For the last 2 weeks Chris has been guiding our youths through the global issues activity badge We had log chews on recycling and endangered animals, learned about Fairtrade and tasted some fairtrade goodies. We made water filters and endangered animal masks and played some related games throughout. Well done everyone 😃
Well done and thanks to all youths and adults who turned out to remember the fallen. Lest we forget
Our Phoenix ENSU had asked to attend Fright night at The Jungle NI when gathering ideas at the beginning of this year. Therefore we planned our Autumn camp around this activity!!
After setting up camp, they had time to explore the site, chill out, face paint and play before dinner time. After a hearty dinner (sausage baps, potato waffles and beans) it was time to experience Fright night 🤡 🧟♂️ They took part in the woodland trail and a couple of scare attractions. They also enjoyed the entertainment provided by Reggie and the freak show – getting up on stage to sing and dance along, and take part in some challenges. Finally all back to camp to sit around the campfire until they all eventually drifted off to their tents to sleep.
Sunday morning lie-in!! It was 9:00 before the bell was rang to get ready for breakfast. Last few activities (pumpkin carving, rounders and dangling donuts), another couple of investitures before dropping camp for home.
Lots of laughs throughout camp, a fantastic bunch of youths! Check out the YouTube video below ⬇️
Beavers have been very busy recently, earning a couple of badges and starting another!!
Our fantastic YLs planned and ran the experiment badge. Good work guys 👏🏻
Then coach Rob started them off on their Health and fitness activity badge with fitness fundamentals and some fitness games. They also made tasty rice cake fruit faces.
Martin from the ambulance service guided them through the emergency aid level 1. Covering what an emergency is, who to contact in an emergency and teaching the recovery position.
Finally we invested all our new beavers and our newest assistant beaver leader ⭐️ 🦫⚜️
Great work everyone!! Thanks to our guests and YLs for all their help 😊
Last weekend 29 scouts caught the train to Helen’s bay then walked to Crawfordsburn scout centre for an overnight camp, in tents outdoors. Shortly after they arrived they had a tour of the site and then it was time for some archery and tomahawk/angel throwing. After setting up tents there was some free time before dinner. Then scouts were split into small groups to complete a blind trail before everyone headed off along the coastal path for a short night hike. Back to camp for hot chocolate and s’mores before heading to bed with temperature of 2 degrees. Up next morning for breakfast and exploring Crawfordsburn Forest before lunch and packing up ready for home.
Our Phoenix ENSU recently took part in a hike around some of the Glenariff forest park trails. While lots of our YLs were attending County 1st aid training the others were tasked with taking photos while on their hike. The prize for best photo (voted by leaders from our other sections) went to Aaron. Well done on winning your Greggs voucher. Robyn took 2nd place and Adam got 3rd. We also invested some of our new members during the waterfall walk.
Our scout section has grown since last year, with 36 youths now signed up. Therefore the emphasis has been on teamwork and getting to know our members
We had a snowball fight for part of our 1st meeting. Each snowball contained some information about each scout that they chose to share with the troop. We had a silly relay race to collect and solve the scout law puzzle. Then our YLs gathered ideas of what our scouts would like to do. At another meeting we had team building activities after being assigned patrols (minesweeper, team mazes, mini gem towers and hats of different varieties). We had an introduction to compass skills working in patrols to complete compass pictures in the dark at the park. Then our awesome young leaders taught the scouts 6 figure grid references to continue the navigator staged badge. Lots of games and lots of new scouts invested too 😃
Beavers have been meeting for two weeks now. Last week we had getting to know you parachute games, meeting lodge members making family crest shields to learn about each other. This week we had log chews about the beaver promise, learning about their wild beaver counterparts, enjoying lots of games and a go on our bouldering wall!
Great teamwork from our leadership team and young leaders 😎
Leaders spent 6 months planning summer camp for our Scouts and Phoenix Explorers in Newcastle, County Down. We got to the site and set up for the week. Unfortunately Storm Betty (just named after our arrival) had different plans. The campsite started to flood around 23:00 and so we were all evacuated offsite to take shelter overnight in Newcastle Scout hall. Thanks to Peter from Newcastle Scouts for supplying some tea bags and milk. Checked the site and equipment the next morning and concluded that camp had to come to an end 😢
However, leaders got together and planned 3 days out so the young people could still get together for some fun. A morning shopping in Belfast, a visit to Botanic gardens then onto airtastic in Bangor, a day pass to Let’s go hydro and finally a trip to Prison Island for some team challenges and problem solving.
#resilience#stormbetty#itscharacterbuilding#survivors#itsrobsfault
Click on the link below ⬇️
Ballymoney Scout Group enjoyed an all section camp at the weekend. Smallest squirrels (4 year olds) to our tallest explorers (17 year olds) and leaders/network/executive helpers took part!
Friday – Cubs, Scouts and Explorers arrived on site and listened to camp rules. Scout sections worked on pioneering wash stands. Explorers discussed DofE for September, cooked and sampled different ration packs on a jet boil. Cubs enjoyed a movie in the Hen Hoose.
Saturday – relaxing morning, then Beavers and squirrels arrived just after lunch time. Phoenix Explorers and some scouts helped to set up camp for the wee ones. Busy day doing crafts, bouncy castle, face painting, laser tag and team games. BBQ for dinner then Squirrels enjoyed a mini campfire before heading home. Main campfire led by our fabulous explorers (renamed Phoenix entertainers by our Beavers) with campfire cones, songs, skits, dancing and singalong!
Sunday – Breakfast then pack up before wacky relay races 😂😂
Well done to all the young people, your behaviour on camp was exceptional!
A HUGE well done to our older sections for all their help and entertainment throughout the weekend. You guys are awesome 😎
Again, massive thanks to Lislagan Farm for allowing us to camp at their farm. Also to all the volunteer leaders and executive. Well done to our newest section leaders (squirrels) for getting stuck in 🌟
Also thanks to #limitless for running laser tag. Thanks to a friend of the group for a donation of £40 towards food.
We had some silly games this week to finish up for the year. Balloons were used for the over and under game, pairs race, balloon hopping race, longest keepy uppie and other fun games. Good work YLs. Then some party foods and social time followed by badge awards.
Well done to 10 of our Beavers who managed to complete their Chief Scout Bronze during their time with us 👏🏻👏🏻
This week Beavers met at the hall. They enjoyed an ice lolly on arrival before starting into activities. They were working in their lodges to build a machine out of Lego. They discussed their ideas in their lodges, drew their design and then attempted to create them from Lego.
At the same time they took turns in their lodges to conquer our new bouldering wall. Well done to our YL Lotars for running this activity with leaders assisting.
Some very interesting machine ideas, especially the diamond making machine and the teleporter car which send people who are bad to jail and people who are good to their favourite place. Well done to all lodges for presenting their machines at the end of the night to all the other lodges and leaders 👏🏻
Next week is our end of year party and awards and group camp at the weekend 🏕️
Finally we say goodbye to one of our leaders, Ash, who will be missed by all. Enjoy your chocolates 😋
This week our young leaders were running the show. They sent through activities and risk assessments earlier in the week then took the reins tonight. We think they might appreciate the struggle of getting young people to listen now 😂😂 Some beach games and a water fight enjoyed by all. Well done guys 👏🏻
Beavers met at the Riverside park for some fun tonight. After some parachute games ran by our YLs, we had some teddy bear 1st aid to learn how to treat small cuts.
Then they all had a mini teddy bears picnic French style. They learned some French words and sampled some Brie, Camembert and Saint Agur blue cheese on crackers, followed up with some pain au chocolat. Mixed reactions to the cheeses but everyone enjoyed the pain au chocolat.
Finally, time for a nature walk around the trim trail before home time
Beavers took advantage of another beautiful evening by meeting at Downhill forest. They went for a hike identifying tree leaves and wildflowers. Then once up on the hill they practiced making sparks with fire steel before lighting 4 mini campfires to make s’mores.
Throughout May, Scout section have been helping out at Lislagan Farm, Ballymoney. Last night was the final night of clearing grass from the base of fruit trees and doing some weeding. Well done to all the scouts, young leaders and leaders who volunteered their time to help out at CAN’s farm. Thank you so much to Janet from CAN for feeding our hungry scouts on the last night. Much appreciated.
Tonight Beavers visited the East Strand (Portrush). After a grey day the sun made an appearance for the meeting. They played a sea creature themed game lead by our YL, created sculptures from sand of sea creatures and had one last game before hometime. Badge links – Adventure challenge outdoor activity and Outdoors – natural activity.
Some of our Beavers and cubs joined up for a day out at we are Vertigo, Newtownbreda. They enjoyed an hour in the inflatapark, had a picnic on the pavement 😂 followed up with some fun in the adventure centre.
Scouts had a 2 night camp at Watertop Farm this weekend. It was a very relaxed camp with lots of time socialising, drawing and playing games. Scouts also took part in the final JOTT! They walked the farm trail and part of Ballypatrick Forest (almost 5 miles). Saturday evening was supervised free time and an “Easter egg hunt”.
This week Beavers were ticking off some challenge badge work. They were making bee hotels for solitary bees (complete with some decorated wood slices to personalise them) and hunting for bugs outside the scout hall.
#TheBigHelpOut
Scouts are tackling the volunteer part of their World Challenge badge by helping out at Lislagan farm. Lislagan farm is a groundbreaking facility for children and adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health issues to avail of social and leisure, fun and friendship, health and well being initiatives and therapeutic interventions.
This week we began clearing grass from the bases of their fruit trees and general weeding on the pathways around the planters. Of course, we had to have a game of rounders afterwards. We will be visiting another couple of weeks in May to complete the volunteer element of the badge.
Last Sunday we took a break from study to get out to the beach and have some fun in the sun. Our explorers took part in some team building, pioneering activities by building structures from wood and rope to support heavy weights. We understand that study can be stressful so we checked in on our explorers mental health by playing a few games, eating s’mores around the camp fire and had some free time away from the books just to relax and chill 😎
Beavers visited Pets @ Home to start their animal friends badge. They learned about Guinea pigs, Rabbits and fish (cold water and tropical).
Massive thanks to Melissa from Pets @ home for her patience and enthusiasm (and her artistic beaver drawing to welcome our young people.
Beavers wanting to earn their badge need to look after an animal for the next 4 weeks.
