Volume 1 Issue 3
Published on behalf of and with the approval of South West Region Scout Council.
Registered as a Charity in Scotland - SCO11643
| Scouts Scotland South West Region | December
2009 Volume 1 Issue 3 |
| South by Southwest
Published on behalf of and with the approval of South West Region Scout Council.
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A Christmas Greeting from the Regional Commissioner.
Dates in the Future2010Blair Atholl JamboretteThe Blair Atholl Jamborette will again take place
in the grounds of Blair Castle starting on Monday 19th July until
30th July 2010. Information on the 2010 camp is available on the Jamborette web site at http://www.jamborette.org.uk/ and this will be updated as the information becomes available. There is a Satellite Camp at Blair Atholl which runs for cubs. Scouts and Explorer Scouts to visit the main camp for a week-end. Watch the web site for details on the week-end - spaces is very limited and one has to be very quick to make application and reserve the space. NOTE - This event is co-ordinated by a Satellite Camp committee and not the main Blair Atholl Jamborette team. Highland Adventure 2010This takes place at Insh Camp Site, Spean Bridge over 30th April - 3rd May. The event is open scouts (aged 11 and over at date of camp), but each camping unit should consist of a maximum of 3 members. Details are available in the Library section of the this web site or from the Highland Adventure web site. Lapwing Highland Games 2010This is a week-end activity run at Lapwing Lodge in West Region for patrols of 6 scouts. More details of this event as they become available. Fordell Fast ForwardHeld at Fordell Firs this event is open to Scottish Cubs and Scouts aged between 9.5 and 12 years (born between 23rd May 1998 and 21st November 2000). It promises to be a camp to remember, with lots of activities and chances to meet new friend. More details on the Fast Forward web page 201122nd World Scout Jamboree - SwedenThe Jamboree is being held outside the town of Kristianstad in the very south of Sweden and the dates are 27th July through to 7th August. Region has been through the selection process and will be represented by Eleven Scouts/Explorer Scouts from across the Region - 2 from Ayrshire East, 3 from Dumfriesshire, 1 from Galloway, 2 from Kyle and Carrick and 3 from North Ayrshire and Arran. Whilst the UK Contingent Team will have been selected by now, IST (International Service Team) will be selected shortly and there are a number of leaders from the Region that have applied.
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In this edition
In Touch Following a year long consultation process and six month trial in three Counties/Regions - of which we were one, we are delighted to inform you of the improvements to the Home Contact System. The updated system is known as InTouch and replaces Home Contact within South West Region. InTouch is designed to give much more flexibility to Leaders in putting together the most effective and useful system of communications for all events and activities you run, including recognising the different communication methods that are available. The main difference is that there will no longer be a ‘Home Contact’ required to sit at home next to the phone for all events, although it is still possible to use a third party to manage communications if this is deemed the most sensible way by the Leader in charge Full details of InTouch can be found at www.scouts.org.uk/intouch A useful pocket sized Emergency Procedures Card (Purple Card) is available from The Scout Information Centre - free of charge. The order code is "EMPC". Duke of Edinburgh InfoThe Region D of E Adviser , Gavin Ferguson, is now in place and keen to provide support at all levels of the award including leader assessment. You can contact him at dofe@scouts-southwestscotland.org.uk at any time. Please make use of his professional knowledge of The Award. The D of E magazine for Leaders is published 3 times a year at the start of each academic term. It's packed full of news, updates and info to help you run your DofE group, it's a must-read for every
Leader! Leaders qualify for a free postal copy - sign up here. |
| Points of Contact around the Region | |||
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Remember that there are specialist advisers in place to help you. | |||
| Regional Commissioner ..... | ..... Duncan Riddell | ||
| Communications .......... | Bob McIntyre | Duke of Edinburgh Award . | Gavin Ferguson |
| Development ............... | Anne Aspeslagh | Faith & Belief ................... | Ruth Nicol |
| Explorers/Network ....... | Pat Campbell | International ..................... | John Kitson |
| Training ....................... | Margaret Craik | Nights Away/Camping ...... | George Ling |
| Activities ..................... | Eric Johns | Safety Co-ordinators ....... | Alan Sidaway/Dennis Graham |
| Child Protection .......... | Jane Calderwood | Special Needs ................. | Lauren Hussain |
DumfriesshireMaxwellton Scouts celebrateThe 28th Dumfriesshire (Maxwelltown) Scouts recently invested seven new Scouts into the Troop, some from the Cub Pack and a number who have never been involved in scouting previously. This was the largest investiture that the Troop has had for many years.  District Skills Week-end.    The week-end was held at St Ann's campsite where back to basics and skills were demonstrated and put to use. Groups Celebrate their CentenaryTwo Groups have celebrated their Centenary year during September. On 20th September the 2nd Dumfriesshire (Langholm) Celebrated their 100 years and on the 27th September it was the turn of the 3rd Dumfriesshire (Moffat).    Past leaders, various leaders from across the District & some Cubs and their leaders from the Moffat group. Craigshiels Trophy 2009  A good turnout for this years event in the Forest of Ae where the teams tested their skills in various activities which included a crate climb, a first aid incident, transporting the radio active isotope, negotiating a mine field, pioneering and orienteering.   The winners were the 10th Dumfriesshire seen here with their trophy (a toilet seat) and the runners up were the 57th Dumfriesshire seen with their 'Wooden Spoon'. Cubs Unihoc CompetitionThe Cubs held their annual Unihoc Competition, for the Fred Ivins Trophy, at the David Keswick Centre, Dumfries.
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GallowayGalloway Explores head to PolandSix of the District Explorers headed to Poland during the summer to take part in an Explorer Belt Expedition last nine days. The picture is of them at Edinburgh Airport just before departure.  Minnigaff Scouts host Irish group  The Minnigaff Scouts hosted a group of Scouts from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, for a weeks camp at Kirkdale Port during the summer. They have been invited across to Ballymena next year. Beaver Fun DayThe District beavers held a Fun Day at Cream of Galloway earlier in the year.   Beaver Sleep-Over  The newly opened Beaver Colony at Dalbeattie held a Sleep-Over, although Alan reckons it was a Night Away as he stayed overnight and did not see a lot of sleeping taking place. Evening meals were donated by the 5 carry-out premises in the town - chips and sausage were the favourite with the Beavers whilst the adults preferred the chicken and garlic from the Chinese. Dalbeattie will be starting a Cub Pack in the new year with four new leaders. Kyle and CarrickCentenary CelebrationsThe 14th Ayrshire (1st Prestwick) celebrated their centenary early this year when the Group help a week-end camp at Lochgoilhead.   For leaders, past and present, there was also a function attended by some 60 people including the son of the founder of the Group, Iain Foulds who was also Scoutmaster and GSL in later years. A birthday cake was cut jointly by Iain and formal Scout Willie Nicolson who joined the Troop in the 1930's. Beaver HomecomingThe District beavers had a great day in Culzean with their own 'homecoming' event with loads of activities and their own 'piper' at the campfire at the end of the day.   Cub HikeSome sixty cubs, parents and leaders took part in the annual Cub Hike, which was held at Straiton this year. The picture shows a number of the walking groups when the met on Monument Hill above the village.   Explorer Belt PresentationThree members of the Phoenix ESU who took part in the Polish Explorer Belt Expedition last July made their presentation in September to a gathering of local Scouts, parents and friends   |
Communications |
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Communications
is often raised as an issue in Scouting and the subject covers a
wide range from within the section, group,district, region, nationally
and not forgetting the community.
This applies not only from a section point of view but through Districts and Region if there is something big going down in Scouting. An example of this was Blair Atholl in 2008 which each of the local papers in the Region got pictures and a article, customised to their circulation area, from myself during the Blair Atholl Camp The question remains - how many papers used it and here is where YOU can assist. Any mention of Scouting in your local papers, could you cut it out and send it to me with details of which paper and the date of publication? Hey, perhaps making the locals more aware of Scouting, you might pick up some new leaders - use an article to appeal for people to serve on the Group committees, as leaders etc. The example on the right produced an offer of help with the Group within a week.
PLEASE, if you have registered with the membership database, and have changed your email address, login and correct it. If you have not registered, do so - it's easy, all you need is your membership number, pick a username and password and off you go - there is a wealth of information in the system, hundreds of programme ideas that are available once you register. And you will get emails from both Gilwell Park and SHQ - don't worry, your email address will not be circulated around as all these emails are send out 'Blind' - only your email address appears on the email.
Of course we must not forget those that do not have a computer or an email address? Are you one of these people? Have you thought about your local library when there is almost certainly an computer within an Internet connection that you could use - they will even show you how to use it - and it is easy to set up an email address on Google, Hotmail or the like - but remember to update you membership database entry with the information. And of course, if you know that you have leaders that do not have Internet access, why not print a copy of the newsletter for them and display it on your notice board. |
Ayrshire East |
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Crosshouse Hospital Scout / Guide Group ProjectThe District, along with the North Ayrshire Guides, have been having discussions with the Children's Paediatric Ward at Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock regarding the starting of a Group in the Hospital. It has now been agreed between all parties that a new Group, the 22nd Ayrshire (Crosshouse Hospital) and the new Group will be registered on 22nd February 2010. The Group will meet on Tuesdays between 6 and 7 p.m. The first meeting of the Group will be held on Tuesday 2nd March 2010. There will be a meeting of all interested parties, including Guiders, in mid January 2010. Would anyone interested in attending please let Jack Leishman know before 30th December 2009. Anyone attending will require to bring a copy of their Disclosure Scotland. Further details available in this sites Library section. |
International |
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Possible project trip to Kenya in 2011The plan is to travel to Kenya probably leaving during the last week of June 2011 and be away for approximately 14 days. While it is difficult to estimate precise costs until full details are known and of course uncertainty in airline fares it is considered the likely cost will be around £2,000. The plan is to undertake a project at Makobe School in the Shimba Hills being under an hours drive from Mombassa. The school currently has around 20 pupils with mild disabilities, both physical and learning. There are some other 60 children that would benefit from attending but are unable to due to the lack of residential facilities and they live to far from the school to travel each day. The opportunities for us to undertake projects include:-
The actual work that will be undertaken will be decided during an inspection visit that will allow plenty time for training the young folk in the required skills for the project. After the project has been undertaken there will be two further opportunities offered;-
It would be hoped everyone would meet up at the end of the activity for a 'farewell evening' prior to returning home. We plan to set up an organising committee with a representative from each District so that we can move the project. If you know of anyone who might be interested in going on the trip and undertaking the project please let your DC or John Kitson know. Details are available in this sites Library Section. Below, some pictures of Makobe School. If you click on the picture you can view a larger image.
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