Our 80th Birthday year has begun. We started off with a refreshing walk in the New Year, exploring the local muddy places and building Woodie inspired art along the way. We’re very proud of ourselves because we will have achieved 80 Great Things over the course of 2014. Well done Newham Watersmeet Woodcrafters.

Join us in a community celebration in Stratford Circus on 15th November 6-9pm, you will need a ticket (free) so contact newhamwoodcraft@gmail.com for more information.

 

These are just some of the ideas that our young people put forward at the November pea fair:

• raise £80 each for a charity that reflects our values
• carve a fallen tree from the flats
• silly sports day
• have a mass camp fire sing-a-long for all ages (non- Woodies too)
• take a birds eye view group photo of woodcraft making the “80” shape and put on website
• different cooking stations then a massive dinner
• make chairs out of logs for grown ups to sit in with tea holders
• party at camp
• 80 people in a human pyramid
• plant 80 trees
• men against women and children football match
• water balloon fight
• make a film
• make a children’s map of Newham
• quiz and lots of prizes
• make a Woody play area
• really big camp fire on flats – invite other districts
• have a picnic
• street gardening in Forest Gate
• film 80 people saying “I’m a Woodcrafter”
• plant some bulbs
• pop up Woodcraft stall at Woodgrange Market
• cycle all around Newham
• make a stop frame animated film (animated tents!)
• get 80 adults to dress as clowns (face paint!)
• big event at the end of the year to celebrate
• camp
• have 80 wide games
• co-ordinated litter clean on Wanstead Flats
• write a book of 80 great games to play
• time capsules
• break world record for world’s largest birthday cake
• go to the toy shops

And this is what we have achieved:

80 Great Things to celebrate Newham Watersmeet Woodcraft Folk being 80 Years Young

 Ceilidh to launch 80 Years Young

Elfin performance for 80 years

A Great Walk 10 miles in East London Jan 2014

Launch of Calluna Project with Forest Gate WI

Funghi walk and talk with WREN

Film making workshop with Mouth that Roars

Stubbers residential trip for Venturers

Venturer/ DF bike restore & donation to Gambia

Walking boot donation to Gambia

DF presentation to Forest Gate Women’s Institute

Fundraising tuck shop on London camp for charity

15 Elfins become Pioneers

Pioneer and Elfin ice skating for 80

Pioneer Pea Fair – raising funds for charities

Pioneers create a warm up quiz for the 80th party

Health and tasty smoothie experiments at Pioneers

Waste less Live More –  autumnal art and conkers

Waste Less Live More –  Venturer and DF clothes swap

Young People are Bothered film session

Presentation to Unite Union for the  Palestine Project

Venturers and DFs flip burgers at Forest Gate Food festival

Venturer Winter Residential at Truleigh Hill

Newham Woodcraft starts tweeting

Helping out with gardening in a time of need

DF’s and venturers contribute to local Community Plan Project

DFs and Venturers Volunteer at Talking Newspaper

Trip to Darn House,  home of Charles Darwin

                                          Elfins and Pioneers get up close to badgers

Cudham residential trip Elfins and Pioneers

Woodcraft Craft Activities at Forest Gate Festival

Cycle tour of Newham with Newham Cyclists

Elfins exploring woodcraft history in dance

Monthly conservation days at Calluna Project

Elfin environmental treasure hunt on Wanstead Flats

Paper craft activity at community day at  the Gate library

Pioneers join London Pioneers at Shadwell Basin

WWI – history project with Eastside Community Heritage

Pioneer Video –  history of Newham Woodcraft Folk

Refreshment area run at Forest Gate Festival

Venturers host Challenge UK conservation days at SSSI

Venturers host children’s rights session for  Challenge UK

Play session at Newham City Farm

Singing at Forest Gate Food Festival

Elfin News- Film Project

Sharing camp skills with a new Pioneer group

Pioneers learn to cook their dinner on an open fire

Low Carbon Camp

Tie Dye Extravaganza

Host cycle cinema on London Camp

Wicker man build and burning ceremony

Hosting a French Delegation at London Camp

Venturers create a wide game for 80 people on camp

80 Woodcrafters Walk to Lost Pond

Countless meals made on camps and residentials

Eco generated sound project

Past, Present, Future bunting

District Quidditch Match

80 Greats Totem Pole

Inestimable number of hours experiencing the great outdoors

Knitting an 80 Great Banner

Creating a Past, Present and Future Camp Song

80 Greats District Camp

New safeguarding sessions launched

Calluna project provides wood for our camp fires

Planted seeds for summer

Pioneers create Tent Flags for camps

Pioneer Lantern making

Our DF group becomes one of the biggest in the country

DFs give over 100 volunteer hours to Pioneer and Elfin groups

Run crèche for State of Education Conference

Radio Interview on Nu Sounds Radio

Share songs at London Elfin Music Day

Venturers visit the Fat Walk to play moonlit ping pong

Corn dollies and willow weaving with Epping Forest Rangers

Venturer Song writing

Venturers Sleep Rough for charity

Venturers compile their 80 Inspirations

Over 1000 hours volunteering from adults  over the year

Elfins create 80 Great Biscuits

80 people saying ” I’m a Woodcrafter”