Gscouts June 2015 by Gloucestershire scouts

gscouts News and Views for Scouting in Gloucestershire June 2015

Lots of Gnashings

Useful Contacts:

Badge Courses: Paddy Langham

paddydj.langham@btopenworld.com

County Administrator: Louise Little

admin@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk 0930 am-1.30 pm

01452 814256

County Public Relations Adviser: Cindy Fowler

media@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk

Cranham Scout Centre: Mary Large

info@scoutcentre.org.uk 1.00 pm-4.00 pm

H.Q. Information Centre

01452 812309

info.centre@scouts.org.uk Monday to Friday 8.00 am-7.00 pm Saturday 020 8435 7100

Shop in Leicester

0845 300 1818

gscouts June 2015 Contents Editorial………………………………………………………………………………………………......2 New help from the SAS …………………………………………………………………………..…….2 From the County Commissioner ……………………………………………………………………....3 An Explorer Belt well earned — Zack Thomson ……………………………………..………......….4 From DCC Programme ……………………………………………………………………….………...6 Forest of Dean Freeminers Explorer Unit Report ………………………………………………...… 7 Masters of all they surveyed—the birth of the Ordnance Survey …………………………….…….8 Cranham Scout Centre—Cub Scout Activities 2015 …………………………………………........10 Scout Section News ………………………………………………………………..………………….12 Fairford Scout HQ and Lake—Shelley Wright …………………….……………………….……….14 Explorers in Scotland 2016 ………………………………………………………………….………...15 WOMAD—a fundraising opportunity ……………………………………………………………...….15 Cotswold Vale District—the badge and what it depicts ………………………………….….……..16 Fantastic website for walkers ……………………………………………………………….………...16 Badge Course News …………………………………………………………………….…………..…17 Network Report ……………………………………………………………………………...………….19 Archery Course ……………………...…………………………………………………………………..21 A useful poem ………………………………………………………………………...………………....21 County Skills Day …………………………………………...………………...………………………...22 Roverway 2016 Poster ………………………………………………………………………………….23 Adult Training Dates ………………………………………………………………………..…………...24 Bear Grylls on the merits of being Chief Scout—The Daily Telegraph ………………………...… 25 ************************* A tough old Texan cowboy told his young granddaughter that the secret of long life was to sprinkle a pinch of gunpowder on her oatmeal every morning. The girl followed his advice until she died at the age of 103. She left behind 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, 25 great--great-grandchildren and a 15-foot-deep hole where the crematorium used to be. I

Editorial

I obviously do my best to make the magazine interesting. However I rather get the impression that not everybody is aware of its existence, particularly the supporters. This is a shame, as the contributors are clearly proud of their achievements and fully deserve to have them appreciated by the whole Scouting community. gscouts is available at the click of a mouse on the County website, so mention its existence to your colleagues! Also let’s have some more copy from the sources that have not yet contributed. Incidentally I have designed the magazine so that, if you so wish, you can print it as an A5 booklet. I think it is more attractive that way, rather than a pile of A4 sheets — do you agree?

I have started a series on the Districts in our County and their badges. This edition features Cotswold Vale, with which I am involved, and which is therefore easiest for me to write about. In the next gscouts I plan to cover Stroud and Tetbury. Does anybody know what the blue dolphin signifies? I understand that it is the symbol of a family in Tetbury—but which one? Presumably nothing to do with the Prince of Wales being what the French would call le dauphin? Earlier District badges depicted two dolphins and a mill wheel. I shall be abroad on holiday in early September, so I propose the 21st September as the copy date for the next edition of gscouts. This gives you plenty of time to let me have reports of your summer activities — but don’t put off writing about them and then forget to do it! John Morton

New—Help from the SAS We are pleased to announce that we have formally launched a new SAS group, Gloucsetershire Uniformed Event Support Team; informally known as GUEST. The purpose of GUEST is to provide manpower at Scouting Events around Gloucestershire. A GUEST supported Event is defined as any Scouting session, outside of the normal meetings, where Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, or Network are undertaking activities, learning skills, or doing badge work. In order to request support from GUEST, we have the following form, which should be completed by the Event organiser. http://goo.gl/forms/zx57sAaqn6 Of course we will do everything we can to encourage our members to provide help but, as you'll appreciate, we cannot make any guarantees. In order for this SAS to become a success, and to maximise the likelihood of support at Events, we need as many adult members as possible to sign up. We would appreciate, therefore, if you help raise awareness of SAS around your District by passing on this information, and encouraging your members to join us by completing the form below: http://goo.gl/forms/uvujDeimrp If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Our GUEST email address is guest.sas@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk, or we can be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/713078848723705/?fref=ts Lesley and Nick 2

From the County Commissioner Making Connections It's that time of year again when students leave college and start looking in earnest for a job - and my daughter is no different. So I suppose it was inevitable that she should ask me to take her to an interview, in Surrey! To make things more complicated, it was to be an overnight affair and while she was provided with food and lodging, I would either have to make the round trip from Gloucestershire twice or find some accommodation of my own. I then remembered that I had an uncle in Surrey, who could perhaps provide me with bed and breakfast, which he was happy to do. It was then suggested that we also went to see my cousin who lives nearby for a meal, which was a great success. All I had to do the was to find something to do to fill in my time between dropping Isabel off for her interview and going to my cousin's, so I decided to re-visit Guildford, where I had been a student more than thirty years ago but hadn't really visited since. So I spent a pleasant few hours exploring the town, checking out what had changed and what had not. And it all worked out very successfully. This led me to appreciate how valuable our connections are, whether family or friends, social or professional. It is these contacts that enrich our lives and provide the variations to the daily and weekly routines that can otherwise make life rather tedious. And it is the same in Scouting. It is often these connections with a wider network that can provide some different input to our weekly programmes. My cousin is also a Brownie Leader and mentioned that she had recently invited her neighbour, who is a lifeguard, to come and work with her Brownies on water safety. This weekend my wife has taken her Cubs to camp, but has also invited another Pack to join them to make it much more of an event and bring some extra activities and skills that her regular team of Leaders could not provide. By making such connections we are able to expand our options as we try to deal with the challenges that we face. Sometimes we are a bit shy about our Scouting. We cannot believe that anyone who is not a signed up, badged up Scouter, could possibly be interested in our Beavers, Cubs, etc. And yet often they are. Just for one night they will quite happily come and share their passion for model boats or kite flying with your youngsters and while they may need your help in putting that interest across to young people, their enthusiasm may be just what you need to bring the subject to life and introduce a new dimension to your programme. And if it goes well, they may be willing to do the same for another section or come back in a year or two's time to do something similar for the next cohort of your young members. A good Scouting programme needs variety. We cannot tie knots or read maps every week. We do not exist to train our members to become elite athletes or top musicians by working on the same skills at every meeting. Scouting works by giving youngsters a taste of a wide range of interests and activities and that will be enhanced by working your network of contacts. Whether you look to those within Scouting or among your non-Scouting friends. Whether it is involving colleagues from work, your neighbours or most importantly the parents and families of your members, there are lots of people out there who have so much to offer and are only too happy, to come along and share their knowledge with you and your youngsters. Use the connections that you have by whatever means possible and even if they can't help you they may be able to put you in touch with someone who can. We tend to think that we have to do it all ourselves. It doesn't have to be like that. The more contacts we make with the wider community, the better they will understand us and what we do and the more effective we will be in delivering a varied and exciting programme for our young people - which is what we are all about. So, review your programme, identify the gaps, and look to your contacts and those of your fellow leaders and see how you can enhance your programme further by making connections that you may not have considered before. I hope you have a great summer of Scouting activities and find some time for yourself and your family too. Paul D. Trott County Commissioner

An Explorer Belt well earned (lightly edited from their report to the District AGM)

K OK HSapporo

N P J

KY US

K I KO SH

AID

Zack Thomson, Angharad Lewis and Phoebe Magnone of the Meyer Explorer Scouts Troop (Cotswold Vale District) went to Japan for an Explorer Belt Expedition consisting of a 10-day trek, aiming to gain a greater understanding of the landscape, people, and culture. This expedition’s aim was to introduce us to a very alien culture. It did this through the challenge of financial management, being only given £50 to last my team of three for 10 days and over 100 miles! Because of this we will have to rely mainly on home hospitality and Japanese goodwill. Alongside this home hospitality, we chose a major project that focussed on an area of Japanese culture and for us it was religion and its influence on Japanese culture.

Days 1- 4 were spent in Tokyo, mainly getting over jet lag, getting used to the extremely varied culture that is Japan and being completely shocked by the humidity! On Day 4 our route was shown to us for the first time and we were given a few hours to plan the route we would be taking over the next 10 days in an area of Japan that we had never been to or seen before. Our kit was quickly checked and we were given money for our meal that we would have on the first day. There were last tit-bits of advice, then we were sent to bed, with the knowledge that for the next 10 days we would be alone in the middle of Japan, trying to cover 100 miles and staying at complete strangers’ homes. Day 5 felt like the longest day. The coach drove for nearly 3 hours to reach our drop-off point, although it felt like 20! We were then dropped off in the middle of a fishing port named Numazu and that was it. It was about 2:00pm and the humidity was unbelievable despite being by the sea, but we began our walk with earnest. After about 2½ hours we attempted to ask for directions. This resulted in us being escorted to a stranger’s house, who (after many translation issues!) told us we couldn’t camp where we wanted to. Then, to our surprise, they then offered to house us for the night! Not content with giving us a roof over our head, they gave us showers, a meal and gifts! We got an early night, after holding their 800-year-old Samurai swords, not entirely sure of what to make of the day. Day 6 was our most difficult day despite some nice surprises. All I can say is that I am glad that Cotswold Vale District’s money was wisely invested into good walking shoes and good walking clothes, because it was uphill, humid and very long, as we had to cross the whole Izu peninsula in one day! Our friends from the day before met us though and took us to see a famous temple, Shuzenji, which was extremely beautiful and also allowed us to complete some of our major project. After which they gave us some food, then let us descend Kameshi pass to meet our next Home Hospitality, whom they had contacted for us. They said the walk would be an hour max; three hours later we finally reached the city of Ito, where we were quickly cleaned and fed at a traditional Japanese restaurant. More exhausted than ever, we quickly collapsed into sleep, only to be woken up by fireworks at midnight, let off for reasons we didn’t really know. The next day (7) we were woken by the news that we would soon be having a typhoon. And with that lovely news we quickly set off. The walk was uneventful but difficult with the shoulder pain starting to kick in. We arrived in the city of Atami pretty tired so we were extremely grateful of the fact that our previous hosts had contacted a cafe owner in Atami who arranged for somewhere for us to stay, with a complementary ice cream! Day 8 - sheer exhaustion hit us and we had to rest up for a while! 4

On Day 9 our host kindly drove us to our next stop, Odawara. As we had arrived early, it gave us the chance to help our next hosts at their languages club, telling them what we had done so far (getting the usual reaction of, “You’re doing what?!”) and helping to teach English to the youngsters there. We then went back to their place and were given a chance to complete some of our minor projects, which we have to do alongside our major project to get our award. This included shopping with a family, meeting up wiîh a locai Scout group and even getting a beauty treatment or massage! Later that evening, we made the famiîy pancakes, which they had never tried before, and enjoyed some fried tofu. The next day the typhoon hit us and we sheitered with the famiiy, who later took us to the amazing Daiyuzan temple in the mountains, made more dramatic by the typhoon and the mountain mist. There we iearnt more about Buddhism in Japan and many of the rituals involved! We quickly retreated again, when the typhoon picked up again and spent much of that day sheitering in their house. The next day, after stopping by Qdawara castle, we began again headjng towards the city of Gofenba. The humidity was picking up again following the typhoon and the old aches of the previous days retumed with a vengeance. We were greatly relieved that we knew there was a home for us when we got to the city (although we did have to wait until 8:30 before we could get to them). We quickly crashed into our beds and slept well that night. We awoke on Day 12 to the sound of the returning rain. This set the trend for the rest of the day, endless rain in the shadow of Mount Fuji. Our coats got a full testing, as we climbed upwards and then down (not up Fuji though!), with our only relief was a visit from the leaders, which gave us a slight morale boost. We descended into the town of Yamanakako where we quickly discovered that the town was a resort for Japanese holiday-makers. Realising that very few Japanese people actually lived here and they were on the other side of a 5-mile-wide lake, we quickly found a camp-site cabin, the main form of holiday accommodation in the town, and cooked up the meal that we had bought for the first day of the expédition! Day 13 began in high spirits, knowing that it was our penultimate day of the expédition, and the walk was nice and fiat on our way to Fujiyoshida. However, when we reached the town we realised that it was no town but a rather large city. After several hours looking for accommodation, we were beginning to despair. Luckily one man offered to take us to his place but told us we had to wait until he finished work in 3 hours! After waiting in a supermarket car park for 3 hours he turns up and tells us that his house is too small for us but his friend will take us to a pension back in Yamanakako. We phoned the leaders to tell them of the change and they were fine with it, so we bundled into his friend’s car that was the size of a mini. with our massive backpacks complete with tents and a stove! We returned to Yamanakako, where we then had to wait a further hour until the pension’s gwner arrived (who tumed out to be a bodybuilder, who owned a quintessentially 1890s English boarding house!). We quickly paid and crashed into bed. The final day was our easiest. A 45-minute walk to the finishing point was easy enough, where we arrived so early that the leaders hadn’t arrived yet! Slowly, in dribs and drabs, all of the other teams arrived, tents were put up, stories were shared, and a leader-made BBQ was eaten. We then got to watch the opening ceremony to the Japanese equivalent of what we had just done. The days leading to us leaving Japan were filled with visits to tourist attractions and a day free to roam around Tokyo. The generosity of the Japanese, though, meant that we left Japan tinged with sadness but filled with the most amazing memories that anyone could ever ask for! Overall the expedition was truly a challenge for me but also truly opened my eyes to the yariety and sheer beauty of Japanese culture and the supreme generosity of its people. Without Cotswold Vale Executive’s donation the expedition would not have been nearly as enjoyable and rewarding and for that I thank them profusely for giving me this opportunity to immerse myself into such a wonderful culture. I thank them again and I hope they continue to support opportunites like this, as it truly is an eye-opening and rewarding experience. 5

From DCC Programme Programme Portions May 2015 On behalf of the team of ACC’s, Network Chair namely Lauren Greening, Chris Meadows, Chris Langham, Chris Duckworth, Mick Seamarks and myself, we just want to touch base with you all to ensure you’re all getting on okay with the new Programme Refresh. Some of us spent time with HQ teams to understand the reasons behind the new badges, the use of a Quality Checker and ways to transition the badges into your programme. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you want any advice or want us to visit your section to help you out with this. There will be Network sections coming closer to you! Network will move from a County-held section to District-based transitioning from May – November. This doesn’t mean that they won’t still have some County-linked events but please do touch base in your Districts to find out more or contact Lauren, the County Network Chair — chair@gnscouts.org.uk Explorers — Don’t forget to sign up for BEAST this year. It’s the weekend of 16th —18th October. For more info, please contact Chris Meadows: acc.explorers@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk Chris Langham, as ACC Scouts, will be helping to plan Bald Eagle 9th-11th October at Rhydd Covert; please contact her if you want more information about this event. We’re moving on getting our county more Youth-Shaped, and will be setting up Forum / Conference-type events for Network / Explorers and one for Scouts. We are also looking at how we can include Cubs and Beaver Scouts more in what we do. Keep looking out for more information on the County website relating to this. Cubs - it’s the Year of Adventure - don’t forget to look at Cranham’s website to check out which activities can be booked there to support this programme to get your Cubs out and about having fun. Cub Centenary Camp – 1st- 3rd July 2016 at Rhydd Covert. Watch out for more information on what will be a great weekend of fun and adventure to celebrate 100 years of Cub Scouting. For more information, and if you’re interested in supporting this event, please contact Chris Duckworth -acc.cubs@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk Beaver leaders - how does the idea of Beaver Scrabble Fun Challenge sound to you — or plans for a Beaver County Camp in 2016 appeal to your Beaver Scouts? Any ideas, intrigue or queries, please contact Mick Seamarks - mick_seamarks@hotmail.com Events to look out for: Scouting Skills /Support Day / AGM- for leaders. Sunday 20th September at Pates School, Cheltenham. Look out for more information on this event that is aimed for all adults and Young Leaders who want to get some ideas for their sections, practice new skills or update on ones they have and want to have some updates on Scouting in general. Chief Scout Gold Award Evening – Wednesday 4th November at the Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham. Chief Scout’s Platinum, Diamond, DoE Bronze and Silver, Young Leader buckle, ILMWednesday 11th November, Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham. Please forward names of Young People who have completed these awards, along with the Group name, to Louise Little at: admin@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk Awards for adults. We are keen to recognise the invaluable contribution that adults make to Scouting and I encourage leaders to consider adults for awards, including those who may not be 6

a uniformed adult in Scouting but are supportive to you too. Information regarding national awards and how to apply for them is on the national website: http://members.scouts.org.uk/awards. The County website also informs you of the County Scout Award that may be relevant to some adults too, so please look at that on the County website. Some districts have Awards Secretaries who are a huge resource for awards, but for those Districts that don’t have one, please don’t hesitate to contact me, if you want more information. County Quiz for all sections - Sunday 17th January 2016. Plenty of time to get your sections/ Districts to hold your own in preparation, or simply get two teams per District for Beaver, Cub, Scout, Explorer, and Network sections to win the coveted County Quiz Trophy!! I’m keen to chat to any Network members or young Scout Leaders about shadowing my role, by attending meetings and events with me. If you know of anyone who is interested in this, please do email me: liz.hodge@btinternet.com The Programme team here in the County are always keen to visit your sections and Districts, so please do contact us if you want us to visit. I’m aware that many of our bigger County events take place in the larger towns and city to accommodate large numbers, but please do let us know of any venues in a town / village near you that could manage a larger County event. Again, we’re happy to travel. Good luck to Strategy and Evolution in June and to the Jamboree team, as they make their final preparations for Japan. Best wishes Liz Hodge

Forest of Dean Freeminers Explorer Unit Canoe rescuers gain award. Freeminer Explorer Scouts were invited to help support a charity-swimming event held upstream from the Monmouth Rowing Club on Sunday 11th May 2014 Ben Arkel and Henry Willis volunteered to help, and, as Two-Star Canoeists, were assigned to support swimmers on the shorter one-kilometre part of the event, from the start to the finish at Monmouth Rowing Club. Mark Westgate and Andy Heaysman, Explorer Scout Leaders, were assigned further upstream for the two-kilometre part of the course. During the event, a swimmer who was struggling with cold and cramp, needed rescuing. Initially Damian Foster in a Kayak supported her until Ben and Henry were able to paddle a pair of Canadian Canoes into position and help the swimmer into their canoe. They wrapped her in a survival blanket, checked she was okay, and then paddled as quickly as possible to the finish line, where they helped her onto the bank. The paramedics, who attended the swimmer for over an hour, commented that it was a good job Ben and Henry knew what they were doing, as their quick rescue saved the swimmer from serious harm. As Explorer Scouts they acted extremely effectively, rescuing the swimmer, ensuring her safety by manoeuvring their canoe in difficult waters. Henry and Damian were considered for Scout Association awards and have been awarded The Chief Scout’s Personal Award, in recognition of their actions and courage during the river rescue. Unfortunately Ben has left the movement and was not considered for the award, but we have something planned locally to recognise his actions during the rescue. Martin Williams 7

Masters of All They Surveyed Tucked in a corner between two fences on the north perimeter road of London’s Heathrow Airport stands the barrel of a cannon, which marks one end of the baseline of the first triangulation survey of England. It was originally defined by a wooden pipe, a foot in diameter with a bore of four inches. In 1791, the pipe, in King’s Arbour - now the overflow taxi rank, was found to be in a very decayed state and was replaced by the cannon, as was the similar pipe at the other end of the line across Hounslow Heath, five miles away at Hampton Poor House. The cannon there stands in Roy Grove, now part of a residential estate. Following the 1745 Rebellion, the Duke of Cumberland defeated the Young Pretender at Culloden in 1746, but still had to pacify Scotland. The native Scots had a considerable advantage, because they knew their own countryside and there were no reliable maps for use by the English Army. In 1747 the Deputy Quartermaster-General, General Watson, determined to begin a proper survey of the Highlands. Thus was born the idea of the Ordnance (artillery) Survey. William Roy, a talented civilian, worked with the Army for eight years on the project, which was later extended to include the Lowlands. He played a significant part in producing the eighty-four rolls of various sizes, now preserved in the King’s Library in the British Museum. Shortly after the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in 1756, Roy was commissioned in the Engineers, and later rose to the rank of Major-General. In that year, he made a reconnaissance map on the one-inchto-one-mile scale, of a strip of land between Salisbury and Dorchester. A plaque near the main road at Old Sarum marks the site. Nine years later, he was appointed Surveyor-General of Coasts and Engineer for Making and Directing Military Surveys in Great Britain. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1767. In 1783, Roy commenced a triangulation between London and Dover, and in the following year measured the base on Hounslow Heath. In 1785, he received the Copley Medal of the Royal Society for his work, which was intended eventually to determine the distance between the meridians of the Royal Observatories of Greenwich and Paris. Initially for the purposes of astronomy, this was the origin of accurate mapping of the British Isles. King George III took a personal interest in the project, and defrayed the cost of the necessary instruments. The custom on the Continent at that time was to measure distances with deal rods and a set was carefully prepared for the purpose. However, it was found that variations in humidity caused considerable changes in their lengths, and the idea of using wooden rods was abandoned. A rough measurement of the base was made by steel chain between 16th and 22nd June, 1784. The definitive measurement was completed between 17th and 30th August, by using glass tubes about one inch in diameter, one of which was twenty-six feet long. The King came to inspect the work on 21st August, and spent two hours taking a detailed interest in the measurements. 8

A frustrating delay of three years followed, while the ‘Great Circular Instrument’, a three-footdiameter theodolite weighing 200 pounds, was constructed. This horizontal brass circle was divided by dots into spaces of ten minutes. With two micrometer microscopes, angles could be read to an accuracy of tenths of seconds. Surveying began on 31st July,1787, using ‘white lights’ burning in copper containers situated at suitable prominent points. Triangulation was carried out across London, Surrey and Kent, and a base of verification, established on Romney Marsh, was found to differ from the calculations by just 2۰4 feet, or 1 in 12,000. This discrepancy is thought to have been due to inaccuracies in measuring the baseline, rather than errors in the triangulation. Meanwhile the French had been completing a similar exercise, and calculated the distance from the spire of Notre Dame at Calais to Dover Castle as 137,442 feet. The English value was 137,449 feet. The derived difference of longitude between the two observatories at Greenwich and Paris was 2° 19’ 51”. Roy’s work was the first accurate triangulation carried out in this country, set a remarkably high standard, and led to the formal founding of the Ordnance Survey. Plaques were erected by the cannons at Heathrow and Hampton in 1926, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Roy’s birth, and can be seen today. In 1791, a Captain Mudge remeasured the length of the baseline and made it 27,404۰24 feet, differing from General Roy by 11/2 inches! In 1868, Lieutenant Alexander Clarke had another try, using the latest technology, and he found it to be two feet longer! The first one-inch map of the Ordnance Survey was published in 1801, covering the County of Kent, and in the next seventy years coverage was extended to the rest of the country. The maps were produced in black and white until the turn of the century, when colour was first introduced, culminating in the Seventh Series in 1952, which had ten colours, later reduced to six. In the post-war period many changes occurred, especially in urban development, and map users asked for more information to be included. A larger scale seemed appropriate, and, with the trend towards metrication, 1:50,000 (2cm:1 km) was chosen. All the sheets of the new series were published within two years, between 1974 and 1976, using photographic enlargement of the one-inch maps. A Second Series of redrawn maps, to a new specification and featuring full metrication of all contours, was introduced subsequently, and 86 of the 204 sheets had been produced by 1980. The Series was completed in 1990. John Morton Acknowledgements to The Early Years of the Ordnance Survey by Colonel Sir Charles Close, and the covers of Ordnance Survey maps. Ignorant’ is how you describe someone who doesn’t know what you have just found out. 9

Cub Scout Activities 2015 All the activities are listed. Those highlighted in purple are being supported by the centre. The way that they are being supported is described by the month.. A few things to note: 

All activities must be booked, with at least two weeks’ notice (four weeks for instructed activities).



Offers in May, October, November and December are only available on Monday to Friday evenings and are subject to instructor availability.



The tree survey/bug hunt must be paid for before arrival. All other activities must be paid for before departure.



Leaders are not required for the tree survey and bug hunt. All other activities require leaders to be in attendance in the normal ratios.



Families are welcome to attend the hike, but all attendees must be booked in. Instructors are available for the archery and climbing.



The hike and tree survey/bug hunt will be led by other organisations or individuals. All other activities are self led, although a briefing or further support may be available if required. All adults attending must have a current DBS disclosure.

June In partnership with Natural England, we will be running a tree survey and bug hunt day on 28th June. The day will cost £2.00 per cub. Sea life search on a beach Tree survey What’s under the water? Bug hunting July July and August are our busiest months, therefore it is very difficult to offer support for these activities. We would, however, encourage leaders to seek support from their ADC Cubs or the ACC Cubs to organise these activities. Snorkelling Raft building Canoeing Keep that ball up 10

August RAF day visit Hold a bird of prey Make a kite Rocket away September Crate stacking Indoor climbing Zip wire challenge Abseiling Tree Climbing – (not indoor climbing, I know!) 25% off activity and visit fees. October Make your own compass Making new friends Radio wide game Making energy We will make Cranham available for your use in October and November for just 50p per person (plus normal activity fees if booked) to help you run these activities. We will also provide equipment for the November activities for just £5.00 (per group of 20). Fireworks are not allowed on site as this helps to protect the woods and wildlife around the site that are largely protected. November S’mores Glow stick prize challenge Fire paper boats Fireworks display December Making a volcano Vegetarian banquet Plastic dinosaur hunt Explore down under Keep an eye on the Cranham website for further details. Dates for the diary 1st – 3rd July 2016 – Gloucestershire County Cub Adventure Camp, Rhydd Covert (near Kidderminster). 16th December 2016 – Cranham Scout Centre Cub Promise Party BOOKINGS Please use the form from Cranham for the Hike and Tree Survey/Bug Hunt. This must be completed for all attendees, including Leaders, Young Leaders (and families if attending the hike). For all other visits, please contact the Scout Centre office. If you require additional support, please make us aware of this at the earliest convenience. 11

Gloucestershire Scout Section News Summer 2015 It’s a busy time of year, and troops around the county are now taking advantage of the long hours of daylight to put in those outdoors and adventurous activities which are a key reason for Scouts to join, and stay in, a Troop. The Programme Refresh reinforces this, emphasising that 50% of the programme should be Outdoor- and Adventure-focussed. I hope you have all had a chance to look at the changes, and are preparing to run just the new programme from the end of September. Until then, your Scouts can complete either the old or new versions of the challenges and badges. HQ have set up a great new website to help with this, so do try out this link: Revised Scout Programme Website On the website you will find some colourful presentations, details of the changes, and answers to many FAQs. You will also find a download giving the Transition Requirements for the Chief Scout’s Awards CSA transition requirements We will be using this for some time, as Scouts stay in the section for more than three years, but you can of course start your newest members straight on the new Challenges already. If you have Scouts who have almost completed their Chief Scout’s Award, there should be plenty of opportunities over the summer for them to complete their award under the old scheme. Don’t forget to let the County Office know the names and contact details of the Scouts who gain this Top Award, so we can invite them (and their parents and Leaders) to the annual reception/ celebration of achievement. I look forward to seeing many of you there this year. Chris Langham, ACC Scouts, Gloucestershire SCOUT SECTION E-MAILING

LIST

I’d like to set up a direct e-mailing list of adults working with the Scout Section, so that any ‘routine’ notices can be circulated to you directly. If you’d like to be included, please e-mail me your contact details to acc.scouts@gscouts.org.uk RECENT COUNTY E VENTS

FOR

SCOUTS:

COUNTY SHOOTING COMPETITION This was held on at Glevum Target Club on May 16 th. The Scout section was won by 1st Woodmancote (A) team. Teams from 38th Gloucester, 1st Upton and 1st Hatherley provided some fierce competition. Thanks to Martin Peake for organising this. COUNTY

WEEKEND FOR THE

NEW EXPEDITION CHALLENGE

AND

NAVIGATOR

BADGES.

In April, following on from a successful practice weekend, five patrols of Scouts hiked on different routes from Eastcombe, making for Cranham for their overnight camp. This time the weather was warm and dry – so different from their practice! Cranham was packed with campers, all doing expeditions. (We had met several other groups out hiking for DofE during the day). Our Scout patrols camped on the main field, and some had enough energy for a lively campfire before bed. By ten o'clock on Sunday the site had emptied, and our Scouts completed their expedition by hiking to Deer Park Cowley Guide Centre. The new Challenge meant they also 12

needed to give a brief verbal report to complete their badge. We were joined by our County Commissioner, Paul Trott, who presented the Scouts with both their Expedition Challenge Awards and the new Navigator 3 badge. COUNTY SURVIVAL SKILLS WEEKEND This weekend at the end of May was another chance for us to try out the new badge requirements. The badge book describes Survival Skills as “The Ultimate Challenge activity” and we tried to provide this, even at the basic level. As usual, the Scouts didn’t sleep in tents at all – just a tarp shelter after the training day, then a proper natural-materials bivouac during the main survival exercise, which this year included a “search and rescue” element instead of plant collecting. Fire-lighting, knife skills, cooking without foil or utensils, and, of course, rabbit skinning all contributed to a busy weekend.

SCOUT SECTION DIARY

DATES

12th – 14th june, Strategy, Cirencester Park Now fully booked, this promises to be an exciting new challenge weekend for the section. 20th September, Scouting Skills Market Place, pates Grammar School Cheltenham A chance for all adults in Scouting to learn and share ideas to support your programmes. There will be external organisations represented, as well as sessions run by experienced leaders. See poster for details. 9th – 11th October, Operation Bald Eagle , Rhydd Covert Following on from last year’s successful change of venue, this will be another adventurous challenge-based weekend. We will keep in the most popular items, and add in some new challenges to keep your teams on their toes. 4th November, Chief Scout’s Gold Award Presentations, Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham A chance to celebrate the success of Scouts who have gained the top award available in the section. Remember to let the County Office know their names in good time! 17th January 2016, County Quiz, Shurdington Something indoors for a change!

PLANNED FOR THE AUTUM

DATES TO BE CONFIRMED :

Scout Section Youth Conference An opportunity for Scouts from each troop to meet up, learn some new skills, have fun, express their views, and help shape the future of Scouting in the county. County Monopoly run, Gloucester City centre January’s event in Cirencester was so popular, we plan to run a similar event in Gloucester. Stomp Stroud and Tetbury’s annual night challenge hike for Scouts and Explorers. (open to all Districts). 13

Fairford Scout HQ & Lake

A fabulous place to kayak, canoe, sail & raft.

Leaders being assessed & training for permits with Fairford Scouts & Cubs over two weeks as volunteers in June of last year. Water Assessor Shelley Wright. Stewart Tedaldi, Nutty Badgers & Andy Jones (below) continued training along with many others throughout the winter, with Simon Day (Berkeley) and Gavin Lewis, Regional Coaching Representative - Canoe England. Stewart, Jules Francis, Chris Riley, Andy England, Rob Evans, Sharon English and Andy Elliott all gained Level 1 Coach Status. Two Star in Kayak/Canoe were also achieved by Sharon English, Phil Dell-Smith, Claire Gibson, Tom Hopes, Paul Blanch, Paul Emmett, Ben Spokes, Avril Riley, Thomas Wells, Nick Burden, Lorna Shawcross, Scott Carpenter & Steve Carpenter. Throughout the County more and more Leaders are getting out on the water gaining permits, so they can share with their Scout Groups. A lot of hard work, time and expense were put into gaining the above awards. Level two takes even more. Hopefully we will gain 2/3 more to add to the four we have in County over the next couple of years. Shelley Wright Gloucestershire Water Assessor & Advisor ************************* For Sale: Day-old chicks going cheep. 14

Cheltenham District Explorers will join Bob’s Dinosaurs Explorers to complete Gold D of E Expeditions in Scotland next Summer 2016

WOMAD Tent Service Fundraising Opportunity Last year the Jamboree Unit supported the WOMAD campsite team to deliver a pre-erected tent service for WOMAD music festival customers. (WOMAD is held in Charlton Park which is situated just off the A429 between Cirencester and Chippenham, close to Malmesbury. The site is 7 miles from Junction 17 off the M4) This year the Jamboree Unit will be in Japan during the Festival, so Gloucestershire Scouting have been offered the opportunity to support this event. The Event is looking for 15 - 20 Scouts, complete with their Group leader(s), to work in teams to erect approximately 250 tents at WOMAD before the festival opens to the public, and then to take the same tents down again and pack them away after the festival ended. In return your group(s) would receive a fixed cash donation of £8.00 from WOMAD for each tent erected, and an additional donation of £8.00 for each tent that's taken down and packed away after the festival. Last year the Jamboree Unit also ran a luggage shuttle service to and from the car park, in return for a cash donation directly from individual festival ticket holders. and WOMAD have said they'd be more than happy for this to be done again this year. There are also additional fundraising and marketing opportunities within the WOMAD campsite and the main music arena during the festival. Last year the Jamboree unit made circa 5K at the event. The group would be supplied with a secure camping area away from the main public campsites. This would include access to the crew showers, toilets, hand-washing facilities and drinking water. Key Dates are: • Group onsite date: 18th July between 13:00 and 20:00 (TBC) • Tent pitching dates: 19th to 22nd July • Festival open to the public: 23rd to 26th July (public leave site from 10am on 27th) • Tent take down and packing: 27th and 28th July If your District or Unit are interested in supporting this event please drop me an e-mail expressing an interest in taking the opportunity on board. Chris Meadows ACC Explorer Scouts Gloucestershire Email: acc.explorers@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk Phone: 01453 890193 Mobile: 07734 151055 Skype: jabberingkiff ************************* Half the people you know are below average. 15

Cotswold Vale is a small District with just six Groups in Dursley, Cam, Wotton-under-Edge, Sharpness, Slimbridge and Berkeley. The badge depicts the Tyndale Monument at North Nibley, a mile and a half south-west of Dursley. It was erected in 1866 and is 111 feet (34 metres) tall. You can climb to the top and are rewarded with magnificent views of the lower Severn valley. The door is unlocked at weekends, otherwise the key is available at the village shop in North Nibley. William Tyndale (c.1494-1536) was probably born in Slimbridge. He was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford and became a chaplain and tutor. With the co-operation of Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus, he produced a translation of the New Testament in English, initially printed in Germany. It was denounced and hundreds of copies burned. One copy of his works was printed on vellum for presentation to Anne Boleyn. In 1536, a reprint of his revised New Testament was the first volume of Holy Scripture printed in England. That year he was accused of heresy, imprisoned and tried, found guilty, strangled and burned. ************************* Fantastic Website for walkers! www.walkinginengland.co.uk is a website packed with useful information for walkers. With hundreds of walks to download and print, free, it also has books of walks, contact details for all the walking groups in the county and much more. Whether you want to walk on your own or with a group, all the information is there in one place. John Harris, the web site’s founder, said ‘There is so much walking information on the web but it is difficult to find. Walking in England (part of the Walking in England suite of websites – one for each county in England) has brought it together in one place, so whether you are walking from home, or away on holiday, you will be able to find a walk suitable for you.’ With walks from half a mile to more than twelve miles long, and a note of suitability for pushchairs and wheelchairs, everyone can find a walk to enjoy. So home or away, check out the websites and get walking! John Harris

john@walkinginengland.co.uk 16

01920 822887

Badge Course News Highlights of April Expedition Weekend One A total of 44 Scouts and Explorers met at Eastcombe Scout HQ on the Friday night. The Scouts then pitched their tents. The Explorers were allowed to sleep indoors to save getting their tents wet as they would need to carry them next day. On Saturday morning they all departed for practice hikes in the surrounding countryside. We had a total of seven patrols: two of Explorers doing their DofE Bronze & CS Platinum expedition and five of Scouts doing their Expedition Challenge. Each patrol wore a distinctive necker to help identify them during the day: Green and Brown for the Explorers. Red, Yellow, White, Orange and Blue for the Scouts. The Scouts were accompanied by leaders who gave them training in map and compass work, highway and country code and first aid during the day. They just needed to carry day kit. The Explorers carried full kit including their tents and food for the rest of the weekend. Upon returning to Eastcombe the Explorers then had to pitch their tents and everyone cooked their evening meal, mostly using Trangias. The weather was not kind and everyone was glad to get in the hall for the evening and watch a film, before braving the weather and returning to their tents for the night. The weather on Sunday was no better, though the sun did come out briefly just as the last patrol returned. . Expedition Weekend Two Once again Scouts and Explorers met at Eastcombe Scout HQ on the Friday night and Scouts then pitched their tents again whilst the Explorers were allowed to sleep indoors to save getting their tents wet as they would need to carry them next day. On Saturday morning they all departed for the real expedition. All seven patrols hiked on different routes, making for Cranham for their overnight camp. This time the weather was much warmer than on the practice. Cranham was packed with campers all doing expeditions. We had met several other patrols out hiking during the day. The Scout patrols camped on the main field. The Explorers had peace and quiet in The Grove. By ten o' clock on Sunday the site had emptied as hike patrols all set off. Our patrols hiked to Deer Park Cowley Guide Centre and gave a brief verbal report to complete their badge. We were joined by our County Commissioner, Paul Trott, who presented certificates to everyone. Everyone was presented with the new Navigator 3 badge. For the Explorers there was one more thing they needed to do - a report back. They did this to Wyell Young Leaders Unit in Cheltenham on 28th April. Both patrols made a very good Power Point presentation to an audience of at least thirty YLs. One Explorer had travelled all the way from Hampshire for this. All the Scouts gained the new Expedition Challenge award. the Explorers will gain their DofE Bronze and CS Platinum Awards when they have completed the other sections. Pioneer Badge This was held at 1st Prestbury Scout HQ in Cheltenham. The Scouts stayed the whole weekend but were joined by Cubs on the Sunday. They all learnt knots and lashings and went on to construct A frames and then more advanced pioneering structures. Climbing Course A total of twelve Scouts and Explorers met at the Warehouse Climbing Centre at Gloucester Docks for this two day course. Under the instruction of the centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellent staff they were able to use both the climbing walls and the bouldering room. 17

Badge Weekend A total of 24 Scouts spent the weekend at Cranham recently, to gain either the Electronics badge or the Geocaching badge. The Geocaching badge is a new one and the Scouts had a great time using GPS to follow routes and discover caches. The Electronics badge spent most of their time indoors but this did not stop them having a great time building various gadgets. If you missed out, read on for details of coming events Future Events - open for booking now For these courses use application forms downloaded from Badges=gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk@mail20.wdc03.rsgsv.net *Nautical Skills Badge Weekend Friday 10th/Sunday 12th July £36 Richmond Scout Boating Centre. You will be able to experience the thrill of traditional fixedseat rowing on the River Thames in some of their fleet of traditional boats including a royal barge. This is an ideal introduction to rowing! The weekend will include transport, food, and accommodation at the centre. NEW *Canal Weekend Friday/Sunday 25th/27th September. A weekend on narrowboats on the Grand Union Canal. You learn to steer the boat and work the locks. Badges awarded: Scouts: Power Coxswain; Explorers: Water Activities. Transport included. £70 (A course for Leaders is run in February & March.) Module A Monday 21st September Cranham This is the Safeguarding course all Young leaders need to do. Course is free but please book as numbers are limited. *For water activities Scouts must be able to swim 50 metres in clothing and keep

afloat for 5 minutes (POR Rule 9.42a) For Scuba Events use the discrete form from the address above. Discover Scuba Diving (formerly Try-Dive) 27th June £26.50. Spend a fun hour in a swimming pool in Gloucester, to see if you like scuba diving. If you then take the Open Water qualification course, this hour counts towards it! Experience Dives 28th June £65 (Qualified Scuba Divers only) – a chance to keep skills up within the six-month recommended window Speciality Weekend 17th – 19th July. A residential weekend spent gaining more advanced qualifications (for Open Water and Advanced Open Water divers only). Prices depend on the qualification but are approximately £200 per day or £300 for the weekend. Full details on request (payable by instalments). Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver 11th – 13th September £310 Single residential weekend for those Open Water divers wishing to gain the next qualification (£75 deposit, payable by instalments).

Leaders on Badge courses Leaders may apply to attend any Scout or Explorer courses as a participant to learn the skills involved - please e-mail if you are interested in this option. badges@gloucestershire-scouts.org.uk 18

Sundays! On the 1st March we assembled out front of the abbey in the town centre, where we were given our treasure maps and our start location. We then set off to hunt down the answers to the questions and find our treasure at the end! After searching high and low for the answers, almost all the teams had completed the challenge. All agreed that one answer didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist but we used our pirate skills to find the buried treasure!

On the 8th March we kindly had Neil come down and show us a thing or two about stalking and hunting animals at Leckhampton. He then brought out the doe he had shot the day before and showed us how to skin it and let us have a go. Overall it was a great night learning and trying something new. The 15th March we made clay candle holders and Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day cards at Quedgeley. It was great fun modelling our own candle holders and we got really into making them to the best of our ability. This also meant we could all go home and give our mums a lovely little gift. The evening was very relaxing and was good for some of the members who had taken part in the Cannock Chase walk.

On the 22nd we adventured over to Aston Ingham for our second Sunday meeting in the Forest of Dean for some Nordic carving. When we turned up, we had a demonstration of the things we were going to start making tonight, paddles! So with the first stage of creation drawn out and our marker lines cut, we then used an axe to remove the large chunks of wood to get the shape of the paddle shaft and then began to carve the curve around the paddle. We ran out of time to finish our paddles but we took them home to finish at our own leisure. It was a great night we all had fun and learned something new. 19

On the 29th we gathered at Gloucester docks, ready for a challenge. Although it was rather wet and windy, that didn't dampen our spirts to race round and gather all the answers. It was nice to be back in the heart of the City as we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been there for a while. Did you know the metal tower sculpture in the docks is 22 metres high! Overall it was a successful meeting with just enough activity for everyone.

Forest Mondays! On the 2nd March we were told to bring our favourite game to Aston Ingham ,to get ready for an intense game-off! It was decided that we were to find out who gets killed, where and what with? (Cluedo) . It got very heated and before we knew it we were playing frustration. Overall the night was good and we found some players were a lot better than some of the rest of us!

Other Events! Camp! The weekend of the 20th we ventured out to Warren Oak Campsite, just outside Ledbury, for a chilled-out weekend away. On the Friday night we turned up and pitched our tents and went to bed.

On Saturday we cooked some egg and bacon sarnies and got our walking boots on for a short amble and Geocaching hunt in the Malvern Hills. We found all five of the Geocaches we looked for and headed back towards the campsite. On the way back, we also collected a Geoff and Mevens! When we got back to the site we went about finding .a suitable area to have a fire and cook dinner, we even found time to catch up on the England rugby score. I think we went a little crazy with the amount of food but we all needed a good meal. Matt from HAWK Network came up overnight and stayed Sunday and was it super cool to meet someone from another Network close by.

On Sunday we finished off the bacon and eggs. We then set about building something from pioneering poles; we eventually decided an hour glass tower was a good idea?!?! Boy was it heavy, but totally worth it in the end! We then all packed up and headed back to Gloucestershire to get showered and changed for Network in the evening for Nordic Carving in the Forest!

Forest Half Marathon Its was that time of year again where we help out at the Spring Forest Half Marathon on security. The crew arrived at 6 pm on the Saturday night and set up camp. Taking it in turns to check the site for anybody who shouldn't be there, we also helped out with the car-parking and by 9:30 am we were ready to leave the site after doing our park. Although we could compete if we felt up for it, I don't think anyone who was there over night would be up for running the 13 miles!

Upcoming Big Events Strategy Helpers: 12th - 14th June, Cirencester Park GL7 2BP. Evolution: 19th - 21st June, Cirencester Park GL7 2BP. The Festival: 3rd - 5th July, Rough Close, Coventry, CV7 7DD; Booking is £37 + £15 food. It is similar to how we book on Intense, so sign up yourself and just let me know via email PR. *************************

ARCHERY COURSE. Do you want to expand your skills and be able to run Archery activity for your Section? if so contact Ted Hughes with Name/ADD/Tel .No/E/Mail for a REG.form. He is hoping to set up a course Fri.(eve}/Sat./Sun. 10,11.12 July. Successful completion of the course will give you all the skills you need to deliver Archery for your Group. Cost. £180.

Check “GRANTS” with Group/Dist./County?? To help out.

Places are limited.

Contact TED HUGHES 01425 712529 . (tedhughes@blueyonder.co.uk ) *************************.

A useful poem These hard woods burn well and slowly: Ash, beech, hawthorn, oak and holly. Softwoods flare up quick and fine: Birch, fir, hazel, larch and pine. Elm and willow you’ll regret, Chestnut green and sycamore wet. ************************* Why is it that a careless match can cause a forest fire but it takes a whole box to light a campfire? 21

County Skills Day We'd like to invite you to a County Leader Skills Day, on Sunday 20th September, at Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham. There will be more details and a chance for you to book onto some workshops nearer the time, but at the moment we'd like you to save the date in your diaries, and give us some feedback to help make the day most useful to you. The day will be the chance for you to come and join other adults and learn new skills, brush up on the old ones, share ideas and make contacts. This event is for everyone, from the very new parent helper to the experienced Leaders across our County. Throughout the day there will be a variety of 'market stalls' for you to browse through and chat to the experts, and an Internet Cafe where you can access Programmes Online and other useful sites.In addition to this, there will be Skills Sessions you can sign up to. (Advance booking will be possible if you want to plan your day, but spaces will also be reserved for signing up on the day) Please help us to make the best choice of skills bases by choosing six you would most like to see run. Just use the link below to a poll on the Event's Webpage to make your choices. The poll will be open for two weeks. These are some of the skills likely to be covered: Knots and lashings, Firelighting, Shelter building, Map and compass, Tent pitching, Tackling challenging behaviour, Camping tips and tricks, Casualty simulation, Backwoods cooking, Geocaching, Flags and ceremonies, Tracking and trails, Planning hikes, Mini-pioneering, Tin can stoves and cardboard ovens, Emergency programme ideas, Reflection and faith - practical ideas, Programme refresh, Knife and axe, Survival skills

If there are any other skills you would like to see included, please e-mail: acc.scouts@gloucestershire.scouts.org.uk We look forward September,

seeing

you

Chris Langham and Gary Law

Adult

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Course Date

Time

Sat, 26-Sep-15 09:00 Sun, 27-Sep-15 09:00

Sat, 28-Nov-15 09:00 Sat, 28-Nov-15 09:00 Sat, 28-Nov-15 22:00 Sun, 29-Nov-15 08:00 Sun, 29-Nov-15 09:00 Sun, 29-Nov-15 14:00 Sat, 30-Jan-16 09:00 Sun, 31-Jan-16 09:00 Sat, 09-Apr-16

09:00

Sun, 10-Apr-16 09:00 Sat, 14-May-16 09:00

Sun, 15-May-16 09:00 Sat, 24-Sep-16 09:00 Sun, 25-Sep-16 09:00

Sat, 19-Nov-16 09:00 Sun, 20-Nov-16 09:00

Training

Course Name

Time Location

Unit 4 7/14/15 Scouting for All, Young People 7 Hrs Today, Challenging Behaviour Unit 5 12A/12B/17/18 Delivering a Quality 7 Hrs Programme, Programme Planning, Running Safe Activities, Practical Skills Unit 1 5/8/9 Fundamentals, Skills of 7 Hrs Leadership, Working with Adults 23 Safety for Managers and Supporters 2 Hrs OA Overnight Accomodation for Course 12 Hrs Attendees BFA Breakfast for course attendees Unit 2 11/13 Administration, Growing the 7 Hrs Section 3Â˝ 25 Assessing Learning Hrs Unit 3 16/19 Intro to Residential Experiences, 7 Hrs International Unit 4 7/14/15 Scouting for All, Young People 7 Hrs Today, Challenging Behaviour Unit 5 12A/12B/17/18 Delivering a Quality 7 Hrs Programe, Programme Planning, Running Safe Activities, Practical Skills Unit 1 5/8/9 Fundamentals, Skills of 7 Hrs Leadership, Working with Adults Unit 2 11/13 Administration, Growing the 7 Hrs Section

Leonard Stanley

Unit 3 16/19 Intro to Residential Experiences, 7 Hrs International Unit 4 7/14/15 Scouting for All, Young People 7 Hrs Today, Challenging Behaviour Unit 5 12A/12B/17/18 Delivering a Quality 7 Hrs Programe, Programme Planning, Running Safe Activities, Practical Skills Unit 1 5/8/9 Fundamentals, Skills of 7 Hrs Leadership, Working with Adults Unit 2 11/13 Administration, Growing the 7 Hrs Section

Eastcombe

Leonard Stanley

Cranham Cranham Cranham Cranham Cranham Cranham Cranham Cranham Shurdington

Shurdington Eastcombe

Newent Newent

Cranham Cranham

Bear Grylls on the merits of being Chief Scout - The Daily Telegraph 5 June 2015 In literal terms, you could say the high point of my life was standing on the summit of Mount Everest – 29,000 feet above sea level – at the age of 23. But if you’re talking emotionally – what has made me most proud? Got me most fired up? It wasn’t crossing the Arctic Ocean in an inflatable boat, amid icebergs the size of frozen cathedrals. It wasn’t coming back to full fitness after breaking my back in a parachuting accident. It was something much bigger, much more important. It was becoming Britain’s youngest Chief Scout. When I took on the challenge, I knew I had a mountain of a different kind to climb. I had to earn the respect of 450,000 kids and a dedicated team of volunteers who give their all to make life better for young people. Scouts show remarkable courage, resilience, independence, care and friendship. These are the qualities that make up good character and, in turn, drive success in whatever you choose to do in life. Let me give you an example. There’s an eight-year-old Cub Scout called Owain who has just climbed Pen y Fan. Scaling 3,000 feet of rock in the Brecon Beacons is remarkable enough. But get this – Owain was born with spina bifida, which means that he has no movement or feeling below the knees. Owain scaled 3,000 feet, yet he has no movement or feeling below his knees With little more than a pair of crutches, some encouragement and a massive amount of true grit, Owain showed the world that disability is no match for determination. That’s what I mean by character. I’ve been on an incredible journey as Chief Scout. In helicopters, at the end of ropes, down zip-wires (off the Tyne Bridge with an Olympic torch), I’ve travelled thousands of miles. At camps and community projects around the country, I’ve met hundreds of thousands of Scouts like Owain. They come from many backgrounds but they have several things in common – an incredible sense of fun and adventure, optimism about the future and a promise to do their best. There have been challenges. When I started, there were still those lame jokes and ignorant jibes about knots and woggles. The Scout Leaders work incredibly hard to change kids’ lives to let them live their dreams. They offer trips away from home – two million every year – and life-changing adventures, for a fraction of the cost of other clubs or hobbies. We help children like Owain discover who they are, find their inner strength and achieve things they never dreamt of doing. How cool is that? It took some time to get our message out there, but we’re making great progress. We’ve grown for the past 10 years in a row and we’re more inclusive, more youth-shaped and we’re making a bigger impact in our communities than ever. Some 3,000 groups took part in Scout Community Week last year, making our local areas better places to live. We’re running a project called Better Prepared, which is all about bringing the benefits of Scouting to kids from the 200 parts of the UK where it is needed most. I see kids doing things that I never did when I was their age. This is about giving a leg-up to young people who have not yet had the opportunity to shine. Scouting offers more than 200 activities from canoeing and climbing to coding and community work. We believe in learning by doing, and it’s so inspiring to see a kid with little confidence try something, succeed and then teach someone else. Scouting humbles me every day. I see kids doing things I never did when I was their age. Scouts are helping flood victims, running food banks, going on expeditions to the South Pole.Their maturity and courage is so impressive. I thought my job was to inspire them; it turns out they’re the ones inspiring me. When I saw Queen’s Scouts receive their awards last month at Windsor Castle at the end of their Scouting journeys as young people, I felt a massive sense of pride. I’ve agreed to stay on as Chief Scout until 2018. We want half a million young people to enjoy the benefits of Scouting and we need more adult leaders to make that possible. Volunteering can work around busy lives – the Duchess of Cambridge is proof of that. And I guarantee the adults have just as much fun and adventure as the young people. We have a duty to show our kids that there’s a world beyond the local park. There’s a world of adventure and opportunity, and that it’s theirs for the taking. I’ve always believed anything is possible when you put your mind to it. We’re bringing down barriers to accessibility, which means girls and boys, regardless of faith and background, can now enjoy the adventure. 25

gscouts is edited by John Morton editor@gscouts.org.uk 01453 452159

Please send contributions, news and pictures to: magazine@gscouts.org.uk

For information visit gscouts.org.uk or phone the County Office 01452 812309