Kelvin Holford, the Kent Scouts County Commissioner has announced that Medway and Strood District Scouts will be merging back together in July this year. The aim of the merger is to combine and strengthen the District teams, primarily to assist with managing the Districts' assets and particularly Buckmore Park Scout Centre.

Adult Leaders in the Group may be interested in nominating members of the new District Team, and young people may wish to take part in the competition to design a badge and choose a name for the new Scout District. Forms for all of these have been distributed to Section Leaders and the closing date for these to arrive at Kent Scouts is 28th March 2008.

In 2008, Kent Scouts introduced a new challenge for all Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts. The Kent Invicta Challenge Award aims to encourage young people to get actively involved in all kinds of Scouting activities and events at Group, District, County, National and International level.

To gain the Kent Invicta Challenge Award which may be worn on unifrom, young people must complete two challenges from each of four sections. The challenges may be completed individually, as a small group, or as a whole Colony, Pack, or Troop.

21st Medway Beaver Scouts, Cubs and Scouts are again able to collect this year's Sainsburys Active Kids vouchers to redeem against equipment and resources in the Sainsburys Active Kids catalogue. There is a specific section for Scouts containing camping equipment, outdoor games and lots of exciting activity ideas.

You earn one Sainsburys Active Kids voucher for every £10 spent at any main Sainsburys store, including groceries on line at www.sainsburys.co.uk or at any Sainsburys petrol station, and one Active Kids voucher for every £5 spent at local stores.

News hot off the press... Plans are afoot which will finally see the reopening of Buckmore Park Scout Campsite!

There is still much work to be done, safety checks to be made and final arrangements to be put in place, but it has been proposed that Buckmore Park Scout Campsite will host a reopening camp for members of Medway and Strood Districts in May 2007.

Due to financial difficulties, the commercial Buckmore Park went into administration in April 2003 and despite the hard work and effort by a number of local Scout Leaders to keep the site open for camping, was forced to close entirely in June 2005.

Unfortunately none of our Scouts got places for the Kent Scouts Climbers Badge Day on the 3rd February 2007. We have contacted the Assistant County Commissioner for Scouts and asked when the next course will be.
For the time being, we will hold on to the entry forms and money that have been handed in and send them off as soon as details for the next course are known. If an

Information letters have been sent out to Members of all Sections giving details of activities for Term 3. Logged in website users will find copies of all the information sent out attached to this news item. Also included are details of the Bring A Friend Competition we are running in January and February, plus recruitment posters for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts ready to be printed.
(Right click on

Both the 21st Medway Cub Pack and Scout Troop took part in this year's District 5-a-side Tournament run by the 25th Medway. Although not as well attended as in previous years, there was some tough competition for both of our teams.

On Sunday 23rd April 2006 the 21st Medway Beaver, Cubs and Scouts took part in the Medway District Scouts' annual St. George's Day Parade. The weather was less than friendly, however members of every Scout Group in Medway still took part in the short parade from The Vines in Rochester, along the High Street, and into Rochester Cathedral for a short service.