District Camp 4th to 7th May 2012
A huge ‘Thank You’ to you all for all your hard work at District Camp. It is one of only a few occasions that the whole District gets a chance to come together and we can be rightly proud. A special thank you to Mike and George who yet again were the coordinators for the camp and to Stuart for the Scout and Explorer schedule.
Thanks also to Dave, Kieron, Patsy, Pat, Andy, Lin and Elaine who helped us by being on the working party.
Adam Jollans, CC, spent Sunday morning with us and was greatly impressed by the amount of activities on offer and the high spirits and joy shown by the young people. I really hope you have all had a lot of parents saying thank you because you all deserve that.
During the camp Adam awarded Long Service Awards to:
Forty Years and Silver Wolf
Mike Jackson
Forty Years:
Colin Brown
Evan Morgan
Twenty Years:
Irene Hillier
Ten Years:
Nick Buck
Stuart Ganney
Andrew Jones
Five Years:
Peter Brown
Chris Buckland
Jason Ledwich
David Mc Keeman
Richard Sanders
Many congratulations to all of them. They are the people that make Scouting GREAT!!
St Georges Day Parade Sunday 22nd April 2012
Please pass on my thanks to everyone who attended the St Georges Day Parade. The rain was very unkind to us. It started to pour at 2pm just the time we arranged to meet at Kingsland Square. We get very wet and then it did it again when we came out the Church. Well done to everyone who kept smiling and again thanks go to Chris Davis for helping Itchen North organise the service.
Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
Hampshire Scouting are holding a parade at Winchester Cathedral in the evening of Friday 15th June. We will be taking a large contingent. I have booked a 48 seated coach to take us from Shirley Precintt at 5.15pm to Winchester and after the service will return us home.
I have sent messages to all GSL’s asking them to forward me the names of their Beaver Cub and Scout representatives. If I could have those soon I would be grateful. The young people will be looked after by a number of adults that I have invited to join us. If any one has any queries about this event please give me a call.
I would remind everyone that Scouting and Guiding are supposed to join forces to organise an activity to benefit the community. Please start to think how you will do this. If you want to make contact with your local Guide Unit but are not sure how to do that please speak to me and I will direct you to a nearby Guide Unit.
District Youth Council
Southampton City has been chosen as a pilot District to form our own Youth Council. The aim of the Council is to get a bigger voice from the young people in our district and for them to help us shape the scouting for the future. I am plesed to say that Naomi Kench and Fran Upshon have agreed to help lead this initiative with any other young people who are up for the challenge. We will be asking every group to put forward a scout to represent them and also inviting explorers and young leaders to join the council This iniiative will be starting soon so to all you young people please tell me if you would like to get involved. We are also looking to start a hospital group so if that interests you come forward!!
It’s the Time for Group Annual General Meetings
These are the dates of each of the groups meetings please feel free to come along and support your group.
1st Monday 14th May @ 6pm
2nd Thursday 24th May @ 7.30pm
7th Friday 15th June 2012 @ 7.30pm
9th Wednesday 16th May @ 7pm
11th Tuesday 15th May @ 7pm
13th Thursday 17th May @ 7.15pm
14th Thursday 31st May @ 7.30pm
22nd Thursday 14th June @ 7.30pm
25th Wednesday 13th June @ 7.30pm
26th Friday 15th June @ 7.30pm To be rescheduled please
29th Sunday 20th may @ 12 midday
Wilverley
We are holding two Wilverley Maintenance Days this year 14th July and 29th September. I would ask each and every group to come along and help us keep the site to a good standard. Please put those dates in your diaries and promote it amongst everyone in your groups.
WIN YOUR GROUP A FREE WEEKEND AT WILVERLEY
Your district camp site needs a new camp site badge and we thought it would be really good to challenge every group to design this for us.
The winning group will be given a free weekend at Wilverley.
The badge should be all about the building and the forest and nature and promotes scouting.
We have extended the entry date to the 1st July Please send your entries to Colin Floyd by that date so we can select the winning group.
Adventurous Activities
Please note that any enquiries regarding permits are being dealt with by Lee Budd. Please contact him if you need any help. If you need a nights away permit please speak to Pat Rea for beaver and cubs and Graham Meeering for the Scouts. It would be good to get qualified before the summer.
Adult Appointments and Reviews
Some GSL’s have been asked to do reviews of some leaders in there groups some of these are well overdue for a review. All those being reviewed must have completed the safe guarding and first response training or the review cannot be approved. The review process should be concluded by now so if you’re a GSl and not done the reviews yet you need to do them now!!
District Website
The web site is proving to be well used and it is meeting its main objective which was to SHOUT LOUD HOW GOOD WE ARE.
A lot of work has taken place to get it to this stage but we would welcome some positive feedback on how the site could be further developed. We are looking for each group to use their own group page as a good way of promoting themselves to the community. You should have all now signed into the members area if not please do so then you can be better informed and have a copy of the district calendar and the directory. If you have forgotten your password to the members area please contact Tony Kench who I am sure can help you. At this moment we have 98 members signed up.
The web site has delivered us several enquiries from Adults wishing to join us in Southampton City Scouting.
Southampton City Scouts Get’s on it’s Bike
The District agreed to enter into an arrangement with Forest Leisure Cycling in Burley to look after our cycling groups. They have offered us some substantial reductions in their hire costs for members of the District and also to Scouting and non-Scouting groups using the Wilverley Campsite.
NEW FOREST CYCLE HIRE – Enjoy the Ride!
Forest Leisure Cycling – Village Centre, Burley
I have attended most district events and have been to the following events not mentioned above
National Scout Service and Parade
I had a very enjoyable day at Windsor Castle attending the parade to celebrate with Naomi, Jason, Neil, Fran, Mike, Lisa and Jennifer on being awarded their Queen’s Scout Awards. They paraded past the Queen and Prince Philip and Bear Grylls Chief Scout. The national statistic is that only 1% of scouts go on to obtain this award so for us to have seven queens scouts in one year are a fantastic achievement. Can I pass on my thanks to them and I am sure they really enjoyed the event.
County Cub Six a Side Football Competition
I spent a lovely morning watching the 22nd Cubs participate in the county competition. They of course did us proud. They played very well in a sporting manner and got through to the plate competition well done 22nd Cubs
Hampshire Scouting County Conference
I attended the Hampshire Scout county conference. The main topics for the day were the rise in membership to scouting, the rise in the amount of girls joining scouts and discussing strategies for future growth. Flexible volunteering and how to get more parents into help us with our scouting.
Lots was spoken about the vision up to 2018 and we as a district will need to do more work on our own vision over the next year
Scout Roverang Show at the Nuffield Theatre
I and the ADC’s had a lovely evening at the Southampton Scouting Roverang Show. The children who performed in the show were having a wonderful time and it is yet an opportunity to give them some really happy memories that only scouting can offer.
Regrettably we only had two of scouts in the show and I really hope that we can greatly improve upon that next time. We have an open invitation to get our young people “stomping the boards!! And I can tell you we have lots of children who like to show off!! They will have a huge amount of fun and make new friends. If any of our leaders would like to also help please tell me and I will get you involved.
The Active Support Annual General Meeting
I had a lovely evening with the support members listening to the support and events that they have facilitated during the year. A huge thank you goes to this happy band and for the support they give us with our scouting.
Up The Saints
Finally congratulations to Southampton FC for getting us back into the Premier League where we belong!!
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.
Mob Tel 07770364711 or colin.floyd@ntlworld.com
Yours in Scouting
Colin Floyd
District Commissioner
Southampton City Scout District