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.