A large crowd of Beavers, Cubs and parents have given their backing to a number of proposals made by leaders at a special presentation evening.

The Summer Social served two main purposes; to recognise the achievements of the Beavers and Cubs over the term, and to set out the group's agenda for the Autumn following a successful £700 grant application.

Though the presentation was blighted with technical problems, the leaders still managed to deliver their vision of a group working closer together and have set the following activities and targets for 2008/09:

Group Camp
The camp will be the first time that the entire group have spent a night away together. It will take place at Abington Campsite on the 10th-12th October 2008.

The Cubs and Scouts will benefit from 2 nights away camping outdoors whilst the Beavers will arrive on Saturday afternoon for a sleepover indoors. Cubs and Scouts will share the programme but will amalgamate with the Beavers in places.

Simon (YoYo) will lead the camp, with Charles (Akela) and Chris (Baloo) assisting to earn their Nights Away Permit.

Thanks to the grant, the cost of the camp will be roughly £7.50 per Beaver and £15 per Cub/Scout.

Group Night Hike
The last group hike was in 2005 so this event is well overdue. The 26th Cambridge Headquarters in Logan's Way will act as a start and end point, with the route set to follow the river into town and back.

The 26th Cambridge Explorer Scouts have offered to provide a warm snack on completing the hike, and there may be an opportunity for the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to sleep over at the hut.

Group Outing
4 destinations are currently under consideration for the Group Outing, which will take place in September 2008 or May 2009.

Drayton Manor Theme Park, Colchester Zoo and Pleasurewood Hills have all be put forward, along with a day trip to London. The cost, including travel, will be no more than £10.00 per person thanks to the grant.

Starting a Scout Troop
The 18th have made an application to the District Commissioner to start up an 'integrated' Scout Troop. The troop would run alongside Cubs on a Monday Evening. Cub leaders will support and supervise the troop, but not run their programme.

The Beaver leaders have offered to support the Troop with their 'extended' programme and assist on Scout specific evenings and events.

Once the Troop find a permanent Leadership Team, the hope is to move them from a Monday night to a dedicated Thursday slot after Beavers, between 7:30-9:00pm subject to Church approval.

The 18th will negotiate extra storage space with the Church and has enquired about the use of the cupboard behind the meeting room.

Other Ambitions
The 18th are looking to buy 3 new lightweight tents at roughly £300 each. The tents would be ideal for 'communal' camping and sleep the equivalent of 2 sixes/patrols (12-man) per tent. They are easy to erect and maintain.

The group also have plans to expand the website, with a dedicated members area and Gallery+. Project YoYo is being expanded and will be a dedicated area for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Version 5 (aka 'Nova') is currently under development.

Finally, the group would like to produce a DVD will all the current footage and photos. This is under development and expected sometime in 2009.