Issue Issue 9696 July July 2015 2015
From the Courtyard
sac scouts newsletter
From the Courtyard feature of the month
23rd WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE
What’s on September 613—Summer Camp
The 23rd World Scout Jamboree closed with a colourful and vibrant ceremony on 7 August 2015 where over 33,000 Scouts said their goodbyes to newfound friends and started to make their way home after a good 12-day experience of a lifetime. We’ve had an awesome time as well and we’d like to share it with you.
Here’s a link to all the #WSJ2015 materials and resources that you might be interested in: 1. Videos - www.youtube.com/user/WorldScouting 2. Photos - media.scout.org - Flickr 3. 23rd World Scout Jamboree FB page 4. scout.org – scout.org/wsj2015 5. WOSM FB page 6. Press materials Let’s continue to keep Wa: a Spirit of Unity alive!
From the Courtyard
GSL’s note
Issue 96 July 2015
Pasta Night By the time this issue reaches you the pasta night would have probably passed. A lot of effort was made by our leaders to entertain our members and their parents and friends and we hope we did not let you down. Such a fundraising event helps us to carry on with our objectives of improving our HQ and general equipment requirements. We would have liked to see more former scouts at the event. Summer Camp The dates for summer camp at Ghajn Tuffieha have been set. (Sept 6th to the 13th with campfire on the 8th). We look forward to all members joining us at camp and all parents at the campfire and BBQ on the 8th September. Each Section will inform members of their plans and programmes in the coming weeks.
GSL’s note
Works at HQ As you may have noticed, our ventures and rovers have started some works on the walls in the courtyard. We hope to get them done by the end of summer. The scouts will contribute in the coming weeks as they will organise a working weekend at HQ in mid-August. Planned works on the room next door have not started yet. We have finally been given approval by MEPA to start but it all depends on how expensive the works are, as we have been constrained to keep the original roof features (wooden beams and xorok) which may prove to be beyond our budget. We are waiting for revised quotes and hopefully we can proceed from thereon. 100TH Anniversary trip to Italy As most of you are well aware, we are planning to organise a trip to Italy in July 2016 as part of our Group’s celebrations. We should have a clear idea of how many are coming by the end of July and we’ll get back with further information for all those interested in joining us in the next few days. As information meeting is being held for parents on July 29 th at 18:30. Those that are unable to attend should contact us and we’ll forward the details via email. New badge for Group scarf (neckerchief) In the coming weeks we shall be receiving new College badges which we shall have to fix on our college scarf. It is part of our plans to be able to be more recognised. Badges should be an “iron on” type so it should not be difficult to fix.
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From the Courtyard
CUBS JOINT ACTIVITY
Issue 96 July 2015
From the Pack
On the 28th of July, SAC’s pack joined with Hamrun and St Venera for a joint activity. This was planned out as an activity consisting of water games, as Hamrun have the facility of a pool at their HQ. The event started off with the packs falling in and being separated into groups, so that the cubs will get to socialize and make new friends from the other groups. Some leaders were assigned to the groups, and some others were overlooking all the groups making sure everything was ok. A couple of us, including myself, helped out with the kitchen as the cubs were offered a BBQ meal at the end. Each group proceeded to the pool, and cubs jumped in one by one to test their swimming skills. Then, the games started. There were games to test their swimming skills, speed and most importantly, teamwork. In the first game, which tested their swimming skills, the cubs had to jump in the pool with a ball, swim to the other side, get out, and crawl back to their team and pass the ball. It became entertaining for the groups when cubs would drop the ball back into the pool after they got out. Some cubs got into the whole scene and started to get competitive, and others were too excited to be playing water games and got distracted from the games. A game played to test their teamwork skills worked like this: each cub had a bottle, which was cut in half vertically. On one end there was a leader pouring water, and on the other end there was an empty bottle. The cubs had to work together to create a funnel of some sort to let the water pass through and end in the bottle with saving as much water as they can. In the mean time, other groups were playing games in the pool, which tested their speed. The pool was full of empty bottles of different colours and each colour had different points. One by one the team had to jump into the pool to pick one bottle and take it out of the pool. Thankfully, throughout the games, we had Liam and Simon who stayed in the pool helping out with the games. At the end of the day, the QM’s of the Hamrun Scout group had prepared a lovely BBQ, which was then served by our very own leaders who joined the activity, David, Lewis, Joanna and myself, where the cubs got to sit down and talk about their day. It seems like they enjoyed the games, and definitely enjoyed the BBQ too. The joint activity was a great success, one that will be planned again soon. Ilaria Zammit 3
From the Courtyard
SUMMER CAMP PREPARATION
Issue 96 July 2015
How to Pack a Rucksack for the coming Summer Camp! When you are going to Summer Camp, it is essential to carry everything in a rucsac. Below is a list of things that you might need to pack for going to camp and also some tips on how to pack your rucsac more effectively. Sleeping Kit - Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Mat and Pillow Mess Kit (All packed in cloth bag) - Messtins, Cutlery, Mug and Dishcloth Clothing - T-Shirts, Jumper, Shorts, Trousers, Bathing Suit, Underwear, Good walking shoes, FlipFlops and Baseball Cap Washing Kit - Shampoo, Body Wash, Deodorant, Insect Repellant, Toothpaste and brush, Toilet Paper, Talcum Powder and Towels.
From the Troop
Miscellaneous - Penknife, Notebook and pen, Scarf and Beret, Personal First Aid Kit and Medical Supplies, Snacks, Sun Block, Torch and Spares, Spare Plastic bags. There are many camping shops across Malta having different brands at different prices. What I suggest though is that you go online first, and compare prices and reviews of different brands. At scout age, I don’t suggest buying high-end equipment as your son will probably out-grow them at a very fast rate. When you pack a rucsac it is easiest to pack everything in plastic bags. This keeps all your things dry even if the rucsac leaks in heavy rain and it also helps to keep order in the rucsac. You can even pack using plastic bags of different colours to help with identification. Items that you might need to lay your hands on quickly should be in the side pockets or just under the top for easy access. LABEL EVERYTHING! Year after Year, we collect a huge pile of lost equipment, this can be avoided if everything is labelled, from the undies to the fork! The way a rucsac is packed is important because it can affect your balance, your posture, and your breathing. Although, you will not be required to walk with all of that equipment during Summer Camp, this can serve as a practice for Bulwark expedition. It is important to think about where you put things. The main rule is to pack the light things in the lower part and the heavier things in the upper part. This means that the centre of gravity is high on your back and the rucsac is much more comfortable to carry. The total weight will be the same however you pack it, but it is much less tiring when the rucsac is packed in such a way that it helps your posture and stresses the muscles that you use a lot in everyday life. IMPORTANT TIP! Lay out everything where you can see it before packing your rucsac. The Troop Leaders will give you a list of what to get, lay out everything on the floor first, make sure you have everything and then start packing. Moreover, pack everything yourself! 4
From the Courtyard
AD-VENTURE EXPEDITION
Issue 96 July 2015
From the Unit
To welcome our new intake of Ventures, the Unit held its annual summer expedition on the second weekend of July. The aim of this expedition was to spend some time together outside of the usual HQ atmosphere so as to get to know each other better whilst at the same time putting to practice some good scouting skills in trekking, camping and cooking.
DAY 1 Our adventure began on Friday evening at the Roman Villa in Rabat, where we all were very excited to get started. Before we set off there were some customary things to be done; we checked each other’s rucksack for weight (and snacks) we outlined the route on our maps as well as distributed the group equipment such as ropes and Bivouac shelters. We also stocked up on Pastizzi from the famous Crystal Palace (Serkin) shop which happened to be so close to our starting point. Craig even indulged in a ‘Te fit-tazza’ to show us how posh he is! Our destination for the night was Ghajn Tuffieha Scout Campsite and we got there passing through l-Andrijiet, limits of Bahrija, TasSanti, Mgarr outskirts and Lippija tower cliffs. This was a fantastic route and although it was practically uphill all the way we enjoyed the challenge and each other’s company. We mostly enjoyed the fact that there seldom was any traffic along our path through these back roads, a very welcome sight on our bustling urban island. Although we walked in the evening, we all sweated like pigs but got some respite as a gentle breeze accompanied us along our last stretch on the Lippija plateau. Here we trudged carefully through open ground on very rough terrain using the buddy system and our torches to look out for each other. Reaching the edge of the plateau, the leaders showed the way down the cliff side through an ancient footpath used by farmers. This got us directly onto the Ghajn Tuffieha road and some of us even had time to explore a wartime searchlight emplacement in the area before completing our walk at the Campsite where we set up our bivouacs for the night. DAY 2 We started the day quite early since the rising sun soon warmed up our bivouacs. Amidst much complaining and grumbling stomachs we cleared the campsite and re-sited our bivouacs to provide some shade whilst waiting for Zarby to bring us our breakfast supplies. In the meantime we also got changed into our swimming trunks since we’d be spending the hot hours of the day at the beach.
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From the Courtyard
AD-VENTURE EXPEDITION
Issue 96 July 2015
Breakfast was a great team effort with some ventures cooking eggs and bacon whilst others prepared toast for everyone on our hiking stoves. Shortly after we headed down to Golden Bay to have a refreshing swim, we were lucky enough to find the only spot of shade on the bay free. But the boys were very glad and welcoming to share it with some foreign girls!
From the Unit
In the afternoon we all headed back to the campsite for lunch which we had whilst we also had showers. The sun was still giving us its best, so we unanimously decided to stay at the campsite and wait for sunset before starting part two of our expedition. Our second part of the trek in fact would take us towards L- Ahrax tal- Mellieha via Majjistral Natural Park, Anchor Bay and Red Tower. Again, this route included a couple of very steep climbs, but after all, this is Malta!
We set off at a brisk pace and immediately realised we were covering ground very fast. We could even spare the time to take some group photos at Ghajn Znuber Tower. Moving on we soon reached Popeye’s Village which brought a few smiles on our faces with childhood memories. The smiles didn’t last long as we were horrified when Andre showed us the hill we had to climb to get to our destination! As we approached the hill the footpaths disappeared so we were back to open ground. Using an old army technique we chose to follow the high voltage power lines to keep a straight route. It was very alluring to hear the electricity buzzing through the cables, but don’t worry we didn’t go too close!
We soon reached the bottom of Qammieh hill and horror turned into despair as, just before it had gotten dark, we could see the sheer steepness of the climb we had ahead of us. As we climbed through the trees and rubble walls we resorted to some good teamwork in helping one another over obstacles. Up and up we went on this seemingly never ending climb leading to nowhere, but finally after having crossed fields and walls and carob hedgerows we could see Red Tower looming above us through the tree branches. 6
From the Courtyard
AD-VENTURE EXPEDITION
Issue 96 July 2015
One cannot deny that even the youngest and fittest amongst us felt exhausted after this last climb so when our Leaders suggested we could opt to stop and sleep at Red Tower instead of proceeding to Ahrax it was no surprise that everyone agreed. Indeed Red Tower proved to be a better choice since its walls gave us some shelter not to mention the great view!
From the Unit
Soon enough Zarby arrived with his supply wagon and we immediately set up the BBQ for the night’s meal. Meanwhile a large communal bivouac was constructed using the Tower’s perimeter wall. The night gently drifted away as we enjoyed telling stories and jokes while enjoying Zarby’s chicken fillet burgers, then tired from the day’s walk, we all collapsed into our sleeping bags.
DAY 3 The silence and harmony of this peaceful morning was only disturbed by the snoring coming from the leaders’ tent. This soon stopped as once the sun was up we all were coaxed out of bed by Andre who was already feeling hot.
Quickly, we packed all our belongings and dismantled the bivouac then moved to the southern side of the Tower where we could cook breakfast in the shade. Here we discovered a new type of sausages which we re-named sausAGES because it did take us ages to cook them. At this time unfortunately our leader Isaac had to leave us to go to work. Whilst waiting for breakfast to cook, we discussed the route ahead of us which was supposed to take us towards Mistra Bay. Realising that the exposure to the sun would have decimated us along the way, all Ventures jumped at the suggestion to cut the walk short and spend the day swimming at Ghadira bay instead. Reinvigorated by this news, we all left the Red Tower and headed down the hill towards Ghadira, making a customary stop at the kiosks to catch up on sugars and junk food. At the beach 7
From the Courtyard
AD-VENTURE EXPEDITION
Issue 96 July 2015
we had a great time swimming and cooling down and even had a go at ‘surfing’. Soon enough it was time to head home, which we did, carrying with us lots of memories and stories (and soil and sand) of this short adventure we had.
From the Unit
Nigel Grech tells us about his favourite moment of his first Ventures activity:
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The AD-venture expedition was going to be the first venture activity for the new ventures that are soon coming up from the troop, including myself. A hike is always a good way to spend some time together in order to get to know each other. I feel that this expedition did just that. Yes, I have been with all the other older ventures while they were still part of the Troop but after such a long time after they left, it was good to spend some time and catch up with what happened since. It was also great to be in the outdoors with some friends, going up and down hills, over rubble walls, in and out of clusters of trees and sleeping with great views. One of the most memorable moments was when we passed near 3 metal towers supplying high voltages of electricity. Despite the numerous signs warning us of the dangers that are present and the possibility of death, we still passed just on the boundary of the ‘safe’ limit. The rest of the expedition was great too, despite the fact that we didn’t sleep and end the expedition in the pre-planned locations. However, sleep next to the tower was, in my opinion, a great choice as we were all quite tired after all those up-hills, the temperature was not so hot and the view was wonderful.
From the Courtyard
LETS TALK ABOUT VIOLENCE!
Issue 96 July 2015
On Wednesday 22nd July, the Venture Unit participated in a discussion regarding different forms of violence and bullying in Malta. This activity was held in conjunction with the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality as part of the project ‘‘Forms of Violence in Malta – a gender perspective’’. The aim of this research is to tackle the subject from a gender perspective and focuses on how students can go though these forms of abuse due to other grounds of discrimination, alongside their gender. Furthermore, the study examines the structures in place to prevent or combat violence, harassment and bullying in schools. The session was a very interesting one, where our Ventures shared their stories of types of bullying they witnessed or were subjected to. Coming from an array of high-end Church and private schools it was shocking to hear what levels of violence are present in our schools.
From the Unit
The surveyor from NCPE was vey interested in listening to what our Ventures had to say and was also surprised to learn of ‘new’ forms of abuse that happens between youngsters these days and about what stance our youths choose to take against violence.
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From the Courtyard
POLICE SHOOTING EVENT
For the second year running, the Malta Police Association Shooting Club organised a Pistol shooting marathon in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund. This year, the activity was held on the 4th of July. The Rover Crew attended this activity.
From the Crew
We met up in the afternoon at the Malta Police Shooting range in Ta’ Kandja to register ourselves as a group, submit our donations and be given a short briefing of what was to happen. The ammunition calibre being used was .22 (which is the smallest firearm calibre available) and 9mm (calibre used by law enforcement pistols). It was up to each participant to choose which calibre he or she wanted to use and purchase. Each shooter was given a limit of 50 rounds due to time restrictions since there was a large number of people queuing up to participate.
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Once registered and on range, we were given a safety briefing and were all guided on how to operate the firearms available at which point we proceeded to fire the chosen pistols under individual supervision. This was quite a unique one time experience for members of the Rover Crew attending and was cherished by all. The event was very well organised and a big well done goes out to the organisers at the Malta Police Force for the organisation and initiative for this good cause. By Emanuel Lewis – Crew member
Issue 96 July 2015
From the Courtyard
HQ RENOVATIONS
Issue 96 July 2015
From the Crew
One of our ongoing projects as Rover Crew is to help out with the HQ renovations. At the moment we have helped out with scraping the walls of the courtyard. As previously started by the Ventures, we have decided to continue the process by meeting a couple of times a week. Due to the heat we have been going after the peak of sun hours. Scraping the walls comes along with sharing stories, having good laughs and gives us ample time to socialize with each other.
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