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Cub NewsLatest NewsAll the latest news for Cubs at 1st Bishops Waltham Altar frontal at St PetersNews - Cub News Last Updated on Friday, 20 January 2012 08:52 Altar frontal at St Peters
The Cubs from Bishops Waltham Diamond and Wolf Packs made the altar frontal for the Gift Service at St Peters Church in November.
Cubs bonfire night adventureNews - Cub News Last Updated on Friday, 20 January 2012 08:44
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Cubs Bonfire Night Adventure
Inside the warm Scout Hut supper was waiting for us and after changing out of our muddy clothes and boots we ate our hot dogs and drank our hot drinks. We had all brought our favourite board games and so we went upstairs in the Scout Hut and spent several hours playing games with each other, ranging from chess, Frustration, Giant Jeng
made out of natural materials such as twigs, stones and grass.
Kip on a Ship: Cubs sleep on HMS Belfast, London
Fortunately we found seats for all the Cubs as the train travelled towards London and soon we had arrived at Waterloo. With our packs on our backs we headed for the Thames and started the nearly 3 mile trek to HMS Belfast. We took the South Thames Path which was alive with people on the sunny Friday evening and along the way we saw dancers, mime artists, fire jugglers, sand castles, a giant lawn sofa, the Globe theatre, the millennium bridge and the Golden Hind.
After settling in we clambered out of the mess deck and off the ship to a small grass area next to City Hall. There we ate a snack and played several games before heading back to the ship by 10pm. We drank hot chocolate and watching a DVD before getting ready for bed and the hatches were closed and the lights turned out. There was some chatter before the tiredness of the long journey overcame the excitement of sleeping aboard a navy cruiser.
After a long visit to the gift shop we took our packed lunches and went on the nearby grass again to eat our food and play some more games. We then set off back to Waterloo along an even more crowded South Thames Path. Unfortunately we had one Cub who was poorly and so two of our leaders took him back directly to Waterloo by taxi. The taxi driver was wonderful and despite a busy Saturday afternoon with almost grid-locked roads the taxi driver would not accept any payment or even a tip for the trip.
Wearily reaching Waterloo, the train station staff were helpful and guided us to the platform where an earlier train than the one we planned to catch was waiting. The train driver found us to a carriage which had enough seats for all of us although he did comment that we 'had to be quick' as he climbed back into the cab. We quickly boarded the train and collapsed into our seats as the train pulled away from London. The friendly guard on the train joked with us later, when he came to check tickets, that we were responsible for delaying his train. When we reached Winchester the driver helped us count the Cubs out of the train while the guard made sure we were all safely on the platform before he signalled the train to depart.
They explained how they had to take part in a selection camp and how they are raising funds for their trip in a variety of ways. To keep with the theme of Sweden the Cubs also sampled some Swedish food such as knäckebröd (crisp bread) with blueberry and raspberry jam, and chokladflarn kakor (chocolate cakes).
For 
pancake evening the Cubs learnt about different types of gas stoves and their uses before each Six set up their own stoves. Carefully they mixed the batter ingredients and then started cooking. Every Cub cooked at least one pancake and made good use of the syrup, sugar and lemon available to accompany them. In some cases there was more syrup than pancake on the plate! Some of the more adventurous Cubs even tossed their pancakes to turn them over, and not one landed on the floor or stuck to a ceiling! The evening also proved that the smoke alarms in the Scout Hut are all in good working order, before we opened all the windows and doors to disperse the smoke from some of the more “overcooked” pancakes!
In November, Diamond Pack held a scrapheap challenge evening. The aim was to create a strong bridge which spanned eight feet between two tables. The Cubs worked in their sixes and the resulting four bridges were all of different design and construction. Each bridge was then tested for strength by a selection of books placed in the middle of the bridge, representing a chicken, then a person, a bicycle, a car, a lorry and finally a tank. Despite some parts falling off the bridges under the heavy loads, all bridges supported the tank!
After having a practise run, six of the Cubs from Diamond Pack then represented the Meon Valley District in the Hampshire Cubs Scrapheap Challenge in Waterlooville. Upon arrival the Cubs entered into a hall and were giving instructions on what they had to design and build. Leaders and parents were banished from the hall and waited anxiously until they were finally allowed in to see their Cubs creations and hear the results. The challenge was to design and make a Campsite of the Future, and marks were given for design and construction and teamwork. Diamond pack Cubs worked very hard and were the victors, beating about 19 packs from across the county.
The organisers also worked very hard themselves; the official trophy was not available on the day, so in the true spirit of the competition, whilst the youngsters worked hard on their own designs, the organisers rallied and used available resources to make a scrapheap trophy for a scrapheap challenge. Well done to the Cubs from Diamond Pack and thank you to the county organisers for all of their hard work.