3rd Billericay Scout Troop

Patrol Points as of the 28th May

The Kestrels are doing really well (again) this term. A breakdown of the points is shown in the table below...

	Kestrels	Cobras	Seagulls	Bulls
Badges	90	30	0	50
Bonus Points	5	40	30	0
Competition	40	100	0	40
First to Fall In	20	15	0	20
Games	30	50	20	20
Inspection	296	290	294	278
Participation	170	130	70	110
Challenges	98	5	5	0
Bad Behaviour	-10	-10	0	0
Late Arrival	-40	-60	-70	-90
TOTAL	699	590	349	428

28th May 2010 - Wide Game

Tonights wide game - "The Four Warring Factions" was won by the Cobra patrol.

• 1^st: Cobras - 50 points
• 2^nd: Kestrels - 30 points
• 3^rd: Bulls - 10 points

This weeks challenge, for 20 points

This weeks challenge is to complete last weeks challenge! There are now 20 points available for correct answers. There are 10 knots, and we will reward 1 point for naming the knot and 1 point for finding out what the knot is used for.
hint: There are many knotting sites on the internet.

Peter earns points for the Kestrel Patrol with his submission. The answers are on the Knot Quiz page.

21st May 2010 - Annual General Meeting

Tonight was the AGM. The Scouts performed their skits to a well received applause. Unfortunately, no pictures, because I forgot my camera - doh!
A special 10 point bonus goes to the Cobras, we were very impressed with Miles delivery during their 'Security Camera' skit.

The Cobra patrol have come up with a code deciphering challenge. It is on their web-page. Check with Ben once you have decrypted it.
The Cobras receive a 10 point bonus for their efforts.

This weeks challenge, for 10 points

There are 10 knots below, labeled A-J. Your task is to find out what each knot is called and what it is used for. Google is your friend!

The answers are on the Knot Quiz page.

16th May 2010 - District Pioneering Day

Eight of our Scouts joined in with a group of 32 Scouts from the district to do some more advanced pioneering. They were split into three teams, and each built their own monkey bridge.

14th May 2010 - Back to Basics: Pitching a tent

Tonight the Cobras and Kestrels practiced some basic skills. Pitching a patrol tent, and the Square lashing. They built the world famous 'Gilwell Chariot' to practice their lashings.

Seagull's Champion Firelighter

Seagulls and Bulls were doing their backwoods cooking this week, and Skip was very impressed with the Seagull patrol who gain a bonus 10 points for their exceptional fire lighting skills.

Seagull's champion firelighter (left).

Matthew makes his promise

We officially welcome Matthew into the troop and the Cobra patrol. He made his Scout promise before the troop, and is now a fully fledged Scout.

This weeks puzzle, for 10 points

There are four Scouts, Alan, Billy, Carl and Dave. They are each members of a different patrol (Seagull, Bull, Cobra and Kestrel), and they each have a favourite activity; Pioneering, backwoods cooking, Hiking and Canoeing.

Can you work out which Scout is in which patrol, and what is his favourite activity, using only the following clues?

• Alan, the Bull, didn't pick Canoeing as his favourite.
• The Kestrel (not Billy) likes Backwoods cooking the most.
• Dave, who isn't a Cobra likes hiking the best.

15 bonus points for the Kestrel patrol!
Jennifer was the first to solve the puzzle and wins 10 points. Click here to see the solution.
Peter also supplied the correct answer, and gains 5 points.
Ben of the Cobras also got the right answer, and earns 5 points.
The Seagulls will also get 5 points for Camerons efforts

7th May 2010 - Backwoods Cooking

This months Essex Challenge is backwoods cooking. We managed to get our fires lit, and cooked sausages and onions, using banana skins to hold the food while it cooked!

This weeks puzzle, for 10 points

Five Patrols went camping. Each of them decided to camp next to a different tree. However, they did not want to camp next to each other. (not even diagonally)

	1	1	1	1	1
0
2
1
1
1

The numbers at the right and bottom indicate how many tents in each row/column.

Can you work out where the five patrols pitched their tents? Determine the position in the grid so that there is at least one tent next to each tree (horizontally or vertically), but none of the tents are next to each other (not even diagonally)

Another 10 bonus points for the Kestrel patrol!
Peter was once again, the first to solve the puzzle. Click here to see his solution.

Last weeks puzzle still has not been solved. Here are some hints...

• The Air Scouts do not know where the Scouts live
• The Scouts could live anywhere on the Earth, but the Air Scouts know they can make a stop off on their way home without making their journey any longer
• The Earth is a sphere!

20th April 2010 - Pioneering

Tonight we practiced our lashings. Each patrol built a Ballista capable of throwing water bombs across the field.
Detailed instructions to build the ballista can be found here.

Instructions for making the water bombs can be found on this Origami site.

This weeks puzzle, for 10 points

Some Scouts are attending a Jamboree in Coruna, Northern Spain.
Unfortunately, owing to lack of sleep, they mistakenly used their return tickets for firelighters, and have no way of getting home.
Some passing Air Scouts stop to chat, and hear about their predicament...

"Don't worry. We have our own plane. We'll give you a lift." they offer.
"But, we can't afford to pay you for your trouble..." the Scouts protested.
"It's okay. It's on our way, pack your stuff, let's get going."
"But how can you know that? We never told you where we live???" replied the puzzled Scouts.

The question is, what country do the Air Scouts come from?

Nobody managed to get this one. If you'd like to know the answer, click here

23rd April 2010 - St. Georges Day. Ready, Steady, Cook!

This months Essex Challenge is a 'Ready, Steady, Cook' competition. The Scouts made a range of dishes, with a Chinese, Italian, Spanish or English theme.
We had a Spanish Omelette, Spaghetti Bolognese, a Stir Fry and a Sausage stew, with prawn cocktail and mixed salad starters, with Fruit Salad and a very popular rice conde for dessert. (Cameron's speciality!)

The scoring is based entirely upon the votes from the Scouts. The winning patrol is Cobras, for their Stir Fried Chicken, Prawn Cocktail and Fruit Salad.

• 1^st: Cobras - 50 points
• 2^nd: Bulls - 30 points
• 3^rd: Kestrels - 10 points

The Cobras, champion chefs, Ready, Steady, Cook 2010.

Another Scout makes his promise

We officially welcome Miles into the troop and the Cobra patrol. He made his Scout promise tonight, and is now a fully fledged Scout.

This weeks puzzle, for 10 points

You find yourself in a very strange situation. You are in a room with three other people. One of them is a Scout, who you know is trustworthy, and never lies. The second is a second-hand car salesman, who is incapable of telling the truth, and the third person is a Gambler, a professional bluffer who could lie or tell the truth.

• Person A says: I am a Scout.
• Person B says: That is true.
• Person C says: I am the gambler!

Your task is to figure out which person is the Scout, the Gambler and the Salesman.

Another 10 bonus points for the Kestrel patrol!
Peter was the first to solve the puzzle. Click here to see the answer.

SAINT GEORGE AND SCOUTING FOR BOYS

In Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell wrote of chivalry and the knights of old. He tried to show Scouts a new path to chivalry and honor. Saint George was the Patron Saint of England, and of the Knights of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. They were familiar subjects to most English boys when B-P was writing. Here is what he wrote:

They (the knights of the Round Table) had as their patron saint St. George, because he was the only one of all the saints who was a horseman. He is the Patron Saint of cavalry from which the word Chivalry is derived, and the special saint of England.

He is also the Patron Saint of Boy Scouts everywhere. Therefore, all Scouts should know his story.

St. George was born in Cappadocia in the year AD 203. He enlisted as a cavalry soldier when he was seventeen, and soon became renowned for his bravery.

On one occasion he came to a city named Selem, near which lived a dragon who had to be fed daily with one of the citizens, drawn by lot.

The day St. George came there, the lot had fallen upon the king's daughter, Cleolinda. St. George resolved that she should not die, and so he went out and attacked the dragon, who lived in a swamp close by, and killed him.

When he was faced by a difficulty or danger, however great it appeared - even in the shape of a dragon - he did not avoid it or fear it, but went at it with all the power he could put into himself and his horse. Although inadequately armed for such an encounter, having merely a spear, he charged in, did his best, and finally succeeded in overcoming a difficulty which nobody had dared to tackle.

That is exactly the way in which a Scout should face a difficulty or danger, no matter how great or terrifying it may appear to him or how ill-equipped he may be for the struggle.

He should go at it boldly and confidently, using every power that he can to try to overcome it, and the probability is that he will succeed.

St. George's Day is April 23rd, and on that day all Scouts remind themselves of their Promise and of the Scout Law. Not that a Scout every forgets either, but on St. George's Day he makes a special point of thinking about them. Remember this when April 23rd comes round again.

17/04/2010 - Essex County Hike

The Team, taking a break at the second checkpoint.

Our team this year was a cross-patrol group made up of two Cobras, two Kestrels and a Bull. We are very proud of our team, and hope to see more Scouts taking part next year.
Each Scout in the hike team earns ten points for their patrol.