A Year in Beavers – 2020

Normally our section reports would be delivered verbally at our AGM, and there would be a report for each Colony. Because of the impact of COVID-19, and the AGM being run via Zoom this year we have produced this joint report. It only touches on the activities of each Colony. If you would like to find out more then you should consider joining our leadership team. It is fun – just ask any of the leaders and it could be an opportunity for you to contribute as part of a fantastic leader team.

Both Colonies have had a really busy and successful year providing fantastic activities for their girls and boys. Hudson (Thursday) end the year with 18 Beavers in the Colony, Huron have 22 Beavers (but would prefer fewer) and they each have 5 leaders in their team.

Getting Out and About

Don’t we all love a waterfight!

Most youngsters – and that definitely includes the Beavers, love to get out and about, and we have done that this year with visits to Lechlade, Stanton Park, All Saints Church in Coleshill, St Michael’s Church, Gable Cross police station and the fire station (one leader said… can we do that this year without the Beavers? asking for a friend…..)
We have been on night hikes and joined in the Jamboree on the Trail (JOTT) with a lovely riverside walk, including lunch at St John’s Lock and ice cream at Buscot Tearoom. We visited Fundays at Woodhouse Park where the children took part in lots of adventurous activities despite the sometimes damp weather.

Beavers waving flags at Remembrance Day Parade

Skills

We learned to tie knots, how to roll our neckers and (before COVID-19) that “you can’t see germs”. We learned some basic first aid, and how to react to an accident (including how to perform CPR to Baby Shark, do do do do do). We also learned how to make and fly kites and during a night of experiments, we even managed to extract DNA from strawberries – who knew Beavers could do that?!

The Wider World

crate stacking at Fundays

We held coffee mornings where we raised a fantastic £178 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and more than £200 towards our defibrillator purchase. We tasted some interesting foods for the International Activity Badge and kept in touch with our friends in a Joey Mob in Queensland. We refurbished the bug hotel, found out about the origins of Scouting for Founder’s Day and compared some camp blankets – one of which belonged to the UK Chief Commissioner who visited us that night.

Overnight

There were several sleepovers, including one for each Colony in the Autumn. At their’s, Hudson made ‘ice cream cone’ cakes, biscuits, and pizzas, and we watched ‘Ratatouille’ (cooking-themed film), earning our Cook Activity Badge.
Huron used theirs to celebrate all four seasons in just 24 hours. Starting with an Easter egg hunt, we made kebabs and had a barbecue tea in our shorts and sunglasses, we had fireworks and sparklers before bed. Then when we woke up in the morning Father Christmas had been – there was a stocking at the foot of every Beaver’s bed and a Christmas tree in the kitchen. We had pigs in blankets for breakfast and finished with planting spring bulbs.

COVID-19

The year ended abruptly for face to face Scouting, but both colonies have set up some of the Activity and Staged Activity Badges for Beavers to do at home if they wish. Some Beavers, who were part way through their Gardener badge have been given their set of seeds so that they can continue at home. For the results, you will have to look at next year’s report.

Thanks
Our section leaders would like to say a huge thank you to their team (assistant leaders, section assistants and young leaders). They really appreciate the support of the Exec and all the parents for getting their children to Beavers each week. Most importantly – thanks to the Beavers for their energy, enthusiasm and for being as quiet as mice at each meeting. OK… well two out of three is good, and we wouldn’t want it to be too quiet. The leader teams are really missing Beavers at the moment and look forward to resuming normal service as soon as we’re allowed

The Hudson and Huron Leader Teams.