Tag: scouts

From George

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date November 11, 2013

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

Tags 13th, active-support, scouts

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Get involved in H0014

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date September 28, 2013

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

Tags active-support, scouts

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From Colin

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date September 19, 2013

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!!

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

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.

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,

Tags adults, beavers, cubs, explorers, scouts

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BSL Meeting

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date September 3, 2013

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

Tags beavers, scouts

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Emlyn – Scouts show leaders how to camp

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date July 29, 2013

Before the camp started the patrols had been hard at work. They had selected and prepared equipment ready for camp, planned a menu for the whole weekend and purchase the food and sundry items. The Patrol Leader (or nominated Scout) had to ensure the menu was within budget, offered a balanced diet and would be enjoyed by the whole patrol.

From 6pm on the last Friday of June patrols arrived at Bragger’s Wood. Each drew lots to secure a site that would be their home for the next 69 hours. The patrols set up their camps to a lay out to their own design. There sites included a sleeping tent (or two), a dining shelter, a store tent, fire area and chopping area.

On Saturday the patrols were set the previously undisclosed tasks of cooking scones in a cardboard oven and making a map of the site. The 29^th and 9^th Cobras were notable by failing to produce a fire big enough to create a cardboard oven inferno.

The three course evening meal must be prepared using fresh ingredients and cooked on an alter fire. Earlier in the day Scouts had collected and prepared wood for the fire. The Scouts, lead by their Patrol Leaders demonstrated safe and skilful use of axe and saw.

As 6pm approached judges were selected to sampling the Scouts’ cooking. There is usually a joke here about these judges taking their lives in their hands. This joke is very much redundant. Eating the Scouts’ cooking is only dangerous if you tell Lin Gibson the Scouts’ cooking is nearly as good as hers.

This year had some impressive food including chicken stew, beef stews, lemon chicken and spaghetti bolognese. One patrol had forgotten to include a starter in its menu. Showing their inventive side the patrol produced a starter from the ingredient it had.

The evening ended with an Explorer Scout organised wide game in the campsite’s woodland.

Sunday started with a broad and inviting selection of breakfasts for the judges to score. This fuelled the patrols to demonstrate their navigation skills on a hike on the nearby moorland. It was a hot day and the patrols managed there water supplies to avoid dehydration. Only two teams left the prescribed route and the remainder got to all the waypoints in a timely manner.

Congratulations to all the Scouts that took part. All had good working camps so with the addition of the other activities at Emlyn they have achieved the camping requirements for the Outdoor Challenge and the Patrol Leaders demonstrated the camping skills for the Outdoor Plus Challenge. Only the first aid sections left to do! These Challenges are hefty contributions to the Chief Scout Gold Award.

Thanks to Stuart and helpers for organising Emlyn, the judges, Lin Gibson for catering for the judges, the leaders, parents and other Scouts who helped prepare the patrols for the competition and most of all the competing patrols.

It is important to remember Emlyn is open to every patrol in the district or any teams, within the age constraints, a troop can enter.

Emlyn may not boast the headline grabbing activities other camps do but it develops team work and leadership and hones Scouting skills that make activity camp work. Most of the skills demonstrated and refined at Emlyn are key life skills and are as essential to a successful Queen’s Scout expedition as mountaincraft. Some of my best memories of as a member of a very active Scout troop were just being at camp with other Scouts. I know I am not alone in this thought. I believe failing to offer Scouts a place at Emlyn denies them a significant part of the Scouting experience.

Tags 29th, explorers, scouts

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Brecon Beacons Trip

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date July 29, 2013

Absolutely everyone had a fantastic time and the scouts were quite literally wow’ed by the scenery – watch the video on our website to see what I mean and to see what we got up to!

http://www.highfieldscouts.org.uk/2013/07/19/scout-trip-to-brecon-beacons/

Scout Leader at the 14th

Tags 14th, scouts

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About Doreen

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date July 29, 2013

For more than 40 years Doreen Old, who has died at the age of 91, was in the Scouting frontline. Thousands of city youngsters have benefited from her inspiring leadership. And her sterling service brought her the Movement’s highest accolades. Right to the end she was an active member of the Southampton West/City District and was a long standing member of the Active Support Movement.

St James Church, Shirley, Southampton was packed when all sections of the city’s scouting fraternity paid their last respects and formed a guard of honour. Netley born Doreen’s links with the 11 th Southampton City Scout Group, now based in Kentish Road, Shirley, stretched back to 1971 where she was Akela of Woden Pack. Her other roles with the group included Group Scout Leader, treasurer and president. She was also a member of the District Fellowship/Active Support Unit for the Southampton West/City district and chaired the district sports committee. For her services to Scouting Doreen was awarded The Medal of Merit and The Silver Acorn (one of the highest awards in Scouting).

Her daughter Pat Rea followed in her mother’s Scouting footsteps and is Assistant District Commissioner for Cubs in Southampton City District formerly Southampton West. Like her mum she has been being working in the Cub Section for more than 40 years. Pat described her mum as an amazing lady who was always there to help others. She said: “She was always on hand to help when and where needed. “She thoroughly enjoyed working with the Cubs which is why when she had to retire as Akela she joined what was then Fellowship, now Active Support, so that she could continue to help out.”

After the funeral service a wide cross section of the Scouting community gathered at the 11th Southampton’s Kentish Road headquarters to share memories of Doreen. As well as a daughter and son, Doreen leaves two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Duncan Eaton

Tags 11th, active-support, cubs, scouts

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9th Southampton City Group Obstacle Course. Saturday 8th June

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date July 1, 2013

This event showed our group at its best, the three sections working together, the scouts each cheerfully mentoring a Beaver so they could have fun with the reassurance of the older one to both egg them on and support them if they were unsure. This is a great way for the younger kids to meet the older ones and should also help with the flow of young people from Colony to Pack and Pack to Troop.

Tags beavers, scouts

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Fly On The Wall

Post author By Editorial Team
Post date March 31, 2013

On the Friday evening another leader called. He wanted to talk over some concerns he had. Grey Wol and I consider it a compliment and are always willing to help. On Saturday there are always the checking up and preparations to be made but also a visit to Grey Wol’s Mum as we were totally committed on the Sunday. Late afternoon we had a phone call from Lisa. She hadn’t seen us for ages and wondered if she could call round. We have known Lisa since she was a young Cubscout at the 13th right through to her Explorer scouting. Well it was nearly midnight when Lisa left. She will be a qualified Doctor in four months time but is still involved in Scouting. We had lots to talk over.

After our late night, Sunday morning dawned grey and bleak with a chilly wind. We picked up Kane, Endeavour’s only competitor in the Cross Country and drove to the Sports Centre. Kane was pleased to see his old Troop the 9th and after helping me to give some shelter to the organisers stood talking his old friends. The numbers for the event were down this year but sometimes leaders and our young people are over committed, however there was good parent support and the event went well. The Sports Committee have lost one or two trusty members recently especially Doreen who has been at every Cross Country since it was started – she was missed and our thoughts are with her.

We dropped Kane home, he had run himself into the ground trying to keep up with the Ellis twins and needed rest and recuperation. After a spot of lunch ourselves it was off to the Theatre.

The “High Five” Concert was organised to support the Wessex Heartbeat Appeal which is our District charity this year. The performers were from local schools and dance and music groups all between five and twenty years of age. The Explorers were all there waiting for us including Ben who had been at the County Youth Conference all weekend and had had rushed back to be with us. While we were waiting in the Foyer for instructions one of our lost friends, Josh, saw us and came in to have a friendly chat he had left after an upset but he was obviously pleased to see us again.

Our duties were to give out programmes and goody bags to family groups and to rattle our buckets for donations to charity. After helping with the preparations we were taken below stage for some refreshments and then dispersed in the foyer and around the theatre to do our job. Some worked in pairs some independently. When the show started we gathered in the balcony to watch the performance. The show was to a very high standard with dancing, music and singing, the work that had been done by the young people, their teachers and trainers, was amazing and the Show was really enjoyable.

After the Show we were all in the foyer rattling our buckets until the last of the audience had left. We had been at the theatre form 3.00 o’clock until 10.30. Ben left early and also Joe who had a foreign exchange student arriving that night. The Explorers were polite happy and smart throughout. We had a nice message of thanks from the organisers and a credit in the programme. Our bucket collection raised £1,360 – Yes I think you can say a busy and worthwhile weekend.

Fly

Tags 13th, cubs, explorers, scouts