Greater London South West Scouting

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Focus on GLSW

Scouting in Greater London South West April 2005

St George’s Day Awards

SILVER WOLF
In recognition for service of the most exceptional nature to Scouting
Geoffrey T. Benge Chairman Appointments Sub Committee Richmond upon Thames
Roger Hurrion County Commissioner Greater London South West
Sheila M. Kinton Group Supporter 4th Worcester Park, District Fellowship Member Sutton and Cheam
Peter H. Newman Chairman Appointments Committee Wimbledon and Wandle
BAR TO THE SILVER ACORN
In recognition of further specially distinguished service
Ann P. Morley C.S.L. 5th Carshalton Wallington Carshalton and District
SILVER ACORN
In recognition of specially distinguished service
Jean E.S. Beck Secretary County Flying Club Surrey, District Administrator (Beaver Scouts) and County Adviser Air Activities Richmond upon Thames
David F. Clay S.L. 2nd Whitton Richmond upon Thames
Jennifer A. Coles G.S.L. St Mary’s Barnes Richmond upon Thames
David H. Crabb G.S.L. 8th Trinity Scout and Guide Group Sutton and Cheam
Jean I.F. Jenkins District and County Rifle Shooting Adviser Royal Kingston
Keith W. Maund G.S.L. Leander (Kingston) Royal Kingston
Geoffrey A. Seaton District Chairman Sutton and Cheam
Rosemary H. Tapping G.S.L. 2nd Tolworth Royal Kingston
John A. Tweedley G.S.L. 3rd Mitcham Wimbledon and Wandle

County Commissioner’s Message

Scouting has learnt to adapt to changes and move forward and in recent years the changes have become more rapid and significant. Quite rightly so as we are an organisation which is a youth movement and we need to keep up the momentum of moving forward if we are to continue to attract members.

Our census figures this year would indicate that we are doing something right and moving in the right direction. Our increase is about 70+ which may seem small but it’s going the right way. It also doesn’t take into account the fact that later this month two new Scout Groups will be starting up in the County, based around our Muslim communities. Well done to everyone involved.

There will be a couple of changes to the County Support Team this month. Ian Newbery will be relinquishing his role as ACC Scouts, but remaining as ACC Explorers, with Mark Patrick taking on the ACC Scouts role. Ian has led the Scout section in GLSW for nearly eight years and has managed to combine that with taking a Jamboree contingent to Chile, an H.Q. role for campsites, writing in Scouting Magazine and fatherhood twice over! So it was quite fitting that a presentation was made to Ian at Bentley Copse after the County Night Hike competition, to thank him for all his hard work. I’m sure that Explorers have a lot to look forward to under Ian’s guidance. We also thank Mark for taking on his new role and wish him the best of luck.

Elsewhere in Focus you will see the St. George’s Day Awards made to the County; congratulations to all those concerned and many thanks for their many years of dedicated service. For those going to Windsor there will be the added pleasure of seeing two of our Scout bands, 1st Hook and Kingston and Malden leading the parade.

It’s now April and if we take out August as the holiday month, that gives us eight months of 2005. If every Scout Group tried to recruit five new adults to Scouting, it could have a significant impact on our younger membership. That is gaining an adult in some role to the benefit of Scouting and your Group once in every two months.

FIVE FOR 05. Give it a go!

In the coming months with lighter evenings and outdoor activities enjoy your Scouting.

Roger

Scouts

This year’s Scout Night Exercise saw more teams than ever entered with 45 patrols from all around the County kitted up and raring to go! The event was based at Bentley Copse campsite in Shere and the circular route took the teams through woods and along bridal ways and footpaths. There was some confusion for a few of the teams because the Forestry people had added some new track ways since the maps they had were last updated! But the majority were able to work through this challenge and get themselves back on course.

[Picture of the winning team with the trophy]

Three of the members of the winning 14th Wimbledon ‘B’ team with Roger Hurrion, County Commissioner, and Mark Patrick, the new Assistant County Commissioner (Scouts)

The first teams, who had left at just after 5pm, started to arrive back at the site around 9.30 and the last of the teams (those who had started near to 9 o’clock) were all back by 1.30am.

With all the scores and times calculated, the techno team set about printing off each patrol’s certificate, each of which bore a picture of the team taken earlier in the evening.

The following morning it was time for the presentations. This years winners were the 14th Wimbledon ‘B’ team with the 22nd Wimbledon in second and 1st Wallington ‘B’ in third.

A new category has been created by the new ACC (Scouts) Mark Patrick and Andy Harris (County Scout Leader). With the surprise announcement that it is to be called the ‘Ian Newbery Award’ for the most promising new team. The inaugural winners are the 1st Richmond.

Full results are available on the County web site: www.glswscouts.org.uk.

My thanks go to all who helped on the evening by manning check points, acting as road crossing marshals, providing refreshments or helping with the check in. Special thanks to Andy Harris, Mark Patrick, and Chris Sowden.

Ian Newbery Assistant County Commissioner (Scouts)

Census Increase

Following this year’s census, you will be pleased to know that the County’s membership has increased overall by 75, making a total of 9,466. Although this appears to be a small increase, it should be remembered this is the first increase for many years!

When compared with last year, the other headline statistics include:

Just counting adults, Richmond upon Thames gained 22, Croydon gained 30, Sutton and Cheam gained 13 and Royal Kingston gained 7. Although reductions of 17 and 11 occurred in Wimbledon & Wandle and Wallington, Carshalton & District respectively.

The male youth membership decreased by 58 and the female youth membership increased by 31. Beavers increased by 409, Cubs decreased by 53, Scouts increased by 13, Explorer Scouts decreased by 6 and Scout Network increased by 6 (County registered only).

As you will see, at first glance most of the figures are recording increases and so we should all take heart in the results. Well done everyone! More detailed information will become available as soon as H.Q. verify the County Return.

ACC Scouts

Dear All, It was in July 1997 that I took on the role of ACC (Scouts) and as I sit here writing this message just before Easter, I have taken the opportunity to look back over the events of the last eight years.

What has struck me is the tremendous journey we have been through in such a short space of time – the District mergers, the new programme, the age range changes, the changes to adult training and camping permits.

What has also struck me is the way the Section has adapted to each and every new challenge. It has not always been easy and one or two might like to see some of the changes reversed, but on the whole we are “getting on with it” and I might add making it work well.

I am also hopeful at this time, as I genuinely believe that for the first time in the years that I have been part of the County team, we will see a halt to the large losses of numbers in the 2005 census. Of course there is still the final adjustments to be made, but early indications are that our numbers are up overall in the County.

Why? Because we are better briefed, better staffed, better supported and have a better programme than we have had for many years. The first three years of our County Development Project are coming to fruition and Districts, Groups and even sections have their own development plans and know where to get the tools and support for adult & youth recruitment and publicity.

Now is the time, after all the changes that we have seen, to bring all the elements together and start Scouting 21st Century style.

It seems appropriate therefore, as we settle down after this period of change, that I take my leave from the Scout job. The last eight years have been busy and personally very rewarding, but I feel that it is the time to hand on the baton to someone new, to take the section on to the next phase.

I am pleased to say that Mark Patrick, currently one of the County Scout Leaders, has agreed to take on the role of ACC Scouts as from Easter. This will enable me to concentrate my efforts on the Explorer Scout section, which I began work with last year.

It only remains for me to give my thanks to you, your teams and the County Scout Leaders for working so hard in providing the best possible Scouting to the young people in the County and I know that you will give Mark the support that you have shown me in the time I have worked with you.

Regards, Ian Newbery Assistant County Commissioner (Scouts)

Amateur Radio Foundation Course

Richmond upon Thames Scouts Amateur Radio Club are holding a Foundation Course for Amateur Radio on the 7th April, and it is open to all interested Scouts County Wide.

Scouts should attend the Radio Club on any Thursday evening to complete consent forms, for those under 18 years of age, parental signatures are required.

The cost of the course is £30.00 and includes the foundation Examination Manual and Examination Fees.

The course is two hours on a Thursday evening 7.30pm 9.30pm and will last a total of eight weeks, held at the headquarters of 6th Whitton Scout Group, at the far end of Springfield Road, Whitton, Twickenham TW2 6LQ.

Maps of the location can be obtained by email from rutsarc@blueyonder.co.uk.

Ron Hart G4SNT M0OSC GB2RUT Lead Instructor Richmond upon Thames Scouts ARC

GLSW Explorer Belt Expedition 2006

The Explorer Scout and Scout Network sections are mounting a joint initiative to run an Explorer Belt Expedition to Lithuania in 2006.

The Explorer Belt is the challenge of a lifetime, which is open to Explorer Scouts aged over 16 and members of the Scout Network. It is a chance to take part in a ten-day expedition that brings a real understanding of a different country, its people and way of life.

It is sometimes described as ‘the antidote to the package holiday’. It is designed to help young people develop a real understanding of another country by travelling through that country, completing surprise projects, working as a small team and meeting local people.

To complete the Explorer Belt, an Explorer Scout or member of the Scout Network must:

Teams should consist of no fewer than three people The details are yet to be finalised and cannot be confirmed until the autumn when the airlines have published their schedules. But the outline plan is for the expedition is for it to take place around 29th July – 12th August 2006. The cost will be no more than £500 per head.

If you wish to register your interest now and have an application form e-mailed direct in the autumn you can, at either: ian.newbery@glswscouts.org.uk or chris.dean@glswscouts.org.uk.

In addition we are looking for adults to become part of the management team. We are particularly looking for people to undertake the following roles:

If you are interested in any of the above please contact either Chris or Ian at the above email addresses with a brief resume.

Fellowship

Croydon Scout Fellowship has held its Annual General Meeting at which members were pleased to welcome County Commissioner Roger Hurrion and Deputy County Commissioner Stephen Clarke. Reports on the year’s activities were received and approved and the officers and committee elected.

At the end of 2004 Croydon had 47 members of whom 17 were Leaders, helpers or District and Group officials. Membership fees of £720 had been paid to the District Treasurer. The payment represented £525 to Scout Headquarters, £150 to County and £90 to Croydon District, a useful contribution to Scout funds.

Membership is widely spread across Croydon District from Norbury and Thornton Heath in the north to Purley in the south ­ plus a few members in Sussex, Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall. Members Scouting experience, past and present, includes four Commissioners six Group Scout Leaders six Leaders and several Scout Group and District administrators, much of it being used within Croydon Scouting.

Although they are quietly confident about the future, Croydon Scout Fellowship’s committee members do have some concerns. They are, continually the relatively small size of the ‘active’ team (16 ­ 22 people) and the high age range of 55 ­ 80 plus years, with an average of 72 years. The aim for 2005 is to increase the size of the work team and to recruit more (and younger) members.

A committed Scout Fellowship is too valuable a resource for any District to allow it to fall apart for lack of encouragement. Since January, Croydon has cooked dinner and the next morning, breakfast for a Patrol Leader training course. Then, on the 27 February, a cold, snowbound Sunday morning, members cooked 300 rashers of bacon to provide ‘bacon butties’ for 120 contestants at ‘Red Flare’, the County Explorer Scout night activity. These are just two examples of situations where event organisers can ask for specific help and know that, because the Scout Fellowship has accepted, they have no more worries, the job will be done.

I am guessing that, elsewhere in GLSW there are other Scout Fellowships helping in a similar way. Stephen Clarke has asked me to continue writing about Scout Fellowship on his behalf. At the moment I can only write generally or about Croydon. I would like to be able to write about other Scout Fellowships. If Chairman or Secretaries send me reports I’ll do my best. We, in the Scout Fellowship, need to be noticed!

Les Ling Croydon Scout Fellowship

Network

Thank you to everyone who helped ensure the Census was carried out promptly and efficiently, and in particular to our Network Administrator, Andrew Florence, for collating all the responses and updating the database. The good news is that we have increased membership again this year, the not-so-good news is that there are still large numbers of Network ‘members’ out there who are ‘not responding to treatment’! Our task this year is to get them to engage, and also to attract Explorer Scouts upon reaching their 18th birthday, but more about that at the Conference.

Thanks also to the small gang of Network members which turned out to fell trees and clear invasive rhododendron at Croydon District’s Pinewood Scout Training Centre, towards the end of January.

As usual there was GLSW Network interest in this year’s Southern 50 Challenge organised by Greater London North. The two teams finished 4th and 6th out of 12 starters in the 50 mile event. Two weeks later we had a record entry for ‘Operation Red Flare’ although wintry conditions prompted a few teams to cry off. The winners, by some margin, were a combined GLSW Scout Network ‘All Stars’/Sutton ESU team featuring Simon Keen, Ian Smalley and Ed Wilson. Well done to them and the 3 Explorers who managed to keep up with them ! 22 teams took part.

Our annual weekend trip to Bethesda did not attract the support it deserved, and it would be interesting to know why. Ron Wellbrook facilitated an enjoyable day’s walking on snowy ridges and then a morning’s indoor wall climbing at PYB before we headed homeward. Our next visit to Bethesda is in July, when a team will take part in the MS Challenge.

At the end of March a party of 16 will be going to the Yorkshire Dales to undertake Queen’s Scout and Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award Expeditions. They will be based in a bunkhouse at Whernside Manor, and then hiking for 4 days under the watchful eye of their Assessor and ‘yours truly’. There is a further opportunity to complete expeditions for these Awards in late August, and details are posted on the County web site.

In April we shall convene at the Wilberforce Scout Centre, Keston for the third annual Conference, and all Network members are requested to attend. As usual, we shall be electing a new Committee for the year ahead.

Later in the month, the Network flag will be seen at the various District St George’s Day parades, while a good number of Queen’s Scouts from GLSW will be at Windsor on April 24. A week later, the Network will be providing an activity on Ashdown Forest for Explorer Scouts from the new Borough District of Sutton, and each Local SNet is responsible for a base.

As mentioned previously, there has been considerable interest in Edda, and almost 30 Network members and Leaders will be making the journey to Sweden in late July. Looking even further ahead, the decision has been taken to mount an Explorer Belt Expedition to Lithuania in July/August 2006. This should be an absolutely fantastic experience, and I do commend it.

Christopher Dean County Scout Network Commissioner

Learn to row in The Royal Shallop ‘Jubilant’ and other traditional cutters and whalers

Starting from the 25th April, we can take your Unit, Troop or older Cubs out for an evenings rowing in a variety of traditional rowing craft. Each of these superb traditional boats are equally suitable for training, casual rowing or racing and can be easily handled by young or old, novices or experts, able bodied or disabled. The 14th Richmond ‘Viking’ Boating Base aims to introduce all who are interested in learning to row or improving their rowing skills to ‘traditional’ rowing and having fun on the river. Rowing costs £2 per person per night with life jackets and qualified instruction provided. We can also run residential badge courses for Scouts to earn their ‘Pulling’ and ‘Basic Nautical Skills’ badges. Residential courses cost approx. £20 per Scout (based on groups of seven or more) including food, with overnight accommodation provided in the 14th Royal Shallop ‘Jubilant’ Richmond ‘Viking’ Group HQ at Richmond.

For further information on one-off rowing nights or residential badge courses please contact Vic Griffiths at vicgriffiths@totalise.co.uk.

Adult Training

Module 25 Management Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 13th March
Module 25 Nights Away Advisors 1st Old Malden Scout H.Q., Malden 10th April
Module 12 Explorer Leaders Wimbledon and Wandle District HQ, Morden Hall Park, Morden 18th 19th 25th and 27th April (evenings)
Module 25 Training Advisors 1st Old Malden Scout H.Q., Malden 22nd May
Modules 5–11 & 14 Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 12th June
Module 16 Nights Away Bears Wood Camp Site, Addington 17th 18th 19th June + 1 day to be advised
Module 15 Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 23rd June (Thursday evening)
Module 8–9 & 13 Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 3rd July
Module 12 & 17 Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 25th September
Modules 19 & 7 Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 16th October
Module 20–26 Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 5th & 6th 19th & 20th 26th & 27th November (morning or afternoon workshops)
Module 25 Management Bow Lane Scout Centre, Morden 4th December

For details of all courses see the adult support pages at www.glswscouts.org.uk/adultsupport, contact Mrs Joan Condon at training@glswscouts.org.uk or contact your District Training Manager.

Awards

Explorer Belt
Bupesh Jain Voyager Explorer Scouts
Magnus Kelly Voyager Explorer Scouts
Mathew Green Voyager Explorer Scouts
Jonathan Davies Voyager Explorer Scouts
Chief Scout’s Gold Award
Matthew Brightwell 24th Purley

GLSW Development Update

The County Development Project continues to be involved with a wide variety of work in GLSW. We are currently looking across the County at potential bookings for the HQ mobile display unit (MDU), working on a project to bring young trainee managers into Scouting through a ‘Business Partnership Scheme’, looking at new ways to recruit more adult volunteers, doing a substantial amount of research into Fresher Fayres and volunteering events at local colleges on behalf of the Scout Network, as well as continuing to support the opening of new Scout Groups, looking at linking and retention in the Explorer Scout section and a wealth of other development related work in GLSW.

In the next twelve months we would like to get bids from as many Districts as possible into HQ for use of the MDU. Priority is given to Districts that haven’t previously used the MDU and the more unusual and bigger the event is the better chance there is of securing a booking. Obviously, the one place the MDU is of little use is at actual Scouting events like District Camps etc. It needs to be in an environment where the majority of the adults around are not already involved with Scouting to make best use of its adults recruitment potential.

The MDU is a fantastic resource for any District to use at a public show or event within the District or even for a town centre booking coming up to Christmas when there are lots of happy shopping members of the public around to see the MDU and see what Scouting has to offer. So, get your thinking caps on... if you can think of a good event where we could use the MDU, please let me know and the Development Project will co-ordinate our bids to HQ to get the best possible use of this monster recruitment tool!

Jo Launchbury Assistant County Commissioner (Development)

Stick Your Neck Out For Adventure

This is a fantastic chance for 80 Explorer Scouts and adults wishing to gain expedition leadership experience in South Africa in 2006. For more information see the flyer on www.scoutbase.org.uk/ps/activities/events/saflyer2006.pdf.

Focus on GLSW

Items for the June issue should be submitted by 15 May 2005 to the editor: focus@glswscouts.org.uk