I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all of you, our members, our parents, our friends, and our supporters, a most wonderful Christmas.
I’m sure you’ll agree that we’ve had a terrific year. Highlights of the year included our group camp at Mount Melleray in the Knockmealdowns; our first level 7 adventure skills awards; spreading our wings to the far east at the World Jamboree in Japan; our first Beaver Scout camp; winning the County Orienteering Scouts and Venture Scouts events; starting our first ever Rover Scout section; bringing the Bethlehem Peace Light into our community; talking with scouts all over the world during the Jamboree On the Air; Chief Scout’s Awards winners in Beavers and Cubs; community support events such as the Lug Challenge (Scouts and Venture Scouts), Ashburners Cycle Safety, Suicide Awareness and the Ashbourne Fuel Fund (Beaver Scouts). And who can ever forget Podge the Scout at the St Patrick’s Parade?
As we set our sights on 2016 – our 40th year scouting in Ashbourne – we have a fabulous year ahead. There will be a Grand Ball in the spring for the whole community; we hope to bring together all of experiences and memories of those that have helped to make this 40 year journey possible. There will be an all-sections campout in Larch Hill in the summer; there will be events big and small that will challenge and develop the social, physical, intellectual, character, emotional and spiritual needs of all 130 of our beaver scouts, cub scouts, scouts, venture scouts, rover scouts and scouters..
None of this is achieved without you, your encouragement, your participation, your time and your energy. It is the greatest gift you can give. Thank you.
I wish you all the very best of hope for the new year.
Scouting is the adventure of a lifetime.
Declan Brady, Group Leader, 6th Meath (Ashbourne) Scout Group
