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Hampshire Scouts Photographic Competition

There will be a prize for each age group of entrants:
A.  Beavers or Cubs
B.  Scouts or Explorers
C.  Network or Adults

We have been donated 3 prizes (photo vouchers) to the value of £100 each by London Camera Exchange, Southampton – so what are you waiting for?

When submitting your photo’s please ensure that they:
Are adventurous and fun – we’re not after the posed certificate & uniform shot
Conform with POR, ie. All required safety equipment is worn in the photo
You have permission of any people in your photos to use them.
Are of a good quality

Submit your pictures on a CD/DVD/memory stick before 30th September 2012 for your chance to be in it to win it. Send your photos (marked Photo Comp 2012) to us at the County Office, Ferny Croft Scout Centre, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst, SO42 7QY.

Here are some technical tips for taking better, sharper pictures.

Be ready to take the perfect photograph

The opportunity for the perfect photograph happens when you least expect it. Keep the camera within easy reach. You may not have time to fiddle about with the settings so keep the camera set on its standard automatic mode. If using a special feature like macro, switch back to automatic before putting away.

Keep the camera steady

If the camera moves while the picture is being taken the photograph will appear blurry due to camera shake. This is not usually a problem on a bright day, but when the light dims the camera takes longer to capture enough light and this is when holding the camera steady becomes very important. The best way to hold a camera is with both hands with your elbows tucked in to your body for further support. If you have something to rest against, such as a tree, then use that for extra support.

Remember to focus

The camera analyses the image automatically to bring the subject of the photograph into sharp focus on the camera sensor. If the subject is not focused sharply then the image will be blurry. In bright conditions automatic focus works quickly and accurately. In poor light it will take longer to find focus and can make mistakes, resulting in an out-of-focus picture. To help avoid this, ensure the camera has a good focus before taking the picture. On a phone, take extra time and look at the screen to make sure before shooting. On a camera, press the shutter button part way to focus. The camera will beep when it thinks it’s ready. Keep the camera steady and framed on your subject, look at the rear screen and it will usually indicate what area of the image it has in focus. Check the correct part of the image looks sharp and take the picture, otherwise restart the process.

Use a flash

If you are taking a picture of somebody against a bright background your subject may appear dark. Switch the flash on manually to provide extra light on your subject.

Competition Rules

  1. You must own the photo and ensure that you have access to photo permission forms for everyone in the photo. (You do not need to send them).
  2. Entrants may submit more than one photo but no more than twenty. Where more than twenty photos are submitted only the first twenty will be entered into the competition. Disc’s and memory stick will not be returned.
  3. By submitting your photograph you give permission for it to be used by Hampshire County Scouts for scouting purposes. This includes but is not limited to: promotional material, the annual report, the county website, press releases to the media and displayed.
  4. Images may be digitally enhanced to remove spots or scratches, but not manipulated. Entrants can enhance the picture to make it brighter, clearer etc, but not manipulate the content. The judges reserve the right to exclude any image they believe may have been excessively treated so as to alter its authenticity.
  5. All entries will be judged by a panel of judges. Their decision is final. The prizes for best photos are as stated and cannot be transferred or exchanged.
  6. All entries should be labelled with the authors name, age group and Scout Group/District/County role.  If you are entering in group 3 (adults) then please include your membership number as well.
  7. Have fun!

Check List:
Have you included your name, scout group and age group? Please specify which category you belong to A, B or C.
Please include an e-mail address so that we can acknowledge receipt of your entry.
The images are of a manageable size – large enough to be of good quality but not so large they take hours to open!  Recommended size no larger than 6-8MB

 

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Southampton Scout To Speak In Front Of Queen At Televised Jubilee Event

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The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and other members of the royal family, are attending the Diamond Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving on Tuesday morning. The service is being broadcast on BBC One.

Caitlin, a top Scouting achiever, was recently awarded the highest award possible by the movement – the Queen’s Scout award – at a ceremony in Windsor.

She helped out in her community and went on a three-week expedition across north Wales to walk, sail, camp and climb with young people from around the world.

Caitlin said: “I’ve been in Scouting for nearly seven years now, starting off in Hoosiders Explorer Scout unit in Penrith.

“I’d always been jealous of my brother going off to do fun and exciting camps and once or twice I’d been able to tag along as my parents were both occasional helpers.

“Scouting has given me the opportunity to climb mountains, canoe rivers and walk many miles with a huge smile on my face for the whole journey. Scouting has given me that optimism and energy.”

Caitlin is a member of the Scout Network as well as an assistant Scout leader at home. She is also an assistant Explorer Scout leader in Southampton, where she is at university studying French and Spanish.

She said: “It seems bizarre now to think that I’d barely speak up in meetings when I first joined Scouting. Yet when I went to Windsor to collect the Queen’s Scout award, there I was speaking in front of hundreds.

“I went from being shy and quiet to being the loud one bringing all the others out of their shells. I’ve been pushed to be a better person than I thought I could be and I appreciate all the support I’ve had.

“To have been invited to be part of the jubilee thanksgiving service is just beyond my wildest dreams – and all thanks to Scouting.”

First published at 14:11, Friday, 01 June 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk

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14th Tree Climbing

We have two trees – one huge one (about 10m – which is only marginally shorter than Ferny Crofts’ Mega Tower) and one that is slightly smaller (7m).  We strap a climbing hold system (partially made by our scouts) onto the trees, and then climb up it (wearing harnesses/helmets while being belayed by kids/leaders).  We also have a caving ladder, equipment for “prusiking” up a rope, and in the future, we hope to get some crates for crate stacking.
The whole system has been signed off by the county climbing assessor (risk assessment, setup doc, operating procedure).
If your section would like a session on it, please get in touch with me (ed AT jellard DOT co.uk) – there is a hire cost as we have had to get a lot of equipment that’ll need renewing periodically.  With the two trees, we should be able to cope with any sized section in 1.5hrs – 14 can be involved across the two trees at any one time, and you can use the copse/hut to run another activity with your leaders with the ones not involved (making and using a low-ropes course is always good in the copse as an alternative activity, or fire-lighting etc).
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Ed (14th SL)
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Scouts go Hill-Walking

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We stayed in Heol Senni, an ideally located Hampshire Council owned building.  On the first day, we went on a long ridge walk – Corn Du – Pen-Y-Fan – Cribyn and Fan y Big (much to the Scouts amusement).  We went on a shorter route on the second day, including walking up a river – great fun!

The whole weekend was a huge success – one of the Young People said “this is the funnest weekend of my life, ever”. After bumping into a few of the Young People, at District Camp, they definitely want to go again.  It is weekends like this that make being involved with Scouting so worthwhile
Ed (14th SL)
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In My View

SCOUTING in Southampton has never been better – lots of young people and loads of adults are having great fun every week.

Membership increased by three per cent in Hampshire with a seven-percent increase in the Explorer units, 14 to 18-year-olds, and more girls joined Scouting last year than boys.

Why is-that? It is because Scouting offers today’s Scouts an opportunity to prepare for the job market by working for a range of skills-based badges?

Traditionally in Scouting we were renowned for being able to tie a variety of knots, read maps and light camp fires effectively.

But the modern day Scout is now focusing on skills that can lead to a modern day job. The trend towards more jobs-based badges is attracting growing numbers of savvy girls many of whom want to boost their CVs for college and university applications.

Each year our leaders and young people canoe, climb, sleep in shelters, camp, cook, build and burn things kayak, sail, play games and above all, have fun!

Our younger sections for the Beavers, six to eight-years-old, and Cubs, eight to 11-years-old, and Scouts,11 to 14-years-old, we offer them great fun, a wide range of challenge badges and awards and Scouting is a super way to make very good friends, which are very helpful when at school and colleges and later in life.

But we need more adults to join the adventure to help get the young people of Southampton outside, having fun and developing away from home and the classroom. We are looking for Leaders, people to help with maintenance, administration, activity instructors, anything! Previous experience is optional, having fun is compulsory!

Forty-five percent of our adults come from parents of our young people who give us a hand but the majority of volunteers are people just wanting to offer something to their community and what could be better than investing your time in the young.
Why don’t you help a group near you for as much time or as little as you like?

To find out more visit our website southamptoncityscouts.co.uk

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Queens Jubilee Badge

During the afternoon all Beavers, Cubs and two thirds of the Scouts attend the 29th Scout HQ for this event. They were put into small groups made up of all three Section members and a Leader.

The task was to make Sky Lanterns, which also fitted in with the Chinese New Year and could be used as part of their badge work.

After I had done my Blue Peter of here’s one I made earlier, they were off building and sticking. They could each add their own design on the side, and could divide all the jobs required between them.

mini-29th_1.jpgThe Lanterns were made from fire proof newspaper, which was sprayed before hand, Bamboo around the base with two small birthday candles attached. (See photo below)

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mini-29th_2.jpgThis was also a good opportunity for the young people to talk and meet each other from other Sections, as well as the Leaders of their next Section. It was also easy for me as GSL to introduce my new Leaders to the other Leaders who do not work in their Section.

While we waited for the glue to dry, we all joined in playing games from each Section (Scout ones also being Beaver friendly!)

Towards the end, before we launched, we waited for the parents to watch with us. There was no wind and a clear sky for the lanterns to enter.

With the aid of a hair dryer to create warm air and to inflate them, we were ready to launch. Of course with added pressure from the children counting Andy and Nat down to release!

mini-29th_3.jpgSky Lantern Air Born

mini-29th_4.jpgMy thanks go to my fellow Leaders of the 29th for giving up their Sunday afternoon, and hopefully they enjoyed themselves, as much as our young members did.

Russell 29th GSL.

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Fly On The Wall

When I first came to Southampton in 1958 I became an Assistant Scoutmaster in Central District. Shortly afterwards I was asked to help on a Venturer Badge activity at Chorley Lodge. The badge was part of the Queen’s Scout Award which at that time was for the Senior Scouts. I cycled out to Chorley with everything I needed for my base in a rucksack. At that time it was still little more than an abandoned RAF hut with few facilities. Boyd Wallace a legendary DC of West was cooking a large bacon rasher on a primus stove with the aid of a very large sheath knife (a lasting memory).

Chorley Lodge became a well known venue in the New Forest for Scouting and other young people for 40 years. For all that time one person undertook the responsibility of the booking and administration her name was Dorrie Heather. She was, until recently, a member of our Scout District with her husband Fred. They were both very much concerned with running the 8th Scout Group who were in fact the owners of Chorley Lodge throughout that time.

It was almost impossible to talk of one without mentioning the other Their support and enthusiasm brought much to Scouting in West District over many years. Fred in fact was the driving force behind the creation of our Canoe Club. Sadly Dorrie died early in the New Year. Her funeral service was very moving and was very well attended by many who had been in scouting including Scouts and Senior Scouts of many years ago.

Fred has our sympathy for the loss of someone who has been very dear to him. We should love and honour them both for the large part of their lives they have given in service to Scouting.

“Fly” (aka Geoff Johnson)

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Grey Owl’s Report

We had a BLC on 30th January to discuss the programme for 2012. Lots to look forward to: especially District Camp and the sleepover, which should be a great event with the Beaver Scouts joining in with their Group and finding out what Scouting has in store for them in the future! Also discussed were the need to keep both First Response and Safeguarding up to date.

At the beginning of February, 6.30pm, there was a ring at my doorbell and I was confronted with the 9th Colony on a night hike. 15 happy and excited faces’ and that included the Leaders, well wrapped up in woolly hats and gloves and shining their torches all around. Luckily Grey Owl had had a whisper this may happen and was able to send them on their way with a bag of sweets!!

Founders Day at Highfield Church was a good evening and although there were not many Beaver Scouts I think most Colonies were represented. Thank you to all those who attended the service. To me the highlight of the evening was the presentation of a certificate and well done badge to Luke D’Bell of the 1st Colony who has managed to attain every badge possible for a Beaver Scout. Luke counted all the badges on his uniform and the total was 33!!

All that remains for me to say is welcome to all new leaders young and not so young and thank you for giving your time.

Lin Johnson, ADC Beaver Scouts

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11th Beavers Day Out

It was a full day out, 9am – 7pm, with the twelve Beavers who made the most of it. There were activities organised for the Beavers throughout the day, including climbing, a scavenger hunt, cake baking and decorating, t-shirt designs and an indoor campfire due to the weather.

The activities were marvellous and we would like to thank the Cub and Scout Leaders for organising the day and providing us with lunch and dinner.

Below you can see what damage Beavers can do to trees!

Robin (Denise)

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Scout Soapbox

In February we will again be running the Patrol Leader Training weekend.  It will be a bit different this year as we are trying some new ideas for the training, but please think who in your Troops you would like to send on this training to learn skills in both practical areas and in the mystery of “how to lead other people”.

At the end of March we are running a hill-walking weekend for Scouts in the Brecon Beacons.  I will be sending out details to Troops soon so you can promote this to keen outdoor Scouts in your Troops.  All of these three events are coming together thanks to the unselfish offers of time from Leaders across the District, using their time and skills to benefit Scouts from all Troops.  This is what makes the District work well, so thanks to all who are volunteering to make them happen.

Finally, I am sure that all Leaders are making plans for their activities at District Camp (when of course it will no longer be cold).  I am very keen that between us we should put on the best set of activities we possibly can so that the Scouts will have a brilliant time and enjoy the whole event.  If you need some help from the District in making your activities the best they can be – call your ADC today and let’s see how we can work together to do it.

Looking forward to getting “out there” and enjoying this new year of Scouting,

Stuart