I'm looking forward to seeing all of our Beavers on Monday, after a snowy half-term break. As well as making some fabulous fireworks (non-explosive, sadly!), we'll be using Monday's meeting to practice God Save the Queen one last time before Remembrance Sunday.
If your Beaver is still unsure of the words, perhaps you could print them out (see the link in the 'Pack up your Troubles' post below) and help them to learn them before Sunday 9th November.
I'm sending out a letter to parents regarding Remembrance Sunday - please print, sign and bring with you on Monday. I'll have some paper copies on Monday if you've not had the chance to do so before the meeting. I'd really like to have a good turnout from the Beavers. We've done lots of activities related to the war this term, and I'm sure the Beavers would like the opportunity to pay their respects to those who fought and died for their freedom.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Jammy Scouts!
Just a quick update on the 1st Swallowfield Jam... we've raised more than £90 from sales of our blackberry nectar. Not bad! Thanks to all who bought the jam - I hope you've enjoyed eating it. Your contributions to the group's funds are gratefully appreciated.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Air Raids!
Last night was a big adventure for our Beavers. As part of our WW2 programme, the Beavers brought in sleeping bags and torches, and we cleaned out some very dusty cupboards under the stage of the village hall to make air raid shelters. The children spent most of our meeting by torchlight, and wrote some excellent pieces about what it would have been like to be a child during an air raid.
We also listened to an account written by a chap who was eight years old when the war broke out, describing how he and his class mates would file out of school into the air raid shelter whenever the sirens went off. The general consensus was that air raids would have been quite scary, but boring after a while!
The Beavers were also fascinated to hear the tale of Jasper Maskelyne, a magician, who advised the British army during the war. Maskelyne pulled off the biggest con trick of the war, by hiding an entire city - he built a cardboard copy of the city of Alexandria a little further along the Egyptian coast than the real thing. Then, as night fell, the real city extinguished its lights and the 'fake' Alexandria was illuminated - complete with fake boats in its fake harbour.
The German bombers duly did their worst, and the cardboard city and harbour were blasted during the night. To complete the illusion, Maskelyne's team applied fake bomb-sites and craters to the real city, so that when the German reconnaissance planes flew over next day, they were able to report on the success of their mission and the destruction of Alexandria!
We also sold many jars of 1st Swallowfield jam, so thanks to all parents for their contributions to our funds. Enjoy your jam! Scout and Cub parents can buy jam at their meetings this week.
We also listened to an account written by a chap who was eight years old when the war broke out, describing how he and his class mates would file out of school into the air raid shelter whenever the sirens went off. The general consensus was that air raids would have been quite scary, but boring after a while!
The Beavers were also fascinated to hear the tale of Jasper Maskelyne, a magician, who advised the British army during the war. Maskelyne pulled off the biggest con trick of the war, by hiding an entire city - he built a cardboard copy of the city of Alexandria a little further along the Egyptian coast than the real thing. Then, as night fell, the real city extinguished its lights and the 'fake' Alexandria was illuminated - complete with fake boats in its fake harbour.
The German bombers duly did their worst, and the cardboard city and harbour were blasted during the night. To complete the illusion, Maskelyne's team applied fake bomb-sites and craters to the real city, so that when the German reconnaissance planes flew over next day, they were able to report on the success of their mission and the destruction of Alexandria!
We also sold many jars of 1st Swallowfield jam, so thanks to all parents for their contributions to our funds. Enjoy your jam! Scout and Cub parents can buy jam at their meetings this week.
Friday, October 10, 2008
First Swallowfield Jam
No, we're not talking thrash metal guitars - just locally-picked blackberries, apples from Sue Taylor's garden, and beautifully decorated labels courtesy of 1st Swallowfield Beavers!
Sue, Kate Mitchell and I have been beavering away (excuse the pun!) cooking delicious blackberry jam to raise some cash for the 1st Swallowfield Scout Group. It is, even though I say so myself, quite delicious - just the thing for dolloping onto warm scones on a chilly Autumn day.
Picture © Simon Kemp
If you'd like to purchase some of this heavenly nectar (and why wouldn't you?!), bring a minimum donation of £2.50 per jar to Beavers/Cubs/Scouts this week (w/c 13th Oct) and it shall be yours.
Yum.
Sue, Kate Mitchell and I have been beavering away (excuse the pun!) cooking delicious blackberry jam to raise some cash for the 1st Swallowfield Scout Group. It is, even though I say so myself, quite delicious - just the thing for dolloping onto warm scones on a chilly Autumn day.
Picture © Simon Kemp If you'd like to purchase some of this heavenly nectar (and why wouldn't you?!), bring a minimum donation of £2.50 per jar to Beavers/Cubs/Scouts this week (w/c 13th Oct) and it shall be yours.
Yum.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Pack up your troubles!
Because this is the term of Remembrance Sunday, we are looking at what it was like to fight in the First and Second World Wars, and to be a child in wartime London. I am particularly keen that the Beavers should have an appreciation of the sacrifice made by those we remember. In previous years, the Beavers have been poorly represented at the Remembrance Sunday Parade in Swallowfield - this year, I hope to have a good turnout!
Picture © Simon Kemp
Part of our programme for this term is learning some songs from the war years. Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag is very popular with our Beavers, who have demonstrated their ability to march and sing loudly at the same time! We're also learning God Save the Queen, in preparation for the Remembrance Sunday Service - I hope that this year the church will ring with the voices of our Beavers, rather than the usual muttering along with the tune from the grown-ups who dimly remember the words :0) If your Beaver is struggling to remember the words, you can download them here.
Please remember to send your Beaver with a sleeping bag, pillow and torch for Monday's meeting - we'll be holding our meeting in our 'air raid shelter' so some home comforts will be very welcome!
Picture © Simon KempPart of our programme for this term is learning some songs from the war years. Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag is very popular with our Beavers, who have demonstrated their ability to march and sing loudly at the same time! We're also learning God Save the Queen, in preparation for the Remembrance Sunday Service - I hope that this year the church will ring with the voices of our Beavers, rather than the usual muttering along with the tune from the grown-ups who dimly remember the words :0) If your Beaver is struggling to remember the words, you can download them here.
Please remember to send your Beaver with a sleeping bag, pillow and torch for Monday's meeting - we'll be holding our meeting in our 'air raid shelter' so some home comforts will be very welcome!
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