Shackleton ESU – Spring Term 2026 Programme

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We’re pleased to share the Spring 2026 programme for the unit. We’ve got a great mix of activities planned over the coming months, including skills nights, challenges, and expedition preparation. Please take a look through the programme below and make a note of the key dates. More details will be shared closer to each session, and let us know if you have any questions. Programme Event Name Date Time Leader in Charge No Meeting – Leaders Planning 05/01/2026 19:30 – 21:30 Leaders Turf Zones 12/01/2026 19:30 – 21:30 Sean Trading Post 19/01/2026 19:30 – 21:30 Jack Kandersteg Activity Planning & …

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End of Term Fun at Crawley Clip N Climb

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Yesterday marked our final Shackleton ESU meeting of the term, and what a fantastic way to finish with an action-packed session at Crawley Clip N Climb! Everyone threw themselves into the challenge, showed great teamwork, and had lots of fun scaling the walls. It was brilliant to see such enthusiasm and confidence to end the term on a high. We would like to say a huge thank you to all our young people and families for your continued support this term. Your commitment and positivity make Shackleton ESU such a great unit! We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and …

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Mocktail Mayhem

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This Monday, Shackleton ESU swapped compasses and camp stoves for shakers and syrups as we hosted our very own mocktail-making evening, a night full of creativity, chaos, and questionable flavour combinations. We kicked off by splitting into teams and handing out mystery recipe cards, each containing a different mocktail for the Explorers to recreate. With recipes in hand, everyone headed off on a field trip to Tesco, where the hunt for ingredients began. From exotic fruit juices to mint, mixers, and a few unexpected extras, baskets quickly filled with everything needed for an evening of mixology. Back at HQ, the …

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Wii Games Evening

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Shackleton ESU held a Wii Sports evening last night, providing members with an opportunity to take part in a relaxed and accessible activity suitable for all experience levels. The session included a range of games such as bowling, tennis, and boxing, allowing participants to rotate through different activities at their own pace. The atmosphere throughout the evening remained positive and inclusive, with members supporting one another and engaging in friendly competition. The use of Wii Sports allowed everyone to participate equally, whether they preferred active gameplay or observing and cheering others on. To accompany the activities, freshly made popcorn was …

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Social Media Evening

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This Monday, Shackleton ESU dived into the digital world with an engaging Social Media Evening, giving our Explorers the chance to learn more about how the platforms they use every day really work behind the scenes. To kick things off, we explored how social media companies make money, looking at advertising, targeted content, and the algorithms that match posts to users. The Explorers discussed why certain videos, memes or ads appear in their feeds and how platforms keep people scrolling. It was a great opportunity to think critically about the digital environments we’re all part of. To bring these ideas …

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Lighting Up Our Skills: Shackleton Explorers Build Electronic Christmas Trees!

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This week Shackleton Explorers swapped tents for toolkits and got hands-on with a brand-new challenge: building and soldering our own electronic Christmas tree circuits. It was a fantastic mix of creativity, concentration, and practical skills — and the results looked brilliant! 🎄 What We Did Using electronic Christmas tree kits, each Explorer built a small LED circuit mounted on a festive tree-shaped board. After a quick safety briefing, we learned how to read the circuit board, identify components like LEDs, resistors, and battery clips, and plan out the order of assembly. Then the fun really started — heating up the soldering irons and getting …

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Shackleton ESU Awards and DofE Report Back Evening 2025

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Shackleton Explorer Scout Unit came together last night for our annual Awards and DofE Report Back Evening, celebrating the achievements and adventures of our Explorers over the past year. The evening began with presentations from our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze, Silver, and Gold groups, who shared stories, photos, and memories from their expedition experiences. From challenging weather to teamwork and campfire laughs, it was inspiring to hear how each group developed resilience and leadership through their journeys. We were also delighted to recognise a number of significant achievements within the Unit: Each award represents many hours of commitment, learning, …

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Creative Night at Shackleton ESU: Decorating Glass Tea Light Holders

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This Monday, Shackleton ESU swapped compasses and campfires for markers and creativity! Our Explorers took part in a relaxing and artistic evening decorating glass tea light candle holders using acrylic paint markers. The session gave everyone the chance to unwind, have fun, and express themselves through colourful designs; from abstract patterns to detailed illustrations and favourite characters. The end result was a bright and varied collection of unique candle holders, each one showcasing the personality and imagination of its creator. It was great to see so many Explorers getting stuck in, helping each other with ideas, and taking pride in …

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Celebration of Achievement – Chief Scout Awards

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Last weekend saw members of Crawley District Scouts come together for an afternoon of celebration and recognition by West Sussex Scouts ! Our young people were recognised for achieving their DofE Bronze & Silver Awards and their Chief Scout’s Gold Award. Congratulations to all of them – and a big thank you to the parents and leaders who supported them along the way!

Congratulations to Shackleton Explorers on Completing Their Silver DofE Expedition!

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A huge congratulations to 6 Shackleton Explorers who successfully completed their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Qualifying Expedition this weekend in the beautiful New Forest! Over three days of trekking, navigating, and teamwork, our Explorers demonstrated true resilience and independence as they journeyed from Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre to Wilverley Scout Campsite, tackling a challenging and scenic route through woodland trails, heathland paths, and open countryside. Skills, Teamwork, and Determination Throughout the expedition, our Explorers put their navigation, teamwork, and problem-solving skills to the test. The group at times took a “creative detour” or two as often happens in …

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Shackleton ESU – Taking on New Challenges

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Over the past two weeks, Shackleton ESU members have taken part in two very different and exciting activities – offering hands-on experience, personal challenge, and a lot of fun along the way. ✈️ Flying with Infinity Sim Wings Half of the group visited Infinity Sim Wings at Gatwick Airport, where they had the chance to step into the cockpit and learn how to land a commercial aircraft in a realistic flight simulator. Guided by expert instructors, Explorers were walked through the basics of flight controls, approach techniques, and landing procedures before taking the controls themselves. Many completed smooth landings, while …

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Hot Air Balloons

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Last night Shackleton ESU came together for another packed evening of activities, creativity, and planning. Hot Air Balloon Challenge The highlight of the night was our hot air balloon building challenge. Using nothing more than straws, bags, wire, and a choice of fuels, patrols worked against the clock to design and construct their very own miniature flying machines. There was a lot of trial and error (and a few singed corners!), but some really inventive designs took shape. A huge congratulations to Tom Payne, who managed to build the only balloon that successfully took flight! His team’s balloon rose gracefully above the …

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