Cooperation (2013-01-28)

We started with Circle News, Dylan and Ivo showed us their certificates and Dylan's medal from their karate grading. Flora has moved up a grade in gymnastics. Molly can do a cartwheel. Nia has been making a dragon. Magnus went to the deep, dark wood. Kobi has lost two teeth and Tessa told us that her grandfather has died.

We discussed which Parachute Games to play and decided upon Mushroom and Shark Attack

Finally we added balls to the parachute to illustrate Cooperation and the way in which the group can reach Consensus by controlling the ball to send it to a named person or roll all the balls, together, around the edge of the parachute.

We ended with the Closing Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Lisbeth, Emily, Liz, Renno, Jeff
Elfs: 20
Woodchips: 2

The Woodcraft Motto (2013-01-21)

We started with a game of Octopus, whilst people arrived.

We held a circle and gave our News and introduced ourselves again. Most of us had been out in the snow, Izzy has her sixth birthday tomorrow. Flo has hers in February. Connie was on television as her school was part of a program about reading. One of Ivo's cats died.

After News we discussed what rules we needed for the group. Both the children and the adults suggested rules, which are given below and have also been placed on the website links.

Iffley Elfins Rules

No violence

Don’t talk while others are speaking

Have fun

No swearing

Only one bit of News

Include everyone in activities

Stay off the Equipment

When someone shouts Woodcraft stop what you are doing and shout Folk!

Do not run near fire

Share!

Do what you are told

Don’t be stroppy

Do not make personal remarks

Don’t sit in the middle of the circle

Next we played friendship games. Tegan had printed sheets with activities. We split into pairs with an activity sheet. Each pair found another and did an activity with them, and then gave each other a sticker!

Sing a song or say a poem with the other pair.
Stand in a circle and pass the ball around it. How fast can you go before you drop it?
Try to make the other pair laugh. Tell a joke, make funny faces. When you have made them laugh swap over and see if they can make you laugh.
Stand in age order. Stand in height order.
Can your pair and another pair stand on one piece of paper without touching the ground? How about half a piece of paper?
Think of an animal. Tell the other pair what letter that animal starts with. They can ask yes/no questions until they guess the animal.
Find out all the names of the people in the other pair including middle names. What would their name be if you said the names backwards?
Act out a job. Can the other pair guess what it is?
Make a machine with the other pair. It can be any kind of machine but everyone needs to play a part.
Draw round each others hands and cut them out. Write your name and the name of the persons whose hands you have drawn on it.
Make a friendship bracelet.
Play a game of picture consequences.

After a biscuit we held a final Circle and sang Happy Birthday to Izzy and then ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers: Emily, Liz, Ellen, Jeff
Elfs: 17
Woodchips: 1

The Woodcraft Logo (2013-01-14)

We started with game of Octopus, whilst people arrived.

We had lots of new joiners in our first session of term. We introduced ourselves in Circle News and welcomed Matilda, L&eacte;na, Izzy, Flo, Hazel, Lotti and Rayan. Also lots of new parents: Emily, Liz, Ruth and Rana. Millie-Maye showed us her very nasty cut.

Tegan had some jigsaws of the Woodcraft Logo, with different colours on the reverse side. Everyone picked a piece and joined with others with the same colour. When the Jigsaws were completed we stayed in the groups to play name games.

We decided which name remembering games to play, first we played a name game where we threw a ball (or scarf) to someone in the circle after shouting their name. Then we played Zombie where the zombie in the middle heads towards someone until they shout out someone else's name and the zombie heads for them. If you cannot name someone else before the zombie gets you then you become the zombie.

Tegan then led a circle where we talked about the meaning of the Woodcraft Logo and then everyone drew their own versions of the logo.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers: Emily, Liz, Ruth, Rana
Elfs: 20
Woodchips: 1

History

Woodcraft Folk still bears a strong resemblance to the first groups that were set up in 1924 in south London.

Back then it was fairly radical for a youth movement to include both boys and girls, which is how Woodcraft Folk has always been, though today it is becoming more mainstream.

And our strong camping tradition - particularly encouraging young people who live in big cities to go camping and explore the great outdoors - goes back to the very early days of the movement.

How

Just after the First World War one of the leading figures in the Scouting movement broke away from what he considered to be its militaristic approach and formed the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift.

Kibbo Kift included people of all ages, not just youths, and was open to both sexes. John Hargrave, who founded it, believed the open-air life would help urban people build a new world peace.

Secession

But not all members agreed with Hargrave's leadership and in 1924, led by 19-year-old Leslie Paul, some co-operative groups from South London broke away and set up their own organisation, calling it The Woodcraft Folk. It had similarities to the Kibbo Kift, but gradually developed its own character and ethos.

The name

The term 'Woodcraft' was used by the influential writer and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton at the turn of the twentieth century when setting up the American proto-scouting organisation Woodcraft Indians, and in this context it meant the skill of living in the open air, close to nature - rather than that of making things out of wood.

Our logo

Our logo is round to symbolize equality and democracy, with two trees representing young people. It is set against a rising sun, to show the young regenerating and illuminating the world.

End of Term Party (2012-12-17)

We started with a game of Octopus, which anyone can join as they arrive. Accompanied on the piano with Jingle Bells by Iona.

When everyone had arrived we had Circle News: Connie, Jo's dad, Jago and Tegan had all hurt themselves. Tim has a job to go to in January (thanks for the round of applause!). Debbie is going to the theatre for her birthday, Millie had her birthday, Iona will have her birthday on Thursday. Molly is going to be in the paper as she was in the school nativity. Xanthe brought in a picture of the thrush she had and took to St Tiggywinkles. Magnus and Millie went to the live manger. Dylan went to Dick Whittington. Izzy was in a ballet show.

We played Parachute Games.

Then we ate party food: lots and lots of goodies washed down with Strawberry and Banana smoothies.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers: Richard, Ellen
Elfs: 14
Woodchips: 2

Merrymoot (2012-12-10)

Quite a few people who could not make it due to illness. I forgot to take any photos.

We told our news around the circle: Iona has hurt her foot; Millie-Maye has a sprained elbow; Lisbeth has a new Stove; Izzy has a school disco; Xanthe has been to see two plays, one of which her cousins have performed in. Magnus went to the Deep Dark Woods and spread Don's ashes in Shotover; Dylan has been to see Dick Wittington; Arran made mince pies; Jago is going to his old school fete. Ivo spent break running away from his worst friend. Whilst Jo and his family were picking up his Christmas tree his mummy left the boot shelf out, and reversed over it, but it didn't break. Connie has a neighbour who has a blow up santa in the shape of Homer Simpson; Flora was slapped by a classmate.

At the end of the circle Xanthe showed her jazzy Rudolph.

We then made a list of all the turns that people wanted to perform.

We decided to play Dead Ants whilst those who needed to rehearse did so.

We sat in a circle around the piano, and had a biscuit waiting for the show.

Merrymoot 2012
Flora	Showed an acrylic of an elephant
Connie	Showed her reindeer
Jago	Performed MnaMna
Arran	Did a coin trick and sang a song.
All	Sang Puff the Magic Dragon
Ivo	Sang A recipe for Disaster
Flora	Played Jingle Bells on the clarinet
Xanthe	Played Scarborough Fair and Saint Paul's Steeple on the piano
Magnus	Invited a number of volunteers to an arm wrestling tournament
Iona	Played Jingle Bells on the piano
Magnus and Jago	Demonstration pecking fight
Jago	Another, improved, performance of MnaMna
Xanthe	Played Two Themes on the piano
All	Sang Little Donkey, led by Molly

After a quick vote, and another half biscuit, we decided to play Four Corners with first Millie-May and then Jago in the blindfold.

We had lost track of time: we ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tim, Lisbeth
Helpers: Jude
Elfs: 11
Woodchips: 0

Walk in the Dark (2012-12-03)

Everyone arrived on time and already wrapped up, so we did not have a circle, instead going straight out.

Tegan brought in the bags that had been held back from the Green Winter Fair. (There are still a few left, they cost £1.50).

Before we went out everyone was given a number around the circle, we practiced shouting out in order, a trick that had worked well in the dark at Shotover.

We walked around Aston's Eyot, stopping by Don's Wake for a biscuit, given out in number order.

We walked on, identifying trees by outline and scaring each other.

When we had crossed the bridge to the Kidneys we again ate biscuits by numbers, a great way to check no one is lost.

We had a small difficulty getting back into the school, as I did not have the door combination, but Brian saved the day.

Now we had time for News: Iona had brought in her purchases from the SSMJ Winter Fair. Millie-Maye had had her face painted at Xanthe's house. Jo had learnt how to spell phelgm. Jago demonstrated the Gangnam Style dance craze.

We had a discussion about how to fill the last few minutes, Wink Murder winning the vote.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Oliver, Richard, Cathy
Elfs: 13
Woodchips: 0

Green Fair Making (2011-11-26)

There were some problems with the start: Tegan was delayed due to traffic problems caused, probably, by the floods. I was not planning to arrive until later as I had a course all day, thanks to Adrian for 'phoning. Debbie led the News Circle and then Tegan and I turned up.

The bags had arrived and so we were able to paint them!

Everything that we have made will be on sale at the Green Winter Fair but many children have asked that their work be held back, just displayed at the fair, so that parents can buy them at our first session after the fair.

Some people made cards as well.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Kiara
Elfs: 14
Woodchips: 1