’Lockdown, what lockdown?’ says Alexander

How one Scout has dealt with the situation!

While coronavirus might be making 2020 memorable for all the wrong reasons, this hasn't stopped individual Scouting activities and all the fun.

One 13-year-old Scout in our County, who is a Ripon Grammar School student, has taken on a number of long-distance challenges, including joining in the "collective" 240,000 mile Hike to the Moon (which is supported by Chief Scout Bear Grylls and Astronaut Tim Peake) - but he still finds time to regularly mow his elderly neighbour's lawn

Alexander Pickering has been enjoying a range of ambitious walking, cycling and orienteering challenges throughout lockdown.

This energetic young person has also kept himself busy designing fire escape plans for his family home and setting up a campsite in his back garden, where he sleeps out under canvas and cooks his own breakfast.

During this time, the 13-year-old Scout, who hopes for a career in medicine or engineering, also finds time amongst all his activities to mow his 92-year-old neighbour’s lawn.

As a member of the 6th Ripon Scout Group, Alexander has joined the 'Scout Hike to the Moon Challenge', with a target of collectively walking the 240,000-mile approximate distance from the Earth to the Moon. So far, he has clocked up an impressive 272 miles. He has also undertaken cycling and walking orienteering challenges, involving distances of up to 30 miles.

Alexander said: “Doing these challenges, which will go towards my Chief Scout Gold Award, has helped me keep fit during lockdown. I have also explored various parts of Ripon and the surrounding villages, some of which I have never been to before. It’s given me the opportunity to see lots of wildlife too, including red kites, hares, dragonflies and kestrels.”

His advice to others is: “Enjoy getting outdoors and exploring new places and keep yourself going with lots of determination, resilience and drinks and snacks!”

Good Advice, Alexander, and "Well Done"!

Scout Network Alert - Get Physical !!!

This from the ACC (Scout Network) Lewis Agar-Simms: 

"Doing a physical activity is fun and improves health and physical fitness. There’s an activity to suit everyone so choose something you are really interested in as well as work towards the Queen's Scout Award, Chief Scout's Diamond Award and/or The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Don’t know where to start? See our "let’s get physical" list and choose a new physical activity today.

Remember, when working towards the Queen's Scout Award, all members should complete 12 months in either the skill or the physical activity challenges, and when working towards the Chief Scout's Diamond Award, participants must complete six months in either the skill or physical activity challenges".

Remember ALL these activities can count towards: Queen's Scout Award, Chief Scout's Diamond Award, Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Come on then - Let's Get Physical !!

Gardening Competition for the month of MAY (and onwards)

Have YOU got Green Fingers?

May 2020
Gardening Competition
“Fabulous Flowers? Vicious Veg?”

The Scout County Creative Activities Team is looking to run a different ‘creative’ competition each month. For May, we would like entrants to get ‘green fingers’ and grow a plant(s) from seed.

The competition is open to everyone involved in Scouting and Guiding in the County of North Yorkshire (from Beavers and Rainbows through to adults).

The competition will be open for submissions until 30 September 2020, any entry received beyond that date will not be judged. Entries must be submitted to the following email address only: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Grow a plant (flowers or vegetables) from seed, using recycling materials to make containers to pot it on, and then display the results in an imaginative and creative way.

You will need to take photographs to document your progress from start to finish and submit these for judging by the end of September. Remember to keep the seed packet throughout the competition.

All entries must be submitted with the name of the entrant, Section (Beaver, Brownie etc), Scout or Guide Group, District plus Guide County details, an email or postal contact and confirmation that the entry is all the entrant’s own work. The entries will be judged in the appropriate section, all judging will be anonymous, and the decisions of the judges will be final.

Further information or for any queries please contact;

John A Ives
Assistant County Commissioner, Creative Activities
North Yorkshire Scouts
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Come on you gardeners - Let's put the 'OUT' in Scouting!