The next First Aid Training Course is on Saturday 17. October 2009. All Leaders and Explorer Scouts working as Young Leaders who don’t have a current First Aid Certificate are invited to attend this one day course. There is no charge. All Leaders are now required to hold a First Aid Certificate. Further details of how to book onto the course can be found here.
New Chief Scout Bear Grylls, was sworn in by outgoing Chief Peter Duncan, on the 11. July 2009 at Gillwell Park in front of 3,000 Explorer Scouts.
Sixty Scouts from 1st Arbory, 1st Ballaugh, 1st Douglas, 1st Marown, 2nd Onchan and 3rd Peel, supported by Explorer Scouts and Leaders took part in the Island Scout Camp over the 10. – 12. July 2009. The camp was held in a field just behind the Peel Town Commissioners Camp Site.
On the Friday night, once all the Tents were set up, the Scouts were divided into Groups and were given a section of flag pole each and then set off up to the top of Corrins Hill, about 2 miles away, where the pole was erected and Flag Break took place. Everyone took in the fantastic views and the sun sinking towards the horizon.
Back on site it was time for a hot chocolate and camp fire with a few skits and songs thrown in, before the Scouts headed off to bed.
On Saturday morning, everyone was up bright and early. Tent Inspection followed breakfast. Each Scout was handed a sheet with twenty challenges on it which they had to complete during a three hour period. Some challenges were pretty simple, such as set a map to north, while others required the Scouts to form themselves into teams and were more involved, such as negotiate a mine field or build and race a chariot.
In the afternoon, the Scouts were divided into groups through a ticket system and depending on what tickets the Scouts drew, they could take part in river kayaking, pioneering, backwoods cooking, swimming, sea kayaking or mountain biking.
Tea was a fantastic barbecue which three or four leaders spent several hours preparing. In the evening the local Samaritans had set up a Treasure hunt around the Peel Headlands. This was won by 3rd Peel, whose prize was a two hour session at the Venture Centre.
During the Treasure Hunt the rain started, which got gradually worse as the evening went on and the wind increased. Several tents on site got damaged, which resulted in two Troops abandoning site.
Luckily the rain stopped at about three in the morning. Sunday started overcast, but the sun soon came out. 
One of the two Troops who went home the previous morning, were back on site for 09:00. The morning activities again consisted of ticketed activities, which kept everyone busy until lunchtime. Lunch consisted of a sandwich buffet after which Flag Down was held and prizes were presented. Tents were then taken down, with everyone heading off home for 15:00.
All in all, despite the bad weather on Saturday night, it was a very good and friendly camp.
Below are some more photos taken at the recent Island Cub Scout Camp.
Beaver Scouts from 1st Ballaugh who won the Beaver Scouts Sports Day, which was held during the camp.
1st Douglas Cubs and Scouts with their Good Scouting Awards presented at their Annual General Meeting.
1st Douglas Cubs went on a Treasure Hunt around Douglas and found this Treasure in the sunken gardens !!
Thank You to Kevin Bott and his team at Douglas Corporation.
The Form, Leaders Note and Parents Note for the 2009 Manx Grand Prix Races are now available to download here. Only Leaders should fill in and return the form. The closing date is the 14. August 2009. Please note that forms received after this date will not be accepted.
Scouts were on Parade at Tynwald again this year. They joined with the armed forces and other uniformed organisations to parade to Tynwald Hill and line the processional walkway.
The Association, 1st Malew Scouts and Onchan District Explorer Scouts each had a stall on the Fair Field.
Explorer Scouts and Leaders also worked hard organising the car parking for the thousands of visitors to the Tynwald Ceremony.
