southamptoncityscouts.co.uk
The web site is now being well used by a substantial amount of our Leaders in the District. The site has also encouraged a number of adults to come forward and offer us some help as a leader.
It is doing what we intended and that is to SHOUT LOUD how good we are in Southampton City. When you hold any event in the future please take a photo and write a few words so we can put this on the web site. If you have any children that cannot have their photo taken please make sure they are not in the picture.
We are working on improving the District Diary in the Member’s area so keep your eye out for those developments.
We would also encourage Groups to use the launch of our District web site as a pointer to reviewing your own Group web sites. It is important that web site information is up to date and live. We would also ask that you send us some Group promotional material so we can develop your pages on the site. We have set up an introductory page but it would be good to develop this more fully.
The Southampton City District Camp
The planning for the District Camp continues and we hope that you are all busy planning your on site activities. It would be great if we all had lots for the young people to do.
We want this camp to be a huge success for everyone from Beavers to Leaders. That is a huge objective but I am sure we can do it.
For those children wishing to go canoeing at the camp they will need to make sure that they have a District Swimming Certificate. (blue card) If a child does not have a blue card they still have a opportunity to go to Red lodge swimming pool on a Wednesday evening and take the required swimming test. Many thanks to Laura Dyer and Rex Budd for making sure these test evenings continue in Lee Budd’s absence.
If you have any queries regarding the camp could you please either speak to me George or Mike or the following section representatives. Beavers – Lin Johnson. Cubs – Patsy Osborne – Scouts – Andy Clasby – Explorers and Young Leaders and Network – Dave Bowers.
Adult Leader Reviews
Some Adult Leaders are due a review and you may be asked by your GSL or line manager for you to meet with them. Can I remind those GSL that these must be done by the middle of March please.
Leader Training
We have increased the amount of Training Advisers that we have in the District and over the next few months we will be having a big push. Those of you that generally need help you get your Training organised will have a opportunity to attend a Training Breakfast at the 29th HQ on Saturday 3rd March at 8.30am. It will be good to see you.
Those of you that do not have a Training Adviser will be assigned one very soon.
Wilverley
It has now been decided that we will continue to use the same vehicle route via the Wilverley Inclosure car park. We are talking to the forestry about improving the signage to the site so that parents don’t get so lost!!
We continue to raise funds for the electrical supply to the buildings and have been awarded two grants totalling to £2,000 to help us meet our fund raising target.
Group RAG reviews
Veronica Radford, the District Chair, and I have now met with three Groups to help them establish their Group Development Plans. This is a great way of looking at what works well in your Group and forward planning how we could develop and improve our Scouting. Those Groups that have not come back to me with an appointment for us to meet with you please do so. We would like to meet with all the groups before the District AGM at the end of June.
Scout Group HQ Leases
We have held another meeting with the City Council and our fellow Southampton Scout Districts to agree a generic Scout HQ lease which will offer us some long term commitment to scouting in recognition for what we offer the cities young people. Once those leases are concluded we will be presenting them to groups and asking for each group’s approval.
This month has been busy with lots happening!!
Sarah Milstead and I visited St Johns School to attend the school assembly to find us some more Beavers and Cubs for the 25th Sea Scout Group. This was a great success and a very worthwhile exercise. If any other Groups would like me to organise a similar event at your local school please get in touch and I would be pleased to help you.
I had a lovely day joining the Explorers on a Monopoly Run around London. It was a great day and greatly enjoyed by the Explorers and myself. Thanks go to Darren Russell for organising this event.
I attended the County Cluster meeting and from this 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 with Sarah Milstead who I am sure will be able to help you.
I visited the 11th Scout Group who were holding a Group camp at Ferny Croft. The £1,000 that was awarded to the Group funded the majority of the cost of this camp. What a super use of that money. That reminds me that those Groups who have not decided how to spend their award please do so before the 2012 District AGM as we will need to report how those awards have benefited Groups.
I also visited the 25th Cubs who were holding a weekend at Foxlease Guide Activity Headquarters. They hired The Barn which is super indoor dormitory accommodation. I would recommend it to you. They were having a great time.
Finally, thank you to everyone who attended the Founders Day Service at Highfield Church. Thanks go to Chris Davis our District Chaplain and to Russell Andrews and the 29th Scouts for helping us with the service. I thoroughly enjoyed the event.
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