Tag archives for Surrey
Moving North
I haven't written for a while, and there are good reasons behind that, we're moving North! Until February all my spare time was spent online looking at houses in Scotland that we could move to. Moving North Finding a New Home in the North The February half term week was spent with a massive driving expedition across Scotland. We stayed at Blackridge, between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Over the course of the week we saw several houses on both coasts of Scotland and both south and north of the central belt. In the end we chose a fab house outside the area we'd been expecting, in NE Scotland between Dundee and Aberdeen. Preparing to Move The living room in the old house being packed ready for moving north. (Photo: James Kemp) Since then it's been a mix of packing books, of…
Half Trained
I am now a half trained cub scout leader. I spent the weekend at Bentley Copse scout centre in Surrey doing the first two days of the four day adult leader training course. When I'm done I'll have earnt the wood badge worn by thousands of scout leaders worldwide. The course exceeded my expectations, although those started fairly low. I was expecting two days of death by powerpoint being fed the party line, however unrealistic it may be. However what I got was a training team that understood that we were all thinking adults and that we were involved in scouting because we wanted children to have fun trying out new things in a safe environment. As well as that the theory was well interleaved with practical activities and discussion for us both to get to know each other…
Scouting for Grown Ups
I've been helping with my local scout group since 2010 and find it both enjoyable and rewarding. You get to do English: HMS Belfast (C35), London, England. HMS Belfast at her London berth, with Tower Bridge behind, 16 December 2005. Brightened, cropped and straightened version. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) interesting things while providing opportunities for children to try activities that they wouldn't otherwise be able to. Here are just a few of the things I've helped to support over the last four years sleepovers in the scout hut for beavers and cubs camping in tents for cubs walks outdoors (including nature rambles, night walks in the park, woodland walks and general exploration) outdoor cooking, including using campfires and collecting eggs from chickens visits to places of interest, including a fire station, HMS Belfast, Reigate Caves, a local synagogue, Fire of London…
A Mysterious Building
The mystery building from the path (Photo credit: James Kemp) While out earlier today with the Clark Pack of Merstham Cub Scouts on a sponsored walk up Reigate Hill to raise money for Merstham Aid Project (MAP) we came across this structure, which the National Trust have cleared the overgrown trees from and want to know more about. It's just along the track from Reigate Fort, a late 19th Century construction that was updated during both World Wars. During the Second World War Reigate Hill was one of the key points on the outer London defence ring. It commands the countryside to the South for at least a dozen miles, you have a clear view of Gatwick Airport and beyond. A closer view of the back of the building (Photo credit: James Kemp) You can see from this view that what…
Fire in the Night
This was the view from my bedroom window when I woke up this morning, there had been a large house fire a few doors down in the middle of the night. Six fire engines, a turntable ladder, command and incident support units on the green this morning (Photo credit: James Kemp) From speaking to neighbours and some of the Surrey Fire & Rescue Service crews and local Councillors (lots of which was via Twitter) I found out some of what happened, no doubt there is more to it than this. Sometime around 03:40 the fire started in the upstairs part of a semi-detached house at the other end of the green from my house. The exact time is unclear, but Surrey FRS reported that they were on the scene at 03:47. The man who lives in the house, a local mechanic…