The Victorian December 1983: Scouts and Cubs
THE 11th is now working hard with its scouting activities. We are glad to report that the demise of the Aubrey Pack was saved by the support of Mr. David Thelland who came forward and produced a team under his leadership to continue running the pack, and judging by their activities to date they are doing exceptionally well.
The Lewis Pack is thriving also, thanks to the continued leadership of Mr. Richard Robinson ably assisted by Mr. Hugh Waller (who recently gained his Assistant Cub Leader's Warrant). It is good to see the enthusiasm engendered by the leaders as the cubs busy themselves with their activities. I am sure that anyone who has dealt with a group of young lads will know how difficult it is to maintain interest for any prolonged time. Well done to all.
The scout section, however, still suffer because of the lack of leadership. Help! We are desperately in need of a full-time leader and helpers as I have to carry the burden of scout leader as well as group scout leader. There must be an O.V. scout who could take up the challenge! At the moment we are indeed grateful to Mr. Roger Clarke for all the help he has given us. The troop is now bursting at the seams with members carrying out various scouting activities. As can be seen from the following reports the summer expeditions to Kenya and Wales were a great success.
P.T.G.
THE KENYA EXPEDITION
THE Jersey Kenya '83 expedition was Jersey scouting's most ambitious project to date. It took over three years from the idea's birth to its realisation on 5th August this summer. On that date, 30 elite Jersey scouts and leaders left this fair isle for the wild and barbarous land of Kenya. The party must have been elite, as more of its members came from the 11th scout group than any other (the fact that the expedition's leader, Mr. Germain, is also the College group leader is, of course, a total coincidence). Each scout, however, was fairly picked by a rigorous selection camp.
The journey involved staying a day in London, leaving for Madrid that evening, and from Madrid flying to Nairobi. Our base for the first week was at Rowallan Camp Site, just outside Nairobi. At the camp site we started on the main task of the trip — building a scout but for disabled scouts. Life wasn't easy you know (cue sounds of violin waiting in background), all our water had to be sterilised, all our food had to be properly cleaned before cooking, showers were so cold in the morning you had to use an ice-pick to get out of the cubicle, even the breakfast cereals didn't have the snap! crackle! pop! we knew and loved so well (that may have been because we had Weetabix, but never mind).
The second week was spent in the Rift Valley, by the shores of Lake Naivastia (Gosh! You've been there too?). Wildlife was everywhere, pelicans and storks flew around the lake, as did fish-eagles. Food could not be left lying about as monkeys, frequent visitors to the camp site, just loved eating our provisions and meals. We buried their dead and dying, it only seemed fair.
We then went back to Nairobi for one night and then set out in a coach — destination, the East African coast and Mombasa. The coach developed a slight mechanical problem — it conked out! Amidst clamourings and angry banging of buckets and spades, the driver turned back to Nairobi and we caught the train to Mombasa instead. Mombasa was beautiful but very, very hot. The most strenuous exercise was walking along the sandy, palm tree flanked beach, looking for fresh coconuts and shells — scouting as it should be!
We returned to Nairobi, sad at having to leave such a place (many of the leaders drowned their sorrows in drink, but we will not go into that).
At Nairobi we finished off the but and had our last sight-seeing tours of this country of contrasts: mud huts and Nairobi conference centres, colonial inheritances and modern changes, sparkling supermarkets and battered stalls, businessmen and beggars. So many environments were compressed in one country and, for us, many experiences compressed into three weeks.
It is with tears in my eyes that I conclude this article, Adieu, Africa!
"Bwian"
WELSH WALES FOR EVER!
"Dydw i ddim yn siarad Cymraeg" — nobody else spoke Welsh either, but that didn't stop eight scouts (D. Madison, R. Madison, R. MacRae, D. MacRae, M. Youngs, R. Short, J. Coutanche and S. Le Maistre) camping in the Brecon Beacons during late August. During this time they went pony-treking, mountain climbing (to the highest point in the Brecon Beacons), down a silicon mine, and pot-holing. Thanks to leaders Mr. and Mrs. Clarke and Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. "Hwyl fawr Cymru!" R.J.M.
THE 11th is now working hard with its scouting activities. We are glad to report that the demise of the Aubrey Pack was saved by the support of Mr. David Thelland who came forward and produced a team under his leadership to continue running the pack, and judging by their activities to date they are doing exceptionally well.
The Lewis Pack is thriving also, thanks to the continued leadership of Mr. Richard Robinson ably assisted by Mr. Hugh Waller (who recently gained his Assistant Cub Leader's Warrant). It is good to see the enthusiasm engendered by the leaders as the cubs busy themselves with their activities. I am sure that anyone who has dealt with a group of young lads will know how difficult it is to maintain interest for any prolonged time. Well done to all.
The scout section, however, still suffer because of the lack of leadership. Help! We are desperately in need of a full-time leader and helpers as I have to carry the burden of scout leader as well as group scout leader. There must be an O.V. scout who could take up the challenge! At the moment we are indeed grateful to Mr. Roger Clarke for all the help he has given us. The troop is now bursting at the seams with members carrying out various scouting activities. As can be seen from the following reports the summer expeditions to Kenya and Wales were a great success.
P.T.G.
THE KENYA EXPEDITION
THE Jersey Kenya '83 expedition was Jersey scouting's most ambitious project to date. It took over three years from the idea's birth to its realisation on 5th August this summer. On that date, 30 elite Jersey scouts and leaders left this fair isle for the wild and barbarous land of Kenya. The party must have been elite, as more of its members came from the 11th scout group than any other (the fact that the expedition's leader, Mr. Germain, is also the College group leader is, of course, a total coincidence). Each scout, however, was fairly picked by a rigorous selection camp.
The journey involved staying a day in London, leaving for Madrid that evening, and from Madrid flying to Nairobi. Our base for the first week was at Rowallan Camp Site, just outside Nairobi. At the camp site we started on the main task of the trip — building a scout but for disabled scouts. Life wasn't easy you know (cue sounds of violin waiting in background), all our water had to be sterilised, all our food had to be properly cleaned before cooking, showers were so cold in the morning you had to use an ice-pick to get out of the cubicle, even the breakfast cereals didn't have the snap! crackle! pop! we knew and loved so well (that may have been because we had Weetabix, but never mind).
The second week was spent in the Rift Valley, by the shores of Lake Naivastia (Gosh! You've been there too?). Wildlife was everywhere, pelicans and storks flew around the lake, as did fish-eagles. Food could not be left lying about as monkeys, frequent visitors to the camp site, just loved eating our provisions and meals. We buried their dead and dying, it only seemed fair.
We then went back to Nairobi for one night and then set out in a coach — destination, the East African coast and Mombasa. The coach developed a slight mechanical problem — it conked out! Amidst clamourings and angry banging of buckets and spades, the driver turned back to Nairobi and we caught the train to Mombasa instead. Mombasa was beautiful but very, very hot. The most strenuous exercise was walking along the sandy, palm tree flanked beach, looking for fresh coconuts and shells — scouting as it should be!
We returned to Nairobi, sad at having to leave such a place (many of the leaders drowned their sorrows in drink, but we will not go into that).
At Nairobi we finished off the but and had our last sight-seeing tours of this country of contrasts: mud huts and Nairobi conference centres, colonial inheritances and modern changes, sparkling supermarkets and battered stalls, businessmen and beggars. So many environments were compressed in one country and, for us, many experiences compressed into three weeks.
It is with tears in my eyes that I conclude this article, Adieu, Africa!
"Bwian"
WELSH WALES FOR EVER!
"Dydw i ddim yn siarad Cymraeg" — nobody else spoke Welsh either, but that didn't stop eight scouts (D. Madison, R. Madison, R. MacRae, D. MacRae, M. Youngs, R. Short, J. Coutanche and S. Le Maistre) camping in the Brecon Beacons during late August. During this time they went pony-treking, mountain climbing (to the highest point in the Brecon Beacons), down a silicon mine, and pot-holing. Thanks to leaders Mr. and Mrs. Clarke and Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. "Hwyl fawr Cymru!" R.J.M.
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