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Practical Skills Courses

Practical Skills Camp Craft Course:

Woodhouse Park Activity Centre, Bristol, 12 – 13 April 2014.
This course is based on useful skills on camp, including: axes and saws; tent pitching and care; knots and lashings; pioneering and camp gadgets; backwards cooking; and bushcraft.

The cost of the course is £40 per person, including food and accommodation.

Practical Skills Field Craft Course:

Great Tower Activity Centre, Cumbria, 26 – 27 April 2014.
This course is based on useful skills on an expedition, including: navigation and map skills; expedition kit (tents, stoves and first aid kits); survival skills; and remote first aid.

The cost of the course is £40 per person, including food and accommodation.

Both courses focus on practical skills in Scouting, ideal for new Leaders and those wanting to gain more confidence. Further information about both of these courses can be found here, and details on how to register can be found here.

Best Regards,

Nico

Nicholas Chart

Local Training Manager

Southampton City Scouts

Email: training@southamptoncityscouts.co.uk

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From George

Poppy Collection

Thank you to all the members of Active Support who gave up their time during the past week selling poppies for the British Legion appeal. Thanks also to members of the District Team some of whom are not members of Active Support, who helped sell poppies. They are Lyn and Geoff Johnson,Pat and Don Rea, Patsy Osborne, Paul Renouf, and Scouts from the 13th Group. Not forgetting Lesley Travis the daughter of one of our late members who sold poppies on our behalf. Please forgive me if I have missed anyone out. I am grateful to you all.I will publish the total amount collected by us when the British Legion informs me.

George Longhurst

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From Colin

Congratulations to Rozy Toomer who has been selected to go to Japan for the Jamboree in 2015. This is very well deserved. The other three who applied are hopeful of attending another international experience.

Well done for both Ben Parker D of E Gold & QSA awards a huge achievement as he did the double at just turned 18.

Congratulations to JJ and Jake for gaining their D of E Bronze award well done to you both. And Simon Pickering on gaining his Young Leader belt

Well Done to Kris Partridge of the 11th and Kay Wilkinson of the 2nd for five years service. Congratulations to Lin Johnson for her 25 years service award. Lin will be retiring from her role as ADC Beavers at Christmas. Thelma as ADC group Support and Eve Willett and Elaine Buckland and Gail Langton will be heading up the District Beaver section in 2014

Well done to the 22nd Regents Park for the group’s 75th Birthday celebration. It was a lovely day which the Mayor and Mayoress thoroughly enjoyed.

Well done to the Canoe Club they had 36 through courses this year. Three beginners courses, two intermediate courses, one three-star course. More representatives from more groups would of course have been welcome.  Several groups have done training sessions too.

Congratulations to the 13th Millbrook who came second in the Solent regatta.

Also well done to the Scout Patrol from the 1st who were runners up in the County Emlyn competition.

Well done to all the Explorer scouts and older scouts who went to North Wales walking last weekend.

Remembrance Service

Some groups are attending a service at their local churches which is wonderful, for all the other nine groups please come along with a beaver cub and a scout to Guildhall Square at 10am foe the main City Parade. George Longhurst has sent you all the details and I look forward to seeing you and having a good turn out.

Swimming Gala

The arrangements for the District Swimming Gala are in hand. It is being held on Saturday 23rd November at 5.30pm. The aim is now to get the group sports reps much more involved in organizing and running the activities and we fully intend to continue with all our annual sports events.  You should all have the entry forms for the gala so please return them to Graham by the said date.

District Web Site

Please rember to tell everyone about your good news, if you have been to camp recently or are planning a event SHOUT LOUD about it. The web site is a great way to promote our district and tell everyone how good we are. Everyone loves a good news story. Please send all your articles to Tony and Val Kench by the 25th of every month.

Wilverley District Camp Site

A big thank you to everyone who came to the Wilverley Maintenance Weekend at the end of August. It was great to have such a good response from you all and we got such a lot done. Wilverley is now setting up a reward system for groups that help with Maintenance so you can still earn yourself points by coming out and doing some more of the jobs that we still have in hand.

The replacement generator project is going well and hopefully will be completed and up and running by the 15th November. It will just be a flick of a switch to turn it on.

New Alternative Promise Wording

The new alternative wording for the promise, gives YOU an alternative to saying duty to God. This takes effect from the 1st January 2014. You may if you wish say instead to uphold the values of scouting. It is your choice.

District Diary and Directory 2014

Graham has updated next year’s diary and the directory both of which are on the district website.

Compass

The Scout Association will be introducing next year a new date base for recording the membership details of all adults and more importantly all young people.

You can find information about Compass here.

If you have computer generated records either on OSM or in your personal records will you please keep them up to date so the switch over will be easier later next year.

Minibuses

The district now has two district permits these are held by me. Every group that uses a minibus from time to time must get the “section 19” permit from HQ. One certificate for each minibus being used. Information here.

Grow your Own Scout Group, Offer the Big Adventure

Thank you to you all for attending the meetings with Thelma to discuss how you can grow your own group. It is clear that every group has a lot to do to enhance what we do and share the load. All will add is Please point out to all your Parents your opportunity boards and the notices that your showing. Notionally 47% of adult members are Parents. Please ask your self what is your group’s average is it at that level?

District Camp 2014

The theme is “space” (thanks to the cub leaders for this suggestion, sorry we didn’t consult everyone about the theme.) Please get this message out to the groups and encourage them to think about how to they might exploit this theme.

All sections are asked if they can come up with some cool and exciting ideas for activities that we might buy in for the camp. And of course ideas for activities for the groups to run themselves. There will be a camp badge competition. Ian will provide info.

We will organise a campsite visit in the New Year. More info on 8th Jan GSL’s meeting. We are organising some blue-card swimming sessions in advance of camp, to give cubs and scouts the chance to participate in water activities.

This has been a very summer for us all. I have been to the following events.
•    2nd Shirley Joint Cub and Beaver Camp at Fernycroft.
•    26th Swaythling Cub Campers badge weekend at Ferny Croft
•    13th Millbrook Summer Fayre
•    11th Freemantle Cub Camp at Wilverley
•    25th and 14th Joint Beaver and Cub Camp at Wilverley
•    Network camp at Wilverley
•    District Emlyn Competition at Braggers Wood (well done every one who participated and congratulations to the 1st Aldermoor for coming out as the district winning patrol.)
•    Cubs David’s Challenge at Wilverley
•    The Race for Life in support of cancer research.
•    Beaver Logger Head Competition at Wilverley
•    Cub Survival camp
•    Portswood Fete
•    Beaver Fun Day
•    1st Beaver Trip to Moors Valley
•    29th Scout Group Fete
•    County Conference
•    1st Beaver Sleepover
•    1st Scout and Cub camp at Wilverley
•    Scout Maddison Hunt
•    Gilwell DC Open Day
•    Scout Raft Race
•    9th Shirley Warren 60th Birthday Camp
•    First Response Training
•    Recruitment evening which gave us three more student volunteers.

If anyone wishes to talk to me and clarify anything, I am always pleased for you to contact me by email or by phone or in person just ask away.

Yours in Scouting,
Colin Floyd, District Commissioner

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Leader Training

Another very popular course is the Skills for Residential Experiences weekend (i.e. how to run a camp) which is 26/27 Apr 2014 – Unfortunately this is only one week before our District Camp which runs over the May bank holiday weekend.
Other courses will individual modules offered mainly on Sat/Sun mornings or afternoons throughout 2014. I’ll keep you posted.
You can book here. This training is provided free to you (but there is a bill to pay if you cancel at the last minute or if you don’t show up – so don’t do that please!)
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Wilverley Working Weekend

The 9th had decided to do a group ‘team building’ weekend at Wilverley and the 1st came in numbers enough to make a great team. The 9th also brought with them a giant box of brushes and rollers very kindly donated by Tool Bank. Many thanks to Neil Webb for that.

With 15 people present by 9am on Saturday morning we were good to go. With teams keen to grab the brushes and crack on we were soon getting the cottage coated in Sadolin for the winter. The fences, weather shelter and Charles Alan building all getting a coat of creosote to protect them in the coming months. A shoe shelf and some running repairs were done too. The chainsaw gang were motoring away together to get the giant hedgerow between two pitches to a reasonable height, by lunch it was down to 6 feet and 3 lovely trees were now clearly visible. 2 birch saplings were donated and planted in on Sunday.  Fallen trees were chopped up and stowed in the log store.

By the end of Saturday an amazing job had been done by all. With some taking up the offer of “free site facilities on working weekends”, there were some staying behind.

Sunday we were back into it with finishing touches the last of the fences and indeed the creosote were finished. The outside toilet painted, a few bedrooms painted and the cottage floors scrubbed till shiny clean. They are now pink, who would have known. Verges strimmed, site tidied and everyone ready for a final sit down to recover enough to leave.

The Wilverley committee would like to thank the 21 people who turned up over the weekend, giving a combination of ½, 1 and 2 days of their time.

Wilverley points scheme.

Do you feel like you have now missed out? Did you know that you can get more than just satisfaction from helping at a working weekend? Did you know we have a reward scheme?

Helping at a Working weekend means you can earn point towards camping.

How does it work?  It’s simple, for every half day you volunteer on a working weekend you earn a point. Each point is equal to 1 person’s overnight camp on the field.  So if you come with 3 others or even send a family of 4 for a day to represent your group they can earn you 8 points.
These points can be saved, added together from other working party weekends and used when wanted.
When is the next weekend you can come and join the scheme? Well there are 3 weekends next year
February 22/23   July 5/6 September 27/28 and don’t forget you can have free use of the facilities overnight on the Saturday night. And lunch is provided on both days.

Group points so far –
9th – 21 points , 13th – 16 points  , 1st – 2 points , 11th – 1 point , Network – 4 points
We will see you there.

Laura Dyer,
Wilverley Committee Chair

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Activities Training

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Space

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Get involved in H0014

Much of our programme of activities being delivered by specialists, the site team and external instructors. Therefore, we are mostly looking to recruit people to manage and undertake some of the roles that make the ‘behind the scenes’ run smoothly and make it a real ‘Jamboree’ atmosphere. I am looking after these functions, and am looking to recruit small teams in the following areas. I have already had some interest expressed in certain roles, but I wanted to make everyone aware of these opportunities. I also particularly wanted to contact District Commissioners, as you, your District Team and your Active Support Units may not be attending with a Section, but will have many of the skills we are looking for.

Support team functions:
– Car parking and traffic management
– Site support including toilets and showers, working alongside the campsite team
– Technical support for our stage, ceremonies and activities (power, light, sound, etc.)
– Staff catering
– Central services for leaders (enquiry point, phone charging, food shopping, etc)
– Gift shop and central services for all (including heritage displays, Scout shop, etc)
– Incident management (including first aid, risk assessment, safety advice)
– Communications (possibly camp newspaper, radio, photography)

We do not need huge teams – each Group should be reasonably self-sufficient and Buddens campsite is experienced at supporting large events. Many of the above roles do not require much input prior to the event, but I will be appointing a team leader for each area who can develop a plan for what preparation is required beforehand. (We already have some in place)

Can I ask you to please consider if you wish to play a part in the delivery of this event, and please forward this to people within your team who might have the time and skills to assist us but won’t be attending with their own Section. It might be, for example, that a District Team or an Active Support Unit wish to come as a small group and take responsibility for a particular function.

I am hoping to have the key roles completed before the end of the year, so your help would be much appreciated. I will attending our County Conference where we can have a face-to-face discussion if that helps.

I can be contacted via dc@havantscouts.org.uk or on 07786 007711.

Best wishes

Tim Pike

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From Colin

A very big thank you to Shaun Cassidy for an extremely well organised and successful Cub Survival camp. It was really great fun for me to pop bye and visit you all. It was encouraging to see all the groups attending this event and seeing the young people have such a great time. Thanks to the all The Leaders that made the camp happen and please pass on thanks to all the Parents who came along and helped you.

Well done to the Scout section for a successful Raft Race which on a lovely summer’s day was great fun. Thank you to Stuart Ganney ADC Scouts who helped and supported the 7th to go to the County Camp at Lyons Copse that proved to be a real success. It was also great to see the 25th Scouts at the camp ably overseen by the group’s young leaders.

Well done goes to the Beaver section for a successful Loggerhead competition. They had a great day at Wilverley.

Congratulations to Simon Pickering on gaining his Young Leader belt it is great to have these young people in our scouting. Well done and thank you to him and all our young leaders.

Well done to the 9th Shirley Warren who had a very successful 75th Birthday camp at Wilverley that was a great way to celebrate the history of this great group.
Well done and thank you to all the Leaders and Sarah Milstead for the first response training it is so important that we all keep our knowledge up to date.

Wilverley District Camp Site

A big thank you to everyone who came to the Wilverley Maintenance Weekend at the end of August. It was great to have such a good response from you all and we got such a lot done. Wilverley is now setting up a reward system for groups that help with Maintenance so you can still earn yourself points by coming out and doing some more of the jobs that we still have in hand.

The replacement generator project is on course to start very soon. With the plan of it being completed by the end of November. It will be great to just flick a switch!!

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Jamboree 2015

Japan We had four of our scouts and explorers put themselves forward to go to the 2015 Jamboree in Japan. They are Owen Budd, Rozy Toomer, Abi Bacon, and Kieran Brackley. The selection weekend has taken place and we are now waiting to hear if any of them have been selected. We all have our fingers crossed.

Swimming Gala

The arrangements for the District Swimming Gala are in hand. It is being held on Saturday 23rd November at 5.30pm.

Further details to follow

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District Web Site

Please rember to tell everyone about your good news, if you have been to camp recently or are planning a event SHOUT LOUD about it. The web site is a great way to promote our district and tell everyone how good we are. Everyone loves a good news story. Please send all your articles to Tony and Val Kench by the 25th of every month.

Grow your Own Scout Group, Offer the Big Adventure.

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Have you now all got your vacancy boards up in the entrances of your HQ? If not I take it you have every post in your group filled!!

It is so important that we SHOUT Load about how we need to grow and offer Scouting to anyone who wishes to join. We can do that if we start now to recruit more adults and get them working in our groups. That could be in the uniformed leadership teams or just as importantly in the Group Exec Committees. The more the merrier!!

A big Thank You to the 1st – 2nd – 7th – 29th who came along to the first grow your own group meeting. These meetings are being run by Thelma our ADC group Support and it proved a good opportunity for those groups to reflect where they are and what the long term plan is to be for the group to grow. I would ask that all the other groups contact The 9th, 11th and 14th and the 26th have confirmed that they will be coming to a further meeting on 2nd Oct.

The remaining groups (we now who you are!!) must attend on the 17th October, please arrange that with Thelma it will save her chasing you. Don’t forget we need to ask anyone and everyone that you meet in your groups or outside scouting to get involved. Scouting has a job for most people.

On a final note: when I was a cub many years ago we used to play a game called Chinese whispers. That involved the cubs sitting in a circle and the leader whispered a short message to the first cub and then the cubs passed that message to the person on their right until everyone had been passed the message. It was great fun but I have to say the message that came out in the end was nothing like what was said at the beginning. Surely as Adults we don’t still play that game.

If anyone wishes to talk to me and clarify anything, I am always pleased for you to contact me by email or by phone or in person just ask away.

Yours in Scouting,
Colin Floyd, District Commissioner,

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BSL Meeting

The Beaver, friends and family Christmas Wonderland at Paultons will be launched for this years visit. You will also have the chance to meet and discuss with other Leaders around the County.

Please join the County Team  on Saturday 7th September at 3rd Chandlers Ford Scout HQ, (at side of the Church) Kings Road, Chandlers Ford SO53 2EY at 10am -12noon. Tea, coffee and biscuits available before and during the meeting.

See you there

Valerie Kench

HCBSLT