaping their car. Please make sure that the cars come back to the next meeting so that we can continue to finish the cars prior to painting.

We are making the simplest of cars in meetings because of the limitations of time and facilities. If you or a capable friend or relative wants to make a more sophisticated design (perhaps over half term) to enter in the Pinewood Derby then you are more than welcome. There are also races for parents/carers/leaders so you could enter a car that you make yourself.

I  have attached the rules should you want to.

We could do with some extra help with sanding and painting over the next few meetings to up the rate of productivity! Just let me know by email if you can help out.

I will be sending out a separate email for registration for the race event so don't worry about letting me know yet.

I hope the sanding isn't making too much of a mess in the kitchen!

Tim


******************************************
31st Brighton Cubs
31stcubs@gmail.com
www.31stcubs.blogspot.com

Dear All,

on 16th March next year Brighton and Hove District Cubs will be holding a Pinewood Derby Challenge. The Cubs  will have the opportunity to design and construct a freewheel model car from a block of pine to enter in the Challenge. The Challenge is an afternoon of racing the their cars down long wooden tracks. Sounds like boy heaven.

A couple of District organisers visited last Thursday to explain to the Cubs what the Pinewood Derby is all about and showed them some examples of cars made by cubs in previous years.

If you Google (other search engines are available) Pinewood Derby you can easily find lots of information.

Here is a video of one meeting in the US where it originated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzgOCDwQzM

Over the next couple of months the Cubs will have the opportunity to design and construct a freewheel model car from a block of pine to enter in the Challenge.

We don't have the resources available to take every Cub through this without some support from home in the construction of the cars. It is not difficult but will take a bit of time.

If Cubs want to partner up and work together on a car then can enter the car jointly.

We haven't done the Pinewood Challenge before so we will be making it up as we go along. If you have some DIY skills, tools or time to get involved then please let me know.

Parent and carers can also enter their own car which can be made of any material but it must comply with all other rules.

In the first instance I need to collect together the entry registrations by the beginning of February. Entry fee is £2:50 per car.

So there is no panic this side of Christmas but if you want to register your cub's interest, or can help out at some of the meetings to prepare the cars then let me know.

I thought I would let you know about it now in case the Cubs want to have a play with drawing some designs over Christmas.

I have attached a copy of the rules.

Tim


******************************************
31st Brighton Cubs
31stcubs@gmail.com
www.31stcubs.blogspot.com