Well, if nothing else, the last year has been a good one for ducks! However for the Group it was the year of the new(er) minibus, bought after a great deal of rapid fundraising to meet a very tight deadline. Our thanks to all those who helped us.

Group activities also included the donation of filled Shoeboxes for children in Albania through Operation Christmas Child, a combined Cub & Scout Hornsea to Hull walk complete with Guide-dog ‘Kendall’ who has never had so many willing escorts, and the continuation of our regular swimming and sport sessions.

The Beaver Colony:
The Colony has continued to have fun and make friends. Craft is always popular, if rather messy, and we like to mark all traditional occasions - eg. the pot pourri gifts we made for our mums or mother figures on Mother’s Day. Our numbers were rather dented when the Cub Scouts took in over half the Colony over just a few weeks late last year, but we are now fully recovered and looking forwards.

The Cub Scout Pack:
Our Cub Scout Pack has been full for most of the year. We tried to lose a few on our recent walk over the Humber Bridge (with St Martin’s Pack) when the huge Christian Aid group were coming the other way, but they didn’t want any extras! The Cubs really enjoyed the District trip to the coal mine (thanks to Sid), and took part in all the District activities as well as the football tournament run by the West Hull Park Rangers, although their enthusiasm rather exceeded their ability! We enjoyed a week-end at Melton, where the opportunities to build fires and cook sausages kept several dads very busy, and our trip to Fun Junction was popular with both the Cubs and certain Leaders!

The Scout Troop:
The Scout Troop has had a good year despite a sad lack of District events. We had a wet-weekend camp at Raywell but this led us to invent a very quick and co-operative method of putting up tents, which we will surely use again. We entered the North Lincolnshire’s Day Pilot event for the first time, with three teams. Our top team came 12th (out of 36) but we are more likely to be remembered for our 3rd team, who came back tied together and shepherded by one of the back-up team, who was fed up with them getting lost! However, he did add that they were a super bunch who had kept him laughing and were a good advert for our group. Our summer camp
at Drum Hill (Derbyshire) was, between the rain showers, probably the best camp we have ever run. On the work side, we took part in the Council’s Environment Week, removing vast amounts of rubbish from outside the Parish Hall. During the winter months cooking was popular (and gave the leaders a bit of peace while they were eating) and the Patrol Leaders have planned enough activities to keep us busy for the next ten years!

The Venture Unit:
The Venture Unit, due to much efforts of Martin, has built up steadily through the year and has indulged in a wide range of activities (some of which are, I suspect, cloaked in secrecy!). However they do admit to Land-Yachting, a visit to London, 3 members completing their Rifle Instructor’s Course, a very very wet weekend camp (when a lot was learned about what they should have remembered to take), and various social as well as Scouting based activities. Two Venture Scouts arranged and ran a weekend camp for a small group of Scouts which was much enjoyed. The Unit has yet to achieve their ultimate challenge - getting Jason to turn up on time! but they did amaze the Leaders with a splendid three course meal put on to honour the Group’s 91st Birthday. We have never seen them work so hard but it was a very enjoyable evening. They also cleaned the mini-bus without being asked - what are they after?