Our activities have been mainly indoors so far this term although Friday night Sections, (Explorers and Adventurers Scouts) have had a couple of evenings outside with wide games and a night hike. They had some more serious sessions where they practiced their map skills and learned about both fire and blade safety and tried lighting fires without matches.

Warrior Beavers continue to work on their Builder Badge, and there have also been Cub sessions on internet safety and tracking. Pioneer Troop had a Nerf Gun battle which was a fun, but rather exhausting evening!

As usual sections did not meet during half term, however the Leaders and Explorers had a Development Weekend at a Field Study Centre in Winterton on Sea where they worked on skills training and personal development and had a meal together. They hiked, discussed updating our website and IT systems, worked on Group Camp planning and, as part of a teamwork exercise, made sand sculptures. This was a very worthwhile weekend resulting in improved skills, better planning and a more integrated team.

On Shrove Tuesday Pioneer Troop ran a Pop-Up Pancake Café with Scouts making pancakes in our new kitchen for other members, their families and guests. This was a great exercise in teamwork for our young people who worked hard all evening, and raised £100 as part of our ongoing fundraising campaign. The next week we had a pancake race as an alternative pancake activity, this time with cardboard pancakes!!

Here is an archive picture from the ‘80s of Scout Troop members running a Ducking Stool at a Village Fete. Does anyone recognise any of the faces? Our archive with many more pictures and comments can be seen at https://www.1stfressingfieldscouts.org.uk/history.

Our appeal in last months’ issue for gardening tools and ground maintenance equipment has had a good response. Thank you. If anyone else has any spades, forks, hoes, rakes, trowels, watering cans, buckets even a wheelbarrow would be handy! Also, grounds maintenance tools such as loppers, secateurs and grass cutting equipment. If you have cooking equipment that is no longer needed, either suitable for camping or in our new kitchen where we have induction hobs we would also be grateful. Please contact Michael on 07761827053.