Village Newsletter: February 2022
Written by: Michael Knights
Published: 2022-02-01
The Christmas and New Year break is a good opportunity to look back on everything we have achieved during the year. A year ago, we were in lockdown and meeting online again having only been able to meet outdoors for a few months and the new HQ building seemed to be forever on the horizon but never to materialise. This year we have a fantastic new HQ with wonderful facilities and we have been meeting inside and getting on with Scouting.
We have had activity days, hikes, a camp and are getting back into the swing of regular meetings indoors. We are looking forward to a return to a full programme, yes there will be restrictions and precautions we will have to take when we meet, and the fundraising needed to run and maintain the building will be hard work, but the position is a huge improvement on last year!
In December we had a Craft Fair which was well attended and raised funds for the Group. Again, the visitors were impressed. Thank you to everyone who came and contributed to our fundraising.
Because of the amount of Covid cases locally and the number of our members self-isolating, we closed for normal evening indoor meetings a couple of weeks early this year.
Tiger Cubs have been focussing on First Aid and all achieved their badge, and have looked at cycles and cycling, learning about maintenance and road safety, and the Wolf Cubs have looked at maps, symbols and map reading skills.
The various section Leader Teams have been busy planning evening sessions and outdoor activities for the New Year. We try to get the Young People involved by running short activities where they give us feedback on what they have been doing over the recent months and they suggest things that they would like to try, which we then do our best to accommodate.
We have badge work, cooking, team building, short hikes, games sessions, personal development, challenge evenings, skills training and equipment checking until Easter. Camps, camp cooking sessions, expeditions, joint activities with other sections and climbing are all being planned for later in the term and during the Easter break.
As it was a mainly outdoor activity the fund-raising Santa Run went ahead on the Saturday before Christmas. We were really pleased with the turn out and we have raised around £700 for Group funds. Thank you to everyone that supported us. The Group Executive have also been running cake stalls at the Hoxne Craft and Produce Market but unfortunately, this market is not continuing into 2022.
We have produced a video review of the Scout Group in 2021, it is available to view on YouTube, please have a look to see what we have been doing.
There will be many different events put on by the Executive, the Sections and the Leaders over the coming year, please support us where and when you can. The first of these to be announced (Covid restrictions permitting) is the Pop Up Pancake Café being arranged by the Pioneer Troop in the new HQ on Shrove Tuesday March 1st, fuller details will be on our website and Facebook nearer the time probably 7.20 to 8.30pm. Please come if you haven’t had enough pancakes!
Master at Arms – 1st Fressingfield Scout Group
After a few community comments following last month’s article from the Scout Group, I thought it would be useful to clarify the position of the Scout Group on shooting, and our range at the HQ off Priory Road.
Master at Arms training that includes the use of air rifles, has been a long term and regular part of our provision for our members at Priory Road and previously at the Goodwin Hall on New Street.
Safety and respect are key elements of the work we undertake with the young people even before they touch an air rifle. We are controlled by the regulations of the Scout Association, the National Rifle and Shooting Association, and comply with the law.
Young People must have parental consent and are only permitted to participate under the guidance and supervision of trained and qualified instructors. We only undertake target shooting, and targets must not display images of any living thing. All equipment is stored according to legislation and qualifications are updated as required by law.
In terms of development at the site, the earth works located at the rear of the new HQ building will be enclosed by a fence and additional hedging.
This will create an even safer space (a range) for Scouts to participate in an activity that is part of the Scouting badge system.
I trust that this addresses the questions that have been raised.
Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne, Group Scout Leader
We have had activity days, hikes, a camp and are getting back into the swing of regular meetings indoors. We are looking forward to a return to a full programme, yes there will be restrictions and precautions we will have to take when we meet, and the fundraising needed to run and maintain the building will be hard work, but the position is a huge improvement on last year!
In December we had a Craft Fair which was well attended and raised funds for the Group. Again, the visitors were impressed. Thank you to everyone who came and contributed to our fundraising.
Because of the amount of Covid cases locally and the number of our members self-isolating, we closed for normal evening indoor meetings a couple of weeks early this year.
Tiger Cubs have been focussing on First Aid and all achieved their badge, and have looked at cycles and cycling, learning about maintenance and road safety, and the Wolf Cubs have looked at maps, symbols and map reading skills.
The various section Leader Teams have been busy planning evening sessions and outdoor activities for the New Year. We try to get the Young People involved by running short activities where they give us feedback on what they have been doing over the recent months and they suggest things that they would like to try, which we then do our best to accommodate.
We have badge work, cooking, team building, short hikes, games sessions, personal development, challenge evenings, skills training and equipment checking until Easter. Camps, camp cooking sessions, expeditions, joint activities with other sections and climbing are all being planned for later in the term and during the Easter break.
As it was a mainly outdoor activity the fund-raising Santa Run went ahead on the Saturday before Christmas. We were really pleased with the turn out and we have raised around £700 for Group funds. Thank you to everyone that supported us. The Group Executive have also been running cake stalls at the Hoxne Craft and Produce Market but unfortunately, this market is not continuing into 2022.
We have produced a video review of the Scout Group in 2021, it is available to view on YouTube, please have a look to see what we have been doing.
There will be many different events put on by the Executive, the Sections and the Leaders over the coming year, please support us where and when you can. The first of these to be announced (Covid restrictions permitting) is the Pop Up Pancake Café being arranged by the Pioneer Troop in the new HQ on Shrove Tuesday March 1st, fuller details will be on our website and Facebook nearer the time probably 7.20 to 8.30pm. Please come if you haven’t had enough pancakes!
Master at Arms – 1st Fressingfield Scout Group
After a few community comments following last month’s article from the Scout Group, I thought it would be useful to clarify the position of the Scout Group on shooting, and our range at the HQ off Priory Road.
Master at Arms training that includes the use of air rifles, has been a long term and regular part of our provision for our members at Priory Road and previously at the Goodwin Hall on New Street.
Safety and respect are key elements of the work we undertake with the young people even before they touch an air rifle. We are controlled by the regulations of the Scout Association, the National Rifle and Shooting Association, and comply with the law.
Young People must have parental consent and are only permitted to participate under the guidance and supervision of trained and qualified instructors. We only undertake target shooting, and targets must not display images of any living thing. All equipment is stored according to legislation and qualifications are updated as required by law.
In terms of development at the site, the earth works located at the rear of the new HQ building will be enclosed by a fence and additional hedging.
This will create an even safer space (a range) for Scouts to participate in an activity that is part of the Scouting badge system.
I trust that this addresses the questions that have been raised.
Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne, Group Scout Leader
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