Welcome

What’s new...

• Volunteers are desperately needed to help marshal the London Bridges Walk on Sunday 17th August, supporting CHASE Hospice Care for Children, a charity which helps life-limited children, through the Ben Hollioake Fund. The walk starts at the Tower of London and finishes at the Brit Oval where walkers are able to watch a one-day cricket game between Surrey CCC and Northants CCC. Volunteers will be given a t-shirt and lent a high-vis jacket and are simply required to act as guides directing walkers in the right direction. Volunteers are also invited to do the walk if they wish and join us at the Brit Oval afterwards to watch the cricket from a special area of the OCS Stand. The Army usually help but are unable to this year, so please do get in touch with Catherine Loveless if you can help, either by phone on 01483 447752 or by e-mail to catherine.loveless@chasecare.org.uk. (23rd July 2008)

• There are pictures from “Regenerate”, the youth engagement weekend for 18–25s from the six London Counties held at Gilwell Park at the end of June 2008. Jack Petchey OBE is easily distinguishable in most of the pictures and the three GLSW representatives, Donald Lewis (Croydon), Patrick Dunne (Royal Kingston) and Joanna Miles (Richmond) are standing near the centre of the group picture. (21st July 2008)

• There are also pictures of the GLSW team attempting the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in June 2008. The challenge includes the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, part of the Pennine range around the head of the valley of the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. (21st July 2008)

• The Woodland Trust is offering grants for Community Tree Planting initiatives for this winter. If your Scout Group is holding a tree planting event then up to £100 may be available to help carry out your project. To be eligible you have to register your event at www.woodland-trust.org.uk. (20th July 2008)

• Applications are invited for the 1st Panamerican Scout Moot, an official event of the Interamerican Region of WOSM, that will be held from 27th December 2008 until 4th January 2009 in Arani, Cochabamba, Bolivia. (20th July 2008)

• Could you help on a Pathfinders Camp – a camping holiday for disabled women aged 18+? Every year for one week, women and men from all over come to Woodlarks Campsite in Farnham, Surrey to aid a disabled participant at camp. This year camp is from Saturday 23rd August to Saturday 30th August but is in desperate need of volunteers so more people can come camping! (20th July 2008)

• Calling all ‘Jack Petchey Achievement Award’ Winners! You are invited to attend our prestigious Presentation Evening to receive your JPF medallion on Tuesday 23rd September 2008, 7:00pm for 7:30pm at the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon. Invitations will be sent direct to you shortly. A date for your diary! (5th July 2008)

• The National Sedan Chair Rally will take place this year from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th October 2008 at Tolmers. It is a weekend event for Explorer Scout Units, Scout Network Units, Ranger Guides Units and Sea Ranger Crews. (5th July 2008)

• Details of the County Explorer Scout Night Hike are now available. This is a competition night hike that takes place on 11th–12th October 2008 with routes of different lengths and with trophies for the winning teams. (5th July 2008)

• Latest Programme & Activity News: Greater London North organise two major hiking competitions each year: the Chiltern 20 Challenge and the Southern 50 Challenge. These are open to Scouts, Explorers, Network and leaders throughout London and beyond... But can we find a team of four Ladies from GLSW for either the 50km or 50 mile class? The Ladies trophy has not been awarded for a few years... (5th July 2008)

• The GLSW County Annual Report and Accounts 2008 are now available online in PDF only. (11th June 2008)

• Visitors to the historic Quayside will be able to interact with a life-size bronze sculpture of Lord Baden-Powell at Poole this summer. The new piece of public art has been specially commissioned by the Borough of Poole in partnership with Poole District Scout Council to celebrate the founding of the Scout Movement in 1908. Read more to find the connection with GLSW. (17th May 2008)

• There will be an Expedition Training Course during the October 2008 half-term break for those wishing to undertake their Queen’s Scout and Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award expedition on foot during 2009. The course is suitable for participants aged 16–25. Please use the online booking form to book your place (a PDF alternative is available). (17th May 2008)

• Scout Insurance Services Ltd recently issued a Safety Advisory Notice: Pierceable Gas Cartidges. Over the last few years, there have been a number of serious incidents involving the use of gas cookers and lanterns which employ pierceable cartridges. The Scout Association is taking the unusual step in strongly advising Groups to cease using equipment which employs these cartridges. (6th May 2008)

• There is a new website, pioneeringmadeeasy.co.uk, which houses all the pioneering articles that were produced by Dave and Lesley Bixby and Alan Green for Scouting magazine over a five-year period. The aim of the articles was to give simple instructions to enable inexperienced Scouters get a start in pioneering. All the projects are available as free downloads. (21st April 2008)

• Following the successful GLSW Explorer Belt Expedition to Lithuania in 2006, we are delighted to announce that the next one will be held in Summer 2009, this time to the Tuscany region of Italy. Ciao Italia is for 16–25 year-olds but adult leaders will also be required for the support team. A training weekend will be held in February 2009. (5th March 2008)

• A Group Asset Register Template (240KBytes MSWord) is available for use by all Groups to help them comply with current POR & Charity Commission requirements. (16th November 2007)

Other recent additions: Network Brownsea Island Activity Weekend; 1st Wallington – first century!; GLSW County Scout Night Exercise 2008; Wimbledon (Edge Hill) Explorer Scout Unit 2008 “Pantomime Ball”; Operation Red Flare 2008; GLSW Scout Cooking Competition 2008; 2007 NITEX results; GLSW County Orienteering Competition 2007; GLSW Remote Camping Course 2007; GLSW Gritstone Climbing Course 2007; Lord Mayor’s Show 2007.