For membership details or general enquiries contact our Group Scout Leader, Simon Theobald on simontheobald@compuserve.com or telephone 07850 337903. For newsletter related items email batchword@yahoo.co.uk. or contact the Editor, Narinder Sian, on 07595 617598, or the Group Secretary, Tim Smith on 07749 811728.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

Sunday 8th November is the Remembrance Day Parade. It is an important day in our calendar and is especially important to members past and present. Attendance from all in full uniform is expected. Please be at the Batchworth HQ in plenty of time before 10:30am on Sunday.

SHIPSHAPE DAY

ShipShape Day is on Saturday 7th November 9am-1pm. This is when we look after our building and the surrounding areas.

All are welcome, just turn up at HQ on Saturday and lend a helping hand. Please bring a few tools or cleaning accessories to help with your chosen task. There are many things at HQ already, but the items might not suit everyone and aren’t always easy to find.

Hot soup, teas and chocy biscuits will be provided. We spend a couple of hours clearing up, sorting out, tidying away and generally getting our HQ “Shipshape”. Its great fun and a good opportunity to meet people and make new friends.

For a task list, please click here or contact our Group Chairman, Keith Wall, on batchworth.chairman@ntlworld.com or 01923 777340. We look forward to seeing you.

SEA SCOUT CENTENARY PARADE

A report by Tom Smith.

On Sunday 18th October a group of five Explorers, one Scout and two Leaders went down to Portsmouth for a special parade celebrating 100 years of Sea Scouting. Many other RN Recognised Sea Scout groups joined us in marching about half a mile with a band to a square next to HMS Victory. We then had a short service, after which the Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Sir Alan Michael Massey, and the Inspecting Officer from our Inspection earlier this year, Lt Cdr David Griffiths, came around and talked to every group.

After the parade we went on a boat tour of the dockyard and saw loads of navy ships. We then had a tour of HMS Victory – Tim Roden filled us in on everything we didn’t know. When we reached the quarterdeck we held a short ceremony on the spot where Nelson fell during the battle of Trafalgar to invest Luke Theobald and Jonny Roden as Explorers.

We then went to Action Stations and had a go on the rotating climbing wall while our leaders had a well deserved cuppa! We returned home happy and proud to have represented Batchworth on an important day in the history of Sea Scouting.

HERTFORDSHIRE SCOUTS PEAK ASSAULT - Its not just the kids who have fun!

The Hertfordshire Scouts Peak Assault is THE premier mountain skills and orienteering competition in Scouting today.  This year some 300 competitors took part in the competition which was held 16th - 18th October 2009 in the Black Mountains across southeast Wales. 

The competition has been running since 1968 and is a navigational and teamwork challenge for Explorer and Network Scouts. It is held at  different locations each year and groups must navigate their way around, visiting 'checkpoints' within the given time limit.  The location of the Peak Assault is kept secret until the last minute. It all adds to the element of surprise and prevents teams from preparing for the event by reading maps in advance. 

The Peak Assault is also THE main event for many ex-Batchworth Venture / Explorer Scouts with several winners and high placed finishes over the years. Against some very strong competition this year was no exception. Daniel Byrne, competing with a team of Explorers from the district, did the unit proud with a storming performance finishing 7th and a Bograts Leaders team proving mental and physical strength by finishing 3rd in the senior competition.  

Congratulations on a fantastic effort and well done to all those who took part!  

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DATES FOR THE DIARY

Beaver Scouts meet every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:15

Cub Scouts meet every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:00

Scouts meets every Saturday from 2:00 to 5:30

Bograts Explorer Scouts meet every Thursday from 7:30 to 10:00