This place was a big part of my childhood. This is the location of 5th Ormskirk Scout Group, linked to the Parish Curch, hidden next to the graveyard from all but those in the know. I attended Cubs from age 8, then Scouts when I was 10½ before helping as a Leader up until I went to University.
The 5th didn’t have a Venture unit so I joined 9th Ormskirk (Christ Church, Aughton) and coming back to Ormskirk after University, a few of us started up an Explorer Unit in Parbold but the 5th is where my heart will always be.
It was sad to see 5th Ormskirk close ten years ago but changing populations in the town made it near impossible for three groups to survive and prosper. A few weeks ago, the building having stood empty for years was finally demolished.
It was strange going back to see the space where the hut once stood but this isn’t a time to look back with regret, as Lord Baden Powell once said:
Scouting is a movement because it keeps on moving forward.
If it stops moving it becomes an organisation and is no longer scouting!
Elsewhere in the District things certainly are moving forward. By the summer there will be a fantastic new Scout and Guide headquarters in Parbold. Plans for a new District Headquarters are under-way in Lathom. Nationally, the number of young people enjoying Scouting is growing.
So here’s to 5th Ormskirk – gone home but not forgotten.
Really nice and pretty relaxed weekend up in the Lakes for DESC. Went up Friday night with Hugh (thanks for driving!) and the realisation that I had to camp in March came to me all of a sudden. Tent looked its usual saggy self once put up on a GT slope but managed to find a line for my thermarest between the mounds. Wasn’t too cold at night once I’d wrapped my towel around myself for a bit of extra insulation.
Saturday Martin and I got permission of go off and do our own thing so we met up with Tim for a little walk. Parked up in Patterdale and walked St Sunday Crag, Fairfield, Dollywaggon Pike, Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn. About 20km in all taking 8 hours. Tim’s done the business on spareweekend.com so check out the details there.
Sunday the Explorers tried out the new low ropes course at Great Tower. It’s pretty cool and a great asset to the site. Unfortunately one of the trees has fallen down taking out a couple of obstacles so it’s not a complete circuit at the moment.
Numbers were down for DESC but in terms of atmosphere and activities it was as good if not better than previous years and I think the Explorers catering in smaller groups is a model for future events. But please someone stop me from making scrambled egg next time 
So next weekend is Moonlight. The finish was announced yesterday as Halsall School, a place I should know fairly well having done Explorers there for the last few months! Still a team member short but hopefully we’ll be able to sort that out before next Saturday.
Also next Saturday is the PHP Throwdown competition. Take a look at the website if you’re interested in all the details but it’s basically a race over 24 hours to make the best website application you can in PHP. I’d really like to take part but I’m going to struggle a little I think – I’ll be up at 8am on Saturday but won’t be able to start programming until after 10pm and the last slot starts at 6pm so I’ll be 4 hours behind without writing even a line of code.
I’ve got an idea for a website so I’m going to try to work it out on paper this week to give me a chance of being able to complete it but it’ll take a lot of work and I’m going to be knackered by 6pm Sunday!