South Circular
5th Camberwell go to Ground Camp plus our Winter warmer walkabout also featuring...
Around The County: AGM, Media Training, 24th WSJ and Kenya
Winter 2016
In This Issue Editors Word 2 Around the South Circular 3 Let’s Meet: Darren Lodge
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Ground Camp
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Winter warmer walkabout 6 Around The County
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Editors Word This Winter edition brings together some of the amazing activities and events that have taken place around our County, as well as Sam Chatterley writing some great advice about how to keep warm whilst going about your activities this Winter. This issue is jam-packed with content, its great to see so many people sending things in and keen to support us, thank you so much! This is what keeps our magazine so vibrant and interesting to read, so what activities are you planning for the Spring Term? I’m sure they are definitely worth shouting about! If you think you have something we should be covering, please drop me a line at southcircular@southlondonscouts.org.uk and I can arrange for one of our amazing Young Spokespeople and a photographer to come down. Alternatively, get some of your young people to write something for us, like the awesome Scouts from 5th Camberwell!
Contributors With thanks to the contributors to this issue: Ciaran and Eva
I look forward to getting on with our first edition of 2017 in the New Year. In the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas Break and a very Happy New Year. Many more Scouting adventures await us! Rory Sheridan
Darren Lodge Simon Emmett Martyn Bain
facebook.com/SouthLondonScouts GLS_Scouts southlondonscouts bit.ly/GLSonYouTube
Huge congratulations and well done to the Lewisham Kenya Expedition Team who presented their life changing trip to an amazing crowd at the Deptford Lounge last month
Around the South Circular...
Debbie Maxted on Lewisham Scout District group: Buccaneers went to the panic room in gravesend his weekend and tried their hand at solving clues, finding keys etc to escape. Sadly only got out of one room but had a great time.
4 Streatham Sea Scout on Twitter: @4thStreatham Thanks to everyone who attended #RemembranceSunday in #Streatham this morning. A great turnout. #Proud #iScout #Cubs100
Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit:
Bronze, Silver, & Gold DofE presentations, and 183 badges presented last night at the PESU awards evening. Thanks to all the parents who came along, and a huge well done to all the Explorers who’ve worked so hard over the last year!
Lets Meet:
Deputy County Commissioner for Programme
Darren Lodge I started my Scouting as a cub in 20th Bermondsey Scout Group over 38 years ago, and since then I progressed through Scouts, Venture Scouts and then onto becoming a Leader. I have done quite a few roles during my years as a leader such as ADC VS, Acting DC, ASL, SL, GSL, ACC Scouts and my current role. I was also very lucky to have been a leader on a Cross London Jamboree Unit consisting of young people from GLNE, GLS, GLSW & GLMW (London Allsorts) for the last World Scout Jamboree in Japan.
What roles do you have now at both Group and County level?
How can we encourage youth shaped / youth led Scouting?
I’m Group Scout Leader at 14th Bermondsey Scout Group. I’m also Deputy County Commissioner for Programme.
I feel that as a Leader the way we can encourage Youth Shaped Scouting is by supporting the young people shaping their own adventure, by them taking on responsibility, developing their own skills, by making decisions and influencing their own and their sections Scout Programme. Youth Shaped Scouting not only improves the way we Scout, but also the young people involved. By them learning to speak up, be heard and work towards improving something they are passionate about is an incredible learning experience, and one that will help them grow. We can do this by getting the young people to form forums to talk and contribute to the programme and the way things are run not only within their own group but District & County levels as well. This is one of the reasons we feel that holding our upcoming County Youth Conference #SLYouShape2017 can help these young people work with their leaders in making this happen.
What can young people expect at the upcoming County Youth Conference? The aim of the conference is to get the young people to talk to each other, discuss how best integrate youth led Scouting into their programmes, understand how things operate, take part in some team building exercises, and have fun whilst doing all this. We running this first event for young people aged 14 to 25 years to judge the response and we then hope to extend the event to other age ranges. Please sign up to the conference through the Eventbrite link located on the advert on the back page or email dcc. programme@southlondonscouts.org.uk
What do you do as a part of the Youth Programme Team? My role is to manage the County Y outh Programme Team consisting of the County Section Leaders (for Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Network and Young Leaders) My team also provides support and assistance to Assistant District Commissioners, District Explorer Scout Commissioners and District Scout Network Commissioners.
Ground Camp Ciaran & Eva, 5th Camberwell Bright and early one Saturday morning, 10 Scouts, split up into four teams from the 5th Camberwell arrived at Paccar Scout Campsite for Ground Camp. Ground Camp was definitely the most exciting and interesting camp I have been on at Scouts so far. It tested how you would survive in the forest and how you would build your shelter and cook your food. When we arrived we were told to spend the first eight hours building our bivouac (shelters) out of logs, branches and debris that we would sleep in that night. We gathered short logs to act as a wall, and then arranged them around a forked shape tree that we could
Once our bivouacs were finished assembled in the main area of the woods. were one of the Paccar leader hung up a dead deer, that he had shot himself, on a tree and carefully demonstrated to us how to skin it. Afterwards the older scouts from other troops hung up dead chickens and copied how to pluck them, we ate them for dinner after! When the long demonstration was over the leader told us to start our fires to cook the food on. We fried chicken and boiled potatoes, it was an experience to remember! For breakfast the next day we had to hollow out an orange (by eating it!) and then placed our egg in the orange, like an egg-cup, to cook over the fire. When we were all satisfied we walked out of the woods and into the main campsite were we tried out exciting activities like archery and rifle shooting (as well as sneaking onto the Cub’s bouncy castle!) When ground camp was over I really felt like I had achieved something which I could be very proud of.
prop a long branch through that we would rest the lighter, thinner branches that acted as our roof on. These techniques for the bivouac had been learned on our ground camp practice day, two weeks before. When we got down to business, making the shelter took a real long time. We had to find lots of massive sticks and cover it in dirt from the ground and fresh leaves that we didn’t pick. It took us all a good eight hours and at the very end, for a last push we all came together to help the team who were the furthest away from the leaves, to finish their bivouac.
These are just a few ways in which ground camp was an original and memorable experience. Everyone had a great time and I think that we all would go again if it was our choice. It was only one night so we didn’t get that cold either. 5th came out victorious as well with one of our teams coming third out of the groups there.
Winter warmer walkabout Sam Chatterley Picture the scene…late night at camp, biting cold, shivering in your sleeping bag, questioning why you ever thought it would be a good idea to camping in winter. Then you look over at the guy, in a sleeping bag wearing nothing but a t-shirt and his underwear, wondering why everyone is so cold. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there, and if you haven’t, you will. But the truth of this situation is not, as one would believe, that this Scout has magical powers, or an inability to get cold, nor, indeed, that while he did not bring the kitchen sink to camp, he did bring the bedroom radiator. In fact, it’s all down to the kit. Having a good sleeping bag, a good base layer and the right clothing can turn your revenant style horror camp into a winter wonderland reminiscent of the snowy white Christmases of yore. So, without further ado, we are proud to bring you South Circular’s (un)official guide to winter kit. Sidenote: I set myself the challenge of not spending more than £40 on one layer, because we at South circular understand not all Scouts will be able to break the bank in the name of Scouting. In that respect, I chose to base my shopping at Mountain Warehouse, as this is the cheapest place that offers a Scout discount.
Base Layer Mountain Warehouse Merino Leggings and Round neck £44 with your Scouting discount
Okay, I know I said £40, but it’s just once, I swear. Unisex, comfortable and above all, warm. Lads, put your pride to the side for a moment- these leggings are incredible. I do a significant amount of cycling on the south coast, which has a reputation as being bitterly cold. These work perfectly, giving you the flexibility to move and take part in any activity, while also being usable in a sleeping setting, as the Merino wool stops you from getting that camp smell by wicking away all that sweat.
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Combine these with the Merino wool top (V neck or crew neck), and you’ve got a base layer that will withstand subzero temperatures, while at the same time being discreet if you prefer to be a fashionable camper. Above all these are high quality items with a low price tag, meaning that price is not a barrier to happy Scouting.
Fleece Grand Mens Padded Fleece £35.99 (with Scouting discount) Now, here at South Circular, we are realistic. You won’t want to splash out for expensive fleece layers when you have a perfectly good hoodie lying around at home. We do understand this, and honestly, for your basic Scouting needs, this is absolutely fine. However, if you are considering camping in temperatures of 0 and below, it is worth considering an investment in a purpose made fleece layer to go over your base. If you need something that’s a little warmer than your average hoodie, this is where it’s at for the price range. With the internal padding and 100% polyester composition, this hoodie is that next step up when it comes to mid-layers, without spending a fortune. This, combined with the base layers will keep you eminently warm on those cold winter camps.
Jacket Bluster Mens Jacket £31.99 (with Scouting discount) Now, it’s hugely unlikely that, after all this, you’ll need a ridiculously thick Jacket on top of what you’re wearing, so I elected to give myself some breathing room and go softshell for the jacket. It’s important to note that while these products are aimed at men, there are either women’s products at the same prices, or the items are unisex. Now, this is the perfect barrier to the wet weather so enjoy in England. With a waterproof rating of 5000m, reasonable price and varying sizes, this beauty is probably one of the most important parts of this ensemble. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it’s breathable to 5000m too, as well as being fully adjustable to your specific measurements.
Sleeping Bag & Roll Matt Summit 250 and Trek Matt £31.99 (with Scouting discount) These are the most important items in your kit. Honestly, if you invest in nothing else from this guide, please get a decent sleeping bag and roll matt. It could honestly save your life. The summit 250 is a remarkable price for what it offers. With a comfortable rating of -1 degrees, you can take this on the coldest nights of winter camping in the UK an abroad without too much worry. While there is the summit 300 if you’re really looking to push the boat out, the 250 will serve you well. Mummy shaped to retain heat, easily packed down and compressible when packed, the 250 is a fantastic hallway house between the expensive, down bags, and the cheaper synthetic ones. It even has a pocket inside for all you Scouts that just can’t be separated from your phone for one minute! Combine it with the reflective trek matt and you’re guaranteed to be comfortable whatever the weather – without having to layer up!
Honourable Mentions
Stalactite Mens Warmstretch Top - £19.99
The official World Scout softshell - £141.00
I personally love this. It’s warm, it’s easy to maintain, and its cheap. But, the complete lack of hood or waterproofing means you can’t wear it as a standalone, and in windy conditions you will suffer. Still recommend if you’re planning on wearing hats and scarves etc., but a hood would be preferential if I’m honest.
It’s beautiful, keeps you warm, and will last long after the Moot. However, it’s £141, and frankly that’s far too much to expect Scouts to pay for a sweater.
Please understand, you don’t need EVERY item on this list to camp in winter comfortably. If you have a waterproof that you’re happy with, stick with it. But, if you only have a 2 season sleeping bag, and your roll matt is starting to get a bit tattered, we hope this guide will at least point you in the right direction. This was inspired by the World Scout Moot, taking place this year in Iceland. If you are going, or know someone who is, perhaps a Christmas present idea can be gleaned from this. If you get the opportunity to attend an event such as this, you’d be silly not to take it up. Much like Jamborees, these kind of events will shape your Scouting career, and who knows, maybe they will inspire you too.
Around the County...
Media 101 with Scouting in Mind
Ronnie Buckle
Last month a media training session was announced and despite the turnout not being amazing, the skills picked up and presented to those in this session ended up being very beneficial both personally and educationally when we began learning about different approaches to media. Following this session, County Media is now in full swing with another longer Media Session in the pipeline for next year also held at the South London Scout Centre allowing more people a chance to come and learn about the world of media. In terms of the presentation, the session was very well prepared with an engaging PowerPoint which held us to understand the importance of graphics and brand as well as how to use them to compliment Scouting as well as how to create a format for a leaflet/ booklet if you wished to create one. The session also allowed for those who wished to create their own press releases for their local paper showing of their skills in which they had learnt from the session. Despite the evening being accompanied by Southwark District’s Firework Display, this didn’t stop the action one bit which shows the compassion these people have to teach those of the new generation about media and how to use it to their advantage.
This as a whole, especially as a young person myself, presents the Headquarters Media as a very knowledgeable, reliable and enjoyable team, they demonstrated their passion for the subject and helped me to show mine, you may even find yourself relating to them as well, but until the next article, that’s all from me!
Annual General Meeting Kian Cropley In Autumn this year, I attended the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in which I acted as a spokesperson and introduced the speakers and presentation givers of the evening. It was quite an extraordinary experience due to the fact that I was speaking to a room full of adults, some of which have been involved in Scouting for over 50 years! Every now and again during the meeting I was in awe at all of the occupations within scouting and how much everybody respected and acknowledged each other’s achievements, whether they were for recruiting more young people into scouting or redesigning the county website. I also had the honour of meeting the County President, Mr William (Bill) Stern, who has contributed so much to scouting over the years. The meeting was packed full of achievements and expeditions and future goals and aspirations. It was unbelievable because I had no idea so much happened within Scouting in just one year!
I believe it is immensely important for more young people to attend these meetings. Perhaps every now and again Scouts and Explorers should come along to not only represent their group’s accomplishments but also to hear of the other activities within Scouting that go unrecognised by so many young people today. Scouts and Explorers could even host their own meetings every so often to not only confer with each other, but to make friends for life. This was my experience of the AGM and I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to host it.
24th WSJ It may seem like only yesterday that the members of #SOLO came back from Japan, with amazing stories of their life changing experience at the World Scout Jamboree. However, in the true sense of the movement, plans are already being made for the selection events for the 24th World Scout Jamboree in North America, on 22nd July to 2nd August 2019. We will be holding the selection for the unit in the same format as for the 23rd World Scout Jamboree, in three stages. Stage one, will be held in May (Date to be confirmed). This stage is for any leader that wishes to be considered for the Unit leader position, and will consist of a review of the application form and references by a selection panel. Once selected the appointed Unit Leader will form part of the selection panel for stage two. Stage two will be held in June. (Date to be confirmed). This stage will be for all other leaders wishing to be considered for an Assistant Unit Leader position, and will consist of an interview and short presentation. More information will be released, once available, nearer to the selection stages. If you are a leader interested in applying for either the Unit Leader or Assistant Unit Leader positions, please drop me an email at dcc.adultsupport@southlondonscouts.org.uk, and I will forward you the application forms, when they become available. The third and final stage is the participant selection weekend. Our “Boot Camp” selection weekend will be held on 7th & 8th October 2017 at The Fort. The event is open to any Scout or Explorer, born between (and including) 22nd July 2001 and 21st July 2005. There will be only one selection event, so please ensure that this date is in your diaries, as participants must be available to attend the whole weekend. So, if you’re interested don’t forget to keep an eye out for further information. Simon Emmett Deputy County Commissioner (Adult Support & International)
The Team
Young Spokespeople
Photography
Editor
Ronnie Buckle Sam Chatterley Kian Cropley Abii Phillips Joe Tye
Georgia Nelson
Rory Sheridan southcircular@southlondonscouts.org.uk
I would just like to wish everyone in the County that are Members of District or Group Executives a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Thank you for all you have done during 2016 in support of Scouting in Greater London South Martyn County Chairman