Auditions will take place on Sunday 15^th July, 1000-1700 hrs at Scout Park.

We are looking for Explorer Scouts and Network members from across GLN who would like to get involved in this year’s production by acting, signing, dancing, providing technical support, back stage or front of house work.  Please can this message be passed on to all Explorer Scouts and Network members who may be interested in this opportunity.

For more information and to register your interest please sign up on www.thelondonpantomimers.org.uk and click on “Come and join The London Pantomimers”.

This opportunity promises to be a unique and memorable experience, a chance to meet new friends, will look great on your CV, demonstrates personal commitment and will go towards the top Scouting and DofE awards.

The annual Scout Pantomime has been running as a traditional family production since 1944, and is aimed at all members of Scouting, young and old.  The Scout Pantomime is proud to have received national recognition from The Scout Association as an outstanding annual production.  Young people who are involved will automatically become members of the Pantomime Explorer Scout Unit and adults will join the Pantomime Active Support Unit.

Come celebrate 10 years at Theme Park Camp!

Open to all Explorers and Network Units, September 7-9th 2012.

We’ll have two nights of discos, games, camp fires, a beach party, inflatables, karaoke, and more. Then all day Saturday we’ll take you to Thorpe Park, home of some mind bending (and stomach churning) rides, including the new Swarm roller-coaster.

All you need to do is get there, bring tents, and feed yourselves. Easy!

To find out more:
http://www.summitnetwork.org.uk/tpc
http://www.facebook.com/themeparkcamp
http://twitter.com/themeparkcamp

“Skiing for the first time certainly tested my patience as I spent most of the first hour falling over and having to reconnect my skis. Thankfully I was surrounded by the friendliest Rover Scouts from around the world, who helped encourage and teach me to stay upright, and I eventually pulled off a turn without falling which, believe me, was an achievement!”

During the evenings, there was a chance to learn about the participants’ different cultures as well as the intricacies of Swiss fondue etiquette! He has yet to reveal what he taught them about life in Greater London North…

Back home in Holborn, Bharathi made a short vlog about his trip, which you can see here:

So would he recommend it to others?

“Being surrounded by Rover Scouts and Pinkies at KISC really opened my eyes to how real the “worldwide family of scouts” is. Never have I felt more happy to be a Scout. I hope to continue being a part of the Scouting movement and to engage in more and more events such as the International Rover Week in Kandersteg. Hopefully you’ll see me there again, maybe even as a Pinkie!”

We have chosen a brand new school for the 2012 event which we have never used before, which should give us plenty of space.  Although we cannot disclose the location, we can say that the venue is close to a good rail link, so that will help teams who may wish to use public transport.

It’s easy to enter via the online booking system on www.scouts-gln-southern50.org.uk.  Just click into “S50 Challenge” and “How to Enter”.

Please let me know if you are an Explorer Scout Leader and would like anybody from the organising team to come along one evening and give a talk about the event to your young people.

Any questions to secretary@scouts-gln-southern50.org.uk

This weekend we (Barnet network) joined a lot of other network groups in Derbyshire for the annual Alton Towers camp run by Derby Network.

We left Barnet around half past 6 and after a lot of traffic jams and road works got to the campsite around half past ten.  Once we had put our tents up and got organised we headed up to the big marquee to see what was going on.  There was a bar and a disco playing loads of old school cheesy music such as Steps and S Club 7.  We had a few drinks and went to bed about 1am so we could get up early and go to Alton Towers in the morning.

We got up about 8 and went to get our full English breakfast (turned out was a sausage bap) and headed off to the park, which is about an hours drive from the campsite.  We arrived at about 9.30 and had a long queue to get on the monorail to get to the main entrance but we knew it would be worth it.

Once into the main plaza – with a bit of a problem finding the man with our tickets – we decided on going to the far side of the park as we suspected there would be shorter queues so we could get on the rides quicker.  After running to keep up with the boys of our group we got to Nemesis.  This showed us who was the thrill seekers and who was petrified out of our group.

Next up some of the boys went on Ripsaw but as the majority of us didn’t want to get wet we stayed away from that one since it was a very cold day with not that much sun.  We then got the cable car over the beautiful gardens to the other side of the park to go on Rita however when we got into the queue they informed us it wasn’t working so we then went on Thirteen which was a very deceiving  ride and we all got to go on at once which was a nice change.   Afterwards Rita still hadn’t been fixed so we headed up towards the towers and went into Hex which is a fictional story of the towers with a mini ride/ optical illusion at the end which made a few of our stomachs turn!

Straight after this we queued up for Oblivion.  This was one of the rides that quite a few were scared about because of the height and being held for a while.  They were right to be scared as it was the scariest of the day as far as I can remember.

Afterwards it was time to stop for some lunch.  Once we had all finished our food the majority wanted to go back on rides so some went on Oblivion again some went on Submission and only two of us were sensible and didn’t fancy being whirled around just after eating.

Once we regrouped the boys stared up towards the Towers again and managed to get us to stand in the queue for one of the live mazes as it was fright nights.  Once we were in the queue and realised what we were queuing for us girls decided we would do it and so waited with them.  However two of the girls left just seconds before we got into the maze and the other 3 of us left half way through screaming and shaking.  The boys on the other hand were much braver and completed the maze.

After that ordeal we went to the Rumba Rapids, the SeaLife aquarium and Sonic Screwball.  We had bought fast track tickets for air as the queue had been 80 minutes all day plus because it was fright nights we could go on it in the dark.  It was well worth the wait and you do really feel like you’re flying.

Afterwards we walked back over to Rita and got catapulted at 80 mph around the track and then went on Thirteen again as at this point all the zombies had come out and were scaring people on Thirteen.

After a long day we left the park with sore feet at about 9.30 and we got back to the campsite at 10.30 and went up to the main tent to dance and have a few drinks before turning in at about 1 as we were all so tired from the day.

The next morning we woke up at about 9.30, packed up our things and got on the mini bus.  Most of us slept the whole way home and we returned back to Barnet at 2.30.

 We have been fortunate to secure the use of the RAF Museum and it will provide marvelous surroundings in which to hold this year’s event. To ensure we have details of all young people who have achieved these awards since the last event, leaders have been asked to log these awards via the County website. The young people will then get a personal invitation to attend.

Click here for the form and details.

A number of badge requirements have been updated or amended as of June 2011.

Most changes are very minor, but for full details please see the PDFs below which describe changes relevant to each section. (Each PDF has the minor changes highlighted in red, which makes them easier to spot)

June 2011 badge changes for Beavers

June 2011 badge changes for Cubs

June 2011 badge changes for Scouts

June 2011 badge changes for Explorers

June 2011 badge changes to Staged Activity Badges

June 2011 flexibility statement

For a full list of all badge requirements, please see the badges and awards section of Member resources.

Day tickets will cost £20, which includes the full list of activities and a wristband giving access into the
main arena for live music including headline acts.
(If you are interested in staffing, you must be aged 18 and over. The staff fee is only £15 per‐person
which includes camping, catering and a wristband.)
Payments must be payable to ‘Greater London Middlesex West Scout County’

Download the flyer and booking forms

More information at www.blastfestival.co.uk

On Saturday 2nd July, there will be  lots of people racing around London’s Zone 1 Tube stations as part of the 90 Minute Tube Challenge in support of The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal’s 90^th Anniversary.

How does it work? Each team will be between three and five fit, fun-loving people who will be running up and down escalators, along corridors and leaping on and off tube trains. The stations have been allocated different points so there will need to be some cunning strategies to get the highest number of points in just 90 minutes. There has to be an ‘evidence’ photo of all the other team members in their special T shirts on the platforms, in front of each chosen station name.

How to take part? Each team has to think up a name for itself; create a Just Giving page and make the first donation the £20 team registration (this covers admin and the cost of the Tshirts). Then register all the team information, including Tshirt sizes, on the  www.britishlegion.org.uk/tubechallenge website  Then all that remains is to get as much sponsorship  and practice running up and down escalators!

Each team will need a digital camera or mobile phone camera, plus each member will need to have a Travelcard or Oyster card valid for Zone 1.

Did we say there are great prizes for the winners?!

Where is it happening? Just to make it more interesting, we won’t give out the start location nor the station points map until a week or so before the event, but it WILL be within Zone 1

More information? Go to the special website address to get more info, team sign-up sheets and posters www.britishlegion.org.uk/tubechallenge

Why is this such a great thing to do? Apart from having a lot of fun, by getting involved in with the Poppy Appeal you will be helping provide financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants. People as young as 17 ½  can be sent on active service, so veterans are often much younger than people realise.

So, just how many Tube stations can you hit in 90 minutes?

(Must be 16 years and above, no experience necessary

Activity permit assessments can be catered for)

Friday 8^th July to Sunday 10^th July 2011

COST £35.00

This includes all food & accommodation

(Transport to be arranged plus costs)

For full details, download the information sheet and booking form (PDF)