Kandersteg dates, flights and programme
Published 28 December 2016Dear
Hope you had a good Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year.
We have been busy booking flights, working with the staff at Kandersteg and making plans for the build-up to our trip next Summer!
Please read the following carefully and respond where necessary.
Programme Preferences
The summer programme has just been released by Kandersteg. On March 1st we have to put in a bid for the activities that we would like to do. In order to be ready for this, we have begun discussions with the programme team at Kandersteg and prepared a questionnaire for participants to state their activity preferences. Please click the link below to complete the questionnaire. Whilst completing the questionnaire, please cross reference with our attached activity guide for an explanation of each activity.
The form also asks for who young people would like to share a tent with – please refer to the attached “K17 – Flights” document for a list of everyone who is going. If you don’t currently know anyone else who is going, don’t worry, we can look at your tent grouping at the training day on 28th January.
Responses must be received by 28th January. After this we will be creating a programme, in discussion with Kandersteg, based on the responses we have received.
https://goo.gl/forms/gmUEFqwpilTRpFnG3
Dates for 2017
28th January – Training Day & Fundraising Quiz Night
Further details will be sent out very early in the New Year – we will be spending the day together getting to know each other and holding a quiz night for friends and families in the evening.
In the morning, we will hold an initial briefing for parents.
17th – 18th March – Training Camp
An overnight camp (Friday evening – Saturday afternoon) to practice working together.
Final briefing – date TBC
We will hold a final briefing for parents in July, the date for this will be confirmed in the Spring.
Flights to/from Switzerland
We are pleased to say that we have managed to secure flights just within our budget – in order to achieve this, we have had to split between 3 different flights from two different UK airports.
All flights will arrive at and depart from Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL) in Switzerland.
Please see the sheet attached to see which flight you’re on and which airport you’re flying from.
If you have any questions about the trip/build-up, please email me or call on 07790 296378.
Thanks
Russ
District Update – 20th December 2016
Published 20 December 2016News
- 1st Hemel Hempstead Scouts have been ringing the bells for Christmas at St Mary’s Church in the Old Town!
- 1st Apsley Cubs enjoyed a busy time at their Winter Camp at Well End Activity Centre
- Last Friday 176 Cubs from across the District celebrated 100 years of Cub Scouts by renewing their promise all together on ice at a Christmas ice rink!
Forthcoming Events
The District Diary is currently being updated ready for all the exciting events and activities taking place in 2017 – keep an eye on the District web page to find out more!
Thanks to everyone for all your support throughout 2016, it’s been a fantastic year.
Best wishes for a Happy Christmas, and Happy New Year too.
Russ
District Update – 6th December 2016
Published 6 December 2016News
- More than 180 Cubs enjoyed an amazing, star-gazing afternoon completing their Astronomers Badge
- 2nd Hemel Hempstead Cubs spent an evening learning about making Safe Choices, Peer Pressure, Bullying and Safe Adults – all part of the Billy’s Wish education programme.
- 1st Leverstock Green Kestrel pack did the Mannequin Challenge as part of the Entertainer badge!
Forthcoming events
- 7th December – Training & Permit Validation Workshop
- 10th December – Caving day hosted by Complete Outdoors, raising money for Hemel Hempstead District Scouts
- 16th December – Cub Promise Outing event – there are still places available, contact Maureen Shelley if you have any more Cubs who would like to join in the ice-skating fun!
- 28th January – District Quiz Night – make sure you put the date in your diary, full details to follow in the New Year
- Bushcraft 2017 – if you want to learn more Bushcraft skills, it’s time to register for the 2017 programme – email hemelbushcraft@btinternet.com for more information.
Don’t forget to keep sending news and photos of your activities for us to share with everyone.
Enjoy your festive scouting over the next few weeks!
Russ
Bushcraft 2017 – Register NOW!
Published 1 December 2016OPEN FOR NEW MEMBERS AND PREVIOUS MEMBERS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Please note: Everyone interested must register their interest including those on the current course.
Following Baden Powell’s ideals and Bear Grylls, be part of this popular group now in it’s 10th year who wish to:
- Participate in the practical side of woodcraft and backwoods skills, camping without a tent.
- Work in own age groups; scouts, explorers, adults & leaders.
Parents may join in too as long as they are DBS/CRB cleared by their Group
It is fundamentally:
- Designed for anyone from ‘Scouts (must be over 11) to Adults’ in the District.
- Fun for all, no previous bushcraft experience required.
- You need to have camped under canvas previously (with your own scout group).
- Not requiring specialised equipment to take part.
- Allows you to try out something you have never done before.
Some of the many skills you may wish to try out:
- Make a shelter from ‘tarp’ or natural materials and sleep in it.
- Using a Knife, Axe and Saw in the Bushcraft way.
- All you need to know about fires and starting them without a match.
- Identifying and collecting wild foods.
- Preparing and cooking animals and fish.
- Making gadgets from natural materials.
- How to collect and make safe drinking water.
- Using and sleeping in a hammock
Dates for 2017 are in the attached flyer.
If you wish to take part in this popular group for 2017 you will need to register or re-register (if existing member):
- Register your interest on-line only by emailing to hemelbushcraft@btinternet.com
- Give your name (those taking part), date of birth (if under 18), scout group, address, contact Tel Nos.
- Be sure to put the dates on your calendar and register on-line to hemelbushcraft@btinternet.com
John & the bushcraft team
Bushcraft 2017 – Register NOW!
Published 1 December 2016OPEN FOR NEW MEMBERS AND PREVIOUS MEMBERS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Please note: Everyone interested must register their interest including those on the current course.
Following Baden Powell’s ideals and Bear Grylls, be part of this popular group now in it’s 10th year who wish to:
- Participate in the practical side of woodcraft and backwoods skills, camping without a tent.
- Work in own age groups; scouts, explorers, adults & leaders.
Parents may join in too as long as they are DBS/CRB cleared by their Group
It is fundamentally:
- Designed for anyone from ‘Scouts (must be over 11) to Adults’ in the District.
- Fun for all, no previous bushcraft experience required.
- You need to have camped under canvas previously (with your own scout group).
- Not requiring specialised equipment to take part.
- Allows you to try out something you have never done before.
Some of the many skills you may wish to try out:
- Make a shelter from ‘tarp’ or natural materials and sleep in it.
- Using a Knife, Axe and Saw in the Bushcraft way.
- All you need to know about fires and starting them without a match.
- Identifying and collecting wild foods.
- Preparing and cooking animals and fish.
- Making gadgets from natural materials.
- How to collect and make safe drinking water.
- Using and sleeping in a hammock
Dates for 2017 are in the attached flyer.
If you wish to take part in this popular group for 2017 you will need to register or re-register (if existing member):
- Register your interest on-line only by emailing to hemelbushcraft@btinternet.com
- Give your name (those taking part), date of birth (if under 18), scout group, address, contact Tel Nos.
- Be sure to put the dates on your calendar and register on-line to hemelbushcraft@btinternet.com
John & the bushcraft team
District Update – 22nd November 2016
Published 22 November 2016News
- Twenty-two of the older scouts from around the District attended a linking event with Explorers last week – great fun was had by all, cooking and eating pancakes, followed by a boisterous game of Dodge Ball!
- Well done to all scouts who took part in the Green Beret competition last weekend in some challenging weather conditions! Also, a big thank you to the team of Explorers who helped run the bases.
- Flights have been booked for the District Expedition to Kandersteg 2017, very exciting! The leader team will meet this week to start detailed planning.
Forthcoming events
- 22nd November – Young Leader training
- 23rd November – Appointments Advisory Committee meeting
- 23rd November – Kandersteg 2017 Leader Meeting – 8pm at Hobbs Hill Wood School
- 26th November – DEADLINE – Cub Promise Outing event
- 27th November – District Cub Astronomer Badge event
- 1st December – ‘Getting Started‘ Training Modules 1 & 3
- 7th December – Training & Permit Validation Workshop
Yours in Scouting,
Russ
District Update – 8th November 2016
Published 8 November 2016Another busy half-term lies ahead … it’s beginning to feel a lot like Winter!
News
- 1st Kings Langley Cubs have been litter-picking to help keep their local community clean and tidy!
- Well done to 1st Apsley Mallard Cubs who helped at the DENS Foodbank last week.
- Hemel Hempstead Explorer Scouts were out in force on Friday and Saturday – 20+ each night helping at Hobbs Hill Wood school and Leverstock Green village firework displays. Feedback from both organisers was brilliant – well done!
Forthcoming Events
- 12th or 13th November – ‘Hovercraft’ session at Phasels Wood
- 13th November – DEADLINE – Cub Astronomer Badge event
- 17th November – Scouts/Explorers linking event
- 18th-20th November – Green Beret
- 22nd November – Young Leader training
- 23rd November – Appointments Advisory Committee meeting
- 23rd November – Kandersteg 2017 Leader Meeting – 8pm at Hobbs Hill Wood School
- 26th November – DEADLINE – Cub Promise Outing event
Enjoy your scouting!
Russ
Kandersteg 2017 update & leader meeting
Published 6 November 2016TO: Kandersteg 2017 leader team
CC: Group Scout Leaders, Scout Leaders, Explorer leader team
Hello and apologies it’s been a bit quiet on the Kandersteg front since the inital promotion.
As promised, there will be a leader’s meeting this month to talk through the basic structure of the camp, roles, build-up etc and give you a chance to ask any questions you may have at this stage and how everyone will be involved helping shape the trip going forward.
23rd November – 8pm @ Hobbs Hill Wood primary school
In answer to some questions I’ve had from a few people already:
Travel to Kandersteg
- We are expecting to fly – flight schedules for the dates we want have come out this weekend so we are now working out how this will work. It looks likely we will be split across a couple of flights, probably from Luton AND Stansted.
- We have budgeted for three transit vans – these will have two drivers per vehicle (6 people have volunteered to drive on their forms).
Programme/activities
- Kandersteg control all activity/programme bookings and don’t allow bookings to be submitted until March 2017.
- We will bring copies of the “Kander-Active” brochure to the meeting so you can see what is available to do and what we think can be included within the budget.
- Young people and adults will have a degree of choice over the activities they take part in and the level of difficulty.
Fundraising
- Saturday 18th March is pencilled for another MEGA quiz night – please put this in your diaires now!
- The proceeds of this event may be required to off-set the increased costs due to the huge, unexpected, variation in the value of the £ since we drew up the budget.
Training Day/Pre-camp
- Saturday 18th March is likely to be an all-day event, with the quiz night in the evening.
- A date, team and programme for the pre-camp will be discussed at the meeting on 23rd November… please bring your diairies with you!
Who’s Coming?
- Particiant list is attached (94 young people and 36 adults)
22nd Nov – Young Leader Training
Published 1 November 2016It has been decided to slightly change the way YL training sessions are completed in order to assist in the running of the modules. This means that we will be dividing the session into 2 sections.
The first will be to complete one set of 2/3 modules, and the second will be for the YLs who have not completed either module A or E.
As result there will be 2 session times being run, either 7.30pm – 9.15pm, or 7.30pm – 10pm.
Details for the session are as follows –
Date: Tuesday 22nd November
Venue: Hobbs Hill Wood Primary School, Peascroft Road
Time: 7.30pm – 9.15/10.00pm
Bring: YL booklet (if YLs have not previously attended, they will be given a copy of the booklet) and a drink.
If you have any Young Leaders in your section, please ensure they are aware of this event and if they’re new to being a Young Leader, that they’re registered with me.
Thanks!
Sandra
District Update – 25th October 2016
Published 25 October 2016News
- Well done to everyone who took part in the first Two Waters Activity Centre Shooting competition – congratulations to the winners, 1st Apsley A team!
- Well done also to the HHEX teams that took part in a very challenging Peak Assault competition.
- 7th Hemel Scouts held their biggest investiture evening so far, with 18 new Scouts making their promise!
- 1st Kings Langley Pathfinder scouts had a visit from Dacorum Fencing Club.
- 1st Hemel Hempstead Scouts spent an enlightening evening with Paralympic sports star Jessica Stretton.
Forthcoming events
- 4th November – Fireworks at Hobbs Hill Wood School – fundraising opportunity!
- 13th November – DEADLINE – Cub Astronomer Badge event
- 17th November – Scouts/Explorers linking event
- 18th-20th November – Green Beret
- 22nd November – Young Leader training
- 23rd November – Appointments Advisory Committee meeting
Cheers
Russ
