Beavers!

Raffy has joined the local Beavers Group! 

Beavers are the youngest in the scouting movement and now fortunately accept girls too. Raffy's little sister started in the spring. So Raffy has had ample chance to observe some of the other kids at drop off time.

We also went to a Sunday parade at the Church in the summer.
At first Raffy wouldn't come inside for the service. However the sermon for that week was about seeking/finding and the congregation were all given a chocolate coin.
Suddenly after an explanation Raffy, wanted to come in, sit down and listen...

We were all instructed to not eat the coin until the very end of the service after 3 hymns and some participatory learnings re patience... Meanwhile Raffy was answering some of the questions in the lesson and piping up from the back row with some nuggets of his own!
He hummed his way through all of the hymns and waited with everyone else to open his coin!
Afterwards he hunted for real coins in a bowl of cold baked beans, had his face painted with an orange octopus and made a clay octopus...

On the way home Raffy asked if he could join Beavers too. I DID explain that chocolate coins are not part of every session...

Raffy is slightly out of the age range but the district co ordinator and Linda the Beavers leader have kindly let him join the troupe! It's a great group and they do lots of fun activities.
We have camped,  Raffy has played some team games (he's in the Panthers) such as the egg and spoon race.. he's helped with all the activities and slotted in very well. They are a fun bunch of kids and a good mix of crazy and easy going ;) See Linda organising everyone in the next pic!

The leaders and volunteers are brilliant and Raffy has been made very welcome :) So chuffed! 

Many thanks to 16th Epping Forest group, leaders - Linda, Ian, 

Also to the volunteers - Ruth, Paul, Frank.