To learn about the challenges some in our community face and how they can help, the Cubs spent a night sleeping rough, outside of our HQ in Old Leigh in October 2019.

14 Cubs and their leaders build cardboard shelters and slept outside in them, for their second year taking part in the Really Big South Essex Sleep Out, organised by HARP, Southend’s homeless charity.

Through sponsorship, they raised a phenomenal £810.50 so far and are still bringing more in! The whole event raised over £9,000 to support local people taking steps to overcome homelessness for good.

Renown Sea Scouts Troop headed over to Belchamps Scout Activity Centre in mid-June for their annual Training and Activity Camp.

They had a great weekend of activities, setting up camp on Friday night and playing a widegame in the woods. Saturday morning was training in use of saws and axes to cut wood, and how to light a fire, then in the afternoon heading over to the air rifle range for some shooting. All the meals were cooked by the Scouts in their patrols over open fires, with spaghetti bolognese and homemade garlic bread for dinner. As it got dark on Saturday evening we invested 3 new Scouts into the Troop, where they made their promise and drank the health of Davey Jones’ Locker by the light of the camp fire.

Sunday was back into activities, with the four patrols swapping between the High Ropes course (record 42 seconds from start to finish!) and Pedal Kart racing, whilst packing up the site in between.

All great Scouting #SkillsForLife with a fantastic bunch of Scouts in the Troop! Next stop Summer Camp – only 5 weeks to go!

More photos of the weekend are in the members Facebook Group.

As part of the commemorations marking the 75 anniversary of the Normandy Landings on D-Day 1944, one intrepid Scout from 3rdCB ventured to France with his family to pay homage to his Great Grandfather.

Bill Law, a paratrooper with the 7th Light Infantry Parachute Battalion, jumped into France on 6 June 1944 as part of Operation Tonga, just two days after his 20th birthday. He was one of 630 who landed near Pegasus Bridge in an effort to capture the strategic crossing as allied troops landed on the nearby beaches. 75 years later his great grandson, also called Billy, joined veterans and families at the 7th Parachute Btn’s memorial, proudly wearing his namesake’s medals to lay a wreath in his memory. After the service the family planted an olive tree at the Pegasus Bridge Museum in honour of Bill, who by the time it was disbanded in 1948 had been the longest serving member of 7 Para, and passed away in 2007. Billy junior had the opportunity to meet some of his great grandfather’s friends and comrades to talk about their experiences. Continue reading Scout pays homage to D-Day Veteran Great Grandfather →

3rdCB Sea Scout Felicity has been selected for the British Youth Sailing Team, representing the UK in the Nieuwpoort Youth Regatta in Belgium at the end of the month in her Optimist.

Felicity, a Patrol Leader in Solebay Troop, has spent the past few months juggling selection races and exams, but all her hard work has paid off and she made it on to the elite team.

We’re all really proud of her, and are sure she’ll do a great job representing Team GBR!