Commonwealth challenge: medals table

This term the Beavers are doing a lot of activities around the Commonwealth Games that come to Glasgow this year.

Scouts Scotland has a new special badge and we're telling them about all the activities we do. These activities count towards our "medals" and we can have a look at how we're doing on a medals table.

So far we've had a go at netball (with leaders standing on chairs instead of nets) and we even had team coaches and a half-time team talk. There will be lots of other sports after half term but we're already on the medal table in 4th place!

We'll be posting an updated medals table as we do more activities.

Pizza

A couple of weeks ago the Beavers learned a lot about health eating. We tried fruits and vegetables from around the world, many were from the commonwealth countries we are learning about this term. We also made pizzas. Now , we know that pizzas are not always very healthy but we learned about the healthy and the not-so healthy parts of the pizza, and with lots of tomato, pineapple, olives and mushrooms, with only a bit of cheese, we think this is a very tasty and healthy pizza.

We should also thank the Cubs and Scouts that came a long to help..although they may have had their own reasons to come along. They were certainly very eager to help with the eating.

Art

Last term, for one week, the McLintock Hall was transformed into an art gallery, with three gallery rooms: portraits, still life and landscapes. There were examples of some of the paintings in the National Gallery in Scotland and the Beavers also had a go at their own works of art.

The still life produced lots of different styles. Some were very realistic, even with reflections in the glass jar...

...while others were much more abstract.

Commonwealth Games

This term the Beavers will be working towards their Fitness Challenge badge and, because the Commonwealth Games are in Glasgow this year, we'll be trying out a lot of new activities and some of us are even going to the games as part of the Scouts Scotland Commonwealth Challenge.  

We also get the extra new badge above, to put on our uniforms, and each week we'll be doing activities which will earn us Bronze Medals (the Silver and Gold are for Cubs and Scouts) which will go on a national leader board.

We're going on a bear hunt

Before Christmas, as part of our Beaver Creative badge, we visited Fintry Drama Group to look behind the scenes at their production of Aladdin (which one of our Beavers is starring in!). We saw how the scene changes work and where all the actors get changed, but the most exciting part was the stage trap door.

Back at Beavers we did our own bit of acting (We're Going on a Bear Hunt) and designed our own theatre set.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas everyone 

(here's one of our "Christmas around the World" christmas cards

Balfron Scout Group: 1983-2013

Balfron Scout Group is 30 years old! 

In 1983, John Dymond (our Group Scout Leader) started a new Scout Group in Balfron and on the 16th November we were officially registered.

The various sections celebrated our birthday with a great big 30th Birthday cake at our recent Christmas parties.

Bonfire night

On Monday we had a fantastic Troop Bonfire Night. The Scouts had helped organise the night as part of their badge work and they seemed to get all the essential ingredients: a huge bonfire, lots of fireworks, and hot dogs. 

The Beavers had also made three guys for the bonfire and everyone was very impressed at how flammable they were! They were equally impressed by the bonfire (thanks to the Scouts and Tim Trafford for wood collection), the hot dogs and hot chocolate (thanks to the Chefs/Cub leaders) and the fireworks (thanks Steve).

We had a great turnout, with almost every Beaver, Cub, Scout and Leader there, and with extra parents and siblings there was over 100 people!

An extra big thanks goes to the Traffords for letting us use the Ballindalloch grounds.

Scout Sponsored Cycle

Last month the Scouts were out and about on their bikes, cycling along the edge of Loch Katrine in order to raise money for the Dogs Trust.

A fantastic turnout raised well in excess of £100 and a great cycle was had by all, followed by a well earned ice cream at the end!

Balfron Cubs on the BBC

Last week the cubs had great fun in the dark, playing games and creating a wonderful light show with glow sticks.

Here's a photo of them all running around with their light-sticks, trying to find their shoes in the dark!

The BBC were so impressed they even put their photo on their website (click here).