Scout newsletter

NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2022

This can also be viewed on our Troop website: Newsletters

CONTENTS

1 - I'M BACK
2 - TROOP CALENDAR AND UPCOMING MEETINGS
3 - SUBSCRIPTIONS
4 - DISTRICT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
5 - CHILTERNS HIKEOVER
6 - AQUILA SUMMER CAMP 2022
7 - SOME CAMP KIT AVAILABLE - FREE
8 - CONTACT

1 - I'M BACK
I'm back, so now should be able to deal with emails direct to scout-leader@aquila.scout-troop.org.uk. However, there is a backlog of emails etc to deal with, so please be patient: that includes confirming payments. You may wish to resend emails, if not dealt with, and ensure you complete the form (see below) for subs payment in order to get confirmation.

2 - TROOP CALENDAR AND UPCOMING MEETINGS
The calendar on our website has the camps etc that have been booked: More information on our website: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/calendar.htm Next Friday meetings Both outdoors, so no masks needed. However, if weather is two bad, arrangements will change: look at Aquila Parents WhatsApp or stop press page of our website within an hour of start http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/stop_press.htm Friday 4th Meeting in town: this will form part of theWorld Challenge badge AND Skills Challenge badge 7:30 Start at the entrance to Westminster Lodge, bottom of Holywell Hill. Finish at 9:15 between the Council Offices and Alban Arena. (Note these are the same locations as last town meeting: but NOT the same programme!!) Uniform, please. No special equipment or clothing needed. I hope most can arrange car sharing, however as usual, use our Whatsapp or email me if you have spare seats or need a lift. As usual for meetings away from the hut, it is important that scouts "report in" on arrival and tell us before leaving. Friday 11th We are planning a wide game in the Wick, usual times and meet at the hut Scouts will need a torch and suitable clothing (no uniform). Any change to this will be emailed to parents Friday 18th Half term. No meeting.

2 - TROOP CALENDAR AND UPCOMING MEETINGS

The calendar on our website has the camps etc that have been booked:
More information on our website: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/calendar.htm

Next Friday meetings

Both outdoors, so no masks needed.

However, if weather is two bad, arrangements will change: look at Aquila Parents WhatsApp or stop press page of our website within an hour of start
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/stop_press.htm

Friday 4th

Meeting in town: this will form part of theWorld Challenge badge AND Skills Challenge badge

7:30 Start at the entrance to Westminster Lodge, bottom of Holywell Hill. Finish at 9:15 between the Council Offices and Alban Arena.

(Note these are the same locations as last town meeting: but NOT the same programme!!)

Uniform, please. No special equipment or clothing needed.

I hope most can arrange car sharing, however as usual, use our Whatsapp or email me if you have spare seats or need a lift.

As usual for meetings away from the hut, it is important that scouts "report in" on arrival and tell us before leaving.

Friday 11th

We are planning a wide game in the Wick, usual times and meet at the hut

Scouts will need a torch and suitable clothing (no uniform).

Any change to this will be emailed to parents

Friday 18th

Half term. No meeting.

3 - SUBSCRIPTIONS
Still one or two missing. Please pay now. These are £50 per term, due at the start of each term. Please help us by getting subs in on time by paying by bank transfer: email me for our bank details if new to the Troop. After paying, please fill out the (very short) on-line form on our website: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/Form_Subs_payment.htm This records payment and will prompt us to check receipt and email confirmation. The exception is new scouts joining this term: please pay by half term.

3 - SUBSCRIPTIONS

Still one or two missing. Please pay now.

These are £50 per term, due at the start of each term. Please help us by getting subs in on time by paying by bank transfer: email me for our bank details if new to the Troop.

After paying, please fill out the (very short) on-line form on our website:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/Form_Subs_payment.htm
This records payment and will prompt us to check receipt and email confirmation.

The exception is new scouts joining this term: please pay by half term.

4 - DISTRICT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
Saturday 26th February, 1 - 5 pm Highfield Park, St Albans The District are holding an inter-Troop 6-a-side football tournament: a mini-league then final(s) The standard is normally suitable for scouts who just enjoy football to have a go without needing a team full of pros. We want enthusiastic teams, not experts. There are two age ranges, u12 and u14, so when registering, we need to know age on the day of the event. Obviously, we need complete teams of 6, so we can only confirm nearer the time. Register here: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Other_activity_information/Form_Football.htm

4 - DISTRICT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Saturday 26th February, 1 - 5 pm
Highfield Park, St Albans

The District are holding an inter-Troop 6-a-side football tournament: a mini-league then final(s)
The standard is normally suitable for scouts who just enjoy football to have a go without needing a team full of pros. We want enthusiastic teams, not experts.

There are two age ranges, u12 and u14, so when registering, we need to know age on the day of the event.

Obviously, we need complete teams of 6, so we can only confirm nearer the time.

Register here:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Other_activity_information/Form_Football.htm

5 - CHILTERNS HIKEOVER
Friday evening March 18 - Saturday morning March 19 The Troop is going on a Friday evening hike, followed by sleeping over in heated, indoor accommodation at Braid Wood Scout Centre, near Chesham. We will finish Saturday midday. While some of the details are still to be finalised, the arrangements are as follows. The hike will be approximately the normal Troop meeting time and start at approx. 7:30 p.m. It will be on paths in the Chilterns and we will ensure there is adequate adult supervision. No particular equipment is needed for this, but preferably Scouts will wear hiking boots. A good torch would be an advantage. Scouts will need to have sleeping gear, including sleeping bag, camp mat etc, which we plan on transporting to the Braid Wood by car. On arriving at Braid Wood we will have some supper and some video entertainment, (then hopefully some sleep!). Saturday morning, we will have breakfast and then some wide games before finishing. But Scouts that need to get back straight away can leave first thing on Saturday morning. For this activity, leaders can transport some Scouts, but we are likely to need some parents to help drive in each direction (approx. 30 - 40 minutes.) The cost will be about £7 per Scout and the registration form is here: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Form_Hikeover.htm This is a great starter activity for new scouts: one night and indoor accommodation. A few photos and more information: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Hikeover_information.htm Very importantly, we really need three parents to volunteer to be our base contact. Essentially this means staying at the hall at Braid Wood during the Friday evening ONLY, hopefully ensuring that it is nice and toasty when the hike groups arrive, to cook some sausages on the stove and to act as a "base" for contact. When the hike groups have arrived, the parents could leave if they want. Having a parent or two coming on the hike would also be a help. DBS clearance is not needed for this, unless you plan on staying overnight.

5 - CHILTERNS HIKEOVER

Friday evening March 18 - Saturday morning March 19

The Troop is going on a Friday evening hike, followed by sleeping over in heated, indoor accommodation at Braid Wood Scout Centre, near Chesham. We will finish Saturday midday.

While some of the details are still to be finalised, the arrangements are as follows. The hike will be approximately the normal Troop meeting time and start at approx. 7:30 p.m. It will be on paths in the Chilterns and we will ensure there is adequate adult supervision. No particular equipment is needed for this, but preferably Scouts will wear hiking boots. A good torch would be an advantage.

Scouts will need to have sleeping gear, including sleeping bag, camp mat etc, which we plan on transporting to the Braid Wood by car. On arriving at Braid Wood we will have some supper and some video entertainment, (then hopefully some sleep!).

Saturday morning, we will have breakfast and then some wide games before finishing. But Scouts that need to get back straight away can leave first thing on Saturday morning.

For this activity, leaders can transport some Scouts, but we are likely to need some parents to help drive in each direction (approx. 30 - 40 minutes.)

The cost will be about £7 per Scout and the registration form is here:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Form_Hikeover.htm

This is a great starter activity for new scouts: one night and indoor accommodation.

A few photos and more information:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Hikeover_information.htm

Very importantly, we really need three parents to volunteer to be our base contact. Essentially this means staying at the hall at Braid Wood during the Friday evening ONLY, hopefully ensuring that it is nice and toasty when the hike groups arrive, to cook some sausages on the stove and to act as a "base" for contact. When the hike groups have arrived, the parents could leave if they want. Having a parent or two coming on the hike would also be a help. DBS clearance is not needed for this, unless you plan on staying overnight.

6 - AQUILA SUMMER CAMP 2022
We have the dates (Saturday 23 July to Saturday 30 July, 2022) and site booked: St Brides Scout Camp in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. This is a very different area from our last Summer Camp. This is a Scout campsite, right on the coast near St Davids We are now taking deposits for this, our main activity of the year. The first letter, requesting deposit is now on our website. http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/newsletters.htm After paying the deposit, complete the short registration form: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Form_Summer_Camp_deposit.htm More information: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Summer_camp_information.htm There are some photos of the site and area: http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Campsites/new_forest.htm More photos are on our noticeboard in the Scout Hut. We are keeping the cost of the Camp down to £174.00, inclusive of transport, food and accommodation. We need to get a clear idea of the number of scouts who wish to go, so to ensure a place please pay the deposit of £49.00 as soon as possible, but in any case by the end of February. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET NUMBERS SORTED OUT EARLY, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO ENSURE WE CAN TAKE ALL SCOUTS WHO WANT TO COME AND BOOK ENOUGH PLACES FOR ACTIVITIES. SO REPLY QUICKLY. I think all the Scouts had a great time last Summer Camp, so I hope plenty will sign up for the next: the highlight of the Troop's year. We do save spaces for new scouts, so they can get to know the Troop before deciding. WE WILL SHOW OUR SUMMER CAMP MOVIE AGAIN AFTER HALF TERM, particularly for the benefit of new scouts and their parents.

6 - AQUILA SUMMER CAMP 2022

We have the dates (Saturday 23 July to Saturday 30 July, 2022) and site booked: St Brides Scout Camp in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. This is a very different area from our last Summer Camp. This is a Scout campsite, right on the coast near St Davids

We are now taking deposits for this, our main activity of the year. The first letter, requesting deposit is now on our website.
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Member_information/newsletters.htm

After paying the deposit, complete the short registration form:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Form_Summer_Camp_deposit.htm

More information:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Camp_information/Summer_camp_information.htm

There are some photos of the site and area:
http://aquila.scout-troop.org.uk/Activities/Campsites/new_forest.htm

More photos are on our noticeboard in the Scout Hut.

We are keeping the cost of the Camp down to £174.00, inclusive of transport, food and accommodation. We need to get a clear idea of the number of scouts who wish to go, so to ensure a place please pay the deposit of £49.00 as soon as possible, but in any case by the end of February.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET NUMBERS SORTED OUT EARLY, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO ENSURE WE CAN TAKE ALL SCOUTS WHO WANT TO COME AND BOOK ENOUGH PLACES FOR ACTIVITIES. SO REPLY QUICKLY.

I think all the Scouts had a great time last Summer Camp, so I hope plenty will sign up for the next: the highlight of the Troop's year.

We do save spaces for new scouts, so they can get to know the Troop before deciding.

WE WILL SHOW OUR SUMMER CAMP MOVIE AGAIN AFTER HALF TERM, particularly for the benefit of new scouts and their parents.

7 - SOME CAMP KIT AVAILABLE - FREE
WE have been given some items of camp kit. These are available free. Realistically suitable for a newer, younger scout and all in very good condition: Framed backpack Camp Sleeping mat - closed cell foam Sleeping bAg: two seasons so only good for waermer weather, but OK for hikeover (sleeping indoors) I will post pictures on Whatsapp soon, otherwise contact me.

18TH ST ALBANS

AQUILA

SCOUT TROOP

NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2022

CONTACT