Issue Issue 9595 May May && June June 2015 2015
From the Courtyard
sac scouts newsletter
From the Courtyard feature of the month
100 YEARS ANNVERSARY TRIP TO ITALY Next year our Group will be celebrating its 100th year Anniversary. We shall be organizing a number of events for the occasion, one of them being a trip abroad. What’s on 8th August— ANNUAL PASTA NIGHT
To this end we are planning an adventure camping trip in Italy (Acorn Adventure—Aosta) for our members (scouts, ventures, rovers, leaders and possibly some of the older cubs) between July 25th and the 31st 2016. The trip will include activities such as:
6-13 September— SUMMER CAMP
As you will appreciate we need to plan from now and book certain events and sites early. Accordingly, we would like you to confirm whether you would be willing to send your son/s with us for this trip. Total cost would be around €700 per person and this would include flights, camp fees and related activities and food for the week. Pocket money would have to be over and above. Kindly confirm your intentions by 29th July 2015. Follow the link below to read and see more about Acorn Adventure http://acornadventure.co.uk/alpine-adventure/
Feature of the Month
From the Courtyard
PASTA NIGHT COMING SOON
What are you waiting for? Follow the link below and book your tickets for our annual Pasta night. http://goo.gl/forms/ahcdMh3BDy
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Issue 95 May & June 2015
From the Courtyard
GSL’s note
Issue 95 May & June 2015
Team Building On May 29th, the rover crew organised a teambuilding event for a local enterprise in order to generate more fund for the group. It was a very successful event and I would like to thank all twelve rovers who took the day off to help out and contribute in this event. Pasta Night We would like to remind all members and parents about the pasta night fund raising event on August 8 th. It shall be held at our HQ and our resident chefs will be preparing a variety of pasta dishes based on years of experience at SACSG Kitchens. Your support and presence is always important to us as funds generated are channeled towards our efforts in improving our Group and HQ. Please book online via the link below or with the Section Leaders.
GSL’s note
http://goo.gl/forms/ahcdMh3BDy Summer 2016 The Group Leaders are working on a Summer Trip for 2016. Our plans so far are to take a Group of at least fifty members (Scouts, Ventures, Rovers and possibly older Cubs) to Italy for an adventure camp. We shall soon be asking members whether they would like to attend. This is being organised to celebrate our 100 years anniversary in style. We shall try and keep the costs as reasonable as possible and anticipate the week long trip will be during the last week of July 2016. Summer Camp 2015 You shall all soon be receiving the circular re summer camp that shall be held at Ghajn Tuffieha between September the 6th and the 13th. So far we are planning to hold campfire on September 8 th. All members are encouraged to attend this week of activities and scouting fun. Movements In the coming weeks a number of older scouts are being “promoted” to the venture unit. This will definitely strengthen the Unit and is testimony to the good work our Troop leaders are doing managing to retain good quality scouts until the age of fifteen in spite of the pressures they face with O Levels. HQ Maintenance As usual Summer is the time when we start some maintenance on our HQ. The Venture Unit has already started some works on the walls in the inner courtyard and the Rover crew are taking care of the maintenance of the roofs, cleaning them and waterproofing them. The Troop shall do their share in the coming weeks too. We apologise for any inconvenience. Maintenance at our HQ us a recurring process.
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GSL’s note
From the Courtyard
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GSL’s note
Issue 95 May & June 2015
Visit on HMS Bulwark A group of 20 Rovers and Ventures paid a visit to HMS Bulwark which was in Malta on Saturday 13 th June for refuelling and maintenance. As usual the Ship’s crew were very accommodating and took the time to take all of us around the ship to explain the key functions and duties of the sailors on board.
From the Courtyard
SNAKES ON DECK!
Issue 95 May & June 2015
The Cub meeting on Wednesday 20th May was characterised by a lot of paint, plates, paintbrushes, smiles and smudges; the perfect recipe for certified fun. The Pack was split into two groups so that they could make the craft: making a spiraling snake out of a paper plate. The Cubs were given a paper plate each and they were told to paint the plate in any way the liked with the colours available. Once the plates were dry (or almost dry), the Cubs were instructed and helped to cut the plates in a spiral. This created a myriad variety of snakes: fat snakes, thin snakes, long snakes and short snakes. The final touches to the snakes were carried out by Raksha who proceeded with punching eyes into the heads of the snakes and finally Chil and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi tied a piece of string through the eyes of each
From the Pack
snake so that they could be hung.
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From the Courtyard
Issue 95 May & June 2015
LET’S DO IT MALTA—CUBS ACTIVITY
From the Pack
A beautiful sunny Saturday morning, fresh air and a wonderful open area; the perfect setting for a picnic... until you have a good look at the space around you and realise that it’s littered with rubbish left there by people who previously had the same great idea; to come to Ta’ Qali and enjoy a picnic. The amount of rubbish that people leave behind them after spending some time outside is incredible, it makes you think and wonder if people behave in the same way when they are at home. No one enjoys arriving in any particular place for a fun day out only to find it heavily littered making it unsightly and possibly posing health risks especially to children. Wouldn’t it be so much easier and much more enjoyable if people could clean up after themselves, possibly leaving any given area cleaner than they originally found it? Sounds simple no? But unfortunately this doesn’t happen, which is where our pack comes into the story. On Saturday 9th May, the St. Aloysius College Scout Group participated in Let’s Do It – Malta, a national clean-up which was part of an international event, Let’s Do it! Mediterranean. In Malta he clean-up was carried out in over 50 sites all over Malta, Gozo and Comino both on land and underwater. The site chosen by our group was Ta’ Qali. The pack was assigned the clean-up of the actual park. With a total of 8 cubs, they were split into four groups of two cubs each and sent off in different directions on the periphery of the park to collect rubbish, armed with a garbage bag and gloves. After some thorough work, the Cubs were given a short break, re-grouped and sent to collect rubbish from the central part of the park. Once our time was up, we gathered together and put the garbage bags with all the rubbish collected. The things that the Cubs had to collect were impressive; apart from the obvious pieces of paper, and cigarette butts, to plastic bottles and disposable food containers, they also found parts of a ball, a car sunshield and a dog toy.
It all boils down to respect... if people who go outside to have a good time, actually bother to clean up after themselves, they would leave the place in a suitable condition for otherS to enjoy after them and so forth, making it a better environment for everyone.
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From the Courtyard
TROOP ON A ROLL!
Issue 95 May & June 2015
SAC Scouts Cleanup 2015 This year ‘s clean up was held In Ta’ Qali picnic area on the 9th May 2015. For this activity we were between twenty to thirty people which is not a bad number of people for such an activity. The place that we were in was very dirty and you wouldn’t believe the things that we find in these kind of places, and how could certain people throw some of these things in these kind of places. Some of the things we found include in everything from picnic rubbish, baby dolls, pallets, glass, metal tanks, to metal pipes etc. Some of the things that we find are not safe to pick up with normal disposal gloves and you need special thick strong gloves to pick up. We needed a lot of garbage bags to do the job, we also had extra strong and thick garbage bags for certain glass and metal. We also had a skip for the metal tanks, metal pipes pallets and other big rubbish. This activity was a very needed activity and I am sure that it will happen in the future again because Malta will be a very dirty place if it wouldn’t be for this kind of activities.
From the Troop
It was a very fun activity as well which ended up in nothing else but a very clean picnic area. SAC fest Last Saturday we went to Sac fest to see our obstacle. Our obstacle was a monkey bridge where the objective is to cross the bridge. Our obstacle was one out of a three part obstacle course, our was the final obstacle. The Wednesday before we built the obstacle with the help of the venture unit. The troop was split into two. This activity helped the new members to learn knots and lashings. There was great teamwork and we got the obstacle ready and built by the end of the meeting. On Saturday we met at 3.30 where we started showing some activities like the game where you carry a bucket with a rope but without touching the bucket with your hands. We later moved on to our obstacle where we stayed for about 30 minutes. It was then time to leave, everyone had enjoyed them selves.
Robert Sciberras Herrera on his experience so far with the troop Being a scout during the link badge has been a good experience. I have learnt many things, like knots, pioneering and survival. I have enjoyed my few hours with scouts, and I am really looking forward to becoming a full-time scout. My favorite activity is cooking, cause I heard how fun it is. I look forward in chopping some vegetables and chewing on some meat. On the other hand I have enjoyed being a cub, and I want to thank all of the leaders who helped me in the past 4 years.
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From the Courtyard
THE VENTURES RETURN!
Issue 95 May & June 2015
Our Venture unit has finally resumed activity following the lull in meetings due to the Pre– exam period. We hope that all Ventures have done well in their O-levels and all that time away from scouts has been fruitful. Being eager to spend some time together, the reborn Ventures chose to spend a weekend at our HQ doing their bit to the upkeep of the courtyard. Indeed the four ventures did a splendid job at scraping the many layers of paint off one of the courtyard walls so as to prepare it for its new look.
From the Unit
In the coming summer months the work will be carried on with help from the Rover Crew too.
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In preparation for the next batch of new Ventures joining the unit very soon, the current members are eagerly planning some fist class summer activities so as to kick-start a great time together.
From the Courtyard
HMS BULWARK VISIT
Issue 95 May & June 2015
HMS Bulwark, the group’s patron ship was recently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, where it lent a helping hand in the ever growing issue of illegal migration. Towards the end of its deployment it stopped over in Malta for a few days, to have some work done whilst allowing its busy crew a few days of relaxation on our sunny island. During its few days in Malta, a number of leaders, rovers and ventures were invited to visit the ship and better understand what its capabilities and its work. So on Saturday 13th June, a good number of group members met outside the Palumbo Dockyard, where after a number of security checks we were finally allowed to go aboard the ship. Once on board, we were greeted by an officer who was going to show us around. After a brief walk
From the Crew
through the vehicle deck, we stopped by a small stand which the Royal Marines had set up for us. They explained their role aboard the ship and within its operations and how the whole ship is designed around their amphibious operations. They then proceeded to show us the equipment that they use which included a number of weapons, night vision equipment, radios, special sights, and explained how in addition to carrying all of the above they also have to wear body armour, webbing and a 40kilo rucksack! Whilst in the well deck we were also shown the Landing Craft Utility which are usually used to deploy marines and their vehicles ashore, however during their Mediterranean deployment were being used to rescue migrants and bring them aboard. After having been through all of the marines’ equipment, we were taken onto the flight deck and even though most of the guys, (me!), felt sorry for leaving the Marines and their toys, we soon forgot about them since we were greeted with the magnificent sight of two Merlin helicopters. The two Merlins are part of 818 Naval Air Squadron and are not permanently based with the Bulwark. Their main function is submarine hunting/ warfare and are equipped with a number of powerful radars to be able to do so. However during their latest deployment they were being used in the search and rescue role. After being showed around we took a number of group pictures and we the headed to the Bridge. The bridge is from where the ship is controlled and we were given a brief explanation about how it all works. We were then taken down to see the Operations room, the heart of the ship, from where all of its operations are coordinated. However the key code into the room had been recently updated and the officer had not yet been made aware of the new one and we were thus taken to the top
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From the Courtyard
HMS BULWARK VISIT
Issue 95 May & June 2015
of the ship where we took a look at the radars and weapons situated there. We then once again attempted to get into the operations room, and thankfully someone else was around this time to open for us. Once inside the officer explained how key this room was to the whole ship and how through it they are not only capable of coordinating the ships military operations but defend the ship itself from attack and coordinate military operations involving other ships as well. This room is usually constantly busy, however during our visit it, along with the rest of the ship were quite quiet since they were in the dockyard. Our last stop was once again in the vehicle deck where we were shown the fire control department and some of the equipment they use to control any fires aboard. We were also given the opportunity to try out some of the firefighting hoses and since it happened to be VSL Andre Brincat’s Birthday, one of us couldn’t resist giving him a good shower. Andre however simply took it as an opportunity to freshen up
From the Crew
and relieve himself of the bucketful’s of sweat which we all had accumulated throughout the hot summer
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day! By then it was the end of our short visit and after a brief exchange of gifts and heartfelt thanks to the officer for showing us around, we all disembarked the ship and headed home towards a cold shower and AC! David Pace
Rover End of Exams / Beginning of Summer BBQ On Sunday 28th June the annual Rover end of Exams / Beginning of Summer BBQ was held. The BBQ was more of a social event where Crew members could enjoy their evening while socialising together in a casual environment. Rovers had to opportunity to spend some time swimming which was then followed by the actual BBQ and the evening finished off with a game of cards. In total there were about 15 crew members present at the BBQ.