Climbing is fun!

 

Who never felt that urge to climb up and swing especially when in cubs as it was so enjoyable even for those of us who did struggle at times with such things as it just felt great.

Photo corrected as it was shot conttre jour in extemely contrasty lighting and originally had a major colour cast issue.

On parade

 Brownies and Girl Guides from the "classic" 70's and 80's era on parade with flags looking exceedingly smart in a way the modern uniform just doesn't in these situations however practical it may be for certain activities.

We all stand together

 

While this weekend has seen much attention regarding the Fate of Ukraine amid the much leaked American peace proposals, my thoughts are with Ukrainians in Scouting be they in Ukraine or overseas being in Ukrainian scouting groups overseas followin the mixture of Scouting and Ukrainian culture that has followed them from the changes in international borders to the displacement through war and opression in the Soviet era.

Ukrainian refuges are being helped around the world not least here in the UK in dealing with the scars from the conflict and in helping to forge a new life nobody really wanted to have to and scouting is helping with that.

The Scout Law

 This is a really super illustrated version of the Scout Law which makes its point well.

Having fun together no matter what

 

Very much a "As we were" post, if you lived in any urban centre there were areas that were cleared, all buildings being gone and people scattered to new estates leaving just memories of what was.

Here in the Midlands it was no exception if you lived in Brum, the Black Country boroughs, Stoke on Trent or as as this picture is of, Nottingham and within it as much as town planners and their ilk saw the environment as one that was unsatisfactory for people to grow up and live in.

Many of us from families who originated there however recall a life that was rich and part of that richness was the variety of activities  and the closeness of whole families in each group of streets forming one vast extended family.

Here we have school friends who were Wolf Cubs, Brownies, Guides and Scouts where meeting places and the like were shared who looked forward to week and the camps where you'd be away from the built up area with as it was then the air pollution from coal fires (and in my district the intense smoke of coal fire pottery kilns surrounding your house).

Today Scouts and Girl Guides helps keep some of that glue that keeps our cleaner environment but at times more disconnected communities together better able to support themselves.

The Old in the midst of the New

 

The onset of winter, definately a felt thing this week with temperatures down to 1 degree c does bring interesting lighting from the harshness of the summer months and here t brings out the feel of these nineteeth century cottages built backing on to the local canal for workers in the steam mill and nearby coal mines in living memory.

Anniversaries

 

A couple of weeks ago we marked five years of Squirrels, born during Covid, forty years of Beavers  for six to eight year olds and a massive One Hundred and Ten years of Cubs with a special badge being issued.

Each program dovetails into each other as you learn new skills and have exciting experiences as you get older in the Scouts family.