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Charit%

Contents
Contact Detail5...............................................................................
Trustees. Annual Report...............................................................
Charity Trustees........................................................................
Structure, Governance and Management..............................
Objectives and Activities..........................................................
Achievements and Performance..............................................
Statement of Accounts..................................................................
Receipts and Payments Accounts............................................
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Notes to the Accounts..............................................................
Independent examiner's report on the account&......................
Annual Review............................................................................. 14
Apollo Beaver Colony............................................................ 14
Gemini Beaver Colony............................................................
Mercury Beaver Colony........................................................-.
Jupiter Cub Pack...................................................................-.
Saturn Cub Pack...................................................................-.
Neptune Cub Pack.................................................................. 18
Armstrong Scout Troop.......................................................-.
Irwin Scout Troop...................................................................
Biggleswade Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit............................ 20

Conta¢t Detalls
Group Scout Leader
Sue Doyle
Tel 07779 817529
Email gslQbiggleswadescouts.org.uk
Group Chairman
Leigh Wood
Tel 07771 785454
Email Leigh.Wood@pielan.com
Group Treasurer
Lucy Courtney
Tel 07834 176128
Email lucykate2 l@hotmail.com
Group Secretary Lorraine Bennetts
Tel 07398 182511
Email lorrainebennetts777
btinternet.com
www.biggleswadescouts.org.uk

Trustees, Annual Report
for the Period l April 2020 to 31 March 2021
Charity Trustees
Chairman
Leigh Wood
Group Scout Leader
Sue Doyle
Deputy Group Scout Leader
Chris Wells
Treasurer
Lucy Courtney
Secretary
Lorraine Bennetts
Neptune Cub Leader
Eddie Fuller
Armstrong Scout Leader
Tracy Warner
Irwin Scout Leader
Tom Keller
Explorer Scout Leader
Beverley Lattimer
Executive Committee Members Alan Dansey
Nick Gurney
Rob lenkins-Green
Helen Kingerley
Louise Preston
Brian Lawson
Vicky Pullinger
Charity Number
300444
Principal Address
The Scout Headquarters
London Road
Biggleswade
SG18 8EL

Structure. G¢v*rnan¢* and Manag¢m*nt
Biggleswade Scout Group is a registered charity, governed by our
Constitution, Declaration of Trust made on 17 April 1962 and also the
Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association UK Ilanuary
20181.
The Group Council 15 the elertoral body, which support5 Scouting in
the Scout Group. It is the body to which the Group Executive
Committee 15 accountable. The Group Council con515t5 of all adult
volunteers and supporters, along with the parents of all youth
members.
The Group is managed by an Executive Committee Ithe Charity
Tru5teesl who are appointed and elected from the Group Council. It 15
their responsibility to support the Group Scout Leader in meeting the
responsibilities of their appointment. This includes maintenance of the
Group's property and equipment, raising fund5 and managing the
Group's finances, insurance of persons, property and equipment and
assisting with recruitment of leaders and other adult support. All new
trustees undergo training mandated by the Scout Association.
The truste&s regularly consider major risks and are currently
undertaking a project to help secure a new home for Scouting in
Biggleswade to ensure we have adequate facilities for the next 2￿30
years.
The Group is part of the Scout Association UK and as such is guided
and 5UPPOrted by the local Scouting Distrirt, and by teams at the Scout
Associations national headquarters.
As a registered charity the trustees also give due consideration to the
guidance i55ued by the Charity Commi55ion.
ObJ¢rtlves and ArtlvltS•s
Our Charitable Objectives are to contribute to the development of
young people in achieving their full physical, intellertual, social and
spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens, and as
members of their local. national and international communitie5.
The Group me&t5 th& Charity Commission's public benefit criteria
under both the advancement of education and the advancement of
citizenship or community development headings.
Membership thi5 year is down slightly at 267 including our Explorers.
Biggleswade Scout Group currently run5 3 Beaver Colonie5. 3 Cub

Packs, 2 Scout Troops and in partnership with Biggleswade and District
l Explorer Unit. Betrmeen them these provide a programme of personal
development for 232 young people aged between 6 and 18 year5 old
who live in and around the market town of Biggleswade in
Bedford5hire.
Thi5 programme con51Sts of a weekly meeting during term time,
number of day trips and the opportunity to take part in residential
experiences. The prtsgramme is based around three themes'.-
Outdoors and Adventure
World
The Scout Group is run entirely by volunteers.
Achievements and Performance
Scouting continues to be very popular in Biggleswade with all sections
running on or near their capacity. We have an active Beaver waiting
list and currently have up to 65 young people who are old enough to
start but are waiting for places at one of our Beaver Colonies. We also
have over a further 50 plu5 people on the waiting list who are not yet
old enough to start.
Through our sections we have successfully delivered a programme of
personal development consisting of over 540 hour5 of artivitie5 in a
year to our 232 young people this is over 120,oc￿ hours of personal
development for young people in the local area.
We know that Dur young people are engaging and benefiting from
this development by a significant number of Chief Scouts Awards that
have beèn pr&5ented this year
the highest recognition of a young
person's achievement in each section.
We were not able to hold any Fundraising Events during this financial
year. We did continue to raise f unds through Amazon Smil& £82,
Printer Cartridge Recycling £20 and Easyfundraising £15. We received
some generous donations-totalling £3￿. We also made a number of
successf ul grant application5-Te5co f l 166, Biggleswade Town Council
£2090, Central Bedfordshire £10,790 and C¢iop £250 as well as
securing Covick19 grants totalling £20,240.
These grants have allowed for us to undertake improvements to our
headquarters during this period such as replacement of all of our
Window5., a completely new kitchen and installing new heating.

Biggleswade continues to grow with more housing development on
the east and north side of the town. School intakes within the town
are increasing with expansion5 of existing schools and the addition of
new schools. This growth represents a significant challenge for an
already large Scout Group and we are looking for ways to ensure we
can meet the challenge.
The Group has been impacted throughout this year by the Coronavirus
Pandemic. All face to face Scouting continued to be suspended and
meetings were only able to run on-line.
The Tru5tee5 would like to take this opportunity to thank all the
Leader5, helpèrs, Parent51Guardians and the young people them5elve5
for all their hard work over this past year.

Receipts and Payments Accounts
For financial year ended 31 March 2021
Receipts
Memb&r5hip Subscriptions
Residential Experiences and Trips
Activities
Bank Interest
Fundraising I Incl Donation51
Rent
GiftAid
Covi&19 Grants
Other
31 Mar 21 31 Mar 20
18,435.73
24,306.40
2,020.75
32,209.93
273.34
376.85
12.75
61.35
16.099.61
19,010.75
240.C
368.C
11,153.48
0.00
20.240.93
520.87
428.12
Total Receipts
68.997.46 76.761.40
Payments
31 Mar 21 31 Mar 20
12,075.(X)
11,080.50
3,285.25
30,044.85
1,302.30
3.146.29
102.20
3,302.49
1.979.60
2,996.40
1.671.64
1,725.15
14,375.90
31,537.97
0.00
250.C
42.00
816.51
161.IM)
499.IM)
671.03
2,203.99
2.565.43
1,916.01
181.66
0.00
0.00
920.88
Scout A550ciation Capitation
Residential Experiences and Trips
Activities
Fundraising Costs
Headquarters-utilities
Headquarter>Maintenance and Cleaning
Headuarters Improvements
Leader Uniform
Insurance
Rent
Equipment
Resources (including Badges)
Volunteer Expenses
Donations
Other
1.196.74
Total Payments
Net Receiptslpayments
Cash Funds Last year end
39.609.75 90.440.04
29,387.71 113,678.641
36,487.93
50,166.57
Cash Funds this year end
65.875.64 36.487.93

Statement of Assets and Liabilities
For financial year ended 31 March 2021
Monetary Assets
31 Mar 21
31 Mar 20
Bank Current Accounts
Bank Deposit Accounts
Cash in Hand
50,885.92
14,699.50
290.22
21,869.57
14,243.65
374.71
Totsl
65.875.64
36.487.93
Not￿ to the Accounts
For Financial Year ended on 31 March 2021
This was another successful year for the Group. Youth Membership has
dropped due to Coronavirus to 232 linc 29 Explorers) and this has
resulted in a significant drop in Income. We have continued to invest
in improv&ment5 to our Scout H￿largelY fund&d by Grants. We have
received significant financial support in connection with the
Coronaviru5 Pandemic. This ha5 result&d in a healthy surplu5 for the
year leading to a healthy balance at the end of the year.
Refeipts
Membership subscriptions- the main source of income for the Group.
Down significantly this year due to falling numbers and the decision to
make 5ub5criptions optional while we were unable to deliver face 2
face meetings.
Residential Experiences and Trips- Additional money collected from
th& m&mber5 for the purposes of paying for specific camps and trip5.
Usually these take the form of day or weekend activities.
Activitie￿Additional money collected from the members to pay for
activitie5 that take place as part of the weekly programme.
Bank Intere5t- interest earned in all of the Scout Group account5.
Fundrai5ing- Shows the income generated through fund raising
activities. This year this was mainly from grantsldonations from
number of organisation5.
Gift Aid- As a registered charity we are able to claim Gift Aid on
donations and our membership subscriptions qualify as a donation for
these purposes. We submitted claims for 2017-18. 201&19 and 201
20 thi5 year.

Covi(k19 Grants-specific government funding to support charities
during the coronaviru5 pandemic.
Other other income-thi5 consisted of a number of item5 that did not
fall into any other category.
Payments
Scout Association Capitation- Annual payment made to the Scout
Association based on the number of members within the Group. For
2020121 this was £ 12.075 which is more than it was in 2019120 due to
significant increase in the rate of Capitation.
Residential Experience5 and Trips
camps and trips for our members.
Money Spent on providing specific
Activities- Money spent on providing activities for our members as
part of our weekly meetings.
Fundraising Costs- cost5 incurred in the course of raising fund5.
eadquarters Utilitie5- Expenditure on Electricity, Ga5. Water and
Refuse collections for the Scout Group Headquarters.
Headquarter5- Maintenance and Cleaning- cost5 incurred in
maintaining the Groups Headquarter5 and its ground5, including
capital expenditure. This has increased this year due to a number ol
maintenance projects.
Headquarters Improvements- Money invested in making
improvement5 to our Headquarters building. Thi5 year we have
replaced all the windows. installed new heating and completely
replaced the kitchen.
Leader Trainin*c05t of providing leaders traininfrincluding o
going learning.
Leader Uniform- cost of uniform for the Group's volunteers and
provision of Group Neckers and Group 8adge5.
Insurance- Costs of providing insurance fDT the Scout GTOUP HQ and
all camping and disco equipment owned by the Scout Group. This was
paid late and so the payment will appear in the 2021-22 account5.
Rent- C05t to the Group of renting rooms at Trinity Methodist Church
to accommodate Neptune Cub Pack. This also included various rents
for Exec Committee Meetings and other adhoc events.
Equipment- Capital expenditure on group equipment.
10

Resource5 lincluding badgesl- Resource item5 purchased for use e.g.
paper. glue. paint etc.
Volunteer expenses- costs incurred by volunteers in the course of their
volunteer work which are reimbursed to them.
Donations - donations made by the Group.
Other other expenditure-this consisted of a number of items that
did not fall into any other category.
Assets
Bank Current Accounts-includes the Groups central Current accounts
as well as the individual section current accounts.
Bank Deposit Accounts
Includes the Group Savings accounts, an
Armstrong Scout Troop savings account and a very Small amount in a
Neptune Cub Pack savings account.
In addition to the cash a55et5, the Group owns the HQ building along
with the land and a considerable quantity ol camping equipment.
These have not been formally valued and so are not included in the
accounts.
Liabilitie5
As at 31 March 2021, the Scout Group had no liabilities.

Ind*p¢ndent Examln*r's Report to th* Trust¢*s of th*
Blggl¢swad* S¢out Gmup
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March
2021 which are set out on page5 8 and 9.
Respective responsibilities ol trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are r&5ponsible for the preparation of the
accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required
for thi5 year (under sertion 144121 of th& Charities Act 201 I (the 2011
Actll and that an independent exami nation is needed.
It is my responsibility to
examine th& accounts under 5ertion 145 of the 201 l Act-,
follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by
th& Charity Commi55ion under section 14515llbl of th& 201 I Art,.
state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis Of independent examiner's report
My examination wa5 carried out in accordanc& with General Directions
given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of
the accounting records kept by the charity and a compari50n of the
accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of
any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking
explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The
procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be
required in an audit, and consequently no opinion 15 given as to
whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view" and the report is
limited to those matters Set out in the 5taternent below.
Independent eNaminer's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my
attention..
l. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material
respect, the requirements..
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of
the 2011 Art.. and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records
and comply with the accounting requirements of the 201 l Act.
have not been met,. or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to
enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed..
Date.. 12 january 2022
Name..
Address..
Darryl Ashi ng FCA
clo Ashings Chartered Accountants, Northside House,
Mount Pleasant Cockfoster5, EN4 9E8
12

De¢laratlon
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees. report
above
Signed on behalf of the Charity Trustee5
Signature
Full name
Lelgh Wood
Position
Group Chairperson
Date
20 September 2021

Annual Review - 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021
Apollo B¢av*r Colony
The last year ha5 been a totally different one for the Apollo Beaver
Colony. Like everyone else we have been living through the
Coronavirus Pand&mic. It took u5 a few weeks to adjust to the initial
lockdown. We started online meetings at the beginning of the
Summer Team and have continued online since then. During the first
term of online meetings numbers were lower than usual. Numbers
picked up in the Autumn term and for the Spring term we have had
14-16 most weeks.
The Colony have enjoyed the opportunity to join our online meetings
and see each other. We have done a variety of artivities online- f rom
scavenger hunts to origami to Battleships.
Some ol our Beavers have joined in with our Group Virtual Christmas
Campfire and th& various BIGG events- Summer Holiday, Safari, and
Christmas Cracker. The Beavers really enjoyed the opportunity to see
the Teaching Talons 5e55ion organi5ed by Gemini Beaver5.
During this year we have presented 91 Activity Badges and 17
Challenge 8adges to the Beaver5. We did not award any Chiel Scout5
Bronze Awards this year.
Objectives for the Colony for the coming year are to:_
Return to Face to Face Scouting.
Recruit some additional volunteer5 for the Colony leadership
team, including at least one more uniformed leader.
Help more Beavers to achieve the Chief Scouts Bronze Award
l am very grateful for the help of all of the parents that have been
supporting our Beavers while they join in with our online meetings. I
Would like to offer a big thank you to those volunteer5 who have
helped us in the past but have moved on during this year- Vicky
Pullinger, Kara Morallee, Nisha Vasavda and Callum Wat50n. Finally I
would like to thank the current leadership team- Section Assistants
Michael Nobb5 and Greg Smith, and Young Leader5 Harry Hodson and
Oliver Meyer.
Chris Wells Isparrowhawk Acting Beaver Leaderl
G¢mSnl B*av¢r Colony
No report was provided by Gemini Beavers this year.
lan Hall (Harrier)

Mercury Beaver Colony
No report wa5 provided by Mercury Beavers thi5 year.
Jane Thompson IHawkl BSL
Jupiter Cub Pack
Badges
W¢%ld.Skllls. TeamLe•Jer.
TI4mWo1k.CMtdo￿ •nd
AdvEnt￿ChallEn￿¢
AtUsL Phot¢9r•phor. D¥rtal
Chel athity bo*e&
Thank you:
Many thank5 to everyone who's helped and to the Cubs themselve5
who have been fantasticl
It has been a very strange year with lots of Zooming however we did
manage to do lots see belowl
April 2020
We had our first virtual meetings and got to learn about how to Ljse
Zoom I We ran our St George's Day celebrations online.
May 2020
Despite not being able to see each other in person we did lot5 of
games, craft and badgework and caught up with our friends.
June 2020
We got to 5&e behind the scenes at Shepreth Wildlife Park with a
Virtual Experience. We learned about animals including rabbits,
monkey5 and tiger5.
July 2020
W& had a baby picture5 quiz, more online fun and did lots of
badgework at home. We took part in the 81GG Summer Holiday with
sleepovers, campfires and fun activities all onlinel
September 2020
We were back online getting ready for being able to meet Face to Face
with a walk to Priory Park and Some games with half the pack then
repeated the following week
October 2020
Lock down hit again but we made sure we wer& having fun with some
Cub led activities, Pizza Rolls and Chocolate Science- Yummy.
November 2020
We rolled up our sleeves and did more cooking with apple and

mincemeat crumble which lots of us remade for our Christma5 de55ert.
It was lovely.
De¢¢mber 2020
We did 50rne Chri5tma5 crafting and had a Virtual Campfire. Singing
on Zoom is very strange but good funl
January 2021
We join&d in with a virtual Panto which wa5 great fun, took part in the
national Winter Camp and the RSPB Big Garden 8irdwatch. We
craft&d Chinese Window Decoration5.
February 2021
We built a wellbeing box of things to do, be happy about or just to
think about. We made Djembe drums and tried to work out the song
from just the beats. Thanks to Helen for an entertaining First Aid
virtual session.
March 2021
We had a late pancake night, did some more badgework and played
Among Us online which was great funl
Sue Doyle (Acting Cub Leaderl
Satum Cub Pack
The last y&ar has certainly been unusual for Saturn Cubs. Due to the
Coronavirus Restrictions we have only been meeting online this year.
While an online meeting is very different to a traditional face to face
meeting it has been great to see the Cubs each week. We have had
grèat support from the Cub5 and their parent5 and have been getting
really good attendance at our online meeting- 20-24 Cubs most
weeks.
Meeting online ha5 sevèrely limit&d what we can do thi5 year and we
have done our best to keep the weekly programme varied and
interesting. It ha5 been difficult to do many ol the traditional scouting
skills so we have focused on crafts, games, and activities to increase the
Cub5, awareness of the world around them. We have given th& Cub5
as many opportunities as we can to take an active part in the
programme and to interact with their peer5. We have not been able to
do any day trips or residential experiences this year.
We have done our best to promote and support the activities
organised by Biggleswade and District- including the BIGG Challenge.
Summer Holiday, Safari and Christmas Cracker.
During this year we have presented 106 Actwity Badges and 28
Challenge Badge5 to the Cub5.
Objectives for the Pack for the coming year are to:_
Recruit a new Cub Scout Leader and some additional volunteers
for the Pack leadership team.

Ensure that every Cub ha5 an opportunity to earn their Chief
Scouts Silver Award.
Deputy Group Scout Leader Chris Wells continues to run the pack.
During thi5 year we have said goodbye to Sertlon A551Stant5 Derek
Revell and Anna Kwasniewsha. Derek had done a huge amount for
the Pack over the 3 years h& wa5 volunteering and will be missed. I
would also like to thank Caroline Henman who is retiring from the
pack thi5 year after 4 years. We have welcomed Sam Ryder to the pack
this year as a Section Assistant. l am very grateful for the ortrgoing
help and 5UPPOrt of my Section A5S15tant5 Sharon Wheeler and Marcia
Bennett.
Chris Wells (Acting Cub Leaderl
Neptyne Cub Pa¢k
No report was provided by Neptune Cubs this year.
Eddie Fuller (Akela
Cub Leaderl
Armstrong scout Troop
Well what can be said about 202￿202] in scouting terms as many
other walks of life, it has been a very difficult year, but a year that we
have all embraced and carried on with a full programme.
The leaders have had to learn lots of new skills, use of technology. so
we could carry on meeting rèmotely, using Zoom virtual meetings. It
took us several sessions to learn these new skills such as, how to mute
the whole section and finding a flag and an indoor flag ptslel Due to
th& commitment of the whole t&am w& managed to hold zoom
meeting every week during term time and even fortnightly during the
summer holidays as many of the scouts wanted contact during
lockdown.
We started the year in April 2020 with 27 scouts and ended March
2021 with 31 although we have transitioned over 16 from cubs to
scouts, scouts to explorers. We have thankfully manged to maintain
our full leadership team of 7 during these times.
During the lirst lockdown we set the 5COUt5 a weekly walking
challenge and each week the scouts reported back how far they had
walked, cycled or run. The 5COUt5 managed to travel Irom Biggleswade
to Iran covering 3069 m iles. Not so sure why they stopped at the end
of summer term. perhaps 9Ot too hot mid-july to continue.
The scout5 a150 attempted land mostly succeeded) cooking challenge5.
making Easter bonnets, learning to juggle, paper aeroplanes,

constructing them and then outdoor flying challenged against the
other troop m&mber5 remotely. We joined in with national Scouting
events for example VE Day where we built Dens and the scouts
decorated them with handmade bunting. The scouts have worked
really well at teamwork by undertaking mental challenges, writing the
'Armstrong Rap- and completing a virtual crystal maze. They have
also run their own evenings.
We also joined in with other Troops and Scouting country wide where
w& published videos of our scouts participating in the 'Toilet Roll
Keepy Uppy challenge" and the "water challenge" which the scouts
thought was a great artivity, particularly the getting wet bit!
With limited numbers, we did manage 4 week5 of some face to face
meeting during the autumn term, which did help to return to more
normal traditional 5COUt skills within the then re5triction5. But even
with this we never able to meet as a full troop.
Due to Covi&19 restrictions were we unable to camp for the whole of
last year, although a few scouts did manage to camp withi n the
confines of their lounges or even some in their back gardens.
At our Christma5 zoom party we awarded over 140 badges and we
finished the evening by awarding 8 Gold Awards.
Meetings from the New Year have become more diff icult as meeting
remotely is so lar removed from the norm. But...........
. After
quizzes. fun challenge5, joke5 Isome good some not so) and even some
remote Scouting skills, we believe all enjoyed the meetings which has
been born out with so many attending each and every meeting.
I would like to thank all the members of Armstrong Leadership Team.
Without all their help and support I would not have manged to get
through la5tyear a5vve did..
Tracey Warner Iscout Lea5erl
Irwin S¢out Troop
No report was provided by Irwin Scouts this year.
Tom Keller Iscout Leaderl

Blggleswade Pho¢nlx Explorer S¢out Unlt
De5Plte the Covid pandemic, we at Phoenix have Managed to continue
a very full and packed year of Scouting, even meeting through holiday
periods to boost the morale of our young p&ople.' awar& that the
mental health of young people in the Pandemic has been especially
affected. We have obviously mostly met via Zoom but did manage a
few fac+t¢iface sessions in small groups before going i nto lock down
again I We have said goodbye to old&r Explorer5 and hello to new
ones. We had betrmeen 25 and 30 Explorers during the year and
continue to welcome new people to our 'crazy' Unit.
Every Explorer and leader have played their part in this unique period
of history but personally as the Explorer Leader I want to say an
enormous special THAN K YOU to David M as without his amazing
techno skills. abilities and idea5, our nights would not hav& been what
they have been. Yes. we would have managed but... He ha5 also had
to put up with teaching me many technology skills that have put me
OLJt of my comfort zone. A5 a Scout we always continue to learn!
We have indeed have had some laughs and delinitely the banter
between Explorers and Leaders has been quite something. Quote5 of
some will remain as part of our Unit's history. In some ways we have
got to know our young people More personally a5 they have us. We
have always run as a 'big family, type Unit but Zoom has felt tighter
knit and individual characters have certainly shone through.
Wednesday nights made a difference to the various lockdowns in
many ways. Wednesday5 meant focu5, laughter, learning, community.
connection. family, supporting each other and looking out for one
another. Thank you, Phoenix,. you made a difficult challenging year
more bearable and less isolating.
We even managed virtual camps. We held a Zoom camp for what was
5UPP05ed to b& our International Camp with leader5 running it from
my garden Ipermitted at the timel. We had a full weekend on Zoom
running our Winter Camp with 50 many artivitie5. We Set challenges
for Explorers of cam ping out in their gardens, doing hikes with family
and fri&nd5 Iwhen rule5 allowed). We had baking challenges, photo
challenges, pioneering challenges, Royal tea parties etc. We held a
virtual tombola fundraiser zoomed from my garden. Thank you to
everyone who Supported LJS With this.
Our Zoom nights have been varied,. yes, there have been favourites of
certain games including Among Us, Escape Rooms, Location Guesser,
First and Last and Kahoot. Some of us older leaders have had to learn
fastl I for one am known not to enjoy computer games but I do enjoy
a good Escape room challengel There ha5 been Something for
everyone.
19

W& have run themed evening5 around Hallow&en. Easter, pancak&s etc
and music evenings, quizzes, puzzles, pioneering, crafts, mental health
awarene55, task master5, Spac& missions, 5ki11s nights, hobby nights,
getting to know us nights, bingo nights and so many more.
I have become a bit of a Mary Berry and done a few cooking
demonstratlDns via Zoom. Who would have thought that weighing
out ingredients could take Explorers so long and be so hardl We
certainly had a few interesting creations made. We even managed to
get David cooking in the kitchen taking him out of hi5 comfort zone
(only fairl) Not sure some of the Explorers managed to clean the
kitchen5 that well afterwards though. All part of ski115 for life.
We ran a Surprise 30th birthday party via Zoom for David and
presented him with a special 30th birthday scrapbook with photos and
me55ages. Tasha made him cakes. We played games all based on the
theme of 30. A fun night was had by all. Not quite the celebrations
plannèd but one to rememberl
When we could meet face to face in small groups, we had hikes,
woodland tracking, town photo hunts and wide game5 Wlth a
difference. We also managed of our three small group socially
distanced Chri5tma5 Party before again we went into re5triction5 so our
Sunday session quickly changed to a Zoom session. Showing our
adaptability 5ki115 indeed.
There have been challenge5 a5 in all years but together we have
supported one another and got through.
The biggest disappointment of the year is that our International
Summer Camp to the N&therlands planned for August 2020 and
reschedule for August 2021 cannot now take place. This has been
upsetting indeed a5 so much work has been put into the organi5ation
and fundraising and we were all looking forward to it. A lot of work
now has begun in trying to get refunds from the various places and
again I have to thank David for hi5 work and support with thi5. It ha5
meant us having very many Zoom meetings and phone conversations
until late in the evening5.
W& hope to do a UK Summer camp next year and then plan another
International one when hopefully things settle down in the world.
A year like no other.. one of fears and disappointment in some ways
but one where Phoenix kept going throughout the whole year, not
missing a Wednesday night and one where we all learned a lot.
Scouting's motto of 8e Prepared has definitely been done and also
continuing to learn skillsfor life lorall of us.
Thank you to my fantastic leadership team for your continued support.
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All of you have various parts to play in making Phoenix what it 15.
Unique and Great and continuing to evolve. Thanks also to lane for all
her help and sUPPOrt thi5 year.
Thank you to David. Sonia. Ta5ha. Pete. Ben, Jon, 2-Poles, Lucy and
Lewis.
Bev Lattimer Explorer Scout Leader
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Biggleswade Scout Group
www.big9leswadescouts,org.uk
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