October 08                                                                                                          No 97

Hopefully this issue gets us back on track coming within 2 weeks of a group exec meeting with further issues planned for the reasonably near future.

 

New Policy on Adult Help and Available Places in Sections

 

Background

There is a continual lack of leaders available for all sections.  This is also true for Executive Committee members.  By contrast there is a waiting list of young people to join each section.  To help re-balance the situation the following policy has been approved by the Executive Committee. 

Policy

·         In each section (Beavers, Tuesday Cubs, Thursday Cubs and Scouts) 2 places will be reserved for young persons whose parents actively and regularly help with leadership (whether uniformed or not).

·         In each section 1 more place will be reserved for a young person whose parent joins the Executive Committee.

·         If sufficient adults are not forthcoming, these places will remain vacant until as such time as adult help is offered.

·         Priority will be given to young persons whose parents actively and regularly help with leadership or sit on the Executive Committee

·         In recognition of the dedication and hours voluntarily given by adult helpers, young persons whose parents actively an d regularly help the leadership will not be charged a subscription and those whose parents are on the Executive Committee will receive a £5 discount per term.

GSL’s message

Firstly I need to add more thank yous to those in the last newsletter.  This is not really from me but from all the boys who get fun, enjoyment, new skills, new friends and experiences that will always live with them out of their Scouting.  So new thank yous to:

·         James for taking time off work to help with putting up tents at camp – it’s a fun workout

·         Mark  who again came and helped for a day on camp (not sure we will ever keep him away)

·         Spencer who is reliving his youth whilst helping out regularly at Scouts

·         Phil N for volunteering for the Herculean task of trimming the hedge

·         Rhodri who is seeing that Cubs hasn’t really changed much by coming along to help on most nights.

·         Phil G – who has joined the Exec Committee and seems to like the idea of meetings in the pub.

 

Just a thought that although the leaders and helpers all really enjoy what they do, an occasional thank you for their time and effort always goes down well!

 

As indicated in the last newsletter this will be my last newsletter as GSL and I hand over to the very capable hands of Alwyn.  Given how much fun Scouting is I will no doubt still be supporting in some capacity.  I have also benefited in the most bizarre ways…the best team building activities I have been involved in at work are where I have copied Scouting activities.  The best times have always been around the fire on camp and watching boys enjoying doing things that they would never be allowed to do at home!  If you doubt me, just come along and watch any of our activities – even better get stuck in.

Mark (Chil)

Events

 

 

 

Fireworks evening 

Wednesday November 5th

 Games, hot dogs, glow area, tuck shop, raffle, bonfire, glow sticks

 

 

Safety notice – no hand held fire works will be permitted.

 

 

 

Help needed

Can you shop for the BBQ, run / help at the BBQ, organise / help at the bar, take a turn on the gate, run a stall, game or activity, provide a raffle prize.

 

September Camp


This was one of those camps that will be remembered for the mud!  Although the weather whilst we were actually there was ok it had rained heavily during the preceding week. By Saturday morning the area around the Cub tents was ankle deep in mud. Several bales of straw did little to improve matters. Never the less all the planned activities went ahead with bivouac building the usual favourite. There were various sports in keeping with the Olympic theme including wheel chair basket ball, quoits, tug o war, bob sleigh (mini pioneering) and a roped together team assault course. The ‘marathon’ on Sunday morning was closer to 2.6 than 26 miles but who is counting.

Congratulations to Annie Goree, Andrew Bowyer and Simon Leverton who were all presented with their wood badges at the Saturday evening campfire.

 

History

Camps have been a constant over the years. If the present nights away badges had been in existence back then some lads would have earned most of the stages by the time they left scouts.

There were often 2 or 3 weekend camps and a summer camp through the year. There are records of camps  in almost every month.

Sometime the packs and troops camped together but most often there were separate camps. The Cub Packs have had exchanges with packs in Sheffield and Eastleigh after leaders moved away   and the Troop celebrated the millennium with an exchange with a group in Czech Republic. There have also been joint camps with other local groups.

In the early years several patrols won the Post and Press Camping Competition, although one more recent Patrol came last after eating their meal before it had been judged!

There have been many investitures at camp and also awards presented from Golden Arrows to Chief Scout’s Awards.

For several years there was a tradition of a banquet at summer camp. Imagine 50 people sat in a marquee lit only by candles served a 3 course meal by scouts in suits and bow ties, presided over by Mary Viscountess Sidmouth

 

How can you help?

Current needs are for extra adults helping in all sections. With more adults we could clear some of the waiting lists, possibly open extra sections. Without them, some young people will continue to miss out. Scouting means fun for the Adults too – if it didn’t the current team wouldn’t be there. Why not join us?

 

Reports

If you have organised or participated in any event please report on it and send or e mail your copy to me. Newsletters are usually 2 weeks after a GEC meeting so I can use any copy received by 1 week after.

 

Future events

Now get out your diaries. Make a note of all the events coming up in the Scouting calendar. Section leaders will also inform you about other events.

Also please keep an eye on the notice boards. There is a calendar in the entrance area which should have most information.

5th Nov annual firework party. See above for details

13th December Pantomime ‘Peter Pan’ at St Peters Church Hall. See Becky (Beavers) for details

7th Jan Group exec meeting 8pm @ Westbury Park Tavern

20th June 09 Giant Sleepover

 

District Cub Events all to be confirmed

8th Nov Bean bag hockey tournament

7th February Badge Day

7th March Swimming gala

26th April St Georges Day event (all sections)

Mid May weekend camp

 

All parents of young people in the group are members of the Group Council. Can you help in anyway – fundraising, organising social events, HQ maintenance, administration. There are vacancies for parent representatives from most sections. Could this be you? You are always welcome to come along to an Exec meeting to have your say in the running of your children’s Scout Group.