Group Scout Leader updates

Volunteering

I would like to thank those who have kindly come forward and volunteered to support the young people, either at section meetings or in adminstrative roles. It’s lovely to be able to welcome you to the team; I hope you have a rewarding volunteering experience.

The group are not out of the woods though – we still need more adults to support section meetings. If you’re unsure of what this might involve, or would like to know more, please get in touch with me and I’ll gladly have a friendly / informal chat.

Our Beaver sections have a well established parent rota, and our Cub sections have the makings of one being finalised. I’d like to thank Candi for her support in getting this established and for taking the time to suggest a format for the accompanying induction information therefore helping parents feel part of the sessions immediately,

Penistone Show

This Rewind edition is a little late being published because I was at the Showground all of Saturday. The show had a brilliant turn out, and I’m delighted to be able to share how proud I am of the team who supported our responsibilities in the car park. We had a mix of young people (Explorers) and adults (leaders and parents) directing, parking and supporting the general public. Many positive comments were made by members of the public; additionally, I was grateful to receive a message from a parent helping us relating to the young people on the day. Events like this raise funds for the group, showcase our people in the community and give the opportunity for young people to give back. We have been asked to provide support again next year already – thank you!

Missing emails

Some of you have reported missing emails from your section leaders. When we’ve investigated, we’ve found some of the messages originating from Online Scout Manager are being incorrectly marked as spam and moved to people’s junk or spam folders. If you could please take the time to check your spam/junk folders and settings, it will hopefully help ensure you aren’t missing any communications regarding your young person.

Uniforms and badge placement

As we welcome new young people to Scouting, or existing members move into new sections, they need new uniforms. These can be purchased from our own web store, and then supplied at a section meeting. Where we are out of stock of an item, we order on your behalf from the central stockist and then supply. We take online payments and, wherever possible, prefer these to handling cash at meetings.

Additionally, given achievement and attainment across the group, we see regular awarding of badges. To aid with the correct placement of badges on uniforms, I’ve placed below links to each of the section uniforms with details of where badges need to please be sewn. Given Remembrance Sunday and the associated parade / service looming, it would be wonderful to see those awards in place.

Beaver Uniform badge locations

Cub Uniform badge locations

Scout Uniform badge locations

Explorer Uniform badge locations

Finally, relating to uniform, section leaders are encouraging the young people to take care and attention to their uniform. At the beginning and end of each section meeting, we have a formal component to the evening with flag break and flag down. For these parts of the meeting, the young people should be in their uniform, with it tucked in and their necker tidy. Late arrivals disrupt this and half dressed in uniform attendees delay the start to the programme. If you would support us by encouraging your child to take pride in their uniform and the expected formal elements, it’d be really appreciated. Thank you!

Amazon Smile (free money for the group)

We have signed up to the Amazon Smile programme. This is a simple rewards programme; if you register to support our group, 0.5% of your spend (excluding taxes, shipping etc) goes to group funds. It’s easy to do, and we’ve provided a link below to register your support of the group. It’s worth noting that we will only get the monies if you shop via a web browser and smile.amazon.co.uk If you use the Amazon app on a smartphone or tablet, it sadly doesn’t count.

Please register at the following link:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/514173-0x

The week ahead (16th September 2019 onwards)

Group (All sections)

Annual General Meeting

A reminder that the group’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at the Scout Hut on 26th September. As members of the Scout Council, all parents, guardians, leaders and youth members are invited to attend. We will be welcoming you from 19:15 with the session starting at 19:30, lasting roughly one hour. The AGM will incorporate youth-led presentations as well as a short Executive Committee output which comprises the necessary formal elements. Section meetings that normally take place on a Thursday will either be held on a different night or be cancelled. Please let us know if you’ll be attending via the Online Scout Manager invite, that way we can make sure we cater and set-up the hall appropriately.

Beavers

Section meetings

Beavers will be learning what to do in an emergency as they work towards the Emergency Aid level 1 badge.

Future Beaver events

None to mention at this time.

Cubs

Section meetings

Alegre – will be having a joint meeting with Raptor Cubs. Our normal time at the Scout Hut. We’ll be welcoming a visitor from the RNLI.

Bella Vista – will be welcoming Adam and Mark to the team this week. If there are any programme specifics that need to be shared ahead of this week’s meeting, we will arrange for an email to be sent out.

Raptors – will be meeting on Tuesday evening this week at Scout Hut (instead of Thursday). We’ll be welcoming a visitor to talk about water safety.

Future Cub events

None to mention at this time.

Scouts

Section meetings

Enigma – will be welcoming our new Scout Leader, Jim and hosting a troop forum.

Wibbleswill be looking at fire lighting skills, so please look out for an email with any additional instructions for the evening.

Viernes – are hosting an awards evening. We’ve lots of badges to give out and to celebrate, so we’ll be have music and food after some inspirational awards.

Future Scout events

Alton Towers – Those who are booked on to our trip (21st/22nd September) will have received their event briefing pack. As a reminder, consent forms are now overdue, so if you’ve not provided one yet, please submit one ASAP. If you’ve a medicine form and/or mobile phone consent to provide, these need to be scanned and returned, please.

Explorers

Section meetings

Explorers will be out in the local area so should come dressed for the weather and conditions including sensible footwear. There shouldnt really be any need a torch but can they bring one if they want to.

Uniform is needed for the start and finish of the meeting.

We need a few Explorers to have the STRAVA app dowloaded onto phones and set up to use (which is free and quite easy to do) and will need to be able to use it for a couple of hours please so if they could sort that amongst themselves in their usual friendship groups.

Future Explorer events

Alton Towers – Those who are booked on to our trip (21st/22nd September) will have received their event briefing pack. As a reminder, consent forms are now overdue, so if you’ve not provided one yet, please submit one ASAP. If you’ve a medicine form and/or mobile phone consent to provide, these need to be scanned and returned, please.

Adult volunteers

Leaders

AGM Youth Content – a reminder that details of the content your young people will present at next week’s AGM need to please be summarised and sent through to Rob this week.

Parents / Guardians 

Bonfire Night – the group will be supporting the Round Table Bonfire night and Fireworks display in November. There are a couple of merchandise stalls which we need adult support to staff. An invite went out via Online Scout Manager recently. If you can support us with this, please respond to the emailed invite. Thank you.

Previously:

Photography treasure hunt

Our beavers have been out and about in Penistone. In lodges we were challenged to take an arty photograph from a list of suggestions. One of the lodges managed to get into the Penistone Paramount, and another the Penistone FM studio. The best photograph will be judged by Rob. All the beavers said they enjoyed the evening. A special thank you to the parents who came along and provided additional adult support.

Future Pioneers

Wibbles had a pioneering evening for their first patrol challenge. They made basic wash stands with “added extras”. There were some interesting creations with mixed successes, but our Young Leaders helped to show the way.

Developing the programme

Scorpion Explorers held a forum and are going to try out some of their new programme ideas in the coming weeks. These are themed around community, skills and other Explorer badges.

Many new faces

We welcomed 8 new cubs from the waiting list into the Raptor pack. It was great to see the already invested Cubs supporting and encouraging the new members. Given it was our first meeting back, we used the meeting to get to know one another and had fun playing some games.

The future of food

Viernes Scouts had an interesting evening learning about different cultures approach to food products and how insects are likely to become an integral part to our diets in the not too distant future.