Scouting / About the house
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1st Billingshurst Scout Group remains active during COVID-19 lockdown
M
arch 2020 saw the Country in lockdown due to COVID-19. For our young people this meant no school, no contact with friends and extended family, limited time outside… a very isolating and testing time. Our young people also felt scared and unsure of what was going on in the world. The whole country had ground to a halt, but this did not stop the 1st Billingshurst Scout Group! During this period, Scouts went online. We used Zoom to meet each week. We were able to do lots of fun things over Zoom: quizzes, games, scavenger hunts, cooking, Nerf gun games in the garden, compass coding, making paper aeroplanes; the list was endless! We also had some special sessions such as Pet Care with the Blue Cross, an online drumming session and even a virtual magic show at the end of term. We never expected to be running our sessions in this way, but all our Leaders stepped up to the challenge and became dedicated to providing members with enjoyment and stimulation when everyone needed it most. The sessions were a lifeline for many members, chatting with their friends, taking part in activities, trying different things and most of all, getting back to something fun, enjoyable and ‘normal’ for that hour every week. We helped to bring the groups together and reassure them during this worrying time. In addition to the Zoom meetings, all members were able to complete Badges at Home. Our members became involved with cooking, housework, cycling, walking, arts and crafts, sewing etc. It also benefited parents, giving them a chance to get their children outside and having fun with a purpose. Lots of parents struggled with home
schooling but when it comes to badges, we saw that many children were happy to do different activities (often educational, without them even knowing it!) in order to be rewarded with a badge. Parents could even get their children making tea and doing ironing in return for a badge – a win-win situation! The continuity of the weekly Scouts, Cubs and Beavers virtual sessions was invaluable for a vast amount of our members. During the VE Day celebrations we organised a virtual camp. Lots of children took part in enjoying a night under the stars with lots of different activities: cooking, hiking, sports, etc all taking part throughout the day and with regular Zoom calls you really felt like you were taking part in something special; something fun and rewarding, a far cry from the boredom and isolation of being at home on your own. In the last few weeks the guidance has changed, and we are now able to meet face-to-face. This has been great for all our groups but the highlight of the coronavirus lockdown for a lot of our young people will have been the weekly Beavers, Cubs and Scout sessions. Coronavirus may have stopped a lot of things from taking place, but it didn’t stop 1st Billingshurst Scout Group! Well done to all our Leaders and members for taking part in these sessions during this challenging time. For full details of our weekly sessions and how you can get involved in this fantastic group, please have a look online at 1stbillingshurst.org.uk. Monica Frisby, Leader, 1st Billingshurst Scout Group Top: A Scout meeting – lockdown style
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