18th April 2012
Dear Parents,
London
Diamond Jubilee Visit – 2nd June to 4th June 2012
With our Jubilee visit now only forty five
days away I can now provide you with detailed information about the trip.
We will meet at Carlisle Station at 08.50
on Saturday 2nd June. Our
train departs at 09.09 and arrives at Euston at 13.36. All the Cubs and Leaders will be seated
together in the same carriage. A packed
lunch will be required.
We will be staying at the Holland Park
Youth Hostel for two nights. All of the
rooms that we are using are private and will not be shared with any other
users. Washing facilities are also
segregated. We will though be sharing
the hostel with other customers.
Activities over the weekend have been
booked and we will be visiting the major London sights, taking a ride on the
London Eye, visiting the Imperial war Museum, Cabinet War Rooms and National
History Museum. * There will be time to
explore several areas more thoroughly and pose for a photograph or two! Unfortunately our trip to HMS Belfast has
been cancelled and it will not be possible to visit on this occasion.
Our train departs from Euston at 15.56 on
Monday 4th June. We arrive
back in Carlisle at 21.02 – a longer journey than I wished for but engineering
works take precedence that weekend.
In total we will be taking twenty four
children, two young leaders and seven adults.
The adults accompanying the group will be myself, Ben Hodgkiss, Rachel
Bradley, Michael Neile, Mick Goodman, Don McCutcheon and Gavin Clarkson. This provides a fantastic adult to child
ratio. All of the Leaders have had
experience of trips to London and provide a range of experiences that will
ensure that the Cubs have a great time.
All Cubs will be asked to take a minimum of
luggage with them and uniform will be compulsory. We ask that every Cub wear the requested
uniform to ensure that they remain both smart and visible during the
weekend. The need for minimal luggage
will be apparent on Monday when the Cubs will be required to carry their gear
with them. Only small rucksacks will be
suitable – no-one can use a case or large bag.
(A demonstration of what is needed will be available at the parents
meeting on 25th April.)
Thanks to the fund-raising and grants that
we have been able to apply for, the cost of the trip has been reduced by £25 to
£125 at present. However, with a further
bag pack scheduled and news of two further grants to come, I hope that this
figure will fall further. Every £250
received reduces the bill by £10 for each of you. I ask that you pay your £125 as soon by May 2nd. Every effort has been made to reduce the
costs but as you aware London prices are significantly higher than those on a
campsite.
Each person going will receive a special t-shirt
that has been designed for the event.
This will be part of the uniform for the weekend and will ensure that
our Group will be easily spotted! I will
require sizes for each person at our meeting on April 25th. These are 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, XS.
We will be holding a briefing meeting at
the Scout Hut on Wednesday 25th April. This will start at 8.05pm (straight after
Cubs) and be finished by the end of Cubs. I will be able to answer many of your
questions at this time.
A great deal of time has been spent
ensuring that risks are kept to a minimum.
We will expect the highest standards of behavior and compliance on what
will be a busy weekend in London. This
will keep everyone safe, maximise the enjoyment for everyone and make sure that
the trip is a memorable event.
I look forward to speaking with you on
Wednesday.
David Hodgkiss
(Akela)
