About the 1st Sliema Scout Group
The Sliema Scout Group is made up of four main Sections and is run by the Group Scout Leader with the assistance of the Assistant Group Scout Leaders. Each Section has its own Section Leader and Assistant Section Leaders.
The Section Leader in the Pack is known as the Akela and the Akela’s Assistants have names that represent names from the characters in the Jungle Book. The Pack is sub-divided into groups of six members called Sixes. Each Six is named after a different colour – Blue, Green, Yellow, White and Red. The Sixes are, in turn, led by Cub Scouts called Sixers and assisted by their Second Sixers. They wear special badges and help Akela.
In the Troop, the Section Leader is called the Skipper and he is assisted by his ASLs. The troop is divided into small teams called Patrols, and each Patrol is named after a different animal: Stags, Panthers, Bulldogs, Hawks, Eagles, Owls, Seagulls and Tigers. Each Patrol is lead by its Patrol Leader and he is assisted by his Assistant Patrol Leader. The Senior Patrol Leaders acts as a link between the Patrol Leaders and the Leaders and is in charge of the running of the activities.
The Venture Unit is led by the Venture Scout leader and his Assistant Venture Scout Leader. The number of members in the Unit is not as large as the Pack or the Troop, and the members in the Unit are older. Therefore the Unit is run in a slightly different way compared to the other Sections – using a Venture Executive. This is made up of four Venture Scouts who are elected every six months from the Unit members. They take care of the running of the Unit.
The Rover Crew is the most senior section in the Group whose members are all above 18. The crew is run by an executive committee which is led by the Rover chairman. Together they organise, plan and execute the Rover Programme where the main theme is Service, the basis of Rovering.
All the Leaders in the Group give their time, energy and dedication to this organisation on a purely voluntary basis. Their only reward is the satisfaction that they have made a difference in the life of a youngster.
Group Mission
“Scouting is a Game with a Purpose. Fun is the game, learning is the process and values are the purpose.” – Baden Powell
The Sliema Group will achieve this by :
- Having a well trained and managed team of adult leaders;
- Having an enjoyable, interesting and relevant programme for members to complete scout training to the highest standard;
- Promoting the educational and fun content of Scouting to society;
- Pursuing a common goal in all sections whilst maintaining the traditions of the Group.
Group Patron
Our Group Patron – Mr. Anthony A. Bernard MD, FRCS Ed, FRCS Orth – Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
The 1st Sliema Group is proud to have received patronage from Mr. Anthony A. Bernard during our Centenary year in keeping with tradition and the shared history with the Bernard family.
The Group came to be known as Bernard’s Own in the late 1930s when Lady Bernard gave her consent to this in recognition to the close affinity of her husband Colonel Sir Edgar Edwin Bernard KBE CMG Pasha of Eygpt (1866 – 1931) to the Scout Movement. He was Financial Secretary under Lord Kitchener in Sudan, which was formerly part of Eygpt.
Sir Edgar Bernard was also Island Commissioner for Boy Scouts Malta between 1924-31 and the Scout Association’s Island HQ in Floriana is known as the ”Congreve-Bernard Hall” with this inscription:
“This Congreve-Bernard Hall was erected on the site of the original building which was destroyed by enemy action on the 7th April 1942. The necessary funds were provided by Imperial Headquarters, Scouts of South Africa and Australia, and by public subscription in Malta. The original building was erected as a memorial to the memory of General Sir Walter Norris Congreve VC, KCB, MVO, ADC, Governor and Chief Scout of Malta 1924-27 and of Colonel Sir Edgar Bernard KBE, CMG, Island Commissioner of Boy Scouts Malta 1924-31“.