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I spend a lot of time saying thank you to all sorts of people be it leaders, Scouts, people who support us in Derbyshire and many others. But I feel I must start this Winter K. with a big Thank You to all In Derbyshire who made our Flagship Camp Peak 2015 such a success. Starting with the leadership team of Angela Kettlewell and Adey Greaves who have put 3 years into the planning, recruiting and the delivery of Peak 2015. Thank you to all who staffed the camp many people spending nearly 3 weeks on site. Not forgetting of course saying thank you to all the leaders who actually brought Scouts & Guides to the camp many spending a couple of years fundraising. I know from the feed back that the camp was a great success I also know that there is still work ongoing before we can close the camp off. I hope that this will be completed by Christmas or very shortly after. Of course Peak was not the only thing happening across the summer Bakewell scouts visited Holland for a Jamborette many others had traditional camps elsewhere. But the other main event was of course the Jamboree in Japan whilst I have yet to see a full presentation I do know that all had a brilliant life-changing experience and were a credit both to the County and to the individual districts they represented and how great was it to have every district represented, a first for a long while. They will be doing a presentation to leaders and parents in December. Again a big Thank you to Catherine, Sian, Victoria & James, some more people who have spent two years preparing, fundraising etc. Not forgetting the 11 Derbyshire IST members who also attended purely to help staff the camp.
I am really pleased that given all that has been happening in Scouting in Derbyshire this year by way of Peak, Jamborees etc you have still managed to run a normal year of events, Conferences, Cub leaders conferences, Rampage, Dove canoe race, Four inns, Ready steady cook ,Youth Conferences, Cub Activity days, etc etc. You have not let such a major activity as Peak get in the way. Already 2016 is shaping up to being another great year in the County with I hope Cub Scouting section taking centre stage when celebrating their 100th Birthday (sadly I was a cub when they celebrated 45 years of Cub Scouting) The Cub leaders conferences were a real success with lots of Leaders going home with heads full of what they could be doing. This followed by the youth led for youth conference again a great success and information out there for leaders to start working with. But lets not forget that our Beaver Scouts will also be 30 next year they are also planning to party in 2016. I am looking forward to seeing the badge they have designed being made and presented. There have been some fabulous designs such talent in the Beaver Scout section. I just know that Scouting in the County will have another amazing year in 2016. But for now all in the County wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year, Charge those batteries and get ready for another busy year. Tom
As part of Cubs 100 I am asking all Cub packs to get every Cub and leader to sign a Group Neckerchief and send it to me so we can sew it together to make a huge County Neckerchief to display at the County Cub centenary Camp in July. Send To Tom Stoddart 7 Caversham Way West Hallam Derby DE7 6LN
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In September the 3rd Matlock Scout Group had a circus skills session with Jugalubs. They did various activities like juggling, spinning plates, diablos and, the favourite by far, the mini bikes. All the activities were thoroughly enjoyed by over 30 scouts. The scouts also learned many new skills and earned their Circus Skills Activity badge. A new scout to the group said "I really enjoyed the stilts and I am pleased that I can now juggle with 3 balls". Another scout commented "The slack line was my favourite". Any other group wanting to run a circus skills session can contact Richard at richard@jugalubs.net
Search For New County Commissioner
Good Service Awards Can I remind you to make sure you pass on nominations for awards to your District commissioner or myself. I am often surprised when told by about someone who has done sterling service over and above what we expect of them only to be told that they have yet to receive recognition from the association. To date in 2015 we have had some 6o awards presented. It is not to early to send in applications for the 2017 StGeorges day Silver awards you do not have to wait until the last minute! Ros Heydon rosheydon@aol.com> will give all the help you
Information will be sent out on 8th January from Sue Harris regional Commissioner There will be an open session for anyone interested to come to talk one evening week of 18th January. This will be open an open session for anyone interested or who thinks they know someone who might be interested to find out a bit more. Closing date will be 29th January and interviews first week in February.
Drum Hill New Building At long, long last the reality of a replacement building for Birch Hall at Drum Hill is taking significant steps and will, we are sure be in place and finished by the end of 2016. We have applied for Planning permission, We have had Bat surveys, we are applying for a grant. Lee Smith, has done a brilliant job with plans and drawings. The steering group Lee, Martin Dodd, Gary Spendlove, Lesley Upton, Dan Rambsottom & Dave Mitchell have all been and will be extremely busy. We will be taking Birch hall down at the beginning of the year with a start for various reason expected in June. We will keep you up to date with progress.
We had a full complement of 40 teams entered for the Extreme and 26 teams in the Challenge – a total of 280 competitors. This year was the first time we have had to put teams on the reserve list due to the numbers entering the Extreme – early entries for 2016 should secure your place! Fastest time for the Extreme was 3 hours 40 minutes by Sagarmatha ESU ‘C’ team – breaking the record time for the Kinder Trophy and Aquila ESU ‘A’ team recording a new record of 3 hours 40 minutes for the Pennine Shield – knocking 36 minutes off the previous record. Fastest time for the Challenge was 3 hours 6 minutes by the Long Eaton & District Explorer Scouts. We seem to break records year on year. My thanks are extended to all the many helpers on the event – the Kinder Committee, Derby Mountain Rescue Team, County Team and fellow Scouters without whom we could not run the event. We do of course hope to welcome them all back for the 2016 event!
I hope by now that the news has filtered down to Colony level regarding my retirement as ACC Beaver Scouts. I am delighted that Amanda Griffiths will be taking on the role. The last 10 years have flown by – helped no end by 3 Bonanzas and lots of challenges, both personal and for County s Beaver Scouts and their leadership teams. It has been an amazing adventure and I have loved every minute of it. Can I summarise the high-lights from the last 10 years? It’s very difficult! Each Bonanza has its own special memory. The utter fear with which I climbed the scaffold tower to open Bonanza 4 – thank heavens it was a trailer stage for the last two Bonanzas. What a privilege to have the awesome view of what 1,000+ Beaver Scouts look like when altogether - they are full of wonder and excitement which is infectious. The buzz generated by these young people having a fantastic day is a great sound and I am always amazed at the variety of activities that are offered and the truly wonderful people who come along to provide them. As I leave, I am aware that the County is about to start preparing for the next one in 2017! I hope you will come along and support it – either on a base or with a colony. I really enjoyed being part of the team that created Furry Fred’s pre-Bonanza Challenges. My thanks to all involved who have provided ideas and especially to Mossy who has ensured that it has been presented clearly and concisely. The positive response from colonies throughout the County and the enthusiasm and creative ways they have delivered the elements has been very rewarding. . It has been great fun being Furry Fred’s friend and go-between. Fred, who was invented by one of my predecessors, Christine Forster, has continued to be a popular county mascot – helped no end by the Youth Council who very successfully took on this role at the last Bonanza. My admiration goes to all who have agreed to wear the costume – it’s quite a task! My greatest delight has been the opportunity to
visit individual colonies – to meet Beaver Scouts face to face and to thank leadership teams personally. The welcome has always been warm. Leaders in Derbyshire are great people with a tremendous capacity to deliver fun and adventure to this very special age group. My very best wishes go to Amanda – I am sure that her energy, enthusiasm and creativity will ripple through Derbyshire, bringing even more great adventures to Beaver Scouts in the County. She has a lot of experience and will offer good guidance and advice. I do hope some of you will come and support her as ADCs or District representatives as several folk who have fulfilled this task have had to step down recently due to work and family commitments. This is a key role to ensure that good communication is maintained direct to Colony level. Have a wonderful Christmas – take a break, relax and return refreshed and ready for 2016 (our 30th Birthday!). This will be a year to celebrate all that is good about Beaver Scouting in the County. I hope we will all continue to have fun, make friends and most of all, enjoy doing it!
Happy Retirement! I must start with thanking Dave Macalister for his hard work and determination over the last 10 years as ACC Scouts. He has set some very high standards for me to follow. However, he’s not gone, nor forgotten – he remains a mentor to myself and a member of the County Training team
even managing to light without matches. Mountain Biking Rocket Launching! Grass Skis Geocaching
We were honoured to have Sir Richard Fitzherbert to present the trophy and certificates and our England Chief Commissioner Alex Peace-Gadsby. Team Placing Winners 10 Matlock (Wirksworth) 549ints th
Runners up Chatsworth 515 points Third place 1 Duffield (Friday) 502 points st
Chief Scout’s Gold Awards Peak 2015 saw 79 Gold Chief Scouts awards presented by UK Chief Commissioner Wayne Bulpitt Our next presentation of awards will be combined with the Queens Scout Awards and will again be held at the Winding Wheel, Chesterfield on Sunday 21st February 2016. Closing date for this will be 31st December. Invitations will go out the first week in January. Rampage 2015 Scouts from across Derbyshire took part in Rampage at the County Campsite at Drum Hill on Sunday 27th September. Teams of six Scouts in each team competed in activities at the eight bases. Abseiling & Climbing Map Reading Archery Fire Lighting and boiling water – most
Saturday 25th June 2016 FOR SCOUTS AND EXPLORERS Sunday 26th June 2016 FOR CUB SCOUTS AND SCOUTS
Activation is a full one day event of activities that will be laid on by the County Active Support Units. Activities will include rock climbing, sailing, caving, archery & air rifle, geocaching, mountain biking, crate stacking, survival skills & canoeing to name a few. Each Young Person will be able to participate in 3 or 4 Activities on the day. Activation will be set near Carsington Water and is a one day event, you will be able to select whether you participate on either the Saturday or Sunday depending on your section. The cost per head is ÂŁ20 and this includes the Activities and a Badge... All you need to do is get transport to and from Carsington bringing your kit (a list will be sent) including your lunch and drinks. Unfortunately camping cannot be offered for Young People as there are limited facilities on site. This is a great opportunity to experience 3 or 4 different activities with experienced activity leaders. Activation is open to members of Derbyshire Scouts from Cubs upwards. Cubs cannot come on the Saturday and Explorers cannot come on the Sunday. Scouts should only choose one day.
Full Details at https://www.derbyshirescouts.org/activation