Raising the Standards

Making your way with your Standards, Cubs, Scouts and Venture Scouts alike have made it and so fall in as one single unit in this instance of the Baden-Powell Scouts whose ethos and uniform is more traditional even though they are co-ed.

An eye to the prize

Getting to the summit took some doing for these Scouts but just look at the beautiful view they have to look out upon.

To me the discomfort, the need for support in doing such things is so worth it I am prepared to give it my all being the best boy I can.

Another year and scouting

In a week that saw my birthday as mentioned on the main blog, it is I feel incumbent to talk about how scouting and the spirit of being a cub scout is helping my life.

When I first looked at this subject, the first things that came into my mind was how I felt about missing out on what my siblings did because my parents did not care to enquire about me joining the local pack.
It was smoldering anger about something that my own difficulties aside and to which in the intervening years had learnt they could of coped with, that apart from providing boyish companionship while having fun also had the potential to teach me 'life skills' that no one else did that would of helped me be more independent and intergrated.

Taking a step back from that, I asked myself "If I met an Akela or Skip and said how I felt about this, then what would they of said?" and I came around to the conclusion they'd of and would encourage engaging in the sorts of activity I would of done then  and certainly not to wallow in self pity.

An expression of the difference hasn't just been in solo exploration and challenge but also in the time I was away being supported in undertaking hikes, helped to climber up to castles on hills one hand at a time.

I actually did things I never ever did in my life before, fighting my own nerves and conditioning developing more resilience too.

A year on and scouting is what this boy needed, got and benefited from,

On top of the world

Enjoying the surrounding he explored in all their glory before moving on and setting up for food and sleep ready for next adventure.

Making repairs

Carrying out a repair in the field is a most useful skill to learn where you may not be able to replace an item apart from helping to keep things lasting longer so what looks to me like darning while travelling on the bus is a sensible thing to do.

A tribute to Jodie

I don't like to stray into current affairs on what is supposed to be personal blog about scouting but this one thing I don't feel I can let go.

Jodie Chesney, a seventeen year old girl scout was murdered at Harold Hill play fields, Romford on Friday by youths while with her boyfriend.

She had a lot of life ahead of her, was well respected, was working on her Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme badge and made her way through scouting pictured here at No 10 Downing Street on a visit.

It is early days but it is highly likely those responsible lacked real direction, a sense of moral purpose and above all a respect for others.

As much as her death upsets me and many others, it underlines the real need for scouting in our society to aid people to grow, to elevate them morally and show a real alternative to the gangs that offer a perverted form of unit identity that only takes away life.

R.I.P Jodie. 

A scouting weekend

One thing during the few days away was to go on half day hikes to places with support exploring nature reserves and castles so in a good many ways it was almost like a scouting weekend right down to shared chores at base camp.

Getting around isn't easy for someone with my difficulties as such places were functional for the time, being high up to spot and repel invaders with bows and arrows fired through slots such as these but the fact with support I did undermine something that goes to the beginning of this blog.
My disabilities ARE NOT a bar to scouting, nor to had be a Cub Scout then whatever my folks erroneously thought and certainly not now being that cub scout in spirit.