Our Scout Group came together on 10th November to take part in Remembrance Sunday. Wreaths were laid at Fressingfield, Hoxne and Laxfield, additionally we had a small contingent at Mendham. 

Over 90 members of 1st Fressingfield Scout Group attended Remembrance Services. Our Young People, attended acts of Remembrance, laid wreaths, read in church, took the offertory, paraded standards and did themselves, their families and Scouting proud.

We also had members attending other Remembrance events.

Section evening activities have been many and varied. Our youngest Section, Squirrels, have worked on their Feelgood badge with a range of activities including Yoga. They have also toasted marshmallows on a campfire.

The two Beavers Sections (6 and 7 year olds), have worked towards their chef’s badge, looked at astronomy, made “inventions” from recycled material, designed coins for the money badge, tackled health and fitness and visited the Fressingfield War Memorial.

Explorers and Adventurers Scouts have worked on First Aid qualifications, had a meeting with the Royal British Legion, discussed Remembrance and practiced marching.

Pioneer Troop members were challenged to protect a fresh egg from a 3 metre drop onto concrete. The older members each made a plan, selected and brought in the materials then teamed up with younger members to build the protection. Methods included filling a cardboard box with the filling from a pillow and putting the egg in the middle, wrapping the egg well then protecting the packet with balloons, putting the egg in a Tupperware box surrounded with flour, opening up a cuddly ladybird and putting the egg in the middle and taping it up again. Quite a lot of parcel tape, cardboard, foam and paper was used. Incredibly all 7 eggs survived, the learning for the evening was that planning and preparation pays off!

One Saturday Pioneer Troop had a Patrol Leader training day where the older members practiced navigation skills on a 4 mile hike, made apple crumbles from scratch and cooked them in oil drum ovens heated with fires.

The crumble was served with custard, was enjoyed by all and was dessert to a lunchtime “breakfast” of bacon, sausage, tomato, scrambled egg, baked beans and bread cooked on a fire. Other activities were initiative and teamwork challenges and the day finished with a foil cookery tea around the campfire.

We have been busy fundraising with Pioneer Troop selling craft items that they had made together with cakes made by parents at a stall at Weybread Church Christmas Fair. Funds raised go towards Group funds. A huge thanks to everyone that supported us with this.

During the Christmas break the Section Leader teams will be working on next term’s program (after getting some ideas from the Young People). They will try to include some badge work with teamwork and skills development and will ensure we aim to have some fun too!

Best wishes from all of us at 1^st Fressingfield Scout Group for a Happy and Healthy 2025.