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Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Cubs - The Start of a Great Adventure

Are you at a loss about something for your son to do; outside of school?

Is he driving you mad, just sitting in front of the computer all evening, and not doing anything creative?  Does he take part in sports?  Does he have interests?

Are you looking for something to do, that takes your mind away from work?  Maybe you have skills of your own you'd like to share.

Next year, Cubs celebrate their Centenary. 100 years of Cubs, around the world.  From the age of 8, through to 10 and a half, boys (and girls) enjoy a really eclectic mix of education, action and adventure.

My personal story began back in 2008, when my oldest son, Ethan, started.

Scouting, in general, has seen a steady resurgence, and when my oldest son turned 8, he joined our local Cub pack.  As a parent who never went to Cubs or Scouts, I really didn't know what to expect.  At all.  So, I was pleasantly surprised to see the programme, and the activities the boys got up to.

I first helped out when we went on our annual camp.  The "main event" in the Scouting year, I was amazed; totally blown away by the organisation and preparation that goes into making a Scout/Cub camp successful.  You could liken it to a a small army - everything is brought to the site, and when we leave, it's as though we were never there!

It was very hard work, but extremely rewarding.  The boys had a fantastic time; and not an electronic device to be seen.  I was hooked.  I soon became a more regular helper at the weekly meetings, and at the following camp, I was invested as a leader.

Almost three years ago, I took over as Akela.  The leader of the pack.

Why is Akela the name for the Cub Leader?



If you didn't know, Lord Baden-Powell, the creator of the Scouts, was friendly with Rudyard Kipling, and so asked if he could use the characters from The Jungle Book as names for the Cub leaders.



I get such a buzz from seeing the boys grow and develop; and, as they get older, move on to Scouts.

Running a Cub pack is no mean feat.  I have the most amazing team in Shere Khan, Baloo and Bagheera; as well as three Explorer girls, who turn up each and every week to help run the meetings.  The parents get involved too.

There are plenty of badges to earn; from  Personal Safety to DIY, Cooking to Pioneering and Digital Citizen to Hiking and the great outdoors.  There's something for everyone, and it's an education too.

I've not even started to scratch the surface about what Cubs and Scouts is about.  There is so much; run by an organisation that I'm proud to be a part of.

If you are looking for something exciting and rewarding, where you get out just as much as you put in; where your son or daughter will learn new skills, increase their confidence and make new friends, then contact your local Scout group to see if you can help.

You won't regret it.

Take a look at the Scouts website for more information





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