The Woggle

GSL's Update

Top Awards
Congratulations to Jamie Hallitt and Robert Durrell on receiving their Chief Scout's Gold Award from Nigel Valette. This award, the top in the Scout section, not only required Jamie and Robert to demonstrate a proficiency in many different skills but also for them to show a significant level of commitment and responsibility. Nigel Valette our District Commissioner congratulated them on their achievement and thanked the Leaders and Parents for their help and support.

A few days later, Nigel returned to our HQ to present Chief Scout's Platinum Awards to Abi Peett, Jordan Reed, Rebecca Hawke and Dan Bailey.

The elements of this award include learning a new skill over 6 months, completing a 2 day expedition with a special project, and also carrying out a community service for 40 hours. These of course, are in addition to some traditional Scouting activities.

40 Years Adult Service
Peter Goddard received a certificate in recognition of 40 years adult service to Scouting. In itself an amazing achievement but all the more unique in that Peter has spent the whole time with Hayling Scouts. He joined the Group as a Cub Scout and has remained ever since!

Aspen Celebrate 15th Birthday
Aspen Beaver colony celebrated their 15th Birthday with a special party to which their first leader Sue Rook was invited. The photograph shows the current Beavers and Leaders with Sue in the middle. Liam Holden on the far right is now an Explorer but was a Beaver with Sue!

Sylvi completes 5 years
Thank you and well done to Sylvi Rigden who completed 5 years as a Leader in September. The photograph shows Sylvi receiving a certificate to recognise her contribution to the Beavers of Aspen Colony.

100 Club Results
The final 100 Club Draw of this round saw M Spencer, Kate Goddard and Michelle Golden each win £25. The £50 quarterly prize went to Linda Hunter and the annual £100 prize to Jo Hawley. Well done to everyone who won this year and it is not too late to join the 100 Club for 2008.

A Great Fireworks Display
These were not my words but those of one of our attendees. Everyone was very impressed with the display and in particular to the special 100 years' celebration pack built by Pete Goddard. We estimate that about 350 attended the display - Thank you.

Remembrance Day
Nearly 50 members of the Group joined in with this year's parade and Service of Remembrance. The flags were carried by Scott Hickman (Scouts) and Sean Dollery (Explorers) and our wreath was laid by Michael Kenny.

Book Sale
Don't forget our next book sale on November 24th at the URC Church Hall Mengham. Doors open at 10:00 and we have over 8000 books on offer covering fiction and a range of non-fiction topics.

Presentation at Civic Offices
10 Scouts and Explorers attended a special reception at the Civic Offices to receive certificates in recognition of their achieving the Chief Scout's Gold and Platinum awards. The certificates were presented by Graham Peach of the Royal Navy who congratulated the Scouts on their achievements and also highlighted the fact that they were now role models for the younger members of the Group.

Scouts and Explorers on Service Weekend
12 Scouts and Explorers spent a weekend in camp, but the main purpose was to help complete the clearing of some woodland and a general tidy up of the area.

Great Escape
30 Scouts and Explorers took part in an all night exercise near Winchester. The event which consisted of a hike over 8 miles (although some did a lot more!!) and a number of challenges en route ended at about 3:00am when everyone climbed into their warm sleeping bags. After a hearty breakfast, they all returned to the HQ by lunch time on Saturday.

June 28th 2008
An important date for your diaries. This is the day we will be running our Group Fun Day. The event will take place on Hayling Island and is when we bring the whole group together for a day of activity. Our organising team have decided that the 2008 event will be open to all families to join us with the activities or just for the food and camp fire. More details next year, but please make a note of the date.

Hayling Island Calendar
Have you brought yours yet?. Remember that for every Calendar purchased, we will receive a £1 donation.

Xmas Card Delivery Service

By the time you read this, our stamps and special post boxes will be out! The cost of stamps this year is 20p and our commitment is to deliver every correctly addressed card to a Hayling address by Christmas Eve. More details of our service can be found online at our website, in the Hayling Islander or for parents in a separate letter being sent home with all of our members.

Parents - As always we need your help with the deliveries, so please make a note of Sunday 16th December and see the letter for details of what this means.

This is our 24th year and we have delivered over 200,000 cards and raised over £20,000 for the Group.

And finally
You may have seen that the wall at the front of the HQ has been knocked over. The wall was hit or pushed from the inside, across the pavement and road. We know this happened between 9:00 and 12:00 on Wednesday 31st October. If you hear of anything related to this, please let us know.