Each section met weekly during term times, but the most popular events are always the days or weekends away.
We started off in April with the beavers having a weekend away at the PGL activity centre near Shrewsbury and the scouts joined with the explorers for a weekend canoe trip along the Llangollen Canal with an overnight camp at Whitchurch. The Easter holiday was also the time for the DofE expeditions. We had two bronze and one silver group out on the Long Mynd in the Shropshire Hills.
May saw the scouts and explorers on the Scouts Cymru River Wye cruise over the 3 days of the Early May Bank Holiday, starting at Hoarwithy, overnights at Ross-on-Wye and Symounds Yat, and finishing at Monmouth. The beavers went to Penycae for a weekend camp.
June saw the older scouts on a Team Leadership camp. There was also two days of canoe and kayak training at Cae Llwyd for the older cubs, scouts and explorers. The cubs went to Conwy for a weekend camp and at the end of June the scouts held a hike camp.
At the end if the exam period the explorers were away for six days on their silver and gold DofE canoe expeditions on the River Thames.
The start of the summer holidays saw us at our annual group camp at Cox Wood near Marford. All sections take part but for the scout section this is where they practice their camp skills, camping in patrols and cooking over wood fires.
The most exciting event of the year was the scouts 10-day trip to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland. At the end of August the older cubs attended a sixers camp at Chirk Castle.
The start of the Autumn term saw the scouts on a survival camp, together with a hike and kayaking. The cubs were away to camp at Glyn Ceiriog in October and the scouts and explorers went on the annual weekend kayak trip on the River Severn. During the October half term the explorers undertaking their DofE were out on their Qualifying expeditions in the foothills of the Cadair Idris mountain range.
November and the beavers were on a bear hunt sleepover and the scouts were cycling the North Wales coast cycleway with an overnight at Rhos on Sea Scout hut.
The year was rounded off with a flip out sleepover at Chester for the beavers and cubs.
February and the scouts and explorers were at Church Stretton scout hut for a winter walking weekend and at the end of the month the explorers attended the DofE expedition training and planning weekend at Welshpool.
As always, a packed year with over 60 “nights away” on offer between the groups four sections.
One notable event in the year was the assistance that four of our explorers offered to an injured cyclist on the Thames bridleway whilst on their DofE expedition along the Thames, offering first aid and assisting in reaching the nearest road. For their actions the Scout Association awarded them the Chief Scout’s Commendation for Meritorious Conduct.
All these activities were only made possible by our 17 strong team of leaders with additional help from our group’s young leaders and occasional helpers.