St. Andrews Day

The St Andrew's Cross or Saltire is Scotland's national flag. Tradition has it that the flag, the white saltire on a blue background, the oldest flag in Europe and the Commonwealth, originated in a battle fought in East Lothian in the Dark Ages. It is believed that the battle took place in the year 832AD.

What is St Andrew's Day? Scotland's national holiday is called St Andrew's Day, and it commemorates Saint Andrew. Ever since his relics were said to be taken to the east coast of the country and buried where the town of St. Andrews now stands, he became a significant religious figure in Scotland.

St Andrew's Day is the feast day of Andrew the Apostle and is celebrated every year in Scotland on the 30 November. In 1320, St Andrew officially became the patron saint of Scotland when the country's independence was declared with the signing of The Declaration of Arbroath.

We do mark it in Scouts where activities may include learing some Scottish Gaelic, baking some tasty Scottish treats, playing a game of Haggis hunt or trying homemade Highland games.

Paused

 

A break from playing your instrument during the parade, you check the program for the next events and just where with your pack you need to be at that point.

I always found those sorts of events a bit nerve wreaking as much fun as they could be.

Winter colour

One thing I've always had a fascination for is pyracanthas having a few in the garden growing with their trademark glowing orange berries which the local bird population adore, eating their way through them.

They contrast well with the red berries that I see while out around hedgerows which are more succulent all of which add colour as we move into the deep winter of December and January in all its starkness.

You might perhaps wonder what by way of keyring I have and actually it is this vintage scouts one which take your key via a link to the top which avoids the problem of the pressure of the key eventually breaking the plastic slot and its own chain also expands.

Winter hiking and Hillwalking tips to keep safe

1. Have a permit and permission - check your route for this in advance

2. Know people’s experience, ability and limits to make it achievable

We're all different when it comes to experience, stamina and abilities and those of us with disabilities need to have then taken into account.

3. Follow any provided kit lists

Guidance on what you need is often available and in scouts you'll be given it

4. Check the weather before you go

5. Wear bright colours to be visible

Dark colours merge at a distance into the landscape so if your jacket isn't bright do wear reflective material on you such as rucksacks so you can be spotted.

6. Clothing to keep you warm and the importance of layers

There are three layers, base, intemediate such as a fleece and outer such as rainproof jacket and keep extras on you.

7. Know your gear and its limitations so you use the most appropriate for the conditions.

Not all outdoor gear is made for every task

8. Start earlier in the morning to get home when it’s light

9. Take a paper map and compass, then practice reading it mobile phone signals can go apart from finding your battery is flat.

10. Tell someone where you’re going and how long you expect to be

11. Stay hydrated and take emergency rations

Because you expect to be out a few hours doesn't mean you shouldn't allow for any kind of emergency and all of this will fit in your rucksack.

12. Light up the way and keep a torch or in some situations a headlamp on you

13. Go with someone else or a group

Apart from the company extra bods are a back up for advance or even getting help in an emergency

14. Always know what to do in an emergency on any hillwalking activity

Uniforms...on the move again?

As it's been announced that Scout is do a uniform review it's as well to remember major changes in uniform started in Girl Guiding which went a more casual feel in the late 90's and two thousands from where this picture dates.

Hoodies and outdoor jackets with matching baseball styled hats came in although the most recent Girl Guide review saw a more feminine approach reintroducing skirts as girls didn't want to resemble boys apparently which the more unisex look they felt left them looking.

The problem I have with hoodies is  that while they're fine for camp and those kinds of things, they just lack the kind of formality that is appropriate to parading.

International Literacy Day

 As I rest my paws after doing a few things beyond this blogs remit, going back a bit to Wednesday's post as I'm typing this on Thursday night it is International Literacy Day which is being looked at within scouting.

Reading books isn't just some harmless activity to fill up spare time but actually quite inspirational for the impact they have on people of all ages and not least children and young people.

They may cause you to question certain assumptions and ideas or inspire you to try out new and differing things in your life which as a person who has faced life-long disability challenges I know can be an uphill struggle.

Within the history of Cubs (and before then cub scouts and Wolf Cubs) one such book played a massive part and that was Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.

Time reading stories, learning to "story tell" so the book is brought to life through using different voices, intonations isn't just relaxing but can help teach things such as understanding and empathy with characters and their situations.

Another thing is you find your brain moves into that world so you feel those situations as if you would "for real" and so it can aid learning to deal with stressful situations and think out strategies.

That's why time spent in meetings and at things like camp spent on reading is well worth while

Ladybird Scouts and Guides

There are some items that just bring me back to when I was a lad and they do include books, specifically the Ladybird series which were often updated.

They were a small an fairly short paged series of books often with colourful illustrations around certain topics such as buildings, cars, nature, history and famous people being a bridge between full on books for older children and adults and books aimed at the youngest readers.

The series had books on many organizations a number included Scouting in its different forms of which one, Cubs rightly was covered in the beginning of this blog for it's role with me and one of the three topics within it.

You normally move up to Scouts from Cubs at around ten and half years until a little after fourteen and so a part of this book was explaining where scouts fits in  apart from those who were joining for the first time as Scouts.

It was written with much input from the Scout Association at the time so it was all as accurate as possible.

Here we have two editions from different eras of the Girl Guides book, Girl Guides being the girls version of Scouts from which as with Cubs, the Brownies would fly up to at ten and a bit.

Remembrance Pt.2

Yesterday was Remembrance Sunday where the parade and service is marked here at the local Parish church to which local scouts, brownies and others attend.

 Flags are carried with care during the parade.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

From For the Fallen By Laurence Binyon

Remembrance 2023

 

Having seen off Guy fawkes night and Halloween, we move to one the biggets most important days in the scouting calendar, Remembrance Day, when we think about those who give their all to keep us free and to save lives during war and other conflicts.

We sometimes forget upon the end of any conflict however big or small, it is not a matter simply of the living and the dead; The living have injuries that are not  even physical in nature.

Physical, mental or emotional injury or trauma; the absence of time with loved ones; or the pressures that come from serving, highlight why the Remembrance of service is so important. This year in Scouting we mark significant anniversaries united by the theme of 'Service'

Remembrance Sunday for Scouts isn’t about marching like soldiers or glorifying war. It’s about representing fellow Scouts who ‘did their best’ in frightening and dangerous circumstances for the sake of their community and their country. 

Last year, one lonely placard, waving above the heads of the crowd, read ‘The Young Are Grateful’ and let's not forget what scouts did "at home" helping out when out towns and cities were being bombed night after night assisting the emergency services, taking messages, guiding them to the quickest routes, saving lives.

That is what we are reflecting upon.

Penny For The Guy and other fun

It's not uncommon in scouting not least with younger children to run some Guy Fawkes night activities beyond your units fireworks display often involving arts and crafts such as covering a piece paper or card with random wax crayon colours, covering with paint and encouraging them to scratch sparkles from a firework on to it.

Another which is fun is making a Guy.

For this activity you get them into teams of 6 andmake a ´Guy Fawkes´. 

Get a judge to award a prize to the best guy.

Materials Needed

Old clothes, props and lots of old newspaper

Having got them all together with the materials you give the teams 30 minutes to make their guy and get a team of judges to award the prize for the best guy

You could just print out that illustration and colour it!

Five In a Bed - Camp fun!

As nights draw in memories of glorious camps and campfire sing songs and story telling before time to make your way back to your sleeping accomodation come flooding back to some of us not least the funny songs we sang sometimes improvising with the lyrics and sound effects as you had your sausages and marshmallows.

There were five in the bed

and the little one said roll over, roll over,

So they all rolled over and the one fell out,

He bumped his head and he gave a shout,

Please remember to tie a knot in your pyjamas

sleeping bags are only made for one, two,

three, four in the bed…

…three in the bed… …two in the bed… …one in the bed and the little one said goodnight, sleep tight!

Songs like that were what I loved.

Bonfire night

 We are approaching that most of us on this island know a lot of, the marking of the day Guido Fawkes and friends tried to blow up the King James I of England and Parliament in 1605 but they were found out before this deed was done.

Typically we hold a bonfire night where fireworks are let off in a safe manner and amongst groups that put on displays are local Scouts such as these in Mid Cheshire who also provide refreshments as often by eight pm it is starting to get a bit cold so hot tea, soup and hot dogs are much appreciated.

This is a picture I took from one I attended at a private party showing the colourful rockets flying across the night sky.

Winter hiking

Making ones way through the thick undergrowth we progress on our hike toward our destination.

At this time of year any foliage would of dropped off but you certainly need to push back the undergrowth if you're to avoid any grazes on your legs.

Personally I'd of worn thick knee length socks for this activity.