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Monday, 30 September 2024

Tree planting

 

One thing you and for that matter local scouting associations can get involved in is conservation work of various kinds from clearing a site to, as here, planting saplings so that over time we restore some of our woodlands lost to deforestation and encroachment on old woodlands in recent years.

Such things are righly worthwhile both in terms of the wildlife trees support but also for capturing our carbon emmissions.

It does matter through this process that co-ordination between everybody is involved to avoid situations such as that which did occure on one project in New Zealand in 1970 that when clearing up the land, bulldozers failed to see the newly planted saplings!

I'd of been right annoyed upon finding our abour that had I had undertaken the planting.

Friday, 27 September 2024

Passing through

 

It is sadly rather wet outside as I type this, far too wet to be getting about over grass safely but having been about earlier on in the week I'd say we are about three weeks of season of crisp golden sunlight leaves and the berries are starting to come out.

There still is a sizable amount of traffic alongside the canal  and good number of ramblers using the tow paths along side the joggers undertaking their excercise with vigour although on this picture noboy's moored up.

Wednesday, 25 September 2024

The Great Adventure


 Life is indeed an adventure and these young Wolf Cubs are learning more about it from their leader accompanied by their dog in this classic drawing by the American artist Norman Rockwell from 1950 entitled "The great adventure" which is a personal favourite of mine.

He seemed to capture so well the spirit of Boyhood perfectly.

Monday, 23 September 2024

Changes

Beyond the visable effort and achievements of children and young people in Scouting there are those who run activities and making things happen not just about UK only matters but collectively in the world-wide scout family.

In Scouting as with many bodies people who hold key roles move on so the Scout Association is looking for a  new Chief Volunteer for International (formerly known as International Commissioner).

This is an important strategic volunteer leadership for both UK Scouting’s international relationships with the World Organisation of the Scout Movement, National Scout Organizations worldwide and Scouting’s international partner organizations together with the UK’s approach to delivering the international component of our Scout programme for young people.

The role of Chief Volunteer  is about leadership, providing support for a team of volunteers in key roles.

 It is about being a great coach, supportive friend and providing inspiration as well as holding key international relationships with other Scouting organizations worldwide and with the World Scouting organization.

In Scouts leadership is about creating the best environment for people to succeed, while having fun and finding fulfilment along the way.

Friday, 20 September 2024

Raising awareness

 

Sometimes a comic may only have a short run such as this, Polly Pigtails, published  by  the Parents Magazine Institute in the 1940's looking for "wholesome" comics but do have a legacy.

Polly Pigtails had half comic, half fact and information format but what is interesting from our point of view was it did having features  on Girl Scouts talking about and telling stories around what scouting as practised in the United States had to offer girls and the kinds of roles she may take on.

Getting the message out has always been a bit of a challenge not least when children's publications seem very much islands of total escapism but series of articles such as these or today the Dandytown Scouts cartoons in the Dandy published in the U.K. do help in creatung a postive awareness of what we're about.

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Cooking

It's hardly a novel observation but wherever and however I get to places I certainly love my food and food cerainly plays a part in scouting not least when you're at camp because cooking and eating are basic social functions.

Over the years a variety of publications have come out to help with not just building the fire to get our cooking utensils over but what makes for bestest most practical things to cook while at camp over our fire.



Good food plays are part in keeping spirits up and ensuring you've enough energy for the day's activity so this Guides handbook is really quite useful.



Here's something similar but by Girl Scouts, the American branch although I suspect the fire may take a bit more to really get going.

Monday, 16 September 2024

Calculating daylight remaining

Like a small number of people I do struggle with "Telling the time" which was a bit of an issue in very timetable settings such as school but there are otherways of working out roughly how much daylight you have and from that having some idea of time of day.

While the source of this illistration isn't one I endorse, it is actually really useful if you are out and let's say your watch fails or worse still gets lost.