Earth Day

Today is Earth Day which is an annual global event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection, featuring over a billion people in nearly 200 countries. Founded in 1970 to combat pollution, it focuses on climate action, sustainability, and conservation through activities like tree planting, cleanups, and advocacy. 

This is something marked in Scouts and Girl Guiding

What is the theme of Earth Day in 2026?

The theme of Earth Day 2026 is “Our Power, Our Planet.” It highlights the urgent need to accelerate the shift to renewable energy and empower individuals to take action for a sustainable future.

Intergrating disabled children, their schools and scouting

One running sore growing up was the disconnect between school programs for those of us with disabilities and those in the wider community as often it seemed they were almost two different countries apart neither knowing of and about each other to our detriment.

It might be things like Swimming Clubs with sessions specifically for the disabled and access to disability swimming competitions in your region or across the whole country, Holiday clubs where you could get involved in things with support be they days out arts and crafts or sports or Scouting which strangely enough in my experience is seldom mentioned to you.

It does appear today some in the world of what is termed "Special Needs Education" are getting together with Scouting because some issues stem from our past experience of being excluded or just not wanted so we don't seek out things are available and those we look for to help us with such as school just don't have the knowledge.

Some schools now are working on things like creating activities related to just those at a school such such as in Explorers where because the program is centred more around individual independence you actually need more assistance with than say in Cubs or Scouts where things tend to more pack based.

Evidence has shown an offer can lead to more movement of those individuals toward getting involved within the mainstream scouting activities such as activity days and camps where staff at the school join scout leaders delivering which is the ultimate goal.

Few of us want to be segregated from mainstream activities especially when you're young but we do need assistance and leg up to get involved.

Schools doing this find not only does it help children and young people but it is often singled out for praise by the schools inspectorate OFSTED, for the difference it makes given the idea of special schools is to meet those needs that a mainstream school with some adjustments simply cannot.

Let's bridge the gap between the sectors and help disabled children and young adults make the most of their lives.

Locks

Canals in many ways were the information superhighway of the eighteenth and nineteenth century enabling goods, often mass produced to get to markets and ports.

Staffordshire, my home county was very much at the centre of the Industrial Revolution with coal, iron ore, clay all together enabling iron works, coal and pottery production to take place on a vast scale,

Here on Bratch Lock on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal we see one of the many locks you had to navigate along the way as a barge driver taking your wares on behald of the company you worked for.

Ready for summer

 

Almost over, the local bluebells will be back this time next year.

Fun Day

 

As we exit Easter, here's an example of an event held that sounds like a load of fun

On the hunt...

 

Friday and we're off for a weekend of fun involving a Egg Hunt if we can keep pesky ants away from the sweet chocolate, quizzes and outdoor games.

They may well a pause on Monday as my hands rather swollen at times and so not up to typing.

Enroute

Making plans to be away for a few days so they may be a gap in publishing while these two might well of been off to camp, which I wouldn't blame being the sort that lives fun and games outdoors and camp fires.

We may even have one.

The Scouts Bunny Bash!

 This is being assembled Easter Day between some storm damage so things are a bit hetic.

Anyway many Scout groups around the world do have what I'd call whole events days that cover making Easter connected arts and crafts things like bonnets, bunnies (never can have enough bunnies!) egg decoration and various games.

This one poster from American Girl Scouts showing the sort of event day that can be done with a bit of planning and goodwill. Obviously you do have a "Plan B" should rain or be windy outdoors.

That to me sounds very much like FUN!

Easter fun

 

Easter is with us and so across the Easter weekend scouts up and down the country will be holding Easter Egg hunts often with a prize.

Running around looking anywhere within the target area fur them is just fun and I just love it!

April Fool Scouts

 

It's not unknown for April Fool's Day to be marked with pranks at your meeting and here's some you could do!

Switch Leaders’ Names: Call leaders by different names throughout the meeting.

Paper-Filled Shoes: Lightly stuff shoes with paper so they feel snug when scouts put them back on.

Mashed Potato Cookies: Shape mashed potatoes to look like cookies (bonus if you add chocolate chips for the look).

Backwards Day: Announce that it’s backwards day and do everything in reverse, like starting the meeting with the closing ceremony.

Invisible Ink Messages: Use white crayon to write secret messages on paper, then let scouts paint over them to reveal the words.

Colour-Changing Water: Place a drop of food colouring under a tap’s spout so it surprises scouts when the water flows.

Upside-Down Supplies: Turn troop supplies like chairs or books upside-down before the meeting.

Silly Name Tags: Swap out everyone’s name tags with funny alternatives like “Queen of Cookies” or “Captain Giggles.”

Balloon Surprise: Fill a closet or cupboard with balloons so they spill out when opened.

Googly Eye Takeover: Add googly eyes to random items like snack bags, supplies, or troop gear.

Frozen Snacks: Freeze juice boxes or fruit snacks so they’re unexpectedly icy.

Switch Snacks: Replace chips in a bag with baby carrots or another healthy snack.

Sticky Seats: Lightly tape sticky notes to chair seats so they stick when scouts stand up.

Moving Trash Bin: Tape a toy or balloon to a string, hide, and slowly drag it past unsuspecting scouts.

Mixed-Up Song Lyrics: Change a familiar camp song’s lyrics and see who catches on.

The Donut Switcheroo: Bring a box of donuts, but inside is a veggie tray instead! After the initial surprise, reveal the hidden donuts to avoid disappointing hungry scouts.