During the school half term Geoff and Lin Johnson organised yet again the Exbury Gardens Ghost Train. This is the eighth year this event has taken place. It is a fine example of how Scouting can get out into the community and promote Scouting and also have great fun. A special thank you to Lin and Geoff and to all those involved and to Exbury Gardens for their continued support.
Graham and I went along to an open evening at the 26th Scout Group with the aim of inviting some new Cubs to join the pack as the numbers are a bit low at present. We had some success but we have more to do. We are also looking at starting up a new Beaver Colony, when the Leadership team has been identified. If you would like to run your own Beaver Colony I would be interested in talking to you about that. Also if any groups have Cubs on waiting lists that they cannot accommodate could you refer them to me please and I will ask them if they would like to join the 26th Cub pack.
I attended the Hampshire County Conference at Alton. The main themes for that day was the Scouting Vision to 2018, Younger member involvement and Safeguarding. These topics also sit high up on our priority list. I will be talking soon to the Young Leaders in our District as to how we can get them more heavily involved in all areas of our Scouting and its decision making. The County has a Youth Council and taking that it seems to me that we as a District should also set up such a Council to help me drive Scouting forward in the direction that they would want. For those that need to attend Safeguarding Training and advice this is high on the list of priorities for Nico and his training programme. He will be talking about this further to those requiring this support.
Nico Chart and Sam Chapman have started organising the new Leader Training arrangements, and they, I am sure will be setting up to meet with those of you that have already offered to be a new Training Adviser. If you have not offered to help please contact Nico directly I for one would be very grateful we have far too many leaders requiring advice and help getting fully trained.
Andy Sager, Arthur Ashton and I have met with Zoe Cox the Forest Ranger to discuss the use of the Wilverley Camp Site. We are about to renegotiate the licence agreement for the site and explore with them the arrangements for the site with the aim of gaining a long term licence and security of tenure, which will enable us to seek grant funding for a permanent electrical supply to the buildings. You will be pleased to be told that if you sleep at Wilverley now you will have a really comfortable new mattress to sleep upon. They are lovely!! Please remember that if you wish to book Wilverley Peter Hull is the booking officer and Richard Cook is the new person dealing with all the invoicing and payments.
It was really good to get the District Team and the Group Scout Leaders together for our fist meeting we had lots to talk about hence the meeting finished very late. I will be holding these meeting four times a year instead of three as I really want us to work together more often and discuss how we as a district team can support each and every group. We will need to work much more as a team across all areas of our scouting if we are to deliver better outcomes.
The District Executive has kindly agreed to buy each and every Leader a jubilee badge these will be distributed to you hopefully before Christmas and can be worn right away above your purple badge shirt uniform pocket. If I see any adult without one I will be asking why!! So get sewing and remember the badge needs to be removed on the 31st December 2012 so don’t glue it on.
I attended a BIG SOCIETY event at St Mary’s Football Stadium to meet people from companies in Southampton who are looking to sponsor and support charitable organisations. This is an initiative that we need to explore far more and see what support we can gain from the business world.
On Remembrance Sunday I joined the 29th Scout Group at the Immaculata Church for the service. This was again a great way for Scouting to be seen out in the community and the 29th did Scouting proud. Well done to everyone who attended and again Russ thank you for inviting me and presenting me with your Group badge I will wear it with pride.
I continue to press ahead with my DC training. This training lark is easy if you go for it!! Hopefully I will complete my
training within a few months. Of course the main benefit of attending any training session is it is a really good chance to bounce ideas off other DC’s and share ideas.
I along with Russell Andrews and Neil Webb attended the DC / GSL training weekend at the Swan Hotel, Alresford. It was a great opportunity for me to understand more of the work required now of a GSL and it also gave me another opportunity to meet and spend time with a number of other District Commissioners.It was a very good weekend full of fun but really hard work. Having spoken to Russ and Neil they said that they found it helpful and informative. Next year the County will be holding other training weekends and I would recommend this event to all the other six GSL’s. You would find it very helpful to you in your management role. Some of the key messages from the weekend will be discussed at the District Team / GSL’s next meeting on the 11th January at the 7th HQ at 7.45pm. Those of you that are in the District Team or are GSL’s please put this meeting in your diaries.
Unfortunately because of this training weekend I was unable to attend this years Swimming Gala at the Quays but I hear it was a great success with a great response from groups participating in this district event. Well done to all those that took part and a huge thank you to those that organised the event Doreen, Carol and Graham and Geoff just to name a few.
I visited the 25th Group Executive meeting and spent the evening talking to them about how the want to take the Group forward. They were telling me that if any Group wishes to go onto the water the facilities that they have at the 25th are always available just contact Clive and he will help you. Of course you will need to arrange with him and the District Instructors that you have the suitably qualified Instructors arranged.
It is important that we celebrate with all the Young People when they are awarded their various Bronze, Silver, Gold and ongoing awards. We need to make sure that these are on the roll of honour within Hampshire Scouting News. All the other districts in the County are good at publicising these achievements but we are not. In future could the details of all awards be sent to me and I will make sure they are published.
That will do for this month I am sure that the lead up to Christmas will be just as busy, we have the 9th Fashion Show, Explorer Christmas Camp, Beaver Christingle, Cub Carol Service, and the Beaver Pantomime.
Can I send you all best my wishes for a very Happy Christmas and all the very best for a wonderful 2012.
Please don’t forget if you need to speak to me with anything your concerned about just give me a call and I am sure I can help you.
Yours in Scouting
Colin Floyd