Litter. Lots of it.
Crisp packets.
Plastic bottles.
Random rubbish drifting across the grass like tumbleweed in a budget Western.
The Cubs launched into cleanup mode with surprising enthusiasm
one even said,
“This is good for the planet AND my muscles!”
We support the confidence.

---

Best excuse of the night:

“I didn’t fall… the ground rose up to meet me!”
Gravity remains undefeated.

---

Best moment:

Our local councillor turning up, saying
“You have something special here,”
and then buying ice creams for everyone.
That’s elite councillor behaviour.

---

Summer Games at the Park!

Tonight the sun finally showed up,
so we took the Pack outside for a full-blown summer session in the park:

• wide games
• running games
• team games
• games no one planned but somehow happened anyway
• a big group picnic under the trees
• Cubs making enough noise to alert the next postcode

The vibe was pure joy.

One Cub said,
“This is like camp but without the tents].”
Fair.

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Wide Games: Chaos With Purpose

The Cubs sprinted across the field like tiny green rockets,
absolutely committed to:

• catching each other
• chasing leaders
• shouting tactics no one understood
• losing track of which team they were on
• inventing new rules on the fly

It was everything a summer session should be fast, loud, messy, and full of belly laughs.

---

The Big Picnic

Everyone brought something,
and as usual, the spread included:

• sandwiches
• fruit
• random items from the back of the cupboard
• crisps
• more crisps
• even more crisps

This time, we supplied everything…

Leaders… diplomatically disagreed.

But we all sat together,
sharing food,
sharing stories,
and enjoying being a Pack in the sunshine.

---

Special Guest: Our Local Councillor

Halfway through the evening, our local councillor wandered over to see what all the shouting was about.

She stayed.

She watched.

She chatted with Cubs and leaders.

She looked around at this wonderfully chaotic, joyful group of estate kids playing and thriving and belonging…

And she said:

“You have something special here.”

Then she went Tesco
and bought ice creams for the whole Pack.

Legend. Truly.

The Cubs chanted her name like she was a rock star.

---

Austin’s Little Adventure

Yes, Austin did run off for a moment but it was already in the risk assessment,
leaders reacted instantly,
and he didn’t get far.

He came back smiling,
held the hand of the Sixer he calls “my friend,”
and rejoined the games without missing a beat.

Progress isn’t a straight line
but it’s happening.

---

Week Seventeen Verdict

• Park cleaned:
• Wide games: victorious chaos
• Picnic: delicious mayhem
• Ice creams: unexpected and glorious
• Austin: safe, supervised, loved
• Councillor: supportive and impressed
• Leaders: sunburnt but happy
• Cubs: absolutely thriving

Seventeen weeks in and this Pack really is something special not because everything is perfect,
but because the kids are growing, laughing, learning,
and being seen by people who matter.

Bring on Week Eighteen summer continues!