PLANNCSNEWS November 2011 Dear All So now two months into the role and starting to get a rough idea of what I have agreed to! Firstly a big thank you to all of those that have dealt with some of my daft questions! I wish I could say there will be less of them but why change the habit of a lifetime? I am currently reviewing my first aid qualification with 14 other leaders, some new and some familiar faces. Listening to the changes it feels like I have never done this before, this is something that we all need to keep up to date on so please speak to your GSL if you are due a refresher. We have the sponsored swim coming up on 3rd December so please try to encourage your sections to get as many participants as possible. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the month and at the Remembrance Parades. Please remember if you are going away overnight that I need to see your NAN form a week before. Cesca

FIRST RESPONSE COURSE Vacancies for this course at St. Albans HQ Saturday 12th November.

Contact Margaret Roper

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SPONSORED SWIM DECEMBER 3 Team relay,6pm start to support the Phasels Wood and Tolmers Campsites.

Please see October’s PLANNCSNEWS for information and event details.

On the back page, in a somewhat wonky box! GSLs and ADCs have also been reminded and sent another application form in case the first one is mislaid so please do your best to make this event happen. “Information was sent out with application forms some weeks ago and to date I have not received a single application so that we can register the teams and start forwarding the sponsorship forms. If you are sitting on application forms please let me have these by return. Then forward any more that you get as quickly as possible so that the teams can be registered, particularly if they want early slots for swimming as the timings will generally be given on a first come first served basis. I will try to get round to see you all next week but in the meantime please drop any applications you might have through my letterbox and I will continue from there. I am still looking for help to run this event on the evening so please let me know if you are available together with any other members of your Group.

David King 01707 652304 49 Osborne Road Potters Bar MORE EXPLORER BELTS? All those who supported the Explorer Scouts and Young Leaders that took part in Ukubuyela Afrika in Swaziland, KwaZulu Natal and Lesotho during the summer this year are invited to the Expedition Reunion and Open Evening, Saturday November 19th. Start time is 4p.m. and the event will finish by 7p.m. Location is the St Albans District HQ, behind Oaktree Manor which is on Chene Drive off Waverley Road in St Albans. The post code is AL3 5PE for SatNav users. Light refreshments will be served and the intrepid Explorer Belt Team Quthing – that’s Vicki Milner, Nicole Pendrell-Smith, Laura Walsh and Stephen Uniacke, will be making their presentation to the assembled masses before, hopefully, being presented with their Belts.

Mike Aston Explorer Belt co-ordinator

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CUBS: 1st Little Heath and Potters Bar 1st Little Heath and Potters Bar Cubs have been working on their DIY badge. We decided to build two things, (this was a bit ambitious on our part) a bird box and a key holder. We got the Cubs to bring in the necessary wood cut into six pieces as per the paper plan, which was given out the week before. After a chaotic Cub meeting it was decided that we needed extra help, because drilling and screwing 31 bird boxes and key holders was a bit of a nightmare! A few parents offered help and equipment and after the following meeting, we had thirty one bird boxes and key holders completed. That spooky time of year came round, and the papier- maché came out, and we made masks. There was more papier- maché on the floor and Cubs than on the balloons! Once they were dry we painted them with a spooky theme just in time for Halloween.

Peter Kay ACSL BEAVERS: 1st Cuffley

1st Cuffley Beaver Colony has 24 children regularly meeting on a Wednesday evening and due to its popularity there is a long waiting list. The Colony is lucky in that it has strong adult support, with 3 permanent helpers and a rota of parents assisting. A committee of people is sharing the content planning and this helps to provide a good balance and mix of activities. During the last year six girls have joined us and this has had a positive influence on the meetings.

Our programme is centred on badge work with the goal of giving each child an opportunity to achieve the Chief Scout’s Bronze award in its two years with the Colony. We started the term with an hour and a half adventure walk in the Great Woods, exploring and looking for mini beasts and trees. This meant our newest members could earn their Hikes Away badge and gave us one last chance to get out and about before winter arrives and some of us attended the Beaver day at Paradise Park which we all thought was a great day.

We are working on the Promise Challenge badge this term. This badge gives the Beavers the opportunity to take part in both Diwali and Christmas celebrations and to help burn off the food we will be sampling at these celebrations we are also working towards our Health and Fitness Activity badge. As part of this badge we undertook an energetic dance lesson run by one of the mums, which got everyone involved and on their toes! Finally, the Remembrance Day Parade on 13 November and the build up to Christmas will make this term fly by.

Chris Attwood BSL

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SCOUTS : 3rd Potters Bar In October the 3rd Potters Bar Scouts went camping at Lees Wood. 10 Scouts camped under canvas, in two Patrols, organised their own camp including cooking all their meals over a fire. Over the weekend they learnt how to use an axe and saw safely, how to use a penknife, and some backwoods cooking techniques. The Scouts also took part in the Whippendell Woods orienteering challenge, for some Green Beret practice. We split the Scouts into pairs and they ran around the woods looking for orienteering markers collecting numbers and letters. The course is extremely worthwhile and I recommend it to anyone. And at 50p for a map from Lees Wood it is definitely a good 60-90 minutes activity. The Scouts all did very well too. An excellent weekend! And we are all looking forward to the Green Beret in November.

Ian Sparrow SL DATES: The ones you have told me about…… District BLs meeting Thursday 16th February at PB URC District Beavers Christmas event at Well End Saturday 10th December 5-7 Beavers at Kids' Fun Zone Friday 10th February Ed says: Folks, there’s no need to leave it all to your Section Leaders, ADCs and me! If there’s an event or a meeting which you will be attending, or something to be reminded about – as the Swimming on Dec 3 for good instance, do, for goodness’ sake just drop me a line. I don’t pretend to remember everything, nor see or hear about anything. So TELL ME please, several times is better than never!

Editor Barbara Charlish 01707 654 956 e- writeon@day22.eclipse.co.uk Next deadline November 30 for the Christmas/New year issue

Rota says NM Beavers, 1CUF Cubs, Explorers, Network and AS info please Charity no 302557