Patrol activities

Kestrels Advancement Day

We arrived at Laura’s house at around 9:00 – apart from Simon, he was still asleep – and started what would become a very very very productive day.

We started off chill. A few advancement tasks here and there and then we made tea and it was like everyone was asleep and now after tea is was like BOOM wakkie wakkie!  Then we started cooking.  I went from 51% to 80% in the span of one hour.  Then we made these lovely cappuccino muffins that Ov couldn’t bake.

In the end it was fun and we really got productive.
Jocelyn Berry

Avila’s Community Service

On the 7th of June, Avila ran her discoverer community service, which was collecting and then throwing away rubbish at the park next to zandvlei. It was very cold and rainy throughout the day. There was a race to see which team of two could collect more rubbish, but in the end, one of the bags broke so we had to put the broken bag in the other one. We took several brakes at Avila’s house where we got to have tea, rusks and eat whatever snacks we brought while warming up by the heater after getting soaked. We had terrible luck because it was poring whenever we were working but whenever we took a break the rain would stop. In the end, we managed to collect 2 bags of rubbish and despite it being wet and cold, it was still a fun experience helping the community and the environment.

From the Patrol noticeboards

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/smoke-signals/patrol-activities/

Upton Shield 2025

On the 4th of May, twelve junior scouts from 1st Claremont embarked on an exhilarating hike to Hawequas. The troop, known for their strong performance in Upton, was eager to maintain their reputation. After a period of consecutive first-place finishes, they had narrowly missed the top spot the previous year, and came 2nd.

The day began with a gathering of the patrol leaders, who received their instructions. The scouts were tasked with collecting several pieces of paper and an egg, which they were to protect throughout the hike. While the task seemed straightforward, it proved challenging for some. Before the patrols could even begin, Axel’s egg met an unfortunate end.

As the hike commenced, with everyone now in possession of an intact egg, the scouts set off. It started with a riddle, you could only continue once you had the answer. Team A, or as I like to say, the A team, was at the front and while probably in the front 5 teams, Seth wanted to be first. I had to remind him that it wasn’t a race, and we were making good time, but of course that was not a good enough excuse. With loads  of challenging bases, Upton stretched the scouts knowledge and was fun and adventurous. Luckily our map skills and geography were good, because we didn’t go on the wrong path like other patrols and ended up finishing twenty minutes before anyone else.

It seemed the scouters misjudged the juniors’ hiking abilities though, as they had to extend some base times and rush everyone off the mountain so we could end in time . The closing parade was filled with anticipation as the results were announced. Our troop performed exceptionally well, with the A team securing 2nd place (just one point shy of first!), the B team achieving 21st, and the C team finishing 43rd out of 63 teams! I wholeheartedly recommend Upton to all future junior scouts and wish I could relive the experience. It was truly amazing.

Saskia Berry

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/smoke-signals/upton-shield-2025/

Meerkats as Bug Hunters

As part of the Bug Hunter badge, our Meerkats made worm farms. They were fascinated by the talk given by Rikki (Karen Hewson) and then set about storing the wriggling animals in padding. Playing Beetle was all part of the fun. Ella gave an excellent talk on her favourite bug – the Ladybug. Thanks to all the parents who co-ordinated and helped with these meetings.

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/smoke-signals/meerkats-as-bug-hunters/

Julia’s Discoverer Hike

My Discoverer Hike was more of a patrol adventure up the West Coast. We met at my house in the morning and set off to the !Khwa ttu Nature Reserve near Yzerfontein. We were dropped there and explored the San Heritage Museum. The museum was super interactive and interesting, and I’m really glad we could recognize the history of the area we were exploring. We then set off on the actual hike, which I think we all had a lot of fun with. On the way home, we stopped at Blouberg for a swim and an ice-cream underneath a perfect clear sky.

Oliver Ringrose says: “The Bateleur Patrol set out on a patrol hike in the !Khwa ttu Nature Reserve exploring its trails and landscapes. We stopped at the museum, which was awesome and had lots of interactive parts. Along the way, we saw springbok and other varying types of wildlife. This was an awesome time to be remembered.”

Matthew Darcy Evans says: “The day started off fairly cold, but thankfully we got to look around inside the museum before we set off, which was very interesting. It did take us a while to find the correct route to take, but eventually we found it. It then proceeded to warm up quite quickly. We saw some cool animals along the route, like a tortoise, as well as some ostriches. On the way back, we stopped at the beach where some of us swam, and we had ice cream. It was a great hike, and I think everyone enjoyed it.”

Harry Deering says: “It was very fun to go on your hike, the view was really nice, and the walk itself was really fun because we didn’t need to rush it that much, and we were talking a lot, which was nice, so there wasn’t silence.”

The museum was quite interesting, with all the things that were there and the video that we watched. The buttons made sounds, and when you hovered your hand above the table, it made a sound.”

Overall a very fun day with some great memories!

Julia Webb

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/smoke-signals/julias-discoverer-hike/

Kon-Tiki Raft Building 2025

Being on raft was an amazing experience. It was sooo fun, we were the first raft out (there seemed to be some misunderstandings as to where we had to be 😅) and so we got to watch all the other rafts coming out onto the vlei, while we watched, Oliver played music (meme music – sticking to our theme memeworks). It was raining and our raft decided it wanted to grace us with the presence of rain inside the raft so we had to make a plan to fix the leak. There were lots of fun STAs for us to complete (Saskia made an awesome stop motion video/movie) and there were some mind boggling ones too.

The night was one of my favourite parts of being on raft. We had to take night shifts and watch to make sure our raft wasn’t sinking and also try our best not to fall asleep. My shifts involved us attempting to play uno on the floorboards outside (we borrowed it from another raft who sent it over via canoe but we decided not to play it cuz it hadn’t been opened) and then we played 20 questions and took many photos 📸. The next day there was the canoe race which Oliver and MK took part in 👏👏 and did very well. The rest of us (Julia, Avila, Saskia and me) watched from the raft, we couldn’t really see them but it was fun watching. Eventually it was time for us to come back to land and disassemble the raft (so sad 😢, everyone worked really hard to build it).

Juliet D’arcy-Evans

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/smoke-signals/kon-tiki-raft-building-2025/

Focus on Families and new Adult Leaders

In the second term, several parents got involved in our adult leader team in the Meerkat Den, Cub Pack and Scout Troop. Being an adult leader as a parent or grandparent is a fantastic way to be involved in your child’s activities and to help build the community at 1st Claremont.

Njabulo Ndlovu – Meerkat Leader

My journey to becoming a Meerkat leader was inspired by my son, Khaya, as he wanted to spend more quality time together through meaningful activities. Although there’s no history of Scouting in our family and I had no prior experience working with the Meerkat age group, I bring valuable experience from my past as a voluntary youth worker.

At Beth Uriel, a home for young men, I helped connect youth with the outdoors through various activities. I also continue to volunteer as an online mentor for young people through the Infinity Family initiative. My involvement is driven by a genuine passion for community building and youth engagement, and a commitment to raising active.I am proud to be part of the 1st Claremont Scout Group and am excited to support the young Meerkats in the den and to learn from them along the way.

Hewson family – Cub and Scout Leaders

This term, Karen Hewson joined our Cub team and Oliver Hewson joined our Scout team, so their whole household are now officially involved as adult leaders.

I am Riki Tiki Tavi, one of the newest Assistant Pack Scouters. My son, Oliver, and husband, Fraser, are both Assistant Troop Scouters. Oliver joined as a Cub 11 years ago and Fraser, along with Ian Webb, runs the Senior Cub Camp.

Last year when I volunteered at the Senior Cub Camp in October I met so many amazing Cub Leaders and Scout Assistants.  The Scout Program offers just as much opportunity to learn and grow for adults as it does for the kids. The Adult Training courses are jam-packed with useful knowledge and all the volunteers are amazing.

The best part is I can have more fun with my family now that we are all part of the Scouting community.

Nick Hall – Scout Leader

The Galvao Hall family are veteran Scouts and they were there on Friday 13 June for Isabel’s investiture as a Cub at 1st Claremont, where she was previously a Meerkat. Mom Bruna (Hathi) is a Cub leader, Dad Nick (Fox) has just moved from the Meerkat Den to return to our Scout Troop, aunt Becca (Galago) is a Meerkat leader, big sister Micaela is a Cub, and granny Jane is a proud supporter! Also remembering grandpa Andrew Hall who was very active in Scouting in Gauteng and Nationally.

I am Nick “Fox” Hall, I did my scouting as a child in at 9th Benoni, up in Gauteng where I got my Springbok Scout and formed part of the SA contingent to Thailand for the World Scout Jamboree in 2002. When I moved to Cape Town to study I joined 1st Claremont as an ATS in 2008, I became Troop Scouter in 2010. I continued to TS until 2015 when my first child was born. I rejoined 1st Claremont in 2019 as the Den Scouter to start the Meerkat Den, where I became Assistant Den Scouter in 2021. My first Meerkat is now in Scouts and many more will be comin through in the coming years, and a bunch of my former scouts from my time as TS are now also adult leaders. I’m looking forward to rejoining the Scout Troop as ATS!

My wife Bruna is an APS with the cubs (Hathi), my sister Becca is ADS (Galago) with the Meerkats, and my two daughters, Isabel and Micaela are not both in Cubs.

Jaco Ferreira and Brent Johnson – Cub leaders

Two more parents joined our Cub leader team earlier, but we have not featured them before now. Jaco was previously a Meerkat leader and has moved to the Cub Pack along with his son Terran. Brent has also joined the Cub Pack team, transferring from 3rd Pinelands along with his children Declan and Abigail.

Sebastian Hammond – Boksburg Scouter

My name is Sebastian Hammond, I am 19 years old, and currently a first-year student studying marine biology and ocean and atmosphere sciences at UCT. I have been a part of the Scouting movement since I was about 8 years old. I joined 1st Boksburg as a cub, and then moved to 2nd Boksburg in Scouts, where I had remained for the entirety of my Scouting career. I attended the 2023 World Scout Jamboree in South Korea and had the time of my life. In my time as a Scout, I achieved my first-class advancement just before aging out, and I attended 65th Gilten PLTU. I love the way Scouts creates a sense of family and belonging, and gifts you with skills that are not taught at school. I have always loved learning new things as well as teaching skills and imparting survival, leadership, and scouting knowledge that I have been lucky enough to learn. 

I come from Boksburg, on the East Rand of Gauteng, where I stayed with my younger brother, mom, and dad. I love hiking, and anything to do with the outdoors (and animals, any and all kinds). I have a Level 3 first aid qualification, and I have always had a love of helping others, I was the head of the first aid committee at my school and attended most games and tournaments as the first aider in charge. I also love reading. I read many kinds of books, from horror and true crime to romance, fiction, and at times, non-fiction. I also love writing, usually horror and the darker genres. (So yes, I am and always have been a bit of a nerd).

Western Cape Adult Leader Awards

In May, leaders from 1st Claremont were recognised at the annual Western Cape Region Adult Leader Awards.

Jonathan Webb received his 20 Year Service award, and Susan Gammon received her 10 Year Service award. The 1st Claremont fundraising team received a Commendation. Daniel le Jeune and Fraser Hewson received the Certificate of Merit, and Jonathan Webb received the Medal of Merit. Elton le Roux (who began as a leader at 1st Claremont before moving to 4th Claremont) received his 5 Year Service award and a Commendation.

1st Claremont leaders with Chief Scout’s Commissioner Gary Pienaar at the Western Cape Awards Ceremony

An appeal to get involved

1st Claremont is only as strong as its leadership, all of whom come from our own community. We would love you to get involved. If you would like to take on a role in the group, please speak to your unit leader (Judith Bishop, Lucy du Toit or Simon Bean) or to our Scout Group Leader (Ian Webb). We are particularly in need of additional Meerkat leaders to support Judith and Njabulo – ideally we need a team of four or more adults in the Meerkat Den.

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/smoke-signals/focus-on-families-and-new-adult-leaders/

Liesbeek Meerkats go Geo-caching

On a chilly day in the month of May, over 30 Liesbeek Meerkats gathered to go on a hike with a difference. Geo-caching is not part of our ambit, but Fox from 1st Claremont explained it so well that everyone was excited. As we strolled along, we sang a song, until we came an appointed spot. There were no buzzing bees or sycamore trees, but the Meerkats did have to climb and clamber to find three geo-caching canisters.

The Meerkats had been told to bring treasures as small as a marble. Some brought marbles. We did not know that marbles were still around. Then a treasure was careful placed in the canister, one was removed, and the name of the Group carefully written down. 

The wind didn’t blow and there wasn’t any snow and we all came out of the woods feeling like we lived in a land of milk and honey with our beloved Big Rock Candy Mountain next to us. It was a lovely day. Thank you to Nick Hall and all the other Meerkat leaders.

Judith Bishop
Den Scouter

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/meerkats/liesbeek-meerkats-go-geo-caching/

Smoke Signals Q1 2025

Help yourself to a generous dollop of highlights from the first term!

You can read Smoke Signals Q1 2025 as a PDF, or scroll through our website to read the articles separately.

The group as a whole (Meerkats, Cubs, Scouts, adult leaders and parents) started the year with a family campfire, preceded by our AGM where Judith, Lucy and Daniel reported on what their units have been up to and their plans for the year ahead, and Ian presented the idea of a “Big, Hairy Audacious Goal” for 1st Claremont to own our hall.

Our Scout Troop ended 2024 by sending two teams of senior Scouts to the 10-day Cederberg Senior Scout Adventure as well as a large team of adults on the adventure staff. They were back just before Christmas, and a few days after New Year the Scouts were off again for our summer Troop Camp on the Breede River, jointly with two other Troops.

In January the Troop said goodbye to 6 Patrol Leaders who are now in matric: Ethan, Holly, James, Peter, Tim and Tim will fill the role of Troop Leaders until they turn 18, and then hopefully continue their Scout career as adult leaders. They handed over the torch (literally!) to Avila, Joel, Julia, Laura, Laura and Malaika who will lead Goshawks, Swifts, Bats, Eagles, Kestrels and Boks patrols.

The Scout Troop has maintained an incredibly active programme this term with camps, hikes, community service, climbing, competitions, friendship activities, badge courses, leadership courses, Kon-Tiki prep and more. You can find out about some of those in Smoke Signals and by following our Instagram account and website.

The Cub year is running full steam ahead, with the MasterChef Cub Camp definitely the highlight of a fantastic first term! Cubs also attended the regional Cub Fun Day.

Meantime, the Meerkats “Sailed Away”, building rafts and visiting Brownsea Island as part of the Scout Heritage theme.

Our Meerkats, Cubs and Scouts proudly wore their uniform to school on Founder’s Day (22  February) to celebrate their heritage as part of the Scout movement which is 118 years old this year, with 57 million members worldwide.

At the Western Cape awards ceremony in February, our group was ranked 4th overall in the Western Cape for 2024, and earned Gold Stars for the Den, Pack, Troop and three of our Patrols.

In March, 1st Claremont played a big role in leading the Senior Cub Camp, an exciting camp with a “Survivor” theme, aimed at helping 10 year old Cubs from all over the Western Cape to “Be Prepared for Scouts”.

In March we had our biggest fundraising project for several years with our Scout Market, including a very successful raffle. It was a great success, raising R 44 000 for the group. The market also raised our profile in the community, with publicity in both People’s Post and Southern Suburbs Tatler (front page, nogal) and even a spin-off radio interview on Bush Radio with Regional Commissioner Nimmy Abrahams. Thank you to everyone for supporting this event.

We have been pushing hard to improve our hall and facilities and keep them in great condition, and we are very grateful for the new front security fence sponsored by Storm Fencing. Other hall improvements have included roof waterproofing, landscaping and new benches in the front garden, pruning the trees on Thelma Road, repairing the Scouters Den floor and repainting the den, among many other projects. 

We’re delighted to welcome Megan Green as a new adult leader assisting in the Meerkat Den, Karen Hewson in the Cub Pack, and Oliver Hewson in the Scout Troop. Sadly, we said goodbye to Caleb who has moved to a job in the Czech Republic, and this term will be Daniel le Jeune’s final term as Troop Scouter, as he will be stepping down in June. We’ll say more about Daniel’s enormous contribution to the Troop in our next issue of Smoke Signals.

We were sad to hear recently that Trevor Jones, one of our Springbok Scouts, passed away late last year at age 77. The Jones family played a major role at 1st Claremont: Trevor’s father Dennis joined the Pack in the 1920s, continuing into Scouts and Rovers, while Trevor was a Scout and Rover at 1st Claremont, a Springbok Scout, and a member of the winning Gordon Shield team in 1965 (see the photo from 60 years ago) in a period when 1st Claremont was at peak strength and won that event multiple times. Trevor’s younger brother Howard was also a Scout at 1st Claremont. The 2025 theme for Scouts South Africa in 2025 is “Our Heritage”, so it is fitting to remember the Jones family and others who have contributed to the success of 1st Claremont over the years. 

Ian Webb – Scout Group Leader

Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/smoke-signals-2025-issue-1/