Explorers

Summer update – what’s new and happening

Mike Wild Beavers, Brownies, Cubs, Explorers, Guides, Rainbows, Rangers, Scouts

As COVID restrictions have eased, many of the Burley-in-Wharfedale Scout and Guide groups have already returned to face to face activities. Throughout the last few months all leaders have been planning safe and enjoyable programmes, operating within the parameters of national guidelines. The young people involved have been loving the opportunities to take part in activities, seeing other members of their groups, and having fun.

Guiding units are continuing to meet face to face: some inside, some outside. Where possible, units are also using other venues around the village to prevent clashes with units who want to use rooms at the HQ at the same time.  Groups have used Wynches Activity Centre, Sun Lane Nature Reserve, Burley Park & the Recreation ground.

The Guiding units have been engaged in a variety of activities such as litter picking in Burley, geo-caching and run a village treasure hunt. Meanwhile the Rangers have resumed Duke of Edinburgh’s Award activities with expeditions for Bronze & Silver level.
Looking ahead, assuming restrictions are not tightened, 1st Guides are going on summer camp to Waddow at the end of July for 5 days, with over half the guides planning on attending.

In other news, Guide leader Cara Woods gained her Queens Guide Award in Feb 2020. The Queen’s Guide award is the highest award you can work towards in guiding. Although originally awarded to Guides, it is now only attainable by members of the Senior Section (including Rangers, Young Leaders and Leaders) aged between 16- 25. It is a challenging programme comparable to the Queen’s Scout and higher than Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Since the awards creation 60 years ago 20,000 young women have gained the award. Unfortunately due to Covid she has not been presented with it, so there will be a presentation in the grounds of our HQ for a small number of invited guests. Congratulations & well done Cara!

Guiding activities

The Scouting groups have been similarly active. Most recently the Beavers been to Wynches Activity Centre in Burley for some outdoor fun, and the Scouts have been out at Reva Scouts Water Activity Centre near Bingley. Meanwhile the Explorers have got an overnight camp planned (in hammocks!) at Sconce. They are also planning on undertaking Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award activities in October.

Burley Explorers do Toughmudder!!

Mike Wild Explorers

Members of 1st Burley Explorers signed themselves up for the Tough Mudder challenge to help raise funds for a new Scout and Guide Headquarters. The group set themselves a target of £600, but smashed this by raising a fantastic £1,000! Well done to everyone involved in this.

Tough Mudder is a 5 mile mud and 13 obstacle course designed to drag you out of your comfort zone by testing your physical strength, stamina, and mental grit. With no podiums, winners, or clocks to race against, it’s not about how fast you can cross the finish line. Rather, it’s a challenge that emphasizes teamwork, camaraderie, and accomplishing something almost as tough as you are.

St Mary’s Parish Church 175th Anniversary

Mike Wild Cubs, Explorers, Scouts

To mark the 175th anniversary of the consecration of St Mary’s parish church in 1843, on the 24th June there was a special celebratory service in the company of the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Bains. The church invited representatives from across the village to which the Group was pleased to send representation from Cubs, Scouts and Explorers

It might have been the opportunity to hear Rt Revd Nick Bains speak that attracted the Cubs, Scouts and Explorers to attend, or it might have been the cake and BBQ afterwards. Difficult to say really, but both were fulfilling in their different ways

Burley Explorers declared the smartest in the Otley Torch Race

Mike Wild Explorers

Burley Explorers joined scouts from across Wharfedale who completed this year’s annual Torch Race up Otley Chevin.

The Torch Race is a fell race run in a relay from Otley town centre to the top of the Chevin and is competed for by Scouts and Explorers across Wharfedale. The winning team is the first team to ‘break’ the flag at the top.

All sections are inspected in uniform with The Burley Explorers and 1st Ben Rhydding Scout Troop being declared the joint smartest 

The Torch Race was first held in 1935 as part of the celebrations of the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. It was carried on that occasion by the Scouts of Otley from the Jubilee Clock in Otley to the summit of the Chevin. It was then used to light the Beacon on the Surprise View, which was one of a chain throughout Britain to celebrate the Jubilee.

After the 1935 celebrations, the torch was presented to the Scouts of Otley, and in May each subsequent year, the Scouts have arranged to hold a relay from the town centre to a flagpole placed on the site of the original beacon

http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/16231931.Scouts_light_Beacon_in_torch_race/

 

Queen’s 90th Birthday Beacon

Mike Wild Beavers, Brownies, Cubs, Explorers, Guides, Rainbows, Rangers, Scouts

Queens 90th birthday 8

 

On the evening of 21st April,  Burley Scout & Guide Group celebrated HM The Queen’s 90th birthday in Grange Park.   Over 200 Rainbows, Beavers, Brownies, Cubs, Guides, Rangers & Explorers & their leaders paraded from their HQ in Peel Place to the park with all their flags.  A fantastic & colourful sight that many villagers came to watch.

Queens 90th birthday 1

 

We entertained them all by singing a range of campfire style songs, many of the villagers joining in.  The younger girls and boys also learned to dance round a maypole.   At around 7pm the Colour Party of an Explorer & two Rangers unfurled the Union Jack & everyone sang the National Anthem.   At the same time as the Queen lit a beacon in Windsor, Betty Fisher – a 90 year old resident of Burley, lit our beacon in the park.   It was a lovely sunny evening & a very happy event

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