Work Weekend Camp & Preparation for High Adventure/Staghorn 12-14th February 2010
Well done to the Explorers who were able to attend the above camp, and certainly put the miles in over the weekend, not only in practive for upcoming Hiking Competitions, but also preparing for Staghorn 2010.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Winter Camp 8th – 10th January 2010 @ Gilwell Park.
Well done to the thirteen Explorers from South Leicestershire District Explorers who braved the elements and attended the Gilwell Winter Camp over the weekend, where daytime temperatures alone were never above freezing and indeed at times reached -6 Degrees Centigrade.
It was the first camp that we have attended where even food was freezing overnight in tins and yet could not dampen the spirits of the two and half thousand Scouts and Explorers who attended. It even made the national news as a ‘Good News Story’!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8450272.stm
Despite the weather, or perhaps because of it, our Explorers were still able to get the most out of the weekend and take part in the wide variety of activities on offer – which believe or not included: Brushboarding, Outdoor Quasar, Climbing and Abseiling, Simulator, Zorbing, Dodgems, Laser Clay, Quad Bikes, Go Karts and the old favourites such as Shooting and Archery.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Explorers Entertainment Evening - Friday 4th December
Many, many thanks to all who were able to attend, who contributed raffle prizes and purchased raffle tickets as well as provided us with all those scrumptious sausage rolls and mince pies - your generosity has earned us the tremendous sum of £290! A wonderful result!
I do hope that you all thoroughly enjoyed yourself, as I did, and rest assured I shall make sure that we do it all again in 2010! A special mention must go to all of the Explorers who provided us with such entertaining sketches as well as those who provided us with such wonderful music, well done and thanks again.
A BIG thanks again to Wendy Boswell and Sandra Fox who did all of the organising, without them it would not have happened - thanks ladies. We are constantly looking for funds to subsidise what we do and if anyone else would be interested in joining our Fund raising committee or has other skills they think would assist us, please contact me.
Mathew Leggatt. ESL SLD Explorers.
Lutterworth Rotary Santa Fun Run - Sunday 29th November
A Big Thanks to the following who were able to assist with the Santa Fun Run this morning, over 750 Santa's took part, and the organisers were so impressed with our efforts that they have kindly donated £100 to our funds, which will go towards our Explorer Christmas Party on the 18th December.
It was a very surreal experience to see all those Santas, of all ages and sizes - making the effort on a cold Sunday morning to complete a 5K course around Lutterworth, and also very heart warming too.
Mathew Leggatt. ESL SLD Explorers.
Remembrance Parade - Sunday 8th November
A Big thanks to all who were able to attend a Remembrance Day service, at Broughton we had 19 Explorers and Leaders, which is a great turn out and very much appreciated (and we shall forever remember the soaking we got!), and all in all we had 32 of our number at various services across the District - which is very near our full group, so well done to all.
As we are a District Group, it is my intention that we attend a different service every year if possible, and next year will be aiming to attend the Countesthorpe Remembrance Service.
Mathew Leggatt. ESL SLD Explorers.
The John Bradbury Trophy 2009
Theme Park Camp 2009 - 4th to 6th September
We were again invited to attend a camp in Surrey by the Summit (Surrey) Scout Network which included a day at Thorpe Park. The event is in its eighth year, and welcomes Explorers and Network members from all over the country.
22 of us attended, up from 12 last year, and had a great weekend – and this year we did not have the torrential rain that soaked us so thoroughly in 2008!Without a doubt Theme Park Camp is one of the many highlights of our Explorer activity calendar, and we are looking forward to going again in 2010.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers.
Wannado Wild West Camp Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August 2009.
Howdy Partners! It goes without saying that the County organised Wannado Wild West activity camp at Willesley Campsite was an outstanding success, thoroughly enjoyed by those Explorers of both 1st and 2nd South Leicestershire District Explorers who attended.
Whilst we usually try to avoid events organised with both Scouts and Explorers in attendance, we were certainly glad that we did not on this occasion, and it was actually quite nice to have fellow scouts from our own District there (although, thankfully they were still on a different sub camp!).
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers.
The Kent International Jamboree (KIJ) 30th July – 6th August 2009.
What a fabulous experience that was! Near perfect weather, and other than the fairly appalling toilets and shower facilities, I am sure none of us have a complaint to make about the entire Jamboree!
Personally I thought the day out in London was great, and also the food! Generally you were all superbly behaved and for the vast majority of the time had a positive and helpful attitude, whilst still all determined to have a good time. It certainly has made me more determined than ever to not only take part in the County organized trip to Holland in 2010 (Het Avontuur) but also Charnwood 2011, and I hope many of you are as interested.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Gilwell 24, Saturday 11th July to Sunday 12th July 2009
And so we returned - exhausted but having had a great time - and also seen Peter Duncan hand over Chief Scout to the new bloke, I can not remember his name, although strangely I can remember his reputation!
For those of you who were not able to attend Gilwell24 2009, I would have a chat with your fellow Explorers who did, as I am sure you will be desperately eager to join us next year. Rest assured we will be even better prepared next time (and will bring a mess tent and food to cook, rather than spending £20 each on food as they told us we had to!).
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Operation Dragnet 2009 ‘MANHUNT’, Friday 3rd July to Sunday 5th July 2009
South Leicestershire District Explorers have been, seen, suffered and returned in one piece! Although, somewhat foot sore! I think we can all say it is a very, very exhausting experience, but one of those things that you would just not do unless you were part of scouting (or somewhat dearranged perhaps!). Hopefully we can do it again next year, but with one or two more teams perhaps?
Whilst neither of our Teams were able to finish the event, given that only five or so out of 39 Teams entered did, I honestly believed you performed well above what was reasonably expected of you. There is no shame dropping out either Saturday night or Sunday morning, given that local teams were dropping out from Saturday 09:00 onwards!
I was even able to add to the excitement, by running out of Diesel on the M69 on the way home!
For those of you who were not able to attend Operation Dragnet (Manhunt) 2009, I would have a chat with your fellow Explorers who did, as I am sure you will be desperately eager to join us next year. Rest assured we will be even better prepared next time, much better equipped and with a wealth of experience.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Husbands Bosworth Festival & Gliding, 26th - 28th June 2009.
Thanks to the merry band for attending the Husbands Bosworth Festival Camp. You will be pleased to know we raised a total of £75.43 to add to the kit fund.
Both Jamie Forman (ESL 1st SLD Explorers) and I enjoyed it, and I hope you all did to - it was good to see you putting yourselves forward as Explorer Scouts to the general public, joining in and taking their money - legitimately!!)
Hopefully we'll be invited back next year and some more of you will be able to attend! Also, we hope all those who took part in the Gliding on Sunday (28th) enjoyed the experience; it is not something most of us do very often and as such I am sure you all appreciated the chance to ‘have a go’.
Jamie Forman, AESL SLD Explorers
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Ready Steady Cook, 17th June 2009.
Well done to our Explorer Team ‘Sponsored by BT’ who were able to take part in the annual District Ready Steady Cook competition at Ullesthorpe campsite on Wednesday 17th of June. Although aimed more at Scouts, it is important that Explorers attend events such as these, to show Scouts that there is life in the movement after 14 and also to demonstrate the skills they have developed over their years in scouting. I thought that our team created a stupendous looking cheesy mashed potato, fried peppers/onion and Ham delight – with an interesting looking crushed biscuit based stewed fruit and melted marsh mellow pudding, drizzled delightfully with melted chocolate. Unfortunately I just did not get time to taste it, despite my best efforts, but I am sure it all tasted wonderful! As it was a Scout event we are not going to win the coveted ‘Wooden Spoon’, and as unfortunately we only entered one Explorer Team this year, the competitive edge was rather dulled – but even still, Team ‘Sponsored by BT’ was there, made an effort and surely delighted all who encountered them.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers
Pike View Hike (Bibby’s Farm Yomp) 24th - 26th April 2009
Pike View Hike (Bibby’s Farm Yomp) 24th - 26th April 2009, based at Bibbys Farm, Charnock Back Lane, Heath Charnock, Chorley, PR6 9DL, Lancashire. A competition set in the West Pennine Moors, for Teams of 4 Explorer Scouts, hiking between sets of checkpoints, with tasks to complete upon arrival at each checkpoint. A question sheet (the "ongoing incident") is also answered en-route. Points are gained for navigational skill, abilities on checkpoints, and correct answers on the question sheet... but the hike isn't a race! Bibby’s Farm Yomp 24th - 26th April 2009 - The Results! What an outstanding event for South Leicestershire District Explorers that was - something I very much hope we will repeat in years to come, but only with more teams and more and better results. Our team came 3rd out of 13 teams! And with 835 points, only 20 points behind the winners! A Big Well Done is due to our intrepid Explorers who worked so hard, against very tough opposition to deliver a superb third place. These were Sean Millward, James Byrne, Peter Fox and Robert Parkinson.
Every other Team in the Bibby's Farm Romp had done this event before, indeed I was talking to another Leader who said that his two teams were led by Explorers who had done the associated Pike View Hike four times and this was their fourth Bibby's Farm Yomp - and guess what, we beat both these teams! I am sure that the organisers will more than welcome us back again, we were the furthest travelled team they had ever had, and I think they were quietly impressed with our turnout and efforts. I really impressed with you, as I am sure most other Leaders in the District are too, and I am quite sure that the other Explorers will be not only be jealous of your success, but envious of the experiences you have had.
Mathew Leggatt, ESL SLD Explorers