Chief Scout Bear Grylls will take to the air at the weekend to meet over 3000 Scouts from Dorset at Dragon 24. While there, Bear and the young people attending will take part in a range of activities including water zorbing, dragon boating, funfair rides, circus skills, laser tag, climbing, abseiling and a whole lot more!

The event will be one of 15 that Bear will visit in the South West at the weekend. The tour is part of his mission to encourage more adults to volunteer for Scouting, as well as celebrate the important role of Scouting in Dorset and the UK as a whole. The journey comes as part his plan to visit the whole of the UK during his term as Chief Scout, having previously visited the North East, Yorkshire and the South East.

The weekend’s event will show what Scouting is all about, offering thousands of young people the opportunity to take part in adventure in the company of peers and trusted adults. The Scout Association is the largest co-educational youth movement in the country. Recent figures have shown that membership has passed the 500,000 mark in the UK.

However, Scouting is in desperate need of more adult volunteers to ensure that more young people can join the adventure. Waiting lists to join Scouting in Dorset stand at 500 and over 33,500 nationally.

Bear Grylls said: ‘I’m so looking forward to meeting as many Scouts as I can over the next couple of days. I know from experience that at every event I am dropping into there will be hundreds upon hundreds of young people taking part in the adventure that Scouting provides. It’s such a privilege to be a part of that atmosphere.’ He added ‘What we crucially need is even more adults to sign up as volunteers and help young people who are on joining lists have the opportunity to join the adventure.’

George, an Explorer Scout aged 15 from Dorset, said it will be great to meet Bear as he’s such a huge inspiration for me. Scouting’s all about adventure, so there’s nothing better than having someone like Bear join in. I love being a Scout – it’s built up my confidence, helped me make loads of new friends, expanded my horizons and allowed me to try so many brilliant things I would have otherwise never been able to do.’

Neil Jones, a Scout Leader from Bere Regis, said “It will be great to have Bear involved this weekend – the young people in my Group are really excited and can’t stop talking about it. Volunteering for Scouting is one of the best things I’ve ever done: there’s nothing more fulfilling than helping young people get the most out of life. I’ve also picked up loads of practical skills that I can use at work as well.

The challenge organised by the Greater London North Scout county, has been running for over 30 years and goes from strength to strength.

Weymouth and Portland have been entering teams into the event for the last 5 years, this year achieving one of the best results yet.  District Commissioner, Debbie Shaw said: “Congratulations to all of the team members, seeing young people achieve is the highlight of my job.”

Team member Dan added that “the conditions where a lot harder this year, and there was definitely more hills! but I am very happy that our team managed to do so well.”

Plans are already in place to take part again next year, and hopefully more success is to come!

Evan, Dan, Ryan, Joe, Jack, Jake, Peter and Mitch

Congratulations!

Team 137- team we’re too sexy for our boots, are still on the course and are expected soon.

1 more checkpoint to go and they will be on the home straight and into the finish line at High Wycombe School.

The team are still well on course for a top 10 final position.

Team we’re to sexy for our boots are also still on the course, now only 2 check points behind team Gauntlettt

Conditions underfoot are very muddy and wet, although the rain has now stopped.  Team Leader, Evan Feltham, said “the last bit was quite hilly but we all kept up a good pace,” adding that “the next section is even steeper so we need to get going”

Team we’re to sexy for our boots are also making progress along the course, and are due into check point 13 in the next 30 mins.

More information as the teams get closer and closer to the finish!

Breakfast was served at 0620 this morning in preparation for the event, with teams from all over the country travelling to take part in this unique challenge.

The teams have now set off onto the route, although the rain has eased off a little the conditions under foot are still very damp and it’s not forecast to get any better soon!

Check back here during the day to keep updated with the teams progress!!

Team 137- Team we’re too sexy for our boots

Team 132- Gauntlett ESU

The team of 4 Scouts, are the current “Mayors Scouts” and accompany Councillor Paul Kimber to all of his civil ceremonies in his role of mayor.  Mayors Scout Jon Shaw said ” I really enjoyed the carol service, carrying the mace was a great bonus!”

The Scouts take it in turn to take on the role as Mayors Scouts, giving many young people this great opportunity to take an active part in local Civil Ceremonies.

Want to know more about Scouting in Weymouth and Portland?

Contact: media (@) dorsetscouts.org.uk

The team from Dorset Scouts attended the event upon special invitation from the BIC team.  The evening kicked off at 1630 with the professional demonstrations, followed by refreshments and hundreds of photographs!

Debbie Shaw, District Commissioner of Weymouth and Portland, said: “The young professionals were great, I only wish I could skate as well as they can.”

Next, it was time for the Dorset scouts team to hit the ice! Most were unsteady to start, some horizontal, but almost everyone had gained a remarkable amount of confidence after an hour and a half’s practice!  Elizabeth Poppitt, County Administrator, led the way, having only had “a few lessons when I was young,” but perhaps this was a slight understatement.

A great evening, and really great to see Scouting right in the public eye, right where it belongs.  Keep your eyes peeled to spot the team in Dorset Magazine next month!

Thanks to all of the Team Members:

1. Elizabeth Poppitt
2. Ian Etheridge
3. Evan Feltham
4. Dan Shaw
5. Jenny Shaw
6. Debbie Shaw
7. Emily Barton
8. Lauren Barton
9. Grace Ritchie
10. William Ritchie
11. Rob Shaw
12. George Lewiss

Gold standard activities: Such as paragliding, horse riding, skiing, snow boarding, parascending…

• 1^st class evening entertainment including live music, themed evenings, costumes, fun and games
• Sub camps with individual entertainment areas and competitions
• Excellent onsite facilities: There will be cafés, internet access, entertainment zones and excellent amenities
• Oh and the icing on the cake… a 48 hour surprise experience… so don’t forget your passport! This will remain a surprise until the day, but rest assured it will be an experience abroad that you won’t forget! 

 Check out the website for staff job opportunities too… you may be too old to attend at a participant but it doesn’t mean you can’t be involved!

Miss it… miss out!

Find out more and register @ www.inter-net.org.uk ]]> http://dorsetscouts.org.uk/news/news.php/?feed=rss2&p=49 0 http://dorsetscouts.org.uk/news/news.php/?p=45 http://dorsetscouts.org.uk/news/news.php/?p=45#comments Sat, 20 Nov 2010 10:43:33 +0000 lewisg http://dorsetscouts.org.uk/news/news.php/?p=45 Continue reading →]]> REMEMBER THEM….

Bere Regis Scouts keep the promise…at home and in Ypres, Belgium.

It’s 92 Years since the end of the ‘War to end all Wars’ and 65 years since the end of World War II.  Since the end of World War I there have been more than 126 further conflicts.

At 4 am on a dark, cold November morning a group of 30 young people and their Leader Team began their travels to Belgium and France to visit and pay their respects to some of the places where men from our local parishes had travelled, fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice.  The aim of the project to make the Act of Remembrance more meaningful to the younger generation .

Background

During Scouting’s Centenary in 2007, Bere Regis Scout Group undertook to research the names of the 32 men on our village war memorial and established a personal history for each man where possible detailing his family members, if he had been baptized, married, where he had lived and his occupation.  The Scouts also found out where he was buried or commemorated and, during a trip to Ypres, Belgium over Remembrance Day weekend in 2007, they visited some of the graves and laid wreathes.  They also attended two Remembrance Day services at the Menin Gate, visited preserved trenches, battlefields and museums.  In early 2008, this same group made a presentation to the village of all their findings to date.

Scouts from Bere Regis, Dorset

The success of our 2007 Project was well received by members of our Village and was written about in the local Press.  The team also took part in the BBC Ninety Years of Remembrance project at Bovington Tank Museum in November, 2008 and at the Remembrance Service at St. John’s Church, Bere Regis the following day.

Remember Them Project 2010 – Phase 2 – Research

The success of this earlier project inspired the younger Scouts and they too wanted the opportunity to get involved; Remember Them Project 2010 – Phase 2 being the result, this time with 23 young people, including 5 who were in the original team and who are now Young Leaders.

The team carried out initial research on the computers at Bere Regis School and then spent a couple of sessions at the Dorset County Records Office expanding our earlier information for the Bere Regis men.  We also researched the names of the fallen on the Memorials in our neighbouring villages of Winterbourne Kingston and Briantspuddle. Research was also carried out on the Dorsetshire Regiment and we learned about some of the action they saw.

The Curator from Bovington Tank Museum came along to a troop night and gave a presentation including many artefacts for the scouts to look at and handle and showed some original footage from World War One.  One Young Leader, Albert, was even dressed in Tommy uniform and loaded up with the kit that he would have carried.  Albert said “The uniform material is very itchy!” “Imagine what it was like after it was wet, muddy and full of lice,” replied Chris, the Curator!

During October half term the Team visited The Imperial War Museum, London to view the ‘Horrible Histories – Terrible Trenches’ exhibition and this gave a deeper understanding of trench life.

Remember Them Project 2010 – Phase 2 – The Trip

Wednesday

Having spent 11 months carrying out this research, planning several fund raising events and preparing and obtaining grants to enable the trip to take place, we set off in two minibuses to Folkestone where we boarded the Euro Tunnel train to Calais and then travelled directly to Ypres.   A quick pit stop to unload our belongings at the Hostel and we set off for the impressive Cloth Hall which is home of the Flanders Field Museum.  Each of us were given a card with the name of someone who had in some way been involved in World War I and at various places throughout the museum we inserted our cards to find out what they had done and whether they had survived the conflict.  We then re-boarded the minibuses and set off for Poperinge to the Talbot House museum where, after a good look round, we all took the opportunity to renew our Scout Promise in the Chapel in the attic.  We returned to Ypres and went to the Menin Gate while it was fairly quite to place four poppy crosses.  One cross for each of the four men from our villages who were commemorated on the huge stones bearing the names of those who had lost their lives and whose bodies had not been found.

Thursday

The team assembled in full smart uniform, a poppy in each shirt pocket, shiny shoes and flags unfurled and in their holders and we set off to join the parade.  Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to be brave, the biting wind and rain had Leaders dashing back to get our i.scout hoodies and waterproofs.  All along the route rubbish bins were overflowing with broken umbrellas.  Undaunted, we paraded with the Veterans, Fire Brigades, Air Cadets and many others and took part in the moving ceremony at the Menin Gate.  Then it was off to Tyne Cot, the largest CWGC Cemetery on the Western Front where we were able to lay more wreathes and poppy crosses for ‘our men’ and visit the Visitor Centre.  From Tyne Cot we made our way to Hill 62, so named because it is 62 metres above sea level, and because it was a high ground, it was much fought over.  Just down the road we visited the Sanctuary Woods museum and trenches.

Friday

Before leaving the Ypres Salient, we took a trip to Hill 60, another area of high ground which both sides wanted to control.

It was here where one of our men, Arthur Lucas of Affpuddle, who was serving with the Dorsetshire Regiment, and who was killed in the first gas attack on British Troops on the 1st May, 1915.  We heard dramatic firsthand accounts from the diaries of Sergeant Major Shepherd who witnessed the horrors that unfolded around them and the deaths and suffering of those affected.

Two of our Scouts left a Cross of Remembrance at the scene of the action in memory of Arthur Lucas whose body was never found.

Onto the Canadian War Memorial at Vimy Ridge where we went to the Visitor Centre and persuaded a very kind Canadian Tour Guide, Travis, to give up part of his lunch to take us in to the preserved underground tunnels there.

After lunch we visited the Newfoundland Memorial Park and preserved trenches at Beaumont Hamel and the proceeded to our new accommodation in Albert, France.

Saturday

The Dorsetshire Regiment was active on the first day of the Somme; the planned action to push the German troops back and take command of the high ground was to take just 3 hours: on that first day the British army suffered over 57,000 casulties, it took a further 5 months to achieve the objectives and the total cost to Britain and the Empire 419,654 casualties, 125,000 of them dead.  We visited several places and were able to see what the British Army could see and, at the Thiepval Ridge, we could see the very strong position which was occupied by the German army.

At the Thiepval memorial, we laid a wreath for all the men of the Dorsetshire Regiment who had lost their lives in the dreadful battle.

On a happier note, we took the opportunity whilst in the Memorial to provide a unique, unusual and poignant place to invest 3 Explorer Scouts and our new Assistant Scout Leader, Simon.

Sunday

We left Albert at 8:30am French Time for the return journey home via the Channel and arrived back in Bere Regis at about 5pm British Time somewhat tired, weary and bedraggled….at least the Adults were.

Summary

This project offered an outstanding opportunity for local youngsters to investigate and understand a momentous period of history, to see how local people fought and gave their lives in battle and to perhaps learn that conflicts such as those they study should be avoided at all costs in future.

The youngsters who went to Ypres in 2007 and who were involved in this project were all shocked and visibly “moved” by what they saw and learnt.

This is not the end of the Project.  In early 2011, we plan to make a Presentation of our findings and hope to do this in Bere Regis and possibly at other locations, maybe even the schools which our young people go to.

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Bere Regis Scout Group.