Focus on GLSW
Scouting in Greater London South West April 2002
St. George's Day Awards
| SILVER WOLF In recognition for service of the most exceptional nature to Scouting |
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|---|---|---|
| E J Barley | Vice President and Executive Committee Member | Surbiton |
| V J Burrows | District Chairman | Surbiton |
| J E Dadds | A.D.C. (General Duties) | Kingston and Malden |
| J W Dimmock | District Chairman | Wallington, Carshalton & District |
| L H Ling | District Chairman Scout Fellowship | North Croydon |
| M J R Orbell | S.L. 9th Wimbledon (Sacred Heart) | Wimbledon & Merton |
| B H Rickwood | District Executive Committee | Wallington, Carshalton & District |
| BAR TO THE SILVER ACORN In recognition of further specially distinguished service |
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| D J Pattison | G.S.L. 3rd Carshalton (Methodist) | Wallington, Carshalton & District |
| Mrs. P Pattison | B.S.L. 3rd Carshalton (Methodist) | Wallington, Carshalton & District |
| SILVER ACORN In recognition of specially distinguished service |
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| J W Eggitt | G.S.L. 1st Old Malden (St. John the Baptist) | Kingston and Malden |
| C J Feltham | G.S.L. 7th Malden (St. James) | Kingston and Malden |
| P F Hutton | S.L. 13th Wimbledon (St. Saviours) | Wimbledon & Merton |
| J R Mander | Chairman District Executive Committee | Purley and District |
| Mrs. H J Mason | G.S.L. 1st Tolworth (St. Matthews) | Surbiton |
| B V Pegram | A.D.C. (Venture Scouts) | Surbiton |
| B G Pike | District Chairman and Acting District Secretary | Wandle |
| Mrs. G.J.W. Prior | District Treasurer | Wandle |
| K Richmond | District President and Member Appointments Committee | Kingston and Malden |
| Mrs. M D Warry | B.S.L. 1st Tolworth (St. Matthews) | Surbiton |
Awards
| Long Service Decoration | |
|---|---|
| Stephen William Nottage | Central Croydon |
| Amanda Carol Baker | |
The Waltham Walk Youth Challenge Expedition 18–19 MAY 2002
The WALTHAM WALK is a unique expedition for young people, where they are able to test their team working and leadership skills in a competitive and adventurous environment.
This year the Waltham Walk comprises four events (Ages are as the School Academic Years):
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The Veterans Event for those aged 18 plus, covering the 17 mile Saturday route, carrying all necessary equipment and camping overnight or the full Main Event.
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The Main Event for school years 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13, covering 30 miles over 2 days. Starting Saturday, camping overnight, and finishing Sunday, carrying all necessary equipment.
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The Mini Trek for school years 7, 8 & 9, covering 15 miles over 2 days. Starting Saturday afternoon, camping overnight and finishing Sunday, carrying ‘day sacks’ only. This is a good introduction to expedition work.
For further information please contact Michael Wilding or Graham Farnfield or e-mail john@brookes48.freeserve.co.uk or visit our web site at www.walthamwalk.org.uk.
Moat Mount Outdoor Centre & Campsite
Moat Mount is a registered Charity (Set up by Scout leaders and woodcraft folk leaders) and exists in order to offer outdoor activities to schools and youth groups. It has been inspected and approved by the County Camp Advisor for the Guide Association.
A five-acre field in North West London is available for camping surrounded by woodland. Camping fees are £3 for the first night and £1 for each night after that. There are areas for open fires.
The indoor accommodation consists of four dormitory rooms and two staff bedrooms (accommodating 32 young people and four adults), toilets, kitchen, dining room, lounge and activity room. For exclusive use of the centre it is £8.50 per night (minimum numbers of twenty young persons).
Brochures are available. For more info: Moat Mount Open Space, Barnet Way, Mill Hill, London, NW7 5AL T: 020 8906 9499 E: moatmount@yahoo.co.uk.
Profile of Chris Dean County Scout Network Commissioner
My involvement in Scouting started when I was dragged objecting to the 7th Croydon Wolf Cub Pack one Monday evening. This ritual went on for several weeks until quite suddenly I found I was actually enjoying it after all! I gained my Leaping Wolf badge and then went up, aged 11, into the Scout Troop where I was the smallest and newest member of the Bulldog patrol. Some years and several camps later I achieved my First Class badge and Scout Cord, whereupon I moved up to the Senior Scout Troop. In 1965 I gained my Queen's Scout Badge and Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award, and then took out my first Leader appointment as A.S.M. Subsequently, I was appointed D.S.L. and then A.D.C. (Scouts) in S.W.Croydon. I completed my Wood Badge training at Gilwell in 1973. Oh, and I also joined the 7th Croydon Rover Crew for good measure. Then in 1975 my wife and I started the Croham Valley Joint Unit (Venture Scouts and Ranger Guides) in South Croydon, and I have been V.S.L. ever since. This summer I go on my 27th consecutive Unit Expedition, and my 10th overseas trip.
In Scouting, my passions are mountaineering, sailing, pioneering, hiking and camping of course; while outside the Movement I enjoy watching rugby, playing cricket, railway modelling, collecting stamps, and listening to blues music.
Family life is also very important, and we have five children aged 9 to 24. The eldest, Mark, gained his Gold Award, and the second eldest, Stuart, his Queen's Scout: both of course were Venture Scouts. My daughter, Helen, is a Ranger Guide, and has just completed her Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Who says Scouting doesn't run in families!
I worked in the City for 30 years until 1999, when I was made redundant. I am now working as a Bursar at a SEN school in Bromley.
This latest challenge represents another change in direction for me, and I look forward in making the Scout Network a huge success in GLSW. Will you join me in this journey?
Jessie Moore (North Croydon District)
It was with regret that I heard that Jessie passed away in January. She was a Cub Leader; spent 4 years as A.D.C. (Cub Scouts) where I first met her, another 4 years as A.D.C. (Leader Training) followed by six years as Akela for the special needs Cub Pack based at Bensham Manor School after which she returned to help with the 61st Cub Pack. Jessie also helped on numerous training courses sharing a wealth of experience and adding a special sparkle. Farewell good Scouter.
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Several years ago there was a big fund raising effort when the hospital was undergoing rebuilding work called 'The Tear Fund'. No formal fund raising has been organized this year their 150th Anniversary but help is always needed. Scouting also goes on at the hospital and youngsters are rounded up from various wards to attend the weekly meetings.
What you don't want, others do…
Foreign postage stamps, foreign currency left over from holiday trips, money-off coupons — any of these can help provide much needed income to continue and expand the work of the Scout Holiday Homes Trust. Founded in 1969 the Trust provides self-catering holiday accommodation for any family or group who has a member with a special need. This includes: families with elderly or frail members, people with special needs and their carers, single parent families and low income families — any family where the quality of life is diminished by disability, infirmity or misfortune.
Contact The Scout Holiday Homes Trust, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW
County AGM
Subject to confirmation, the keynote speaker at this year’s annual general meeting will John May who is the Chairman of the Programme and Development Directorate at Headquarters. His theme will be "Better Scouting for more young people".
The meeting on 3 July, starts prompt at 8:00pm and will be held at Wallington, Carshalton and District’s headquarters in Woodcote Road, Wallington (adjacent to Shotfield Car Park). For those who think that people at headquarters are a bit removed from grassroots Scouting — John is also ASL at 7th High Wycombe (Manor Farm).
GLSW Surrey Paragliding Club
Fancy a day paragliding? One day courses will start by you being taught how to do a parachute-landing roll and all about the parachute that you will be using. A member of the team will then undertake a trial flight to check the wind conditions. Your flying then commences. The day includes three launches. The Club members who run the courses are volunteers and are all members of the British Hangliding and Paragliding Association. The course dates for 2002 are as follows:
Over–14s: May 11,26 June 15,23 July 20,21 September 28,29 October 12,13
Under–14s: April 13 May 12,25 June 8
The cost of the course will be £25 per person. If you are interested in joining the club for a day’s paragliding please contact the bookings secretary Dot Short or email glswsurreyspc@tesco.net.
More details on the GLSW County web site.
Diary Dates
| 2002 | Meeting | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 3 | Executive | County Scout Centre |
| May | 30 | Team | County Scout Centre |
| June | 9 | DCs Conference | County Scout Centre |
| TBA | Finance | Westow Street, SE19 | |
| July | 3 | AGM | District HQ Wallington, Carshalton & District |
| September | 6–8 | Bethesda Working Party | Yr Hen Neaudd (Bethesda) |
| 9 | Finance | 67 Westow Street, SE19 | |
| 25 | Executive | County Scout Centre | |
| October | 22–26 | Gang Show | Secombe Centre |
| November | 14 | Team | County Scout Centre |
| 17 | DCs Conference | County Scout Centre | |
| 18 | Finance | Westow Street, SE19 | |
| December | 4 | Executive | County Scout Centre |
Caroline O'Hagan (CJ) ACC Explorer Scouts
Having just been appointed as the ACC Explorer Scouts, I have jumped in at the deep end of this new and challenging job!
I have been heavily involved in PRI (Programme Review Implementation) over the past two years as part of the PRI management team for HQ, and helped organise the 14–25 workshop in Manchester in June 2001. I am also part of the Contingent Support Team for the Thailand Jamboree at the end of the year, and am part of the National Scout Support Team. I started Scouting as a Venture, defecting from the Guides (although still hold a District Guide Leader warrant, and help with events from time to time), after being involved in all sorts of projects throughout my time at university, I came back to help at Scouts in Twickenham.
Enough about me! What will I be doing? Over the coming months I will be supporting all the Districts within GLSW plan the transition from the old programme and structures to the new sections and brand new programme. It is absolutely crucial that we get this huge change right first time… which is why the County has asked each District to put together a plan for the new sections in their own patch. There is no one way for how Explorer Scout units should be set up and run, in fact one of the underlying principles of the new programme is flexibility so that the young people in a local area get the best Scouting possible!
A model of how District Explorer Scout Provision may look…
I am in the process of putting together a support team to create and assist with exciting county initiatives for Explorer Scouts, so if you are interested, know someone who would be, or have some wacky ideas then please get in touch!
We are hoping to get a date out as soon as possible, for an open meeting for anyone in the County to come along and discuss the new programme for Explorer Scouts, and to share ideas and plans about the new section's structure and roles.
If you have any questions about Explorer Scouts, then please get in touch – I don't promise to have all the answers, but will do my best to help find a solution! We are in the midst of a very exciting time in Scouting's history and I for one am really excited by the future!
County Scout Night Exercise.
Saturday 16th March saw 42 teams of Scouts gather at Birchmere campsite near to Wisley for the long awaited Night exercise. (Last years had to be cancelled due to Foot & Mouth.) The temperature was mild but the early evening had been showery which meant that the going was soft to bog like!
At 5pm the first of the teams departed after they had a thorough kit check, been given a map, an emergency card and their final instructions. This same scene repeated itself at five minute intervals until just before 9pm when the last team departed.
Each team knew that they would be scored on the simple tasks they found at the six checkpoints they visited along the route. These tasks included: walking up and down a slope as a team with a pioneering pole between your legs!, cooking sausages over an open fire, posing for a photograph as a team whilst only having a certain number of feet on the ground (see the pictures on the Scout pages on the GLSW County web site).
There were additional marks for the time taken to complete and with an average time of about 3 1/2 hours most teams were able to pick up extra points.
When the Scouts had finished they retired to their tents and to await the results the following morning.
The winners this year were the 7th Purley (seen above collecting their prize), but all those who took part were winners including the boy from the 15th Wallington who had walked the course with his boots on the wrong feet!
Many thanks to all the Leaders, helpers and parents (and it took over 60 of them) who made it all possible and to Andy Harris for his superb organisation.
Scout Questionnaire
A big thank you to all the Troops who filled out the questionnaire that was with the County Scout Event book. As promised there was a prize for the first one drawn out of the hat, so of the 53 names that were entered, Trinity Scout & Guide Group of Sutton were the first to emerge and the tent will be on its way to them in the next few weeks.
Focus on GLSW
Items for the June issue should be submitted by 14th May 2002 to the editor: Phil Davies.
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