Abbeyside Scout Unit Notes 3rd December 2007

4th Waterford Unit
St Joseph’s
Abbeyside
Scouting Ireland

Cub Scout Pack, Scout Troop & Venture Scout Group Notes

03/12/2007

South Eastern Province Youth Forum
On Friday evening November 30th scouts and ventures from across the province diverged on melleray scout centre for the first annual South Eastern Province Youth Conference with scouts arriving between eight and ten. Scouts came from as near as Abbeyside and as far away as Bray Co. Wicklow. The scouts and ventures were then divided up into seven troops five scout and two venture troops with 30 in each. After an icebreaker the Chief Scout who officially opened the conference addressed all present. By now it was 10:30 when all leaders went to a meeting discussing the plan of action for the weekend. After supper it was time for bed. With lights out at 1am.

Saturday began at 8 with breakfast being in two sittings as were all meals with such high numbers in attendance! At 9:15 the troops began the seven bases the bases were extremely informative and helpful they focussed on scouts taking control of their troops, their counties and the organisation as a whole. They included bases at which ideas for games were thought up and ideas for the 2008 Irish jamboree. For example scout troop 2 had a base dealing with the new programme at 9:15 then at 1:15 had a base dealing with youth participation in scout groups and county forums. After which a games base was done with one of the games being tightrope walking in which the entire troop had to pull a rope tight in a circle and the scouts were asked to walk across the rope! Then a break for lunch after which they took part in the jamboree 2008 base in which ideas were discussed for the programme of the jamboree. After a visit was made to the bouldering wall was made and a video discussing mountain pursuit challenges was shown. Then it was time for the programme events in your group and county base. And then the bases were finished off with the assault course and archery. After all the bases scouts were given some well-disserved free time and dinner!! At eight o clock it was time for a scouts own service with songs and prayers and stories read out. Then the campfire began at 9:30, which went off with out a hitch. Then from 11 to about 1:15 their was a disco held with lights and as one scout described it “its deadly they have lights and the hole shebang!” Lights out was 1:30.

Sunday began with breakfast at 8:30. Then at 10 the forum began with the representatives from each group sitting at the main table the forum was a new experience for most and was one well worth experiencing many motions were put forward by the groups and many were very similar which is a good sign showing that all scouts wanted similar issues to b debated and things to be changed. The motions passed include changes to be made to the uniform, for the scouting Ireland to seek further funding from the government to improve scout dens and facilities. After the forum a scout was chosen to represent his/her county at provincial level. After clean up and lunch the closing ceremony took place with thanks from many of the leader high up in Scouting Ireland after the closing ceremony all began the journey home a log journey for some a not so long journey for others.
By Joe Conway P.L.

Calendar Of Events
We have put our Activities onto an online Calendar, you can see these on the Blog Spot or the Abbeyside Scout Group site.

Group Annual Registration
Annual Registration is now due and must be paid by 15th December 2007, of €40-00 per member, any cheques should be made payable to 4th Waterford Unit, Abbeyside Scout Group. Thank You.

Cub Scout Pack - News & Information
This weeks meeting began with the cub prayer followed by Gearoid and Michael taking the subs. All cubs were then introduced to a new cub Larry Brazil who had just joined that night. After this the first game of the evening was enjoyed by all cubs, being a game of North, South, East, West and this was excellently run by Cearbhall. However some of the Cubs found this game hard going with many of them running in the wrong direction resulting in elimination. Two games of this was played and enjoyed by all.

After this we moved onto a very important part of the meeting. This was namely preparation for the upcoming investiture of the cubs. This event hasn’t taken place in a long time in Abbeyside for the Cub section so this will be a very important event for the troop. The cubs went through a practice run of what will happen on the night and all cubs had a chance to say there cub promise and hold the flag like they will do on the investiture night.

After this important event had taken place Gearoid organized a game of Who Stole My Chicken and the new cub Larry Brazil outwitted all the older more experienced cubs in this and guessed on four occasions Who Stole His Chicken. The meeting finished up with the notices about the upcoming cub regional quiz on Sunday the 9th in Ferrybank Hall. A notice was handed out to all cubs relating to this event. Seanie played a quick game of the corner game, which the cubs seemed to enjoy also before the prayer and fallout to bring another exciting meeting to its conclusion.

New members are always welcome so if there is anyone who may be interested in joining the Cubs have a Parent/Guardian call along with you to the meeting and talk to one of the Leaders. The Cub age is from 8 years to 10½ /11 years. Their meeting night will be on a Thursday night from seven fifteen to eight forty five. If you have any questions before then you can E-Mail the Cubs on cubpack@abbeysidescoutgroup.com and Gearoid will get back in contact with you.

Scout Troop – News & Information
There was no Scout Meeting this week, meeting is back to normal on Saturday Night and is Full Uniform. There is PL/APL Training on in Mount Melleray also so some of the older Scouts may be missing. Well done to Joe, Kevin and Tony who attended the first ever South East Province Youth Forum this past weekend we hope they gained something from this and will bring it back and use it in the Troop.


Venture Scout Group – Information
Some of the Ventures attended the South Eastern Province Forum in Mount Melleray last weekend, we all look forward to hearing how they got on. For further information contact Sandy. You can E-Mail the Venture Group on venturegroup@abbeysidescoutgroup.com and Sandy will get in contact with you.

Full Uniform
Full Uniform is Black Polished Shoes/Boots, Navy/Black Socks, Uniform Trousers, Uniform Belt, Uniform Jumper (Cubs), Uniform Shirt (Scouts), Group Neckerchief, Woggle (Plus Spare), Lanyard (Scouts), Whistle (Scouts), Badges, Group Cap, Uniform Jacket (Scouts).
Any Scout or Cub in the Unit longer than six weeks should have this Uniform. Scouting Ireland is a Uniformed Organisation.
The Scout and Cub Scout Uniform are available from the Outdoor Adventure Store, Mc Curtain Street, Cork.
We carry some items such as Group Badge €3-50, Group Neckerchief €5-50, Woggle €1-50, and Group Baseball Cap €15-00. As well, as some other small items. Just ask the Leaders and they will help you out.
If there is anyone who has been in the Cubs or Scouts and wishes to pass on their Uniform in part or full contact one of the Leaders. Thank You.

Catering Crew
Abbeyside were on Catering Crew last weekend for the South Eastern Province Youth Forum in Mount Melleray Scout Activity & Sports Centre it was a very busy weekend with over 200 Youth Members along with a large number of adults. Well done to Geoff, Muller, Sandy, Gearoid, James, Kieran, Ciaran, Michael and Brendan.

Web Site
Keep up to date with all the happenings of the 4th Waterford through our web pages, on the blog www.abbeyside.blogspot.com and www.abbeysidescoutgroup.com we would be only to happy to hear any comments you may have. E-Mails us any pictures you may have either for the paper or to put on the blog site, if you a bebo or other page that would be a suitable link send it on also, to scribe@abbeysidescoutgroup.com

Scribe.