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)

You can also download the Maypole 2011 flier by clicking the link

Last year the Jack Petchey Foundation undertook a survey of youth attitudes and produced a report on these findings called “Listen Up”:

http://www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk/public/file/Listen%20Up%202010%20JPF%20Report_1_7MB.pdf.

We were thrilled with the response – over 6,000 young people took the time to voice their views and let us know the issues that really mattered to them. On account of such a powerful response we were able to get extensive exposure for the good things that young people do in local and national press.

This year we are delighted to be taking this a step further, with a second report – Listen Up 2 – and we are calling for your help!

We want to know about the hopes and ambitions of young people in these changing times. We want to understand exactly what young people in Greater London North Scouts have to say and we will then make sure that people in positions of influence and power, understand and react to these findings.

We would really appreciate it if you can ask all 11-25 year olds in Greater London North Scouting to complete the Listen Up 2 survey by clicking on the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ListenUp2

They can also access the survey through the home page on our website www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk

Everyone who completes the survey will get the chance to win an IPOD TOUCH!!!

PLEASE ASK ALL YOUNG PEOPLE YOU KNOW TO GIVE US THEIR VIEWS!

In addition the number of Achievement Award winners sending their details to JPF has dropped. Please make sure you give a copy of the Congratulations leaflet to every winner and ask them to register their details on line at www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk/?sign-up

Doing this will not only put them in the running to win £50 cash prize and an invitation for them to have lunch with Jack Petchey OBE but will also enable us to keep in touch with winners, continue to inspire them, invite them to special winners events etc.

We really appreciate your help – it makes a huge difference!

Many thanks

The Jack Petchey Foundation Team

A Winter’s Walk

It started to snow.  Then it started to rain.  Then it started to hammer it down.  Then the sun came out for a while.  Then it got cold and dark.  All in a day’s work for nearly 400 participants involved in this year’s annual Southern 50 Challenge Hike.

This year’s event saw an almost even number of young people and adults making up 75 teams of four from almost twenty different counties across the UK, from Cumbria in the north, from Devon in the west, from Dorset in the south and Essex in the east.  Plus a load from the host county, Greater London North, responsible for putting the event on for the 31^st consecutive year.  As usual, the challenge presented three routes from 30 km, 50 km plus the blue riband 50 mile event, all providing more than its fair share of adventure in the Chiltern Hills.

The winning 30 km team, in a time of 4-34, was set by four Explorer Scouts from Inner City London.  The Phoenix Flyers Too, from 201^st Islington consisted of Gemma, Gemma, Kelly and the sole male team member, Giacamo, who all finished in the gold medal position for the second year in succession, finishing over an hour faster than last year.  Explorer Scout teams entering the 30 km event next year will be relieved to learn that by then, the three girls will have become Network members and will be having a crack at the 50 km event for the first time.  Silver medal position was awarded to a Devon Explorer Scout team from Plympton & Ivybridge, where members have been regularly travelling up for the event since its inception.  West Country Wonderers completed their mission just 17 minutes behind the winners.  In turn, they were 29 minutes in front of Gauntlett Explorer Scouts from Weymouth & Portland, from yet another part of UK Scouting who have regularly been supporting the Southern 50.  Special mentions to the 8^th Holborn Explorer Scouts, also from inner-city London, who picked up a new trophy on offer for the first novice team.  Also to a team of Guides from Plympton with the quaint name of 3 Ducks and a Hostage, as their commendable time of 5-46 put them in 4^th place, much improved from last year’s debut.  Also to Majendie-Steeple Girls, four female Explorer Scouts from Halstead & Colne Valley in Essex who for the second year running saw off the boys team.  And also to the Anomalous team from Amphill & Woburn in Bedfordshire, Southern 50 first timers, using the event to be sponsored to the tune of £450, with all proceeds going to Keech Cottage Children’s Hospice in Luton.

The 50 km top two teams saw a repetition of last year, but with slightly different personnel.  The winners, in a time of 6-17, was a Scout Network team from 20^th Torbay, finishing an hour faster than last year.  They were 27 minutes in front of The Phoenix Flyers, a team of Leaders from 201^st Islington.  A whole two hours later came the 3^rd placed team of Leaders from 1^st Runwell in Billericay & Wickford, Essex.  There were many outstanding performances in the 50 km event from young and old alike, and well worthy of a mention were the Hornsey Veterans, who with three Leaders in their 60s and one in his 50s, a combined total age of 248, skipped round in 7-14 and shaving an hour and a half off last year’s time.

Finally, for those who wanted to stretch out with a pleasant 50 mile walk, saw a most encouraging increase in teams wanting to take part in the main event.  However, nobody could match the superb performance from the oddly named Late Finishers, a male quartet made up of the Greater London North Mountaineering Team, who clocked 11-26, half an hour in front of 1^st Chesham Bois in Buckinghamshire.  Both these teams have an impeccable record in this event, constantly setting and raising the standard for others.  Bronze medal position was occupied by The Devonshire Cream, a team of Explorer Scouts from 20^th Torbay, a whole two hours faster than last year, and they must be considered to be in with a good chance of seeing their names on the trophy next year.  Two hours behind them came yet another Explorer Scout team from the 20^th Torbay known as Dartmoor Devils.  Whatever they put in the water at the 20^th Torbay, I’d like a pint of it, please.  The youngest participant in the 50 mile event was Ollie, an Explorer Scout just turned 16, part of a GLN team with the strange name of To Be Advised, completing in 15-36 and by doing so he raised over £500 for his school’s charity week. The last team home in just under 20 hours, a valiant effort in the cold and wet, was a Network team from 5^th Beckenham South in GLSE.

This year’s event saw more female participants than ever before, comprising a quarter of the total.  What’s more, we had a record number of finishers this year, making up 94% of the starters.  About 100 volunteers staffed the event, staying around until the Sunday, Valentine’s Day, as they certainly love the Southern 50 as much as the walkers.  Everybody adored the checkpoint staff, the crew at the finish, the Eastbourne District Scout First Aid Team, the food, the presentation on the Sunday morning, the presence and wise words from Wayne Bulpitt, our UK Chief Commissioner, and finally the event itself.

The organising committee wishes you all a good summer season of Scouting and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Fozzy alias Chris Foster

Walk Secretary