Categories
Uncategorised

Scouts & Phoenix Explorers “Winter” Camp

Our older sections joined up for our delayed winter camp at the weekend, however the weather certainly was like winter 🥶 Luckily we were indoors at the PTH in Castlerock. We had games, a table quiz, a day out to Dundonald for ice skating, Clip and climb and bowling, more games and a movie. Due to the weather we had to cancel some outdoor activities but the youths enjoyed some extra social time.

Categories
Uncategorised

Squirrels ‘Feel Good’ badge work

Tonight our Squirrel Drey members were working on their Feel Good badge by learning all about feelings. We played a Guess the Feelings game to show how we feel in different situations, and then pulled our best happy/sad/angry faces! We also made bunting to go around our noticeboard and played parachute games to finish our night.

Categories
Uncategorised

Squirrels celebrate World Book Day

Our Squirrels all made a fantastic effort tonight to dress up for World Book Day, including our leaders! We learned the words and actions to a nursery rhyme, told each other all about our costumes, and made monster bookmarks with googly eyes. The Squirrels also practised their Squirrel Scout promise in preparation for their investiture.

Categories
Uncategorised

Squirrels food passports

Squirrels went on a food tasting adventure tonight, trying different treats from all around the world as part of their Super Chef Activity badge. They tried interesting foods such as biltong from South Africa, jelly pudding from Malaysia, turrón from Spain, and seaweed crisps from South Korea. French croissants were a firm favourite, but the Greek olives caused a few funny faces! Squirrels filled out their very own food passports, showing which foods they liked and disliked. We also made a start on our Tree of Life, with all the Squirrels and Leaders making painted handprints on a tree trunk canvas as part of our All Together Challenge badge.

Categories
Uncategorised

Welcome to our new Squirrels!

Ballymoney Scout Group opened its first Squirrel Drey in early February, and our Squirrels have been busy settling in and are already getting started on some badge work. We’ve had lots of fun over the past few weeks making mini campfires, creating amazing artwork, taking part in a crazy Fruit Salad game and a pasta relay race, and decorating fruit kebabs. Well done to all our new Squirrels!

Categories
Uncategorised

Young Leaders run Beavers 🤩

Over the past couple of weeks 2 of our young leaders worked on a plan for this week. They had to plan an activity and run some games. Lotars planned a craft to give to someone they love, then Luke and Lotars ran some games. Well done guys. Get those young leader log books filled in and signed off

Categories
Scouts Uncategorised

Scouts Accumulator Fitness Session

Thanks so much to Jo Clarke for running a fitness session with our scouts last week. We split the group in half for more manageable numbers. Half doing fitness, half socialising and board games then switch. There were a few tired scouts sweaty scouts at the end 🥵

Categories
Uncategorised

Scouts Warhammer Models

For the past 2 weeks scouts have been working towards their model maker badge. They used warhammer kits to create 4 different models, which they then painted. A lot of patience required to paint such fine detail

Categories
Uncategorised

Scouts & Phoenix Explorers New Year Hike


Some of our Scouts and Explorers hiked from East Strand, Portrush, to Dunluce Castle on a blustery Saturday afternoon. Just over 7 miles walked, with a stop at Dunluce Castle for a warm lunch (sausage baps/soup and a roll) before the return leg. It was great to see them all again after the Christmas break, and to welcome 2 possible new Explorers along for the dander.

Check out the YouTube video below

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Festive Fun

Throughout December Beavers have been enjoying lots of winter crafts and games. We’ve had snowball fights, Melted snowman biscuits, making snowflakes, sewing felt Xmas tree decorations with bead bobbles, worked together to make a paper chain longer than our hall and finally had party night playing games and eating snacks.

Categories
Uncategorised

Scout Section are Feeling Festive


Scouts have been getting in the mood for Christmas over the past few weeks. We were being creative with Christmas cardboard canvases to decorate the hall. Then we learned how to make tasty shortbread. We had a party last week, playing traditional party games and enjoying some party food. Finally, scouts hopped on the train for our Winter outing to Bangor Aurora for a bit of splashing around in the leisure pool, slides and inflatables. Back to Ballymoney Scout Hall for a Christmas dinner on chip. Hope all our scouts and their families enjoy the Christmas break. See you all in 2023!!

Categories
Uncategorised

Phoenix Festive Meeting

Our explorers got together for Christmas dinner (prep and cook), socialising and a few silly games/activities too. Full bellies all round.

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Book Reader Badge

We visited Ballymoney library tonight to begin our book reader badge. Everyone made bookmarks, browsed through various books, checked some out, some coloured pictures and all enjoyed a short story read by our leader Chris. Printout sent home with a book log and a blank book cover to create a new cover for their favourite book.

They’ll be working hard at home for the next 6 weeks (or less if they’re avid readers) to complete the badge. Thanks to the staff at the library for being so accommodating.

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Globetrotters Sleepover

This weekend 14 fabulous Beaver scouts took part in our Globetrotters sleepover. On arrival they filled in their passport details and then began their trip around the world in a hot air balloon (parachute mushroom). With the help of our YLs we took Beavers to Latvia (Lotars), Australia (Luke and Robyn) and Canada (Nathan) and had their passport stamped on arrival at each country.

On the arrival at each country Beavers were shown a flag. They had to find the flag on the world map and locate where the country was on the world map. Once found our YL’s shared facts, food and games relating to those countries.

Latvia (ancient pagan symbols, introducing yourself in Latvian and facts – widest waterfall in Europe is in Latvia), Australia (Beavers are Joey scouts in Australia, kangaroo hop game, Australian wildlife and food – fairy bread yes, Vegemite no) and Canada (facts/info, pancakes with maple syrups and “ice puck” hockey).

Some cookies and hot choc before heading to bed (a couple of hours before all Beavers finally slept 😂😂)

Up at 7:00 returning to NI for a matinee movie (the Lorax) and an Ulster fry. Some games and a hot air balloon crafts (which taught a knot) before packing up. A fruit snack and some parachute games before home.Well done to all on camp for earning your international activity badge and beaver sleepover badges. We had 10 1st time campers and 4 who camped with us before. Thanks to all Young Leaders and leaders for making camp possible

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers In Tents

With our sleepover coming up this weekend we had a practice run at putting up our tents. This also gave beavers not attending the camp the chance to learn how to put them up, to tick off some badge work and hopefully they’ll make it to a future camp 🤞🏻🤞🏻

After a demo by 2 YLs, all beavers successfully put their tents up with the guidance of leaders, YLs and 2 new squirrel leaders 👏🏻👏🏻 Thanks Andrea and Lynsey.

Once up, they had some time to play card/board games or draw pictures in their tents before packing everything away again.

Categories
Uncategorised

Phoenix Explorers Big Sleep Out

At the weekend our Phenomenal Phoenix Explorers attended the Scouts NI big sleep out at Crawfordsburn Scout Centre. Bus and car packed with young people and lots of care package donations for the Simon Community as we set off at 14:00. A stop at Antrim Castle gardens for a wander to stretch our legs, then on to Belfast. Almost an hour of free time around Castlecourt before filling our bellies with KFC, Burger King and Mitsuru.

When we arrived at Crawfordsburn we took our gear to the lid and got ready for the opening brief. Explorers took part in 5 different activity bases around the site, ate sausage baps, watched the campfire and then donations and money raised was presented to Simon Community.

Everyone got Bivis set up for the night and tried to get some sleep. Next morning, up at 7:15 to pack gear away and some free time. Bacon baps 🤔 for breakfast (provided by wee buns) then time to ship out.

Headed to the car park for a wee walk around Crawfordsburn Country Park Forest before heading to Applegreen for brunch and then home.

Yet again I find myself saying the same thing. The Phoenix Explorers are an amazing bunch of individuals. Once again they have done us and themselves proud!!!

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Navigator Stage 1

Over the past 2 weeks Beaver Scouts have been completing their navigator staged badge. They learned how to find North, East, South and West using compasses (then played the game of course). They looked at different maps – street maps of Ballymoney , OS maps of the local area & Northern Ireland and a map of the world. Tonight they completed a night hike. During their 1.8 mile hike they had to locate themselves on the map at 3 different locations, using OS symbols to help them. Finally a break from walking for a snack stop and play at the park before returning to the hall. Well done Beavers 👏🏻

Categories
Uncategorised

Remembrance 2022

Over half of our members turned out for this year’s Remembrance Parade. You were all fantastic and did yourselves and leaders proud. The last group pic was missing some members who had to leave sharp. Also, well done to our some of our Phoenix Explorers who also attended the parade.

Categories
News Scouts Uncategorised

Trench Farm Camp

Scouts enjoyed (endured 😂) autumn camp at Trench Farm, Ballycastle. Back to basics and getting to know each other on a rainy, muddy weekend camp. Exploring the site, meeting the farm animals, making ballistas, pumpkin carving, playing games, being creative, cooking (camp chefs cooked for 32 campers!!) and disco dancing in the moonlight 😄

Fabulous site, fantastic animals, lots of eating and playing games. Well done to 1st time campers, especially those feeling homesick. All leaders are proud of you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻


Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Space Badge

Beaver scouts have completed their space activity badge over the last 2 weeks. They made biscuit constellations, learnt about planets, drew a planet of their choice, star gazed using binoculars and planets app, completed rocket experiments (balloon propulsion and mini rockets) and designed their own rockets!! Not many photos from week 2…too busy! Check out the comment on our Facebook post for the mini rocket blasting off 🚀 Also, did you know one of the UK scout ambassadors is astronaut Tim Peake? And that 11 of the 12 people to have walked on the moon were scouts??

Categories
Scouts Uncategorised

Scout skills

This week scouts were refreshing, teaching or learning lashings. Well done and thanks to all our YLs and PLs for sharing their knowledge. They were also covering knife and axe (thanks Jonny) safety and skills. Challenges were to light a rescue beacon with round lashings, complete square lashings and tripod lashings, prepare firewood (axe for kindling and knife skills for feather sticks). All these skills will be put into practice at next weeks Autumn Camp ⛺️ They also had the chance to speak to some scout leaders from Australia on a zoom call JOTI

Categories
Scouts Uncategorised

Patrol Teamwork

This week scouts were put into patrols and did some getting to know you tasks, finding out what patrol members had in common and what made each member unique, followed by 2 truths and 1 lie.  Then they were challenged to write the word “cat” and also draw a cat in their patrols, using a “floating pen”. Harder than it seems, lots of teamwork and communication required! Tiger patrol earned the most points.  Finally new members to our group were invested.

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Getting to Know you

This our 2nd week back. 17 new beavers and 7 returning!! We’ve been playing friendship bingo, learning our promise, getting to know each other and having some fun games. All beavers have been put into lodges and red lodge was the 1st to earn lodge points 👏🏻👏🏻

We also had a log chew to talk about our code of conduct, including punishments that they suggested themselves if they broke their own rules.

Categories
Uncategorised

Scouts beach litter pick

After a 2 week break, Scouts got together this week for a litter pick at Portstewart Strand. A hike through the dunes, sledding down the largest dune, hanging out together and returning along the beach gathering litter along the route. Well done scouts!

Categories
Beavers Uncategorised

Beavers End of Year Party

Lots of fun this week. Bouncy castle, games, snacks and face painting. We said a sad farewell to our Beavers moving up to Cubs. Thanks to Cub leader Bagheera and ACL Kaa for joining us tonight and welcoming the beavers moving to cubs 😃

Lots of badges awarded, Lodge of the year certificates awarded…well done Yellow lodge and watch out for a post for those achieving Chief scout Bronze awards.

Finally we are sad to be saying good bye to Holly (Lisa). She was a fantastic assistant beaver leader and we will miss her so much. Luckily, she is still available now and again to help out if we’re stuck.

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers, Bees and Butterflies

This week Beavers were learning about pollinators, bees and butterflies in particular. After learning what a pollinator is, they had a quiz about bees to learn some interesting facts.

Then they set about creating a mini wildflower meadow in some new planters out in the scout yard. They decorated bees and butterflies to bring some colour to the area while we wait for the wildflower seeds to grow.

Then they finished up with a bee themed team game. Collecting one pollen ball at a time from the yellow “flower” to bring back to their “hive” and then tag their next team member. It was a a close race with red, green and blue lodges all collecting 66 pollen balls and yellow lodge out in front with 82!!

Categories
Camps Explorers News Scouts Uncategorised

Scouts Exploration

After a couple of planning sessions our eldest Scouts, and some Explorers who previously missed out due to covid, completed their exploration of the North Down Coastal path. Travelling by train to Holywood, then hiking the rest of the way to Crawfordsburn Scout Centre (leaders shadowing and checkpoints) for an overnight stay, before continuing on foot to Bangor the next day. They had Crawfordsburn all to themselves so made good use of the lid…playing badminton, rounders and cooking sheltered from the rain. Saturday evening we were entertained by lots of singing and dancing scouts/explorers on the stage. Well done everyone 🤩🤩

Thanks to Dave (Crawfordburn scout centre warden) for opening the country park gates to allow us to visit Tesco.

Categories
News Scouts Uncategorised

Wandering, foraging and campfire cooking

This week scout section visited Downhill forest. We walked around the forest trail adding 1.6 miles to our Platinum Jubilee Challenge (to walk 70 miles before the Jubilee bank holiday). Up on Dungannon hill, scouts foraged for wild garlic to make garlic butter. They used this to make garlic toasties on the campfire. They also made some campfire cones with marshmallows and chocolate buttons. Young leaders ran a quick game of rounders to finish up.

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Communicator Badge 🐣

This week beavers met at Drumaheagles Marina. First they split into their lodges and walked around the woodland trail with a leader per lodge. They used walkie-talkies to play I-spy with the other lodges as they walked.

When we returned to the green, they had to search for their lodges 6 plastic Easter eggs. Inside the eggs were puzzle pieces which made Easter pictures. Once they solved the puzzles they flipped them over and found a morse code message to decode on the back. This gave them the location of their chocolate Easter eggs. Well done to red lodge for completing it the fastest. We’ll see you all after Easter break 🐣

Categories
Uncategorised

Beavers Sports Night

Beavers were working towards their sports badge this week. After a warm up they split into lodges and sat on their riverbanks (mats). Then they took part in a variety of races, first competing against their lodge members and then the winners represented their lodge in an attempt to earn lodge points. We had sprint, bean bag, space hopper and egg and spoon races. All lodges won points in the finals and each participant received mini bubbles at the end of the evening. Great to get outside now the nights are lighter.