Greater London South West Scouting

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Focus on GLSW

Scouting in Greater London South West June 2007

County Commissioner’s Message

Hard to believe but here we are and half the Centenary year gone! In my last article for Focus, I hoped that everyone’s preparations for the Centenary camps were going well. I could not have imagined how much superb thought, planning and organisation throughout the County had been going on.

Having visited all of the Districts holding a camp, it was an amazing sight to see so many of the County camping under such a variety of canvas. During the centenary camps, there were well over 4,000 members of GLSW camping, plus quite a few day visitors.

It was great to see so many of our organisation enjoying what we do best and are famous for – camping! There were also an unbelievable number of activities for everyone to participate in and enjoy. Everyone I spoke to, young and not so young, were full of enthusiasm and were enjoying every minute. There were no damp spirits despite the weather being unkind to us yet again. (Millennium camps spring to mind!) I’m sure that there were many tired and exhausted people after the event, but I’ve no doubt that our young membership really enjoyed it, so whatever your role in your District’s camp, thank you for enabling our youngsters to participate. Congratulations too to Richmond upon Thames on getting their activity weekend published on Scoutbase. Richmond will be enjoying their Centenary camp in August. We hope they have as much fun.

The next major significant national/international event in this year of celebration will of course be the Jamboree and the sunrise ceremonies on August 1st. Our Jamboree unit are coming to the final stages of their preparations before departing to Hylands Park to join 40,000 other scouts from all over the world. I hope all goes well for the members and their leaders. We shall also be hosting two units from Sweden before the Jamboree and a contingent from Iceland afterwards. We still need help with hosting families. Please contact Roy Bromley if you can help. For my part I’m really looking forward to being part of the IST as a member of the UK Pavilion team. So if you are at the Jamboree, pop in and say hello.

The summer months are great to enjoy the outdoor element of Scouting, and in this centenary year it should be no different. It’s also a great opportunity to be seen and to advertise Scouting.

Whatever you are doing, enjoy your Scouting.

Roger Hurrion, County Commissioner

Thoughts from the new Assistant County Commissioner Scouts

My early Scouting was in South Manchester and I’m of an age that means I had the “pleasure” of wearing a cap as a Cub and a beret as a Scout!! Like many people my Scouting came to a halt as a Venture at 18 when I left home to attend university.

I consider myself to have been fortunate to have been involved with a very active Scout Group that regularly camped in Europe – we did three, fortnight long, summer camps in Europe in our own coach: 3 leaders and 28 boys – not sure how the leaders coped driving as well as leading, but we had a great time! The group also started its own gang show that we all enjoyed performing in and which is still going strong today. My parents were also heavily involved with my father actually building our new (at the time) Scout hut!!

My second wind as a Scouter came in 2000 due to my son, James’, involvement as a Beaver in a group that was struggling to survive. Like many adults I was busy working and Beavers was something that was just there!! My wife, Sarah, took my son along and I never gave much thought to the volunteers running the group and the difficulties they were having.

I was volunteered (amazing how often you can volunteer to do things in your absence!!) to help at an event in order that James could join in. Once I found myself in the open air and with a mallet in my hand I was hooked again. In most cases that would probably have been it but once I became aware of the Group’s plight re. lack of leaders I decided to get involved rather than simply watch the Group close and move James to another Group. I decided to commit my spare time to rebuilding the Group along with Sarah and other committed parents who also took on leadership roles.

The Group has grown since then and is now thriving, but over the years I have become more and more enthused by the possibilities that Scouting offers young people and the need for volunteers to help run events and perform roles on a wider basis than simply their own group. I suppose that explains why I now find myself facing the challenge of being Assistant County Commissioner Scouts!!

I look forward to working with you and supporting the County in delivering the best Scouting experiences that our resources allow.

Nigel Waine, Assistant County Commissioner Scouts

Chairman’s Notes

It’s all good news for this edition of your County newsletter “Focus”.

Firstly, I am delighted to learn of the St George’s Day Awards. Sincere congratulations to the recipients and a big thank you for your contributions to the development of our young people.

Secondly, the centenary year is receiving splendid media coverage and from my meeting with the District Executives you are taking every opportunity to “Shout for Scouting” in your patch.

Thirdly, as a result of your hard work in 2006 you have increased the youth membership by 4.5%. The statistic may seem bland but it is an outstanding result, enjoy your success and thank you for completing the census returns on time. Details of the census return are included elsewhere in this edition.

I need to draw your attention to the following points:

Enjoy your Centenary celebrations. Don’t forget you have the unique opportunity to visit the Jamboree as part of the celebrations. Go to www.thejamboree.org/dayvisitors or request a booking form from: Day Visitors Experience, The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW.

Shirley and I were privileged to join Wimbledon and Wandle District at their centenary camp. Wow – I have never witnessed such a Scouting event that boasted “The greatest camp in the world”, because that is what from my experience was achieved. Sincere congratulations to Bob Prescott and his team. By the time this edition of “Focus” is published I shall have visited the other three district centenary camps – watch this space!

I am thrilled that the County Support Team and District Commissioners have adopted the Jack Petchey Foundation achievement award scheme. We are very fortunate that Janet Drinkall has agreed to be the link County administrator plus all five Districts have appointed their administrators. I hope the scheme will commence next month [July] and we can start to see the first of the awards.

Tony Edwards, County Chairman

GLSW take over Windsor!

A record number of Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members attended the St George’s Day Parade at Windsor Castle this year. 55 invites were sent out with 34 being able to attend this most prestigious and memorable occasion. Those invited included a large contingent from Wimbledon & Wandle District who had over 30 recipients of the award in the last 12 months.

The full list of invitees is Christopher Allen, Nicole Bailey, Chris Bano, Nick Bano, Tom Briggs, Tim Burbage, Tom Causton, Martin Chick, Amy Christensen, Madeleine Corrigan, Julia Dabrowski, Stephanie Dubant, Jessica Flood, Marie Killerby, Sarah Laundy, Sophie Levy, James Lyons, Ben Martin, Joseph Moran, Catherine Morgan, Jack Morgan, Anna Mullin, Rebecca Murphy, Jonathan Nassar, Sophie O’Keefe, Ben Phillips, Grace Phillips, Oliver Phillips, Carys Purchase, Charlie Reed, Paul Rinne, Alice Robinson, Susie Robinson, Stephanie Spencer, Harry Stonehill, Fergus Taylor, Joanna Thomson, Michael Thomson, Dominic Travers, Joe Walsh, Lucy Walsh, Suzy Ward, Sophie Wassef from Wimbledon & Wandle, Peter de Boeck, Alexander Gill, Phillip Price, Jennifer Riordan and Ian Smalley from Richmond upon Thames. Also from Croydon were Tim Falkner, James Gordon, from Sutton Katie King, Robert King, Mark Simpson and last but not least Luke Wilshire from Royal Kingston.

Many congratulations to all and many thanks to all their leaders, parents and others who have helped them achieve the Queen’s Scout Award.

Ian Newbery, Assistant County Commissioner Explorer Scouts

Jamboree Update...

Saturday 12th May: D-Day

[Picture of the kit]
90 sets of kit

[Picture of the fleeces]
Modelling the fleece – also known as Catalogue Pose!

[Picture of the getaway]
With the final few people arriving the leaders could pack their bags on be on their way!

Welcome to D-Day Weekend. The leaders have been to Gilwell Park today and collected the 90 sets of kit for the participants across all three units that were handed out the same day. We have also dropped off some kit that we will need at the Jamboree and saves us and you packing in these bags.

Did you know it’s less than 75 days till we go? And there are many things still to do in those 75 days for the units.

The kit was brought back to 22nd Wimbledon and sorted into sizes and laid out on tables ready for the participants to arrive and collect from us.

Each participant has been given a complete new Explorer Scout uniform, with trousers and shorts, a cargo bag, a day sac, a fleece and a waterproof. The sizes were ordered back in September 2006 and as you can imagine we have a few swaps required due to growth spurts! These have been printed with the UK Jamboree Logo.

Along with all of the items above, each member (or maybe a parent) will now be sewing on their Unit badges. These are generally the same as you wear for section meetings, except the name tag will be for the Jamboree Unit and they will be wearing a County badge instead of the 5 District badges.

But this was not the only event for the Jamboree people on the day....

The Unit Raffle Draw...

[Picture of the raffle draw]
The raffle draw

[Picture of a prize winner]
A raffle prize winner

With 34 prizes kindly donated and over 2,000 tickets sold the time had come to pull out the winner of the laptop. The winning ticket was bought by a lady on the Friday night before, who only had £1 in her pocket and was sold by Jenny from the Discovery Unit. It just goes to show that you only need 1 ticket to win!

Discovery Unit made it a 1-2 in prizes as Leslie Button had sold the winning ticket for the DAB Radio. Much laughter followed as we went through the many other prizes with members present collecting on behalf of friends and family. Our thanks to Eric Hayward for being the promoter and draw master and to all the friends, families and people that have supported us.

[Picture of submerged leader]
Joe Rogerson, having been “aided” into the water!

[Picture of the unit leaders]
The leadership team

Since the Raffle Draw, the Nelson Unit have had their fun day on the water, at Leander, Kingston. A pleasant journey to Hampton Court and back, was followed by a fun session kayaking. Unfortunately the Leaders were slightly outnumbered.

What’s next for the Units???

Well its exam season and many of them are studying so we wish them all the best from all the leaders. Victory and Discovery have 2 camps to come where we will practice in the size allotted to us. Unit sketches and gates. The Inter-Unit Pushball Competition will be at Bears Wood, Croydon. May the best team win.

On behalf of the leadership team, we would like to thank all the friends, family and people which have helped out the units in this stretch leading up to the Jamboree.

The Leadership Team, GLSW Nelson, Victory and Discovery Units

Diary Dates

June
16th–17th June Saturday–Sunday Gilwell Beaver/Cub Fun Days
27th June Wednesday CST Meeting
July
7th–8th July Saturday–Sunday Gilwell 24
30th–4th August Monday–Saturday Richmond upon Thames Centenary camp
August
1st August Wednesday Centenary – Scouting’s Sunrise

First Aid Courses

Just a reminder that if you plan to run your own first aid course, please check with me first. Recently a Group did not and the course they chose was not suitable and did not cover the requirements of the Scout Association. We will come to your Group if you have enough Leaders – at least 16, although places can be offered to anyone in the County.

We intend to start offering refresher courses for people with a current or recently expired British Red Cross or St John’s Certificate. It is envisaged that they will run in an evening and cover any changes in protocols plus revision of areas that people need. We hope this will cut down the waiting time for courses. You will of course be perfectly able to do the full course if you so wish.

Dates of next courses:

16th September 2007 County Training Base, Bow Lane
14th October 2007 1st Wallington Scout Group Headquarters
2nd December 2007 1st Cheam Scout Group Headquarters

Janet Drinkall, County First Aid Trainer

Jamboree Update 2...

[Picture of the quiz]
“the air tingling with excitement...”

Picture the scene, it’s the 21st April and a heaving mass of people are squashed into the 8th Cheam HQ, the air tingling with excitement (no, really it was...) and all there for the ‘Victory’ & ‘Discovery’ Jamboree Units Quiz Night! The competition was hotly contested and 13 full teams battled it out for the honours.

After a gruelling evening of very tricky questions the winners were finally announced. 3rd place honours went to the ‘IST Invincibles’ with 85 points, 2nd place commiserations with 86 points went to the ‘Hampton Hopefuls’ and mighty fanfare announced that ‘Leaders R us’ (which had the advantage of the brains our two Unit Leaders Leslie and Andrew) had wiped the floor with everybody with monster 95 points!

Our thanks go to Mark, our independent (yes, honest!) independent Quiz Master for doing a fantastic job with such a rowdy crowd, and of course to all the other teams helped make this a great evening. The other teams were: Croydon No-hopers, Lower Morden Layabouts, Cruella and the Vegetables, Grrrrrrrr, The McWoody’s, Jo said we had to come..., The Flintstones, Wot Brains, Hurricroft, and Bambi’s Belters. A big thank you to everybody who took part and helped us raise over £300 towards Jamboree equipment and our international trips.

Jo Launchbury, Assistant Leader GLSW Victory Unit

Queen’s Scout Award Ceremony at Windsor

Sunday 22nd April 2007 saw 27 Explorers and Network from the Wimbledon (Edge Hill) Explorer Scout Unit arrive in Windsor to take part in the parade of Queen’s Scouts. The day comprised of a St George’s Day Parade and a service in St George’s Chapel to celebrate the centenary year of Scouting.

After practising marching for an hour or so in the local Victoria Barracks, the Unit were placed in their own section due to the large number of Edge Hill Scouts receiving the award. The bright weather and happy atmosphere ensured that our parade through the castle was particularly special, with the brass band helping the section to keep in rhythm. As we were to parade in front of the Queen, the Explorers were keen to look their best and stand to attention, despite being placed in the sunniest side of the quadrangle.

Another highlight of the day was meeting the Chief Scout, Peter Duncan. As I go to school with his daughter, we had a chat during the parade and he later spoke to some of the Unit’s Explorer Leaders. After the ceremony we returned to London to celebrate the day with friends and family. All in all the day was hugely successful and great fun, with Neil highlighting the importance of Scouting and the impact it has on young people’s lives through his congratulatory speech.

Receipt of the Queen’s Scout Award represents the ultimate recognition of what we have achieved over our years spent in Scouting. Not only through the commitment to the physical, service and skill sections of the award, but in particular from the month-long Expedition to Nepal last summer (2006).

Grace Philips, Edge Hill Explorer Scout Unit

Development Update

Scouting is fantastically busy at the moment, and we’re all up to our necks with camps, centenary celebrations and all sorts of things. My Cubs have been hunting for the new Scouting 50p coins for weeks now (although in truth I’ve no idea if they are in circulation yet!) and we’re waiting for the Centenary stamps later in the year so we can make our own very special Group ‘first day covers’ (great idea for your Beaver and Cubs there!). But it’s important that we as a movement don’t miss sight of the opportunity we have during this year to use all our events and activities to help us recruit more adults.

I visited the Wimbledon and Wandle centenary camp last weekend. And one of the sights that couldn’t fail to make any parent or helper feel good was four double-decker red buses pulling onto the field and hundreds of Beavers and their leaders and helpers spilling out of them. Anybody watching that couldn’t fail to see what Scouting has to offer both adults and young people – hundreds of smiling faces. So don’t forget, have a great time at all your centenary events but remember to make all those parents and friends who have come along to help out feel especially welcome. If they feel valued and welcomed our chances of recruiting them are so much better. And if you don’t manage to persuade them to take the plunge why not see if you can sign them up to ‘Challenge 24’ (see www.glswscouts.org.uk/development for details).

Jo Launchbury, Assistant County Commissioner Development

Inter County Air Rifle Competition 2007

This competition, held on April 1st at the National Indoor Shooting Centre at Aldersley, near Wolverhampton was for teams of eight, made up of four Scouts under 14, plus four over 14, one of which may be over 18.

Shooting is at 10 metres, for both air rifle and air pistol. Each person shoots five pellets at each of four targets. The scores of all targets are counted for each shooter and the scores of every member of the team count to the final aggregate score.

The end result was that Cheshire came first with a total score of 2366 (ex 4000), Hampshire was second with 2301. GLSW was third, with 2198 and the team came away with Bronze Medals. Ten counties in total took part.

The GLSW team comprised Mike Bamsey & Chris Kendall of 2nd Malden, Sam Lefevre, Jade Lefevre, Craig Ford of 1st Tolworth, Alistair Exworthy of Leander, Joe Riddett of 3rd Hampton Hill and Sarah Lonsdale of 1st Teddington. Due to England Junior Squad training commitments over that weekend, Melanie Flowers, – our ‘top shot’ for the past four years could not take part this time.

For the second year running one of the GLSW team won the top individual award for the best combined rifle and pistol scores in the under 14 year age group; this time it was Sam Lefevre of 1st Tolworth. On the basis of performance in pistol, Alistair Exworthy was invited to train with the Junior National air pistol squad. It must be said that all the team worked very hard and it is thanks to their commitment and enthusiasm that such a good result was achieved.

We have finished second or third ever since we started taking part in this annual competition, which is, by any standard, a good consistent performance. As half the team are now in the Scout National Squad, which practices regularly at Bisley and other top ranges, there is a solid base for future success.

Thanks are due also to the parents who supported their youngsters during the run up to the competition and to Reg Lefevre, who drove the minibus to Wolverhampton on the day.

Jean Jenkins, GLSW Air Rifle Adviser

Memo – National Scout Air Rifle Championships at Bisley on w/e October 19th/21st. Entry packs now available from www.dohoo.clara.net/nsarc2k7. Entries must be in by July 28th – it may seem a long way off, but with so much going on at this time be sure not to miss out! Those who are qualified to do so would be very, very welcome to help as Range Staff, even if their Group/Unit is not entering – whether for the whole weekend or just part.

Network

Congratulations to Claire Peacock of The Romans Network in Croydon, who has recently completed her Queen’s Scout Award. With several more awards pending this will, I am sure, be a good year for Queen’s Scouts in GLSW.

The County was well represented at the Windsor Parade this year, and the Queen’s Scouts had the privilege of being reviewed by HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Also on April 22, the County Scout Network standard was paraded at Kingston and after the parade Ed Hackett was presented with his County Scout Network Leader warrant. Continuing the Queen’s Scout theme, we held another successful expedition week for those wanting to complete the expedition section of the award, this time in the Derbyshire Peak District from April 8–14. The next opportunity will be in the Lake District from August 26 until September 1. For further information please go to www.glswscouts.org.uk/network and book online. As reported previously, we are holding a ‘muster’ of Queen’s Scouts and King’s Scouts at Kings College School Wimbledon on September 30. More than 300 invitations have already been sent out. There is still time to register an interest in attending – please contact the undersigned.

Network events and activities are going on all around the County and beyond. There was success in this year’s Four Inns Walk at the end of March, and in April a well supported and much enjoyed Barn Dance which also generated a decent surplus. We are now looking forward to the Centenary Camps in May, some sailing in June and a trip to Snowdonia in July. The Join-in Centenary booklet is an excellent source of programme ideas which our Networks will be using over the coming months. We will be reviewing the past twelve months and planning for the future at the County Scout Network Conference at Petersham & Ham Scout HQ on June 30. I hope to see all Network members at this important occasion.

YINS, Chris Dean, County Scout Network Commissioner

Headquarters Awards

Medal of Merit
awarded after a period of not less than 12 years, but exceptionally after 10 years of outstanding service while holding adult appointments
Iris Clatworth Wimbledon & Wandle
John Cort Sutton
John Crowhurst Wimbledon & Wandle
Andrew Dimon Wimbledon & Wandle
Lynn Newman Royal Kingston
Margaret Pennington Sutton
Elizabeth Saunders Royal Kingston
Susan Southend Wimbledon & Wandle
Philip Tree Sutton
Fiona Witham Sutton
Chief Scout’s Commendation
awarded for good service while holding adult appointments for a period of not less than five years
Julie Doolan Wimbledon & Wandle
Alison Edwards Wimbledon & Wandle
Jason Fowler Wimbledon & Wandle
Mia Patterson Wimbledon & Wandle
Colin Pullen Wimbledon & Wandle
Clare Tweedley Wimbledon & Wandle
Chief Scout’s Long Service Decoration
granted to Members and Associate Members who have given a total of 40 years service while holding adult appointments
Eric Hayward Wimbledon & Wandle
Jean Lammond Croydon
Margaret Walker Croydon
Bar to the Long Service Decoration
granted to Members and Associate Members of the Association who have given a total of 25 years service while holding adult appointments
Philip Beal Richmond Upon Thames
Gillian Brewer Richmond Upon Thames
Nigel Carpenter Wimbledon & Wandle
Richard Carrau Croydon
David Gilbert Richmond Upon Thames
Jean Jenkins Royal Kingston
David Rixson Croydon
Mary Turner Richmond Upon Thames
Sally Washington Sutton
Long Service Decoration
granted to Members and Associate Members of the Association who have given 15 years service while holding adult appointments
Paul Bowater Sutton
Alastair Cargill Croydon
Iris Clatworthy Wimbledon and Wandle
David Goldsmith Croydon
Ashley Green Croydon
David Hodges Wimbledon and Wandle
John Humber Sutton
Elizabeth James Richmond Upon Thames
Sally King Sutton
Derek Lee Croydon
Brenda Mansworth Croydon
Kim McNamara Croydon
Anne Nelson Sutton
Leslie Parmenter Croydon
Nicholas Purton Sutton
Graham Robini Royal Kingston
Christopher Rogers Royal Kingston
Kevin Savage Wimbledon and Wandle
Maureen Seaward Croydon
Susan Southwood Wimbledon and Wandle
Debora Walker Croydon
Christine Willis Sutton

Focus on GLSW

Items for the August issue should be submitted by 14th July 2007 to the editor: focus@glswscouts.org.uk