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The area to keep update on the latest news within the Malling District.
Mallings Phoenix Explorers prepare for the gruelling Winter Survival... again!
13th February 2013
It’s that horrible cold dark wet time of year again for the Counties intrepid Explorer Scouts to pit their wits, strength, skills, determination, teamwork and courage in Kent Scouts Winter survival.
The event has been running for over 40 years, testing the eldest sections of scouts to their physical and mental limits. Around 30 - 40 teams enter the challenge annually from across the whole county. Each year only 2 or 3 teams including the best navigators, strongest and without doubt the most determined complete it.
This is a gruelling 40 plus miles, cross-country hike, traveling by day and night in freezing, wet weather conditions over the weekend 15 - 17 February. Last year Phoenix Alpha 1 completed the event and its much junior development team completed all but 8 miles in -12°C conditions through the deep snow and ice covered Kent countryside.
After last year’s event both teams categorically stated “Never again”.
However twelve months on, and here they are, up for it again, true grit and determination.
None of the teams know where the start or finish is, until given the phone call early on the Friday evening. After that it’s a kit check then keep walking to the finish... where ever that may be.
The next check points are only given when teams arrive at them on time, so no one including those manning the check points actually knows the whole route. It is simply a case of keep walking until you can physically go no further, or the conditions become overwhelming tough.
Teams are permitted a few hours break in the early hours of the Saturday morning. To make things even tougher, no tents or sleeping bags allowed, only a big orange polythene survival bag to crawl into for a few hours. Adding further difficulty to the teams is a searching enemy tracking them down and trying to disrupt the teams progress using additional physical challenges.
Leaders, parents and family members know this is an extreme and tough event, everyone has everything crossed for them all to do as well as they possibly can.
Good luck to all of you.
Christie Beaver Colony Invicta Challenge Award
12th January 2013
Congratulations to Christie Beaver Colony of 1st Snodland Scout Group who were presented with their Invicta Challenege Award yesterday! Kathy Smith, ACC Beavers, came along to make the presentation - thanks a lot Kathy!
Has your colony got their Invicta Challenge Award yet? Let us know what you are doing for it and send in a photoA Borough Green Cub's Invicta Challenge
13th February 2012
A Borough Green Cub is striving to achieve his Kent Invicta Challenge award, a requirement of which is to have an article they have written by the District. We're only too happy to help and here is the article:-
From January, Akela (Cathy Riley), our Borough Green Cub Scout Leader will only be with us for the Spring camp and other weekend activities. She has been great fun and managed to keep us under control but also given us some great times. We have had days out at places like Duxford Air Museum, Dover Castle, she’s been to lots of camps with us – and she has never lost any of us. Cathy has really inspired me to do well at Cubs and to go on to being a Scout and even perhaps Chief Scout one day! Louisa Larsen who used to be the Beaver leader for the Timberland Colony will be helping Cathy and starts in January with Bagheera (Chris Luckhurst), I know she will be good fun too.
By Gus P.
December 2011
