From your Editor

 Wot? Christmas again, - in the words of one our famous comedians-“I don`t believe it”. Whatever happened to the Jamboree we had this year? Where did Summer go to. And just recently, in the 3 rd week of November when it was pouring with rain, Derek Moffett said to me “ It`s just like a Summers Day isn`t it ?” Well, the year is nearly over, and what a year it has been. But 2008 is almost here, and it promises to be fantastic, with the real 100 th anniversary of Scouting being celebrated right here in Northumberland. Have a fantastic Christmas and Be Prepared for great New Year.

All the best to everyone from

Bill Moon- your Editor

Remember my niece in South Africa, with her jokes. She`s just sent me a computer dictionary from Durban, and here are some of the words.

Download—Get the firewood off the barrow.

Byte- What mosquitoes do.

Megabyte- What mosquitoes do at the Lakeside

Modem –What you did to the lawns.

Dot matrix- Farmer Jan Matrix`s wife

The cursor- the old bloke who swears a lot.

Upgrade-a steep hill.

Server- the bloke who brings you your pub lunch

User- the neighbour who keeps borrowing things.

There are many more- but perhaps for some other time -Thanks again for your input this year, Joanne.

Carol Service 17 th December 2007. St.Andrews Church , Newgate St @ 6.30pm

 Don`t forget this important date in your diaries: Leaders-bring your sections and their best singing voices. A great night to start the Christmas season off, and to remind us what the Season is all about.

Beavers in BBC`s Autumn Watch.

Did you see them.? Beavers used to be (many years ago) wild all over this country, but have been extinct now for 2 or 300 years. They have now been re-introduced, under special protection, in two or three places, one of which is Martin Mere in Lancashire . The pictures that BBC produced were wonderful. (All beavers mentioned here are the animal variety of course, and not the type which, we as Scouts, are aware of!!!!.)

Northumberland Moot

Northumberland what? Moot!!

This was held at Kenton School on the 25 th November and it seemed to be quite well attended. As one of the oldies there, I remember the name “Moot” being quite extensively used in Scouting by the oldest of the movement members at the time, the Rover Scouts. They held their International Rover Moots, in conjunction with the Jamborees, and it was as the advert said, an “assembly for discussion”. So an old fashioned word came back into fashion.

Those there, were certainly not old-fashioned. I recognised many young faces and others as well, from the back of the kitchen counter, I saw that discussion was well under way and enjoyable. I hope they all enjoyed it.

The Great North Sleepover

The Great North District Cub Scout sleepover on 17 - 1 8 Nov was a great success - many thanks to all leaders, parents, cubs  and explorers from Gosforth and Griffin.

We completed a 100 challenges between 5pm and 10.30am . including a early evening walk - a snaking line of hi-viz vests; we learnt the Jambo dance from our own Jamboree Cast member -Lewis Jobson.

We did cake decorating - making 100 decorated fairy cakes, lit the candles and sang happy birthday; we decorated postcards, wrote messages and posted them to friends and relatives, face painting and neckerchief signing - - our own designed scarf for the event. 9 Packs attended and nearly 90 cubs

The venue was the James Knott Memorial Hall in Heddon on the Wall.

Report by Sarah Haswell

On behalf of the Gang of Four - Cath Futers, Jackie Morley and Helen Langley & Me.

Report of the Great Scouting Fair

We hosted a very interactive stall including the DVD produced of Great North in 2007 for the County AGM in September - (if you have not seen it yet then let me know). We had a number of craft activities which visiting young people enjoyed - these included the balancing clown and beaver in a cage. There was also a Kims game which both young and not so young took part in.

Sarah Haswell