<![CDATA[DRACA EXPLORERS - NEWS]]>Sat, 29 Apr 2023 08:47:30 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The South Downs Green Wood Fair]]>Thu, 05 May 2022 12:53:52 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/the-south-downs-green-wood-fairCome and see Draca Explorers at this year's SOUTH DOWNS GREEN FAIR 2022 at the sustainability centre where we'll be demonstrating how to make rope from string and how to turn a simple tarp into a tent for lightweight ​expeditions. 

We're promoting scouting for ALL - young and not so young

If you're over 18 and want to get involved have a look at the opportunities ​here: scouts.org.uk/volunteer/volunteering-with-scouts

If you're under 18 and want to find a group near you then have a look here: ​scouts.org.uk/groups
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]]><![CDATA[Green woodcraft]]>Sun, 13 Jun 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/green-woodcraftWe are truly blessed to have some very talented leaders, including the one and only Andy Byham (also known as Colonel Hathi from his Cub leader days). Andy showed us how to make camp stools on Sunday, so we made some and left them around the campfire at Camelsdale for the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to use.
]]><![CDATA[At last, expedition weekend!]]>Mon, 31 May 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/at-last-expedition-weekendWell we waited one heck of a long time for this - over a year in fact due to the pandemic. But finally we made it out for expeditions at the end of May. Four teams, bronze and silver level, 19 young people, 3 days of walking, over 60km hiked, one investiture (well make that two if you include Eira, our hiking hound) and lots of lovely bacon. Sadly no nights away yet but it's surely only a matter of time ...
]]><![CDATA[Back on the water]]>Mon, 17 May 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/back-on-the-waterWe're extremely fortunate to have access to the Godalming and District Scout Canoe Club and it's now traditional for us to include a couple of evenings kayaking in our programme. And what a great opportunity to invest some of our new members. There's nothing quite like messing about on the water (hang on, didn't someone else say that???)
]]><![CDATA[Dreaming of getting out again]]>Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/dreaming-of-getting-out-againWe've so, so missed doing our expeditions. It was very exciting to be getting back to planning again. Not long to wait now...
]]><![CDATA[Yaay, back to face-to-face meetings]]>Mon, 29 Mar 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/yaay-back-to-face-to-face-meetingsWe just had to slip this one in. When the news came that we were allowed to meet face-to-face again (but it wasn't until after the end of term), we snuck in a campfire. It was brilliant to see everyone, especially our new members who joined in January but we'd only met online up til then.
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]]><![CDATA[Pack your bags!]]>Tue, 23 Feb 2021 17:17:47 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/pack-your-bagsYou might want to leave on a jet plane, but the best we could offer on Monday was how to pack your bags and get set for DofE expeditions. 

Couple of useful resources we shared on the screen:
Thanks all for attending ... yet again a fantastic turn out of you young 'uns. 
]]><![CDATA[Art Club Mk2]]>Fri, 19 Feb 2021 17:20:07 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/art-club-mk2Still locked down ... so we had another Art Club on the 8th Feb. Our model this time was bang up to date - not just a public figure but also the subject matter for many a meme (ohh, get us, down with the kids). We'll leave it up to you to figure out who it is ...
]]><![CDATA[A look back on the year just gone]]>Mon, 26 Oct 2020 13:52:53 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/a-look-back-on-the-year-just-goneWe've recently been asked by the District Commissioner to report on what we've been up to over the past year-and-a-bit ahead of the district annual general meeting (AGM). It made us step back a bit as we realised just how much we've got up to. Here's some of the highlights

Activities have included
May 2019       CS Platinum / Bronze DofE practice expedition in South Downs
                         CS Diamond / Silver DofE (team 1) qualifying expedition in Black Mountains
                         Kayaking at Godalming
Jul 2019         CS Platinum / Bronze DofE qualifying expedition in North Downs
                        Gilwell 24
                        Visit to Sayers Croft
Aug 2019      CS Diamond / Silver DofE (team 2) qualifying expedition in New Forest
Sep 2019       Took part in Scoutshoot ’19 at Bisley
Nov 2019       Survival camp
                         Pine Pull at Farnham Heath Reserve
Jan 2020        Night hike
Feb 2020        Survival camp
From March to end of July 2020 we went online, meeting every week. During this time we did a number of quizzes, had a wild food/foraging evening, had three virtual campouts in our back gardens, met online twice with an Explorer Scout Unit from Switzerland, had an Art Club, heard from two guest speakers (a BBC journalist and someone who had taken part in the Marathon Des Sables), invested new members, awarded DofE and Chief Scout certificates and the Explorers also ran several sessions on an international theme to work towards their Chief Scout awards and built their own websites as part of their digital citizen badge. We have had so much good feedback and gratitude from parents for keeping going throughout the summer, many saying that it was the highlight of their son/daughter’s week.
 
Aug 2020    Started back with face to face meetings, with two campfires a local walk and two kayaking sessions at Godalming
 
Badges & awards given
DofE bronze award x 2
DofE silver award x 1
DofE gold award x 2
Chief Scout Platinum award x 3
Other badges awarded included: survival skills, hill walking, hikes away, nights away, paddle sports and time on the water
 
Young Leaders
We also ran 2 Sunday morning sessions opened up to young people across the district and covered more of the modules for Draca Explorers. 5 Draca Explorers received their Young Leaders module A badge.
 
We are very chuffed that we’ve been able to achieve so much for the young people.

]]><![CDATA[Community action: fence painting]]>Fri, 11 Sep 2020 09:20:44 GMThttp://draca-explorer-scouts.weebly.com/news/community-action-fence-paintingA huge thank you to all our lovely Explorers who got stuck in and helped paint the fence at the Haslemere Youth Hub on Monday evening. The fence was painted in no time at all, many hands making light of the work. And it was surprisingly sociable (even with distancing) too, who'd have thought it?!
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