District News

Recent News List

• District AGM
• Hurdletone Challenge
• District Cub Camp
• Beaver Paignton Zoo Visit
• Ten Tors
• St George's Day Parade

District Annual General Meeting

THE DISTRICT SCOUT H.Q. was filled to capacity with members and friends of the Teignbridge District Scouts for their Annual General Meeting.

Guest of honour was Lord Clifford who is the Scout District President; he was accompanied by the County Scout Commissioner (Sally Yeo), the District Scout Commissioner (Alan Patridge) and the District Chairman (Robert Gray).

Following Prayer (offered by John Roberts, ADC for Public Relations), the Annual reports were referred to in which there was ample evidence of an increase in activities and organisation, with many more members including new Groups in the Moretonhampstead, Asburton, Bishopsteignton, and Teign River Sea Scouts(Combinteignhead, Stokeinteignhead and Shaldon. Two other areas for the commencement of new Groups have been surveyed with good possibilities for furture Scouting.

The District Commissioner also intimated that the District had improved its training of leaders and now had a well-informed training team.

Some of the major activities of the year had been the St. George’s Day Parade at Buckfast Abbey, the Ten Tors successes, the Hurdlestone Challenge, and the District Cub Camp at Huish Park. Also during the past year a new monthly publication ‘Drum Beat’ had been born, accompanied by an improved Web Site.

The feature of the evening was the presentation of awards by Lord Clifford. These included Wood Badge Training certificates, Long Service badges, and the registration of the new Teign River Scout group.

David Wright, District Treasurer reported a very successful year with the accounts and the Scout Shop which has been even busier this year.

Lord Clifford gave words of thanks and encouragement to all members and congratulated everyone for such splendid developments during the year.

Refreshments were enjoyed by all after the formal meeting.

Hurdlestone Challenge 2008

The Hurdlestone Challenge Weekend took place at Higher Humber Farm, Bishopsteignton, on the weekend of 27th - 29th June, 2008

The Weekend is open to both Scouts and Guides, and has been developed over the years to cater for the competitive side of Scouting and Guiding up to the age of 15 and a half years, with an 8 mile hike and activity bases on the Saturday. These featured an Obstacle Course, Archery, First Aid, Map and Compasswork, Aerial Runway, Rifle Shooting, Puzzle Corner and Senses.

A Tuck Shop and Badge Shop were open most of the time and an Entertainment evening was held on the Saturday evening which comprised a Disco in the main marquee.

On the Sunday morning a Guide's and Scout's Own was held in the marquee, and by the afternoon you could visit several activities including a Woggle Shop where specific woggles could be made to order; Torbay Amateur Radio (TARS) for contacting Scouts in overseas countries; Handicraft stalls where you could try your hand at using cosmetics; Sandwich-toasting, Booklet-making, and other interesting crafts were also featured.

One item of the afternoon was the 'Hurdlestone Game' - sack racing as you've never seen it before! - not just one per sack but FOUR! members trying to co-ordinate their efforts to reach the end of the course (hopefully on their feet!).

The weekebd finished with the Presentation of awards before the site was cleared and members left for home.

The Presentation of awards was made by Mrs. Sue Bullock, County Guide Commissioner. The Hurdlestone Challenge Trophy this year was presented to a Team from 1st BOVEY TRACEY SCOUTS, with 2nd place going to 1st IPPLEPEN EXPLORER SCOUTS, and 3rd place to 1st IPPLEPEN SCOUTS. The Trophy for the highest positioned Girl Guides team went to SOUTH BRENT GIRL GUIDES.

Hurdlestone Challenge winners
1st BOVEY TRACEY SCOUTS

Individual Base Winners

Fun event winners:
Hurdlestone Challenge Sack Race - 1st Bovey Tracey Scouts
Minibus Pull - Service Team
Hug-a-Tree - A Guides Team

Thanks are due to David Wright and his team of workers, including Jean Corbyn (who undertook all the registrations and paper-work!) for another very successful weekend which the many youngsters who took part in the Challenge, and all who worked towards it will always remember.

To sum up the weekend, Beaver Leader Geoff Davidson said; 'See all these kids, (some who have a 'raw deal' in life and generally having a 'poor press') enjoying themselves in this way, working hard in a team, with determination and still smiling - that is one of the highlights of the weekend for me'.

With 750 members in Camp and 92 Teams entered for the Challenge, the weekend was a huge success, and all teams were wanting to return for the 2009 Hurdlestone Camp.

District Cub Camp

(reported by the Editor on a visit to the Camp)

After travelling through spacious woodlands we arrived at the site of the Teignbridge District Cub Camp where my wife and I met the Camp Leader, Jane Gourd (ADC Cub Scouts). The tents were arranged in close formation with the woodlands as a backdrop, with one marquee as a dining hall. I asked the Camp Leader:
(Editor) 'How is the Camp going so far?'
(Jane) 'Very well; although yesterday we had a bit of a nightmare when we discovered the 'Norwak' bug in two of the areas from which Cubs were coming, with schools being closed and a danger that we might have to close the Camp! Fortunately, we got around that, but when we got to the Camp site the new manager had changed our site booking from last year, but by the end of the evening we managed to get through all right! This morning they (the Cubs) were very short of sleep, but they are enjoying themselves and that's what it's all about!'
(Editor) 'So you're looking forward to a quiet night tonight?'
(Jane) 'Very quiet! We finish tomorrow with the holding of a Scout's Own, and we have a big Camp Fire on site to which we invite everyone (from other sites) to attend'
(Editor) 'How many other campers are there?'
(Jane) 'There are over 150 people on the camp sites'
(Editor) 'Well, you are in for a good time; thankyou for talking with me. I'll go along to the activity bases to see how they are doing'.

Aerial Runway: Here I met a group of Cubs waiting to climb to the top of the runway where Jeff Hiscoke, Cub Leader Highweek, was waiting to see each one safely harnessed into the chair which then flew down the runway to the stopping point. (a very well constructed apparatus).

Campcraft: Patrick Gourd (ADC International), (who was obviously enjoying his weekend) explained that the Cubs were making woodland animals out of natural materials (logs, sticks etc). Deer, snails, hedgehogs etc were included. Basic tools were allowed such as drills and saws. Patrick told of one Cub who had given his hedgehog a special haircut - in a 'mohican style!'

Caving: I met up with a group of Cubs from Ipplepen who were being shown a series of tunnels constructed as an obstacle course. Graham Rendell and Gary Vinnicombe, Cub Leaders from Dawlish, were showing the Cubs which tunnel to try. I declined an invitation to crawl on hands and knees to 'test' the first tunnel!

Beaver Paignton Zoo Visit

There were Beavers from Ipplepen, Bovey Tracey, 1st & 3rd Newton Abbot, Kingskerswell and Highweek Groups; in all, 73 Beavers plus leaders and helpers.

Ten Tors 2008

For a report of this year's very successful Ten Tors see the separate page. Ten Tors

St George's Day

The District St. George's Day parade and service took place on Sunday 27 April at Buckfast Abbey, a lovely setting in South Devon.

A record number of uniformed leaders and members (numbering approx. 600) filled the Abbey for a service led by Rev. Tony Meek, the District Scout Chaplain.

During the Service presentations were made to leaders: Richard Vooght (1st Ipplepen) Queen's Scout certificate; Long Service Award to Richard Butterworth (GSL 1st Kingskerswell); Woodbadge Training Certificates to: Caroline Caunter, Sarah Caunter and Elizabeth Morgan.

A collection was made for the CLIC Sergeant Charity.
Three new Scout Groups were recognised:
Moretonhampstead, Ashburton, and Bishopsteignton.
Present throughout the Service was the new High Sheriff for Devon, Lady Clarissa Clifford, and Lord Clifford, who is President of the Scout District.

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