Scout Group

Common. In connection with the latter, we would like to record the great help given by Captain M. G. A. Garbutt, The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, an Old Peterite, who provided transport and Regular Army assistance for this exercise, and who arranged other visits to Strensall during the term.

The main Cadet appointments for the term were as follows : C.S.M. W. N. Marshall; P.O. R. L. Harrison, i/c R.N. Section; S.S.M. A. M. Bowie, i/c Army Section; F/Sgt. C. J. A. Smith, i/c R.A.F. Section; and L/Sgt. J. C. Platts, i/c Signals.

SENIOR SCOUT GROUP CHRISTMAS TERM, 1966

There was some doubt at the beginning of the term as to what to do during meetings; the old method of badge training is obsolescent while the ideas recommended by the Committee on the future of Scouting have not yet been officially introduced. It was decided, in the end, to take the more modern approach and so a Working Party was formed out of those who would have left before the new programme could be instituted and an Executive Committee was elected from among the remaining Senior Scouts.

There is to be a stress on social service and with this in mind the group renovated and re-decorated Mr. Power's gym for under-privileged children, the job of selling Christmas cards for charity was taken over from Mr. Williams and there is to be the usual Scout Carol Singing, at Christmas, in aid of charity. Several First Aid lectures, also, were attended, again for the new Scout programme.

There were also three evening meetings this term (apart from the lectures), the first taking place in the country and consisting of a navigation exercise at night and by compass only. The Working Party organised the second evening, an observation test, each test depending upon the use of one of the five senses. The last evening meeting took the form of an attack and defence exercise in several streets in York.

W.R.C.

SCOUT GROUP

All sections of the Group have been experimenting with the new training methods and topics introduced in the recent report on Scouting. The pending changes in uniform have made it difficult for us to arrange uniform meetings, but we intend to manage with what is available until the new uniforms come into use in the autumn of 1967. The older members of the Group formed a Working Party and served the Scout and Senior Scout Troops well, several of them assisting with regular meetings. The Party also painted much of the interior of the Scout Room, which now looks very colourful and cheerful. We congratulate P. J. Doyle on becoming a Queen's Scout and are glad that he continues to use his training in helping with the Scout Troop. We say farewell to P. R. S. Fairclough and thank him for all that he has done for the Group. 20

This section, soon to be known as the Venture Scout Troop, has spent much of the term on the service side of training. The activities have been arranged by an executive committee under the chairmanship of P. R. S. Fairclough, this committee taking the place of the old court of honour. Parties have assisted in the cleaning and painting of a room to be used as a gym by less fortunate children in York; another party arranged the sale of charity Christmas Cards in the School, and some of the Troop spent the first two evenings of the holidays singing carols and collecting for the York branch of the Lions. The second evening was spent in the Crayke area, where sacks of logs, collected and cut by members of the Troop, were distributed to elderly and needy people.

At the same time training continued and we have had a series of pioneering and observation meetings. Halfway through the term the Troop started a first aid course, organised by members of the British Red Cross Association. This course will continue next term and the younger members of the Troop will take a preliminary certificate, whilst the older and more experienced members will be examined for the adult certificate. We are very grateful to those members of the Red Cross who are giving up their time to help us in this way.

Preliminary arrangements were made for an Expedition to be held during the Easter holidays from Wednesday, 12th April to Wednesday, 19th April. This will be run on the same lines as previous expeditions, the Troop dividing into parties of four or six and planning their own routes within the general framework of the expedition. Each party will rendezvous at a given point daily and will be supplied with food for the following day. It is hoped that a large number of the Troop and of the Working Party will attend this expedition, which takes the place of the Scout summer camp.

SCOUT TROOP

Although the new look in scouting does not officially start until next September we have tried to introduce some of the new ideas this term and only doing those parts of the old system which are included in the new organization. Several group projects have been started on various hobbies and it is hoped to have built a troop canoe before the Summer Term.

With only five new scouts the troop is smaller than usual with 24 boys but this makes it easier to try out new programmes. We welcome Mr. Riley as a new A.S.M. and also P. J. Doyle and P. Blackford who are helping the Scout Troop.