- Kick off Diamond Jubilee celebrations in scout style 7 February 2012
- Scouting supports those living with cancer 3 February 2012
- Prince Charles meets scouts to tackle youth issues 1 February 2012
- Scout enters Antarctic record books 27 January 2012
- Sun shines on Scouting's winter adventure 9 January 2012
Scouts raise £900 for local charity DENS!
Published 12 December 2011
On the 25th of November, Scouts from 1st Kings Langley, 1st Bovingdon, 1st Bennetts End and 1st Warners End poured into Kings Langley Scout HQ to take part in a sleep out for DENS, which is a charity that helps homeless people.
At first, we queued up for some cardboard, which was given out sparingly even though half the garage was full of the stuff. Some people had brought ready-made shelters, whereas others were designing their houses on the spot. Some of us were very thankful for the help of the leaders who helped build the cardboard city!
During the evening we were visited by our local MP, Mike Penning, who inspected our cardboard city and wished us luck to the evening, and Stuart Dickens, the District Commissioner. Fortunately, it didn’t rain and we had a reasonable night of sleep.
In the morning, after a very long night, the sun rose, and we woke up the lazy people who were still asleep. Thankfully, leaders then got breakfast on the go and we tucked into hard boiled eggs, cereal, and a sausage sandwich. We then burnt the remaining cardboard and finished off with flag down. We were relieved when our parents came to take us home where we could have a nice hot shower.
Overall, it was a great experience to see what the DENS charity does for people in need. We also collected over £900 by being sponsored to do it, which will contribute to the work of DENS.
Ollie Burrough, Scout – 1st Kings Langley
Treats for Troops from Scouts in Bovingdon & Kings Langley
Published 17 November 2011
On Friday 11th November, Scouts from 1st Kings Langley and 1st Bovingdon held a ‘treats for troops’ evening, to help organise some treats for troops fighting overseas.
We were all given a notification to collect some day to day items, like biscuits, socks, tooth brush, tea etc, to bring in on the night of Remembrance day to donate to the troops.
We all made a mad scramble for a small cardboard box to fill with treats, and spent the evening collecting together essential items to pack our boxes with, we traded some of our items with other people so each package had a variety of treats that would benefit each soldier!
After the leaders had done a thorough check over of our boxes, we were given a piece of paper to write a letter to the soldiers, with encouraging words and cheerful messages to accompany the boxes. We all included our troop badge with the letter, and requested a photo of them with it, so we can feel that we well and truly have improved the lives of those who give so much.
Together we collected around 15 boxes packed to the brim with gifts, treats and essentials, and hopefully the service men and women will appreciate them!
Alice Kennealy, APL Wolf Patrol
1st Kings Langley & 1st Bovingdon Scouts visit the Council Chambers
Published 7 November 2011
It was a Friday night and long past the civic centre closing hours. Outside a group of scouts were congregating, 1st Kings Langley and 1st Bovingdon Scout Troops.
After we made our way in we met the deputy mayor, Herbert Chapman, to give us the ‘guided tour’ of the Council Chambers. We started off be looking at photos of past and present mayors of Dacorum before looking in the Mayor’s suite. The Mayor, Gillian Chapman, would sit and do her paper work and it looked like there was a lot of it!
We wondered into the Chambers and many of us were surprised by how it was, two semi circle rows of desks and at the front, The mayors and the deputy mayors amazing ‘thrones’. We played mayor, one scout sitting in the mayor’s ‘throne’ and the rest, the council, asking the ‘mayor’s’ views and opinions on different subjects including Gavin Howard our scout leader. After playing Mayor one group tried on Mayor type robes along with hats and after swapping over we got to see the Charters.
One of the Charters was from Henry 8th that made Hemel Hempstead into a market town. Another announced Hemel Hempstead to be part of Dacorum along with others.
We then had the deputy mayor playing as mayor and asked him questions about Dacorum. One of our scout leaders then queried on the Garden Sharing Project used in other boroughs. He then said he might put the idea to the councillors and that was where we ended
We then got a pin badge each and went and looked at things given to the mayor. We then left one by one all wanting to come again.
Eloise Hepburn
1st Kings Langley Scouts
Beaver Scouts Celebrate 25th Anniversary
Published 28 June 2011
Friday 24th June saw 63 Beaver Scouts from across Hemel Hempstead get together at Kings Langley Community Centre to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Beaver Scout section being introduced by the Scout Association. Beaver Scouts are the youngest section of the Scouting movement and are aged 6 to 8 years old.
Mike James entertained the children with music and magic and had the youngsters joining in with some old favourite party games like the conga and hokey cokey. One of the highights was a long line of limbo dancers and the leaders having a hoopla competition.
Everyone had a good time and Sheila Neep and Phil Atkinson cut the birthday cake, as they were the first leaders to be involved with Hemel District Beavers when it started back in 1986.
All the young people went home with the traditional party bag filled with Beaver Scout memorabilia.
Scouts “Ready, Steady, Cook” Challenge
Published 27 February 2011
Scouts from Hemel Hempstead donned their kitchen aprons and put their culinary skills to the test during an evening challenge based on the “Ready, Steady Cook” TV show format.
Each team of 4 Scouts were given a choice from a list of ingredients – a carbohydrate, meat and vegetables and access to a a range of herbs and spices. Working quickly together they had to use their ingredients in the most creative way possible to create a dish in just 60 minutes on only two gas rings, as well as a pudding from a list separate list of sweet ingredients and fruit.
For some, it was the first time they had ever prepared vegetables or cooked meat from raw, others had been practising on their Troop nights under careful supervision from their head-chefs (the Scout Leaders) to avoid any upset stomachs or cut fingers… All of the patrols managed to produce their meal on-time and safely, although the presentation of one dish left a little to be desired.
At the end of the evening, the winning teams were announced:
1st Place: 1st Hemel Hempstead
2nd Place: 4th Hemel Hempstead
3rd Place: 1st Apsley (Otters)
Beaver Scouts from Hemel Hempstead Sleepover for 25th Birthday Celebration
Published 22 February 2011
As part of Hertfordshire Beaver Scouts celebration of 25 years of Beaver Scouting in 2011, Beaver Colonies throughout Hemel Hempstead got together for one night only. The event was part of the County’s challenge to hold as many Beaver sleepovers as possible on the same night throughout Hertfordshire. The theme of the sleepover was a ‘birthday party’.
The Hemel Hempstead District sleepover was hosted at a local School and the Beavers had a visit from Dacorum’s Mayor Cllr Roger Taylor and Mike Penning MP. The Beavers’ challenge was to make the biggest junk model birthday cake using cardboard boxes and anything else suitable. The cake when finished almost reached the ceiling of the canteen, where it sat pride of place for the rest of the event.
As part of their activities on the Saturday the Beavers also had a visit from the Papertrail Heritage Fire Brigade who bought along their Dennis Ace and Green Goddess fire engines. The afternoon was full of activities and a tea party, with a real birthday cake including candles. The event was finished off on Sunday morning with the Beavers making their own puppets and each colony performing a puppet show to the other colonies.
Fun was had by all the Beavers and has started the 25th celebration year off well.
Swimming Gala Results 2011
Published 15 February 2011
The District Swimming Gala took place on Saturday 29th January 2011.
The overall (Group) winners were 4th Hemel Hempstead – download the full results below:
Nimrod 2010
Published 8 July 2010At 3 PM on Saturday the 3rd of July, 10 teams from Hemel Hempstead District Scouts arrived at Phasels Wood Scout Camp for Nimod 2010. Nimrod is an incident night hike competition run by Hemel Hempstead Explorers for the Scouts in the district. The organisation and the running of the event is done by the explorers themselves – with some guidance from their leaders.
The scouts are scored on everything they do over the course of the event. This ranges from presentation of their uniform on arrival, their skill and communication throughout the event, right up to the way they break camp and leave their site at the end.
This year we had great support from the district, with 6 troops entering 8 competitive teams and 2 Training teams. The competition was very close and the scout skills and team work demonstrated by all of the teams was of a very high calibre.
The top three teams were:
1st Place: 1st Bennets End Team B with 337 points.
2nd Place: 1st Bennets End Team A with 333 points
3rd Place: 1st Apsley Team B with 332 points
The top placed training team was:
1st Bennets End/2nd Hemel with 272 points.
The full results table can be downloaded here.
Hemel Hempstead Explorers would like to thank the GSL’s and SL’s for supporting the event and the various Leaders and Network members that attended the weekend to help. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and look forward to seeing everyone next year.
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