cubs

WINTER TIPS

eaders Cub Scout bLer 2010 r fo e in z a g tem The ma August/Sep

There be treasure

Why all Cub camps need a treasure hunt

Paper, scissors, done Make a balloon lantern

S D N A H HELPINGrning their Cubs tu ty around communi

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Editors: Graeme Hamilton, UK Adviser for Cub Scouts Nicola Ashby, Programme and Development Adviser for Cub Scouts programme@scouts.org.uk

Intro

Venturing abroad

Published by: The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW Contributions to: scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk This issue’s contributors: Nicola Ashby Charlie Dale Graeme Hamilton Ruth Hubbard Dave Wood ADVERTISING Richard Ellacott richard.ellacott@thinkpublishing.co.uk Tel: 020 8962 1258

World’s worst Where’s Wal ly?

Cubs took part in The Giant Sleepover at The Mal l shopping centre in Bex leyheath .

All were dressed as Wal ly from the Where’s Wal ly? books. They joined over 15,000 to beat the Gui nness World Record for the world’s largest sleepover.

Your UK Cub Scout Adviser Graeme Hamilton returns home from an international adventure Nicola Ashby (Programme and Development Adviser) and I ventured further abroad during May when we took part in a French national Cub Scout Leaders’ event at their national campsite, Jambville, just north of Paris.

Getting there was straightforward but getting back was an ordeal due to the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud.

The purpose of the event was two fold: to review and evaluate the new French Cub Scout section programme and to showcase diversity projects in and around Paris with a number of partner agencies. .

Over 2,000 French Cub Scout leaders camped for four days cooking on open fires and living the true outdoors life as they engaged in debate and discussion about their new programme and methods of delivery. Nicola and I joined in enthusiastically with around 30 other non-French leaders. We’ve made a number of new contacts and set up some potential joint projects, which we will share with you in future issues.

National Cub camp?

I shared stories of this trip at the Gilwell Fundays event and a leader suggested we run a poll to gauge interest in the UK for a national Cub Scout camp or event. A whopping 99 per cent were in favour. We’d now like to hear from all Cub Scout Leaders. Email me at programme@scouts.org.uk with your views on whether you think we should hold a national Cub Scout event in the run up to Cub Scouting’s centenary in 2016. No promises at this stage but at least we will have the views of the Cub section behind us.

Watch out for a feature in the next issue on this event in France and on Cub Scouting in some of the other countries who were there.

Contents 4 News The latest national and local news

5 Success with safety The Home Safety pack gets a makeover

6 On the hunt

8 Paper power Make a balloon lantern

10 POP A winter themed programme on a plate

12 A Pack of helping hands We meet some Cubs who are making a real difference in their community

16 Daring after dark How to continue your adventures when the season changes

Treasure hunts for camp

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News

News and views in Cub Scouting. ions Email your stories, reports and opin k rg.u ts.o to scouting.magazine@scou

Reaching new heights A Cub Scout is believed to be the youngest climber to scale Mount Kinabalu in Borneo.

Nine-year-old Ashraf climbed the 4,095m mountain, the highest in South East Asia, in April. The climb involved two days of hard ascent from the equatorial jungle to a frozen and windy summit. A 2am start on summit day meant climbing roped sections in the dark to arrive at the top to watch the sunrise.

Once back down, Ashraf said ‘I enjoyed climbing the mountain and at the top I felt great but cold. I am looking forward to climbing another big mountain next year.’

Young adventurers With over 20 different activities and lots of skills and crafts to try, it was an event that lived up to its name. Beaver and Cub Fundays attracted over 8,000 young people and their leaders for a weekend of non-stop fun at Gilwell Park.

Book for next year’s most fun event at www.scouts.org.uk/fundays

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Faith and awareness events October/ November October Black History Month World Blindness Awareness Month 1 Simchat Torah (Jewish) 4 World Animal Day 10 World Mental Health Day 16 Child Poverty Day 20 Birth of the Bab (Baha’i) 22 Pavarana/ Sangha Day (Buddhist) 31 Hallowe’en

November 1 All Saints Day (Christian) 5 Kathina Day (Buddhist) 12 Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) 14 Remembrance Sunday (UK) 14 World Diabetes Day 15 Anti-bullying Week 16 Eid Al-Addha/The festival of Sacrifice (Muslim) 20 Universal Children’s Day 16 International Day for Tolerance 21 Birthday of GuruNanak (Sikh) 24 Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Sikh) 25 Thanksgiving Day (USA) 28 First Sunday of Advent (Christian)

Cubs August/September 2010

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Success y t e f a s h t i w

National Grid

hip National Grid extends their sponsors e of the Cub Scout Home Safety Badg

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ave you used the Home Safety Activity Pack with your Cubs yet? If not, now’s the time as there is a new and improved version ready to download free.* Julian Buttery, National Grid’s Head of Community Relations, has been overwhelmed by the response. He says, ‘The success of the sponsorship has been beyond our expectations with over 100,000 activity packs being issued. It makes perfect sense for us to continue our association with The Scout Association and the Home Safety Badge. There is no better way of getting our safety messages out to a wide audience of young people and hopefully the information they gain now will stay with them for life.’

Updated activity packs now available The packs have been updated, with the Gas Safety activity (no. 2) now including a role play call to the National Gas Emergency (0800 111 999). The activity on electricity (no. 9) now includes ‘Do you know?’ and ‘What is wrong?’ sections.

You will also find two new activities, one on detecting carbon monoxide and one to learn what should be in a first aid box.

What leaders think about the activity pack: • ‘It was a very good and helpful pack and the Cubs learned a lot from it.’

• ‘The majority of Cubs showed great interest – we sent the packs home with them and went over them in the next meeting. They completed them and were able to tell me the answers to all questions posed, with enthusiasm.’

• ‘Please pass on our thanks to National Grid – the Cubs are now well aware of what to do in an emergency in their own homes.’

• ‘The Cubs took packs home and it gave parents the chance to see what we are doing and discuss parts of it with them such as escape plans – hope we get more like it.’

more info * Download the new version of the Home Safety Badge Activity Pack at www.scouts.org.uk/nationalgrid

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On the hunt Get your Cubs sniffing out treasure, with Dave Wood

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one of my Cub camps have ever been complete without a treasure hunt of some description. Perfect for an hour or so out of doors, Cubs can develop their teamworking, decision-making and problem-solving skills and get a bit of exercise into the bargain.

The beauty of treasure hunts is that, while some may take a bit of preparation, they can usually be run by just one leader. At camp, this gives the rest of the leaders a chance to prepare for other activities (or just take some well-deserved rest). The following are all ideas which have proved popular with the Groups I’ve been involved with over the years.

Feely bag hunt Create 20 or so cloth ‘feely bags’ (I use old socks) each of which has an object stitched securely inside. Suspend these around the playing area and send the Cubs off to find them. They could have a sheet of paper each to note down everything they discover or, better still, have 20 minutes to find everything then return to base and write down everything they can remember finding.

Instant treasure hunt Ten minutes before the activity, take a couple of bags of dried butter beans and throw them around the playing area – a field, woodland or wherever. Players then collect as many as they can find in 20 minutes. Which Six has the biggest collection? This takes minutes to prepare and is a great filler activity – plus the animals will eat any leftover beans.

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Code crackers Instead of simply writing clues in English, use a code. I’ve run one where each clue was written using the maritime flag system. Sixes have a copy of the code and decipher the message to find the location of the next base.

Classic treasure hunt The most popular treasure hunts send small groups around a course of checkpoints in a set order. Groups are set off at two-minute intervals and given a clue to lead them to the first checkpoint, where they find their next clue. Clues should be printed on card (ideally laminated) and securely affixed to a tree, gate or other sturdy object.

Make the clues fairly clear and the checkpoints easy to find. For example: - Akela’s car: ‘A leading wolf would drive themselves crazy if they missed this clue’ - outside water tap: ‘You’d need to be more than a little drip to fill up out here’ - gatepost at site entrance: ‘You’re welcome when it’s open’.

The problem with setting groups off at intervals is that you need to occupy late starters and early finishers. Also, later teams can simply follow earlier ones, or even overtake them.

Consider having, say, ten checkpoints, and sending each group to a different starting point (for example checkpoints 1, 3, 5 and 7). A whistle blast starts them off. In this case the route must be circular, so that clue 10 leads to checkpoint 1.

Cubs August/September December 2008/January 2010 2009

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Treasure hunts

Following a trail Instead of posting clues, some treasure hunts need only be simple trails for Cubs to follow. Set teams or pairs off at one or two-minute intervals to follow a trail which could be using one of the following environmentally-friendly methods: - sugar cubes placed at 10m intervals along a route around the campsite - in a wooded area, prepare a trail where you attach a leaf from a different tree to an obvious branch of another tree - a trail of popcorn or dried beans - a trail of cooked spaghetti hanging from the branches of trees, fences etc, to denote the route - Rub an onion against trees to show the route.

Pieces of eight (or six) It can be great fun for the teams to collect a piece of treasure map with their clue at each checkpoint. I always print off a copy for each Six on their Six’s coloured card. When they get to a checkpoint they help themselves to their Six’s map piece. The last base gives the grid reference of the treasure, then the Cubs have to assemble their jigsaw pieces and work out the location, telling the Leader where the treasure is hidden. This works even better if the map is of the campsite and the grid reference really leads to the loot.

Indoor treasure hunt Rainy afternoon at camp? Create a treasure map on a sheet of paper. There must be a grid drawn onto it and a clear starting point.

Working in groups, Cubs have a pen and a map. The Leader calls out a compass direction and a number. Using their pens, Cubs count the number of squares in the given direction and make a mark. Another direction and number is called, and so on. After 20 of these directions, see how many Cubs ended up in the correct square where the treasure lies.

Mysterious bands My able Assistant Cub Scout Leader, Dave Ludlow, devised this clever and fun method for our camps. On an A4 sheet, draw a simple treasure map and, over it, a grid of approximately 8 rows x 8 columns. Glue the map to a piece of MDF – each Six will need its own board. Bang a panel pin halfway into each intersecting point on the grid and label the grid’s axis with numbers and letters, like a Battleships game card.

When teams visit each checkpoint, they are given a grid reference. These are to be used in colour coded pairs, so you’ll end up with two green references, two red and two blue. When they have all six references, they take three elastic bands, using each one to connect up the pairs of nails on their board. When the three bands are correctly in place, they will leave a single triangle, which is where the treasure lies.

The Crystal Maze hunt If you have enough Leaders, each base could be staffed, requiring teams to undertake a task before they are given the clue to the next base.

For example: - get through a string ‘spider web’ - retrieve a can from the centre of a circle using sticks and string, which are provided - throw ten stones into a bucket standing 5m away - knock over ten tins using a catapult - build a stretcher and transport a Cub Scout a set distance - start a fire and burn through a rope suspended horizontally 1m above the ground.

(in the above example, reference would be as follows: Blue = A4 & G4; Red = A8 & F3; Green = E7 & A3).

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Paper power Charlie Dale gets passionate about the power of paper

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Cubs August/September December 2008/January 2010 2009

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Make and do

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f you were asked to think of a really strong material, strong enough to take your weight, or lift you into the sky, paper wouldn’t be your first thought, would it?

However, that’s exactly what the first hot air balloons were made of – paper, sometimes with a decorated outer skin of cloth.

So, let’s celebrate the power of paper, and have a go at making some paper balloon lanterns. These don’t fly, but you can use them indoors and outside, and they look fantastic. They need to be made over different meetings.

you will need:

• balloons (at least one per child, in case of bursts) • newspaper (to cover surfaces) • wallpaper paste (diluted) in plastic trays • tissue paper (coloured) • scissors • string • big paper drinks cups (to stand the drying balloons in) • foil pie cases (small, round) • battery-operated tea-lights or other small battery lights • plastic farmyard animals, optional.

1. Blow up the balloons as large as possible and tie the end in a knot.

2. Prop up the balloons, tail end down, in the paper cups (to act as a stand).

3. Cut the tissue paper into strips and choose your colours (two per balloon is effective).

4. Quickly dip the tissue strips into the diluted wallpaper paste and lay them over the balloons, covering the whole balloon down to the top of the cup stand. This is the first layer. For stripes of two colours, you need to repeat the stripes of colour in the same place for each layer. Build up at least three layers.

5. Cut two lengths of string, each long enough to drape right over the balloon and down to the table with about 10cm extra left over.

6. Dip the strings in paste.

7. Drape one string over the balloon evenly, and then apply one layer of tissue to seal it down – there should be two ‘tails’ of string hanging down either side of the cup stand.

8. Repeat with the other string, crossing the first string at the top of the balloon so it looks as though you have divided the balloon into quarters – there should be four tails hanging down at the bottom when you have finished

sealing the string in with another layer of paper.

9. Apply another three layers of pasted tissue to finish. For extra decoration cut shapes in single layers of coloured tissue, paste and apply to the final layer on the balloon.

10. These balloons need to be left to dry until the next meeting.

11. Next meeting, either untie the balloon knot and gently pull out the balloon, or cut the knot and gently peel the rubber out.

12. An adult can then cut a hole (avoiding cutting the crossed strings) in the top of each lantern to reveal the crossed strings at the top – this is the handle of the lantern.

13. To fit the foil cradle underneath, create a sling for it by tying the string ‘tails’ together to make a support for the foil pie case. Switch on the battery light and pop it into the foil dish and slide the dish into the string cradle – and there’s your lantern!

Fun facts to share - The first paper hot air balloons are thought to have been invented in China c.180AD, and were sealed paper lanterns released to send prayers or messages into the air. They are still part of celebrations in China and Taiwan.

- In 18th century France, two sons of a paper manufacturer, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, observed how the heat and smoke under drying laundry made the sheets billow up in the air. In June 1783, a balloon made of three layers of paper covered with cloth flew 2km at an altitude of about 2,000ft in the air. At first they thought it was the smoke doing the work, but they later realised their mistake.

- Today, hot air balloons use air heated by a gas-powered burner. On 2 July 2002, Steve Fossett (an ex-Scout) became the first person to fly right round the world in a hot air balloon, but it was made of a special nylon material, not paper.

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Activity/Game

This issue’s theme is Winter Olympics, compiled by Nicola Ashby

POP Programmes on a plate

Time

Zo

Opening ceremony

10 mins

Bel Att

Ice Hockey

15-30 mins

Fitn

Curling

15-30 mins

Fitn

Snowball fight

5-10 mins

Fitn

Closing ceremony

5 mins

Bel Att

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Zone

Method

Instructions

Beliefs and Attitudes

Themes

Discuss the theme for the meeting

ns

Fitness

Team challenges Games

You could run this activity as a whole section, split into two teams, or as a base in an evening of similar sports activities, with smaller teams.

- Hand out the hockey sticks.

- Mark out the goals, and assign two goalkeepers.

- Begin with each team in their own half, and two players ‘facing off’ in the centre with the puck. The puck is a frozen block that you’d normally find in a cool box at home.

- Allow the game to continue to its desired end (first to two/three goals, five minute game, etc).

- You could play this as a team tournament, with heats, semi-finals and a final.

- The puck will move very fast, so be watchful to maintain safety.

- To add to the ice hockey feel of the game you could give each team member that was on the ‘rink’ a crash helmet. For the goal keepers, you could provide hard hats with mesh visors that are commonly used by people operating a chainsaw.

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Fitness

Themes Games

- Draw a target at one end of the meeting place, and assemble two teams of Scouts at the other.

- Explain the rules of curling (find on www.bbc.co.uk) - Allow both teams a practise go.

- Start the competition. You will need 6-8 ice blocks to allow three or four shots per round per team.

- Add up the scores at the end of the round, and continue playing until you reach the desired conclusion (first to ten, score after three rounds, etc).

- Scouts may need supervision with brooms, so that they don’t injure each other. Try to have leaders at both ends of the playing area

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Fitness

Themes Games

- Split the section into two teams, who assemble in opposite halves of the playing area.

- Give each team a bundle of newspapers.

- Announce that they have to turn the newspaper into snowballs (demonstrate the appearance of a correct snowball) and put as many snowballs as they can into their opponents’ half.

- Blow a whistle to start the five minutes, and watch the mayhem unfold.

- You could blow whistles during the five minutes to have a count of legitimate snowballs, or just have one big count at the end, when you will hopefully have tired everyone out.

Beliefs and Attitudes

Themes Prayer, worship and reflection

Test it out

trying programme on a plate. If you are Let us know what you think of this your ide email us your thoughts. Prov it out, please spare 10 minutes to and if Cubs and of course what worked of ber name, role, Group and num scouts.org.uk anything didn’t. Email programme@

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A Pack of s d n a h g n i p l he

Letting your Cubs roll up their sleeves and pitch in can be a real boost for them – and the community.

Rose Wells finds out more 12 Cubs August/September 2010

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Feature

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eeping 12,000 miles of the National Cycle Network maintained is a huge task.

Thanks to one local Cub Pack, part of the National Route 4 is in great condition.

Cubs from the Oatlands Scout Group in Weybridge, Surrey, are the first Pack in the UK to become Sustrans Rangers. The idea came from Assistant Cub Leader Simon Davey who is a strong supporter of Sustrans.

‘I wanted our Cubs to get involved in a local community activity’, he said. ‘Our meeting place is only half-a-mile from the River Thames and it seemed ideal.’

Sustrans is a charity working on providing practical solutions to reduce the environmental impact of transport and enable people to travel in ways more beneficial to their health and community. Simon met with George James, the local Sustrans Liaison Ranger to work out the details.

Getting stuck in The task for the Cubs is to look after the path between Walton Bridge and Weybridge. During their first meeting, and with a little help from their parents, they filled 18 rubbish sacks in just over two hours. All brought their own leather gloves and good footwear. ‘I took spare gloves just in case,’ says Simon, ‘and we had a thorough briefing to avoid the possibility of injuries from broken bottles.’ Apart from litter collection, the path is kept in good repair and the foliage cut back.

Simon plans to have four events a year, covering the seasonal changes, and link the clean-up operation to other activities such as river bank animal surveys and leaf identification. He is pleased to emphasise the

contribution made by his Cubs. ‘This work will contribute towards their Community Challenge Badge, Promise Challenge Badge and Global Conservation Badge but above all it’s a great opportunity for these young people to give something back to their neighbourhood.’

Bulbs in a boat Another Cub pack is getting all hands on deck to make a difference to their surroundings. When the Mohawk Cubs were loaned a canoe, they didn’t take it to the river. They took it to their local allotments instead.

Some of the Leaders of the 1st Sawbridgeworth Scout Group are also parents involved in the Southbrook Allotments and encouraged the Cubs to take part in a bulb planting activity.

David Mead is Group Scout Leader. ‘Half of the Pack filled the canoe with compost and the other half planted the daffodil bulbs. They were delighted to see the end result,’ he says. ‘The canoe brightened up the site and the other allotment holders were pleased to have the added feature.’

Cultivating Cubs The Cubs’ interest didn’t stop at this one activity. They were keen to learn more and one of the members of the Allotment Association explained to them how the individual plots were worked. David says, ‘It’s planned to arrange for the Cubs to use a small plot to cultivate vegetables in future. It’s hoped some of them will take part in the town’s Autumn Show in September.’

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Community Challenge Taking part in the Community Challenge encourages Cubs to get involved in their community.

Global Conservation Activity Badge Cubs get involved in number of worthwhile projects, including anti-litter campaigns, clearing ditches and taking part in recycling efforts. For the full badge requirements visit www.scouts.org.uk

cu Men’s Activity Shorts Women’s Activity Shorts Ref Men’s 1006973R Women’s 1006992R

Youth’s Activity Shorts Ref Youth’s 1006966R Girl’s 1006986R

Mens 26” and 28” £13 all other sizes £15 while stocks last.

£14 £11.50 while stocks last.

01903 766 921 Cubs 1st Camp Badge Ref 1026023

Sale

£1

Summer Camp Badge Ref 1028103

£1

Great savings in time for summer camps.

Save £5 on men’s and women’s activity shorts.

Sizes: Men’s 26”-46” waist Women’s 8-26

A new badge to celebrate summer camp wherever you are in the country.

Size: 8cm x 5.5cm

Great savings in time for summer camp.

Save £2.50 on youth’s and girl’s activity shorts.

Sizes: Youth’s Age 7/8-11/12, Girl’s Age 9/10-11/12

Campfire Badge Ref 1027066

Accessory Bag Ref 1027421

A choice of badges for summer camps to suit all individuals. The Campfire badge will go on your blanket or poncho.

Size: 12.5x11.5cm

Great for putting small valuables in, even your mobile phone. You can slip your belt through the loop or clip it to your belt or rucksack.

£1.25 A fun badge for a Cub who is going on their first camp. One to remember, hope the weather is fine.

Size 7.5cm x 7cm

Sale

£2.25

All profits go back into Scouting. The Scout Association Registered Charity number 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland). www.scouts.org.uk/shop

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e

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Partners

Animal friendly Pets at Home stores are offering local Beaver and Cub Scouts free workshops to help towards their Animal Care Badges

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n store, all Beavers and Cub Scouts will receive advice from trained advisers on how to care for pets responsibly to achieve part of their set badge criteria.

To obtain their Animal Friend Badge, Cub Scouts will learn how to care for small animals, fish or insects and the correct types, varieties and quantities of food to feed them. They will also find out the right habitats for small animals, where they sleep and how to ensure they get the appropriate level of exercise and how to recognise common illnesses.

Suitable animals for the badge include dogs, cats, gerbils, guinea, fish, birds and rabbits.

more info Pets at Home offers great products, tips and advice to keep your pet happy and healthy. From specialist pet food to toys and training aids, there is everything a pet owner could wish for and more. There are over 260 Pets at Home stores across the UK. To find your local one visit www.petsathome.com/storelocator

e r u t u f l l a g n i l l Ca eco leaders

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o you care about the environment for the future? We’re hoping to get all ambitious adventurers to think ‘green’ and protect the environment with the Global Challenge badge all about the environment and technology – thanks to support from Worcester, Bosch Group.

It’s the actions you take in your daily life which can make all the difference, which is why Worcester wanted to get involved with Scouting. By backing the Global Challenge badge they felt they could really demonstrate that even little steps can impact in improving energy efficiency and protect the world we live in. With a pack to coincide with the badge there will be experiments, word searches, internet tasks and plenty more to put Scouts through their paces.

Launching at the Reunion event in September, keen Cub Scouts can put their skills to the test with the Worcester’s Global Challenge badge, learning all about

Worcester salute Cub Scouts with latest eco badge

how to be more energy efficient in their own home, and being rewarded for their efforts.

About Worcester, Bosch Group Worcester, Bosch Group has been around for nearly 50 years. They are the UK’s market leader in energy efficient products – keeping your house warm in the winter and bringing you hot water throughout the day.

Energy efficient products mean you waste less energy, saving money and protecting the environment at the same time. more info www.worcester-bosch.co.uk www.scouts.org.uk/bosch www.scouts.org.uk/reunion

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Daring after dark ean the end of Autumn evenings don’t have to m outs. By Andy Melia adventurous activities for Cub Sc

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inter is on its way and with it an audible groan as we begin to realise we’re not able to head outside as much. There’s a feeling that adventurous activities are off the menu now until spring.

Thankfully, that’s not the case at all. Being inside for a little while is the perfect opportunity to begin preparing your Cub Scouts for all the fun that lies ahead next summer. It is often forgotten that taking part in activities requires preparation, and the winter months are the ideal time to give your Cubs a chance to prepare themselves and begin to experience outdoor activities in a scaled-down way.

That doesn’t necessarily mean climbing the walls or caving in the drains, but instead bringing key parts of an adventurous activity into your meeting place so that when your Cubs are able to physically sit themselves in a kayak on water they are ready to paddle around rather than splashing about on the bank.

You could start by thinking about the themes of an activity: for example height, safety or air. Looking at a theme as an introduction to an activity is a great way to show your Cubs that taking part in something adventurous isn’t just confined to a camp or a one-off event.

Take air for example. A simple challenge based on building the best paper aeroplane will begin to give your Cubs an appreciation of how planes and gliders fly. Asking your Cubs to bring in an old shoe box (or similar) and create something that glides between two points could be your next step, followed by a visit from a pilot and a trip to an airfield. This in turn can start your Pack on the path to achieving their Air Activities Activity Badge.

Safety first Safety is a key feature of any activity, but can often be a quick add-on session at the beginning of a day trip, rather than an integral part of understanding how the activity works. Developing a programme around the safety rules and features of an activity can be a key way of ensuring that your Cubs know how to behave and what to do before they arrive. That all sounds rather boring, but there are lots of ways to make it interesting.

A game of snap with large cards or a race to match up the correct rules are two simple ways of getting Cubs to think about safety in advance. Alternatively, showing your Pack how to use basic equipment, such as a harness, will mean that they have experience of the activity before you arrive.

Ask the experts For a little variation, you could ask around your District or County for people with experience and interest in outdoor activities to come and talk to the Cubs about

16 Cubs August/September 2010

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Winter Activities

what they do. This could even be combined with a visit from a local emergency service involved in some of these activities such as lifeboat crews or mountain rescue teams. Combining the ‘adventurous’ side of their work with learning about the service in general can be a good way of developing awareness of the local community and provide an interesting new aspect to adventurous activities.

Breaking these down into components you can work on in your meeting place is a key way of keeping your young people interested in the outdoor aspect of Scouting throughout the winter months. At the same time, it can help to build anticipation for the days when the weather is warmer and you can get out doing some of those activities. So don’t let the winter months confine you. They can provide the perfect first step to introduce your young people to an adventurous activity.

Programme ideas at your fingertips There are a whole host of activities to do throughout the winter months, both inside and out. A key place to look for them is Programmes Online, the database of activities and programme ideas www.scouts.org.uk/pol scouts.org.uk/pol

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Finding direction Partners

a valuable addition to An Ordnance Survey paper map is

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couts have been using maps for years and Ordnance Survey have been providing them for years. Today’s range of Ordnance Survey maps is vast:

OS Explorer Map – the perfect map to take on you walks, hikes, rides and rambles Covering every part of England, Scotland and Wales, the series has been adopted by walkers, riders, runners and climbers.

OS Landranger Map – your ideal planning partner for days out and holidays

any backpack

weatherproof maps. They contain the same information as the standard map series but are covered in a lightweight, protective plastic coating.

OS Select™ OS Select is bespoke map service that allows you to choose the centre point of the map.

Historical maps Every historical map from Ordnance Survey offers a rich legacy of interest and insight – making them a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in national or personal history.

Perfect for day trips and short breaks, this series covers Great Britain with 204 detailed maps.

more info

Get active with the weatherproof versions of OS Landranger and OS Explorer Maps

Ordnance Survey sponsor the Cub Scout Navigator Activity Badge Shop for all maps online at http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/

These maps are often known as ‘encapsulated’ or

Get cooking with ! m a d E h c t u D l a n i g Ori l Dutch Edam For the second year running, Origina Chef Activity has teamed up with us to sponsor the king Badge and put the fun back into coo

E

dam is calling upon all future chefs with the launch of its Young Edam Chef of the Year competition. Teaming up with presenter and food writer Nadia Sawalha, Original Dutch Edam Cheese is launching a nationwide competition to find Britain’s next on-screen gastronomic star that can heat up the kitchen and feel comfortable on camera.

Budding young chefs can enter the competition by either sending in footage of them presenting and cooking a delicious dish or uploading their footage directly on to the Edam website. The winner will be crowned The Edam Young Chef of the Year and rewarded with a trip to Edam in the Netherlands.

To enter Simply capture footage of your budding chef cooking and talking viewers through the recipe and upload to www.edam.co.uk/chefofthefuture or post to 4 Great James Street, London, WC1N 3DB.

more info For the free Chef activity pack visit www.scouts.org.uk/edam For more information on the competition visit www.edam.co.uk/chefofthefuture

18 Cubs August/September 2010

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