Gilwell Reunion 09

Reunion '09 will take place over the weekend of the 4/5/6 September 2009 at The Scout Association's Gilwell Park Activity Centre.

Reunion 09 is an opportunity for all adult Members of the Movement to come together for a weekend of fun.

Throughout the weekend there will be the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities, meet old friends, make new ones and share experiences with fellow adults within Scouting.


Click the link below

Gilwell Reunion 09

Swine flu and Scouting

Scouting is about to enter a period of summer camps and activities. The following advice is based on information from the Directgov website.


Summer activities
Activities should continue as normal but leaders of activities should be alert.
Any youth Member with flu-like symptoms should be returned home as soon as possible and should contact - but not visit - their GP and seek treatment.


Symptoms
The symptoms of swine flu are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu but may be more severe.

The typical symptoms are:
• sudden fever
• sudden cough

Other symptoms may include:
• headache
• tiredness
• chills
• aching muscles
• limb or joint pain
• diarrhoea or stomach upset
• sore throat
• runny nose
• sneezing
• loss of appetite.


Parental contact details
Leaders should make sure they have up-to-date parents' contact details: address, telephone numbers (home, work and mobile) and email as appropriate.


Precautions
Brief and advise everyone to:
• use soap and water when washing their hands
• cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing (with a tissue, not with their hands)
• throw dirty tissues away quickly into bins.


Group closures
At this time Groups can operate normally. If a youth Member is suspected of having a virus that might be swine flu – even if they are not currently attending the Group – the Group should take advice from local public health advisers.

The Group can stay open unless the authorities advise that the Group should close as a precautionary measure.

Further advice including international travel advice is available on the Directgov website. The above information will be updated if the advice from the statutory authorities changes.

Support Scouting in Malawi with Starter Boxes

Last month we lauched Scottish Scouting's campaign to help Scouting grow in Malawi. The aim is to raise about £6,000 for the Scout Association of Malawi, not only to help more young people there to experience Scouting but, at a more basic level, just to allow the Movement to continue. As well as the other ways in which you can help (see main article on our Malawi Campaign for details), another option is to use starter boxes.

Malawi Starter Boxes

The idea of the starter box is that sections or groups would collect or fund raise for items that Scout leaders in Malawi have suggested as being basic necessities to starting a section in Malawi.

These items, listed below, would then be boxed and a contact name and address included in the box, enabling the group in Malawi who receive the box to contact the sending group. Contents to be purchased and/or sourced:

•12 x 2 m lengths of rope, with finished ends, for knotting practice (not polyprop)
•2 or 3 footballs (about £5.00)
•Football pump (about £4.00)
•1 or 2 basic compasses for south of the equator (about £15.00) - Silva Voyager 9020 is suitable
•1 knife with fold away blade, no longer than 3” (between £5 - £10)
•2 x whistles (between £1.00 - £5.00)
•Print copy of Malawian Handbook that can be electronically supplied
We would like to suggest that groups also include some other things of their own choice. These could be a letter from the group, letters from the young people, information on the group and what they do, pictures of the group, picture of their home town or area. Other things can be included like extra games stuff, tennis balls, book on knotting, tracking, orienteering, pencils, colouring pencils (not felt pens).

Things that are not useful are old uniforms or old UK Scout handbooks (Malawi has a different programme).

We are investigating the best type of box to use and the most economics means of shipping the boxes.

If your group is interested in supporting this initiative please contact Keith Hewitt at SHQ on 01383 419 073 or email keith@scouts-scotland.org.uk.

New Desc's Plans

Hi all,

With Barrie moving to the role of DC and myself taking over as DESC, it is inevitable that I would introduce a few changes to the Explorer Scout provision within the District albeit subtle and i hope you agree for the better!

As you probably know, I am very much in favour of the 'group section' model which allows the Explorer Scouts to maintain the identity of the group they have spent many previous years being part of and I have no desire to change this but I would like to see the Explorer Scouts working closer together to increase the number of opportunities they can have and to share the skills and knowledge of the leaders that work with them.

Programme

I believe that this can be achieved through each unit having individual programmes as they currently do but opening the occasional one to the whole of the District to come together.

To that end I would like each unit to produce a programme for the 4-months from September to December 2009 incorporating each of the Explorer Scout Programme Zones where possible - a "Programme Checker" is attached and may be of assistance - and within the 4-month programme, I would like each of the following units to have one evening/ event during the corresponding month that is open to all District Explorer Scouts to attend:

68th - September, 48th - October, 46th - November, 41st - December, 13th January and the 66th February.

Please can the dates that you decide on be passed to me by the middle of August 2009 for distributions to the other units to incorporate in their programme and then a copy of each units final programme be passed to me by end of August.


The idea would be for the unit(s) not hosting an evening/ event to not have a programme in the corresponding week that another is hosting a 'open' programme.

I appreciate that some units may have to change their night as a one off to accommodate an invasion of Explorer Scouts i.e. where Scouts and Explorers meet together, that it will create extra work for the appropriate leader however the carrot is that said leader will get three other weeks off before end of year!

There will also be a variety of District/ National events that you may wish to add to your programme... more details to follow.

YOUNG LEADER UNIT

I have recruited ex-Explorer Scout Shannon McWilliam to the role of ESL (YL) and his remit will be to ensure that all Young Leaders have access to the training and support that they need to be as effective in their role as they can be.

He will also be the 'leader' for any Young Leaders that your group have that decided for whatever reason that they do not want to be part of one of the other District Explorer Scout Units.

It is policy that all Young Leaders must be Explorer Scouts and that they should have access to the Explorer Scout Programme should they even just want to dip in.

I don't believe we currently have anyone in this position - correct me if I'm wrong - but i'd appreciate your support for Shannon should this position change.

DISTRICT EXPLORER SCOUT ADMINISTRATOR

I have recruited ex-Explorer Scout Laura McLuskey to the role of DESA and you will notice a number of future communications being sent through her.

The idea is to centralise communications and hopefully ensure maximum coverage of information. Please feel free to ask her to distribute Explorer Scout related information.

She will also be responsible for maintaining the District Explorer Scout Census, receiving information from ADC (Scouts) (or SLs in ADC absence) and passing information to DSNL.

As you accept new Young Leaders or Explorer Scouts please ensure that either Shannon or Laura are updated with full contact details.

GREEN UNIT

As you may know, I actively promote environmental responsibility amongst the Explorer Scouts and encourage our relationship with Fife Air Cadet Conservation Group as a means to achieve this.

Explorer Scouts who work with FACCG have had the opportunity to learn many new skills and offer service to our local, national and international communities.

This can be the perfect answer for those who want to progress through the appropriate Chief Scout Awards, especially if they are not Young Leaders.

It will not be a separate unit however the intention is to collate all names of interested Explorer Scouts under the 'green unit' banner and ensure that they know what opportunities are available to them.

In due course, I will visit and promote the work of the FACCG to all the Explorer Scout Units.

I apologise for the length of this e-mail - I hadn't intended for it to be so long but I hope it gives you a flavour of what I hope to achieve.

If you have any comments or would like to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact me otherwise I look forward to receiving your programmes in due course.

YiS
Terry O'Neill
District Explorer Scout Commissioner
terryoneill2003@yahoo.co.uk

What the DC has been up to June 09

I thought since we were at the end of a month i would recap on what i have been up to when i have been out and about.

I have helped with packing Scottish scout news at Fordell Firs.

We had a meeting with the hopefully new leaders up at the new group in Kelty.
It was positive with another 3 adults attending and we hope soon to have Beavers and Cubs up and running.

On the 10th June i was invested as the District Commissioner at the District AGM.
On the same night i had a meeting with my TA to sort out a training plan for me.

I have been around the groups presenting Long service awards.

They were to the following people.
Gillian Pert(48th Beavers) - 5 years
Russell Shepperd(66th Cubs) - 5 years
Alan Connery(13th Scouts) - 5years
Ann Wilson(68th Cubs) - 10 years
Terry o'Neill(13th Explorers/Desc)10years
Margaret Pollock (77th Kelty) 15 years
Martin Campbell (41st Scouts) -15 years
Alister Macgregor(41st Scouts) - 15years

I have also presented 2 Chief Scout Diamond Awards to Callum Robertson and Shaun Ward both from the 48th Explorers.

Lastly on awards there were 8 Beavers from the 48th St Bridgets Colony that achieved their Chief Scout Bronze Award.

I have also attended 2 AGM's during the last month(46th and the 68th) Thank you for the invite.

Since the better weather is with us many more sections are out and about camping.

I have visited the following groups when they were away.

48th St Bridgets Cub Pack
48th Donibristle Scout Troop at their Hammock Camp
Rosyth District Explorer Scouts at their BYO Camp
66th cubs/Scouts and Explorers
41st Beaver colony.
Lastly i attended the Fellowship BBQ.

If their is anyone else that is planning a camp drop me an E-Mail so i can pay you a visit.

I have also put a link on for the nights away form on the site.
Please send them into me so i can forward them on if you are going outwith the district.
It also gives me a record of who has done what(If i ever get asked!!)