April 2016
t c a t n o C n i g n i Scout
d a e h n Birke
Reading
Contact online?
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Compass - Now available to all! All adult members are now able to access Compass. Please take the chance to pop on and check that your own details are correct, especially Roles, Permits, Training, and Disclosures. Any issues should be reported through the normal channels although I will try to help as best as I can. If you’ve lost or forgotten your login details, there is the option to retrieve or reset these at the Compass login page. Head to compasssupport.scouts.org.uk for more information and support Steve Robinson Birkenhead District Compass Superuser Email: steve.robbo@hotmail.com
Please send your group news and photos to: SMO-MediaTeam@birkenheadscouts.org.uk by 24th May for inclusion in June’s edition
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Hello and thank you to those who gave such positive feedback after my first edition as editor of
Contact.
The time has flown by since putting the last issue together. It has been great receiving all the pictures from the groups who took part in the first major events of the year. The Cubs day out to Cubs100 at Blackpool looked fabulous - even if the weather wasn’t great. The smiles on some of their faces confirm the event was a great success Lots of Scouts from the District took part in The Great Escape at Tawd Vale - and as ever those who took part in the event did Birkenhead Proud.
Contact is published by
Birkenhead District Scout Council 15 Balls Road, Oxton, Wirral CH43 5RF Compiled by: Paul Ellis Tel: 07720 555885 Please email content to : SMO-MediaTeam@ birkenheadscouts.org.uk
There are four pages of pictures from those two events in Contact this month as well as the results from The Great Escape. Well done to everyone who took part particularly those in fancy dress! Also inside this month is a major announcement for the Cubs section... read on! Info on plans for St George’s Day and details of the new County Youth Commissioners and also details from Matt Proctor, the District’s new Scout Network Commissioner about an event in April for 18-25 year olds. More details this month about this year’s Scouts Challenge Weekend. ADC for Scouts, Jordan is looking for adults to staff the bases on the Challenge Hike. Please help him by getting in touch and helping
out on one of the District’s biggest annual events. The high quality of the bases makes this such a memorable event for the Scouts. Please get in touch if you can help. Also, look out for details of the 2017 Gang Show auditions and more info about taking the show to the Isle of Man. Please keep sending pictures and stories for ‘Contact’. As I said last month, it is YOUR magazine to show us YOUR Scouting. Please make the most of it and help spread the word about what we do! Would GSLs please forward the link on to section leaders and parents so that more people get to see what we are doing. Thanks. Paul Ellis
MERSEYSIDE ADULT SKILLS WEEKEND Booking is open for places on the County Adult Skills weekend for those who may want to learn or refresh camping and Scouting skills...
Contents
Pages 4 - 6 District Commissioner Pages 7 - 9 News from Cubs Pages 10 & 11 Gang Show 2017 Page 12 Challenge Weekend Pages 13 - 15 The Great Escape
Page 16 & 17 Around the District Page 18 Bear’s Grill Page 19 Archery Page 20 & 21 Explorers Page 22 Network
The DC’s Ramblings census Spring is here, I hear
Our District has again recorded growth, totalling 1.2%.
you all saying! Time to get those camps and expeditions planned. I have already been out and about visiting some of you camping, at the Great Escape at Tawd Vale.
Six groups grew by 12% or more, with two groups rising by over 35%! However three groups fell by 15% or more.
It was really good to see so many troops there, some who hadn’t entered before.
Overall we had falls in both the Beavers and Scouts sections, but growth in Cubs and Explorers, of which the Cub section goes against national trends.
The 20th, 64th, 1st Beechwood, 2nd Thingwall and the 25th Troops all seemed to be having a great time and remained dry for the weekend which is always a bonus at the Great Escape! The full results are later in this edition.
The full figures make for some interesting reading and will help considerably with targeting the work being undertaken by the District Team with regards to development.
The Viking Explorer Dinner was a great night, with good food, good company and entertainment, all laid on by the Explorers themselves, cooking, and waiting on! I am sure they raised plenty of funds at the event, which was very well supported. PAUL - DC
I was very pleased to get the opportunity to present Claire Redfearn with her Queens Scout Award. It’s not very often that we have a member of the District achieving the highest award available, so it was a great pleasure to do the presentation the week before she left our District to start a new life in Devon. Claire will be missed by all of her friends at the 265th as well as by members of the County International Team and the District.
A number of groups have explained the lack of growth due to ‘held back’ numbers because of a lack of adult volunteers. We, the District Team, are fully aware of this issue, which is emerging as THE common theme across the District and therefore we are making this our number one priority at the moment. We are planning a major adult recruitment campaign starting very soon. I would of course welcome your ideas and suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss this further.
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Speaking Up!
On the 27th February I took a group of Scouts, Explorers and Network members over to Liverpool Town Hall to take part in Merseyside Scouts Speak Up Event. There were Scouts from the 5th Birkenhead and Explorers from both Viking and Wizard Units who got really involved in the event, playing an active part in the discussions and the final debate in the Council Chambers. I was really impressed by the level of knowledge and the passion displayed by our young people, who were really involved in Youth Shaped Scouting at a High Level. These young people are the future voices of or movement and after this display, I am very confident about the future of Scouting in Birkenhead for many years to come!!
St Georges Day Event 2016 This year’s St Georges Day celebration will be a Sunday afternoon, with a difference! Details have been sent out to all Groups via GSL’s and Group contacts. The event will be a Community Impact event at Bidston Hill, Birkenhead Assemble at Bidston Hill Windmill at 2pm on Sunday 24th April Arrival of each group by their own means, walking, public transport, bikes. Arrive from as many different directions, but arrival for 2pm. We need to use as many different approaches but primarily please discourage parents parking hundreds of cars in Tam o’Shanter car park or Boundary Road! 2pm 2.15pm 3.30pm 4.30pm
Short reflection on St George, including reaffirmation of the Promises, led by ADC’s. Split for Community Impact project, Beavers and Cubs Litter Sweep, Scouts and Explorers Woodland clear up. Split into Sections, Beavers visit to Tam o’Shanter Farm, Cubs Nature trail/scavenger hunt in woods, Scouts/Explorer Wide Game on Observatory side. Re assemble at the dog field, next to Tam o’Shanter Farm for dismissal.
Members to wear – uniform from waist up, suitable footwear (boots/wellies)’ and gloves. Groups to bring – drinks, snacks for members. Group Flags. I am really hoping that we get a great turnout for what is quite a jump from the traditional Parade and Service, but one which I think carries a bigger impact on our community and shows more people what 21st Century Scouting is all about! See you all on the 24th!
Merseyside County have announced their Youth Commissioner team... Allan Rowe - County Youth Commissioner and Deputy Youth Commissioners, Jess Fogg, Rob Bousfield and Calum Towers. They are currently looking to get out and about across the County as much as possible, so if any of you are having an event and feel like inviting them, feel free! I am sure that they are really excited to get the chance to be involved in Shaping Scouting for all, so please contact them if they is anything they can do for you, or if you have any thoughts or ideas for them. Email the team on youth.commissioners@merseysidescouts.com
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‘It was brilliant. I loved the horse ride, the rocket ride was cool too, it thank you for taking us , I thought was funny watching everyone on the log flume’. - Luke
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More than 100 Cubs and leaders from Birkenhead joined with more than 10,000 Cubs from across the country at Blackpool Pleasure Beach for the ‘Wildest Day Out Ever’ to celebrate 100 years of Cub Scou ts.
rience! a great Blackpool expe as w it , ng gi sin to rs te ho cares... ‘From roller coas t us soaking wet but w go r, la cu rti pa in e, m The log flu ! it was raining anyway ious donuts. e ste of th hot scrumpt ta d an l el sm e th r be Dora the I can still remem rent countries on the ffe di in es ur nt ve ad s of We went through load Explorer ride (hola!). an heater! up in an amazing hum ed m ar w t go e w h, ft bag of nc After lu We got given a great gi s. ie ov m ch at w to t On the bus, we even go at and a cubs bracelet. Blackpool rock, a rainco ends’. - Tom day out with all my fri e om es aw ic, ep an as It w
SING? DANCE? ACT? ! G N A G R U JOIN O
Audition for Birkenhead Gang Show 2017...
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July 2016 1.30pm to 4.30pm There are two sessions each day for Scouts and older, either at 1.30 or 3.30pm and one session at2.30pm for cubs (cubs must be invested by start of rehearsals in September). In order to take part you MUST pre register, email auditions@birkenheadgangshow.org visit www.birkenheadgangshow.org to download an audition form.
Auditions are at Trinity with Palm Grove Church, Alton Road, Birkenhead, CH43 1UZ. email auditions@birkenheadgangshow.org www.birkenheadgangshow.org
With plans for our 2017 show now well and truly under way both in Birkenhead and the Isle Of Man it’s time for everyone to put the audition dates in their diaries! Details are on the opposite page... You need; A sense of humour and don’t forget to wear; A SMILE! : ) As with previous years our auditions are held in form of a workshop, we provide scripts and music, however we do encourage anyone who would like to provide any material to do so, especially songs and music, this year we are also looking for some cast members to perform with musical instruments in an item .... So, if you can play (and are any good!) please bring along your instrument and show us just how good you really are! The show programme is now complete and we’ve recently met with department heads to present the show to them. As ever we’ve got some very exciting items planned with what we believe to be a world first for Gang Shows ... so no pressure ay!
Our show week in 2017 will be the w/c February 13th and the following week w/c 20th (half term week) 150 of us will be traveling to the Isle Of Man for three days (Thursday - Saturday) to celebrate our show trip there back in 1967. We will also have a cast of approximately 50 from the island in the show as well and will be performing at the fabulous Gaiety Theatre in Douglas. If you were a cast member in our 2015 show you will receive an email with the audition form sometime in June so you will be able to choose an audition time. If you weren’t in the 2015 show and would like to audition then just drop me an email (details opposite) and I can forward you one over. If for some reason you can’t download the form, it’s not a problem they can be completed when you audition, it just saves you time on the day, you will however need to let us know what time slot you’ll be coming along to by emailing us. For all section leaders please can you promote the show
by printing the audition poster and display it at your group HQ. If you’d like myself or one of the production team to come along to your section night to briefly talk to everyone about the show and the audition process then please do just get in touch. Rehearsals will begin in September for the main cast and will again run on Tuesday evenings 7pm-9pm with Cub rehearsals starting in October and running on Saturdays 1pm-3pm. Main cast Sunday rehearsals will start sometime in November. Our 2017 show is marking the 50th anniversary of a fantastic journey made back in 1967 by the district, the logistics now are tough, back then it would have been even tougher! We’re making history by celebrating it in this way … come join us! Hope to see as many of you as possible at auditions.
“Incredible things can be achieved if you truly believe in them!” Best regards Graham Lysaght
Birkenhead Scouts Challenge Camp 13 - 16 May 2016
Are you up for the Challenge? 3 Competitions - 2 Nights Away - 1 Big Adventure
Saturday 14th May 2016 We need Checkpoint Managers and Staff to co-ordinate and run the checkpoint and associated skills base. The managers will communicate directly with their checkpoint staff and the events organiser. Managers can recruit their own checkpoint staff or can be allocated a team of staff closer to the event. Please let Jordan know ASAP if you are available to help in either role by email scouts@birkenheadscouts.org.uk
Calling ALL Adults!
Thingwall
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For many of the 20th Birkenhead Beavers this was the first time away from home. We gathered at the hut armed with packed lunches, waterproofs and wellies. Then set off through the ‘Mops’ footpath and over Bidston Hill. We ticked boxes for road safety on the way enjoyed the adventure of tree climbing and learnt that deep puddles result in wet feet! Continuing over to the Observatory identifying landmarks on the Liverpool water front, through Bidston Village and across to the railway station. We took the train to West Kirby and from there we caught the bus back to Noctorum Lane and walked back to the hut. Tents up and bedding ready we enjoyed a pasta supper, constructed Lego models and had a campfire and bed time story. All asleep by 9.30 including Kelvin and new Dad helper Ian! Everyone was up bright and early, tents down everything packed away and a big breakfast before going home to celebrate Mother’s Day. Lots of badges gained and lots of fun!
17 To mark the 100th. Birthday of Cubs that started in 1916, the 25th Birkenhead Cubs were challenged to collect 100 bags of 100 pennies for charity, or 10,000 coins worth £100. After several weeks of hard collecting, emptying Mum’s purse, the coin pot in Grandad’s car and searching down the back of the sofa, the coins were brought to our HQ to be counted, bagged and weighed. Then the big decision, which charity should we give the money too? – it was put to a vote of the Cubs and a split decision was decided on the basis that one charity has it’s own song that everyone knows. Yes, you’ve guessed it ………“Y-M-C-A !!” We invited Giuseppe Roberto to visit our Pack meeting to tell us how the Wirral YMCA helps many young adults and homeless people to get back on their feet, learn to cook, find a job and a place of their own to live. We know that our £100 will be spent wisely by the Wirral YMCA. The YMCA needs to find 20% of its income from donors, so if you want to raise money for a deserving and worthy cause then don’t forget about the “Y-M-C-A !!” Last December the 64th Birkenhead Cub Pack held a Cub 100 Launch Party. We talked about all the things that we could do in the next 12 month to celebrate the Cubs 100th Anniversary. Some of the things we came up with the Cubs are doing at home, such as one hundred Good Turns for one penny. However the biggest one was to take part in 100 different activities throughout the year. We thought you’d like to see some of the things that we have been up to. So far we have: • All been given Camp blankets • Had a visit from Jackson and Steph, from the Wirral Animal Sanctuary • Cleaned for the Queen, doing a litter pick at the Arno. • Had a games night • Made Mothers’ Day gifts • Run the Cub Cafe, serving tea and cakes to our mums for Mothers’ Day • Had visits from Guinea pigs, hamsters and a snake, as part of the Animal Carer Badge • Celebrated Chinese New Year, and Pancake Day • Taken part in Farm to Fork, at Tesco Bidston • Run a Cub Club activity day in half term, which included a visit to the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary And of course been to the Wildest Beach Party at Blackpool And that’s just some of it. We’ve got lots more lined up, so watch out of our next instalment. What an amazing year to be a Cub Scout. Happy Birthday everyone.
Bear’s Grill The Perfect Cheese Toastie! Ingredients
8 slices of sourdough loaf bread Unsalted butter (at room temperature) 300g Gruyere, grated 50ml Creme Fraiche 4 bulbs of shallots, finely diced 100ml dry white wine Himalayan pink salt to season
Method
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place four slices on your bench, buttered side down. In a separate bowl, mix the grated cheese with the shallots and garlic before combining with the creme fraiche. Distribute the cheese mixture over the four slices ensuring that it is the same thickness as the slice of bread. Place the remaining four slices on top, buttered side up. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat for two minutes. Put the sandwiches in the frying pan, in batches if necessary, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese has slowly started to melt. At this stage, brush the top of the sandwich with the white wine, ensuring it soaks in well. Turn the sandwiches with a spatula, pressing firmly. Cook for a further two minutes, until the undersides are golden brown and brush the top with the white wine so that both sides are now crisp and flavoured with the wine. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of pink salt on top. Happy eating! Will Redfearn
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archery I will admit to being a little excited when I got the email asking if I’d be interested in doing an archery permit course. I’d had a go a few times at camp and really enjoyed it but other than that didn’t have any previous experience. Looking forward to going all Katniss in a field for the weekend, Jane, Nicky, Julie, Louis and I arrived at Sandiway Forest Camp ready for our 9am Saturday start. After the usual introductions and taking all the gear down to the range, we covered the basics, how to string bows and all about the different components and equipment involved. Exhausted after a day of range and personal safety rules, arrow length and dominant eye tests, learning terms such as barebow, freestyle, nock points and fletchings (or fledglings as they will now be forever known) it was home for a well earned bath and early night. We were back again on the Sunday morning for a recap of the day before and more situational run throughs, at which point it was then finally time for the written assessment. All swotted up, we headed back down to the range for the practical assessments which involved leading a group through an archery session as if they were beginners whilst being monitored by the assessors. After all coming through these unscathed and being told we’d passed, it was home to reflect on a very funny, informative and enjoyable weekend. And whilst I may never be able to watch the Walking Dead again without thinking ‘there’s not a full 110 yards clearance behind that shot’,we’re now armed with five brand new archery permits and looking forward to the opportunity of bringing this very inclusive sport to the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts of Birkenhead. Paula
Trinity with Palm Grove Church was host to the second annual ‘Viking’ Meal, Hosted by the Birkenhead Explorer Sea Scout Unit. After great successes with the first meal in 2014, the Unit decided to host this years, as a Valentine’s special. The preparation for the meal started the night before with all of the kitchen team preparing vegetables and other items that would be needed for the next day. While the kitchen team were doing this, the other members of the Explorer Unit were preparing the hall and getting lights and decorations up. It was decided that we would cook a three course meal, for the guests to enjoy, a starter of Vegetable Soup, Spaghetti Bolognaise and then a gateaux dessert which was all to be made by the six strong kitchen team. Local dignitaries, members of County Scouting, friends and family of the Unit, joined the Explorers and Leaders for the meal that had sold half of the 90 tickets within hours of tickets going on sale. As guests arrived, they were greeted by the hosts of the evening and other members of the unit, who showed them to their seat. The kitchen team had a quick meet and greet with the two deputy County Commissioners who took a quick ‘Behind the Scenes’ selfie. The food service began and a production line of food serving and then the mammoth task of washing up began. As soon as the plates were coming in from the Main Meal, the serving team started to plate the dessert and the waiters, were standing by to take the final course of the night out. After the meal had ended, all of the young people involved with the night, went into the hall for a large round of applause from all of the guests. Concillor Steve Foulkes spoke to the assembled guests as the after dinner speaker and then Deputy County Commissioners Peter Oliver and Mike Hussey made presentations to those Explorers who had recently gained their Chief Scout’s Platinum Award. The fundraising total for the evening was a fantastic £605.00.
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Nineteen Explorers and four leaders from the Viking Unit took part in a Working Weekend at the Barnstondale Centre. On the Friday night after we’d had the briefing about what they were going to do, they had time to themselves, playing pool and snooker, or just relaxing in one of the dormitories. Once the Explorers awoke, on a cold and damp Saturday morning, and had something to eat, they were straight to work, in the rainy conditions. The Explorers worked solidly until midday without a break before having lunch. The afternoon consisted of similar work as the morning, but was mainly taken up by laying the new draining system using old house bricks and gravel that the explorers had to either take down the path in a wheelbarrow or shovel on and off the back of the 4x4 Truck. Once most of the drainage system was laid, it was time to call it a day, with the intention of coming back to add the finishing touches. The explorers all got themselves cleaned up and had the night to themselves, which some of them spent in the sports barn, while others caught up on sleep. Sunday consisted of similar events to the day before, laying the path and adding the finishing touches to the bridge supports. All of the Explorers were very well behaved and even the Centre staff were amazed about how much work we had managed to do, in such a short space of time. Daniel Richards
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