St Georges Day Parade 27 March, RAF Halton

This year’s annual District St George’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday 27th March in RAF Halton. This is a month earlier than normal due to the timing of Easter and the Bank Holidays.

This Parade is Scouting’s most important public event of the year as it is the one chance we get to show the general public in the area that Scouting is alive and kicking. It is therefore vital that every Beaver, Cub, Scout, Explorer and leader is there at the Parade in order to create the maximum impact. It is also an important event for the local communities and various local dignitaries are expected to be present.

Please meet at the assembly point at the Sergeants’ Mess car park - Chestnut Drive, RAF Halton by 2.25pm. All cars are requested to park in the field opposite McEwan Ride (signs and marshals will be provided). Please allow 10-15 minutes to park and walk to the assembly point. The Parade will move off at 2.40 and march to St George’s Church. Families are also very welcome to attend the church service if they wish. After the service the Parade will march back to the assembly point, allowing the sections to be dismissed at around 4 o’clock from where they can be collected.

Everybody on Parade must be in FULL and CORRECT uniform including dark trousers such as school trousers and dark shoes (NO jeans, tracksuits, trainers or white socks). Coats should not be worn unless it is wet (if it is cold, it is suggested that jumpers or tee-shirts are worn underneath the uniforms). Please also bring some money for the collection which will be collected prior to moving off. We are very much on public view at the Parade, so please ensure that everybody is turned out at his or her best.

This is one of the few compulsory events of our year and anybody who cannot make the Parade MUST let their leader know beforehand.

Survival of the fittest

On 29 January 2011, the Explorers held a survival camp at Braid Wood. With only a sleeping bag allowed, the Explorers had to win their overnight equipment and food by completing challenges during the day. Luckily everyone completed their challenges allowing the Explorers to build shelters from tarpaulins and rope, get a fire lit and food cooked. Despite a very cold night at -7*, everyone stayed dry and even agreed that they had had a great time.

Amazing feat

Over the weekend of 5/6 March 2011, Fred, Charlie and Jay together with Dave and myself entered the Endurance 80 - or 50 miles in old money!

Our team, Chedder Treaders, completed the event in 22h 40mins - a very respectable time given that less than half of the teams that started did not finish.

Chedder Treaders won the team prize for fastest team up Coombe Hill.

Well done everyone for an amazing effort - the blisters were worth it.

Menna