Hey all,
Just a quick update for what the group has been up to over the Winter and early Spring months!
In early November 2023, the group celebrated (a very delayed) Up Helly Aa celebration. Normally we do this in the Spring with the Beavers, but we mixed it with Bonfire Night and invited the whole group for a night of Viking goodness! Thank you Richard (Scout Leader) for the photos!
Later that month, the group were invited once again to see the Sheffield Steelers play against the Belfast Giants! A first time seeing hockey for some of our members, and a great night out. Thank you once again to the Steelers for inviting us along!
The Scouts also went air rifle shooting at Hesley Wood Scout Activity Centre, although sadly no photos from the day! The leaders also took part in a charity quiz night at Wincobank Town Hall; with slightly better success than recent years!
Into December, the Beavers attended the district Beaver Carol Service, and the group had their annual Christmas party at the Wincobank Village Hall! The Beavers and Cubs also made these snowmen with socks filled with rice for a really great “low budget” Christmas decoration!
Into the new year, the group were invited to plant saplings at Don District’s own greenspace, Hazelshaw Spring Wood. Groups from across the district, and several adult volunteers, are continuously working on the area to make it a great resource for local groups to use as part of their badge work. Our own ACSL Graham visits the site weekly with the service team to develop the space.
Into February, the Scouts entered two teams into the outdoor cooking competition, coming second and third in the district! Sorry no photos from this one! The rest of the sections had meetings on first aid, backwoods cooking and safe fire lighting.
Also in February, Cub Scout Bailey donated his hair to the Little Princess Trust charity after growing his hair out. His good deed earned him a Commissioner Commendation Award – Well done Bailey!
The Leaders, Scouts and parents came together in March to do a ‘work day’ at the headquarters as the garden was in need of some TLC. Thank you to everyone that helped out!
Finally, the group attended the St. George’s day camp at Hesley Wood, meeting up with the other troops from around the district. The weekend included wide games, bouncy castles, and crafts, as well as Hesley’s own activities like archery, crate stacking… and rain. But despite the weather, the members had a great time; and was a first night “under canvas” for many of our newer Scouts.
The weather is picking up finally and we are able to get the members out of the headquarters more and more. Over the next few months, we have a group camp, more rifle shooting, and then the Summer Camp later in the Summer.
If you would like to see what the group get up to on a regular basis (and you are a parent/carer of a current member), please ask your section leader for an invite to our private Facebook Group.
I’ll post another update after the Summer with more stories of 61st’s adventures!
Yours in Scouting,
Alex James
61st Wincobank – Beaver Scout Leader
61st Sheffield Scout Group 