in this issue >>>

Issue 1
Survival Camp

Christmas Party

Kinder Walk

Four Inns Walk www.facebook.com/bebingtonexplorers

Bebington District Scout Explorer Newsletter

Wanted! Queen Scout BebEx have Xmas ho-ho-ho down!

Unit Leader Nick Oulton - DESC
Lots of you will know that since taking the DESC role up
6 months ago I have been trying to set up a 5th unit to
operate alongside of our three excellent core units -
Bebington, Spital and Eastham – and the Young Leaders
unit headed by Keith Fewtrell. He is beginning to pull
this together into a proper team to support scouting in
Bebington.
The idea behind having a 5th unit is to create a small
team of Explorers (6-8) who are keen on badge work.
Ultimately scouting's top award is the Queen Scout and
will have considerable impact on your career and
future; Universities, colleges and employers will all note
the Queen Scout in a recruitment process.
The Christmas party got off to a flying start
with all three units (Eastham, Spital and
Bebington) young adults turning up in fancy
dress for the festive fun. There was a
fantastic selection of food and drink put on
for free and a professional DJ playing the
tunes as we got into the swing of things. Of
course that wasn’t it, oh no, our explorers
like a little more out of a party than that!
There was also a stage setup so groups or
singles could enter our very own Beb’s Got
Talent competition. This went down very
well with some excellent (and not so
excellent) performances from everyone. We
ended the karaoke with a terrific rendition
of “The Climb”, which summed up the night
brilliantly. The event was sponsored by
Mercer, there was cash prizes given out to
the best dressed (Katherine as an elf) and
best talent (Rob with his diablo) who kindly
donated their prizes to the WSJ.
Can’t wait to see what happens next year!
By Nik Wooton

The new unit will focus not only on the Queens Scout
Award but on all of the other Explorer Awards, Activity
Badges, Chief Scout Awards and Explorer Belt. It will
meet once a week and one weekend a month, be
uniformed based and have an explorer leadership
structure (i.e. a Unit Leader and Second) who will be
responsible for operating the unit as a team and take an
active part in organising and running activities and
events.

We have a group of around 5 leaders who are really

keen to get involved in supporting the unit but we have
a problem. The person I had hoped would be the main
leader in charge has unfortunately had to take a sudden
leave of absence from scouting due to health reasons
and so I am writing to ask you if you know somebody
who could fill this role for us.

In an ideal world we need somebody with a scout

background, maybe they have a Queen Scout, maybe
not, either way they need to be able to make a weekly Caption competition!
meeting on either a Monday or a Friday night (so that Can you think of a caption for the photo to
Explorers who attend the current units can join in the the left?
activities). There will be lots of support and very little Entries will be judged on their humour and
originality.
admin involved. Do you know somebody? If so could
Submit your entry to: nick@m62.net
you ask anyone interested to contact me at
nick@m62.net
 Dates for your diary.....
17th Feb – Bebington Gang Show
18th Feb – Southern 50 Challenge
26-27 Feb – Equinox Camp
12/13 March – Back2Basics - Aber Menai
1 April – Four Inns Walk
May - River Wye Cruise
- Globetrotter Camp CANCELLED
July - Kandersteg
(contact Keith Fewtrell or Nick Oulton Eastham to confirm your place)
KINDER WALK
by Richie Matthias
In September 2010 we
entered 2 teams into The
Kinder Walk, a leader’s
team and an explorer team.
The walk is organised on behalf of the
Derbyshire County Scout Council and is open to
all members of the Scout and Guide
Associations, subject to the various trophy
categories.
The Kinder Walk itself is approximately 29km
and the Kinder Challenge is around 16km. The
Walk is aimed at older Scouts, Explorer Scouts,
Guides and members of Scout Network. It is a
challenge of map reading and stamina in this
exciting and rugged area of the Peak District.
The walk is a team event – for teams of
between 2 and 5, see Categories and eligibility
for details. Times vary between 3 and 8 hours,
maybe this will be the year to break the record
and yours could be the team to do it!!
If you’re interested in competing in this year’s
walk in September, visit:
www.kinderwalk.derbyshirescouts.org.
coming soon >>>
In The Next Issue
Want to contribute to the next newsletter Do you have something you want to
share? Email your entries to: nick@m62.net
BACK2BASICS CAMP
It was cold. I don’t mean the sort of “Pass me
To be confirmed
my extra warm coat” kind of cold; Blue fingers,
Olympic Camp
Another Survival Camp numb toes, need two and in some cases three,
Summer Camp (Newquay?) sleeping bags cold. And we decided to run a
survival camp - A no tents, build a bivvy, make it
Express your interest on through the night, survival camp.
Facebook ☺
We met at Ness Vicarage with no idea it was
going to hit -18 degrees. Blissfully unaware that
expectation of outdoor living was completely
unrealistic. But three adults, one beaver, nine
scouts and alas just 1 explorer set to carrying
FOUR INNS WALK by Richie Matthias the gear (axes, saws, a few pots) and the
Last year we entered into The Four Inns hike - a tough suppliers (eight dead pheasants, 2 dead trout,
65km competitive walk in the Peak District, over some some vegetables and breakfast fare) set off with
of the roughest moorland in Britain. a spring in our step all looking forward to the
fun and camaraderie of a shared near death
You will be aiming for the satisfaction of completing a
tough moorland walk and earning a Finisher's experience.
Certificate, and perhaps winning one of the trophies.
By mid afternoon the team had made good
The Walk takes its name
progress building a single shelter for 9 scouts.
from the four inns along
its route, as pictured. Our outdoors expert Steve had successfully built
a one man lean too and I had found two tees to
The entry fee will be £90 suspend my hammock from. The fire was lit and
per team of 4 or £80 per the scouts busy dissecting pheasants with
team of 3 for entries gloved hands. Our hardy Explorer (Harry!)
received by 5th March.
elected to sleep by the fire, with three sleeping
Late entries received and
bags and 4 sleeping mats and worryingly almost
accepted after that date,
will be subject to a £10 all of our water was frozen!
surcharge per team.
It was too cold to sit joyfully round the campfire
If you’re interested in and so an early night was called for and
competing in the hike everyone bedded down around 9. When Scott
this year or next year, of the Antarctic told his fellow campers, he was
please visit nipping out and may be some time; it was
www.fourinnswalk.org.
probably warmer than that night in October.
But suffice to say that a stray can of beer that
spent the evening more than 4 feet from the
fire, ended the night as a frozen explosion of
froth as at the lowest point of the night it
literally blew up and froze solid.
My 3am walk round found three scouts cold and
so extra sleeping bags were used and the
suggestion of sharing ignored. By 7am it was too
cold to be in bed and the fire was once again
roaring. Zip Lock Omelettes with sausage,
mushroom, cheese and red sauce made a
welcome breakfast and within an hour or two
the shelters where dissembled and all traces of
the night removed… except the frozen froth,
which is probably still there waiting for the
temperatures to rise above freezing before it
too melts away leaving just a memory.
The walk out was solemn, until, we met up with
anxious parents on the lane on the way back
and then the boys started enthusing about the
trip. Near Death Experience it wasn’t but a night
to remember it certainly was.
by Nick Oulton