Welcome to 2025! We hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year. In our first newsletter of the year we’ve got updates on:

  • Term start dates
  • Lost Property
  • Presentation evening
  • Den Spring Clean
  • SHINDIGS
  • Family Events Calendar
  • Activities Roundup

Let’s get Scouting again

Spring Term Start Dates

We hope you’re all rested after the Christmas break and ready to get back into Scouting for another action packed term. The first meetings for each section are:

  • Beavers: Fri 10 Jan
  • Cubs: Wed 8 Jan
  • Renown Sea Scouts: Fri 10 Jan
  • Solebay Sea Scouts: Mon 6 Jan
  • Endeavour Explorers: Thu 9 Jan
  • Young Leader Training: Tue 14 Jan

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Presentation Evening

Sat 18 Jan 2024 @ 19:00

Our annual presentation evening is our chance to celebrate the achievements of our youth members over the past year, present awards, and show you what we’ve been up to in the past 12 months.

This year’s event will be at Leigh Road Baptist Church starting at 1900.  All members of the Group and their parents/family are invited to attend (full uniform for members please).

After the presentations there will be a selection of refreshments, and you’ll have the chance to look at the photos of the years activities to see what we’ve been up to, as well as to meet the leader team & other parents.

Den Spring Clean

Sat 1 Feb – 0900-1600

As the year starts, we want to give our HQ a spring clean and tidy up the main hall. We’d really appreciate a bit of help from parents and any other willing adults to give the hall a lick of paint put up some pictures and blinds, tidy up the lockers, do a bit of DIY maintenance, or just keep the team supplied with tea. If you can help, please drop Jon Whitely an email at JWhiteley@3rdcb.org.uk.

SHINDIGS

Sat 15 March

Scouts/Explorers – do you love performing? Southend Gang Show are putting on a Show in a Day on Sat 15 March and need you!

Standing for SHow IN a Day In Guiding and Scouting, you will get the chance to experience performing on stage in front of a live audience. Participants will rehearse together learning new dance routines, songs and items to act as well as making new friends and having fun, all in a single day. Then in the evening perform their newly learnt routines on stage.

SHINDIGS is open to Scouts, Explorers, Network, and Leaders from across Southend. You can participate as either a cast or orchestra member! Find out more and sign up at southendgangshow.org/shindigs-2025/

Family Events Calendar

The events team have been hard at work planning more fun family social events this year; they’re a great way of mingling with other parents and raising funds for the Group.

Full details will be advertised near to the time, date are below if you want to mark them in your calendars. We hope you’ll enjoy them, and join us in Old Leigh for fun evenings and to support our young people’s activities at 3rdCB.

Activities Roundup

Christmas Parties

In the run up to Christmas, all the youth sections threw festive parties. Beavers & Cubs had great party nights with games and treats. Solebay Scouts went Ten Pin Bowling in Southend, Renown Scouts burnt off some energy at Base Jump, then had a black tie dinner served by the leaders, followed by a night hike and sleepover for the PLs/APLs. The Explorers, headed to Canary Wharf for their traditional ice skating trip. Even the leaders had a get together for a few drinks in Leigh! A pretty good end to the year for everyone.

Waitrose Fundraising

Thank you and well done to all the Explorers and Scouts that helped with bag packing and fundraising at Waitrose at the end of December. They raised over £1,500 for us to buy new tents and camping equipment for the growing Explorers Unit. Waitrose staff and customers were really impressed by how helpful you all were, and have invited us back for future fundraising activities.

Christmas Carol Service

We raised the roof with Christmas cheer on Sunday 15 Dec at our annual Carol Service and Toy Collection. It was lovely to see so many friendly faces at The Den for the morning. Thank you to everyone who donated toys for Little Havens, This annual collection is really appreciated by the community, and helps brighten Christmas Day for our city’s youngsters, supporting the hospices vital work.

New Years Eve Sail

We had the final sail of 2024 on New Years Eve! Traditionally we’d go out on Boxing Day, but the tides didn’t allow it this year, so we had to delay. 18 Scout & Explorers braved the cold weather and choppy seas to get in that last day afloat – now bring in 2025.

Upcoming events and dates for your diary

  • Sat 18 Jan: Presentation Evening. Celebrating our youth members successes and achievements over the past year. See 3rdCB.org.uk/event/presentation25/.
  • Sat 1 Mar: Après Ski Party. Fun family social event with an Alpine twist, raising funds to support our activities. See 3rdCB.org.uk/event/apres25/.
  • Sat 15 Mar: SHINDIGS (Scouts/Explorers). Put on a Show in a Day with Southend Gang Show. See 3rdCB.org.uk/event/shindigs25/.
  • 5-12 Apr 25: Derbyshire (Scouts). Our week long hillwalking and activity trip to the Peak District. See 3rdCB.org.uk/event/derbyshire25/ (Now fully booked).
  • Sat 10 May: Band Night. Evening of live music and entertainment for all the family, raising funds to support our activities. 3rdCB.org.uk/event/bandnight25/.
  • 26 Jul – 2 Aug: Summer Camp 2025. Save the date for next year’s camping experience. See 3rdcb.org.uk/event/camp25/.
  • 6-7 Sep: Old Leigh Regatta. It’s Back! Save the date for the hottest weekend of fun in Old Leigh.

You can see all our upcoming events and activities on the Group Calendar at 3rdCB.org.uk/events/

Renown Troop Christmas Dinner
Solebay Troop Christmas Bowling
New Years Eve Sailing
Scouts’ post-night hike BBQ Breakfast