October Newsletter from the DC Team – Ben, Simon & Heather

Hello again,

Since our last newsletter, we’ve held the first of our Grow Your Group sessions, the District AGM, a District Beaver Hike, the first E&H Young Leaders’ training session  and launched the new District website. In addition, the District Swimming Gala – plus Beaver Fun Swim – is about to take place. There’s also been a mini-census for GLMW, a planning meeting at Ealing Town Hall for all those involved in the Remembrance Day Parade, a GSLs’ meeting (the last co-ordinated by Roy Gosling as DDC), a GLMW meeting for District Commissioners from across all the Districts, the County Elements camp at PACCAR, which several of our Groups participated in, and a few more Group AGMs for this year within our own District. But even more importantly, in all 10 Groups across the District (and in our District Explorer Units), young people from 6 to 18 have been enjoying their weekly sessions thanks to our fantastic Leaders, at times drawing upon extra support from parent helpers (something we’re keen to build upon).

District Swimming Gala

The Swimming Gala is tomorrow, Saturday 13th October from 1pm-5pm.  Stuart Flaye, ADC Scouts, is organising the event and we’re looking forward to a great day of friendly competition and fun. Thank you to all those who have already stepped up to help with running this event. Email Stuart on s.flaye@ealingandhanwellscouts.org.uk if you need any further information or can offer additional help.

St George’s Day 2019

Unfortunately we’ve not been able to find a team that is willing to take on the planning for next year’s St George’s Day event.  Unless we can form this team by November we will once again be forced to cancel the event.

Executive Training Day

Do you serve on a District or Group Executive Committee?  Firstly, thank you.  Your role can be very challenging balancing the needs of the uniformed section with that of the charity and other stakeholders (landlord, church, etc).  To assist in the process Greater London Middlesex West, the County we are in, is running an Executive Support Day on Saturday 3rd November. Chairs, Secretaries, Treasurers, and all other members are invited (including those in your Group, or local community, who might be willing to consider becoming an Executive member but need further information to help them decide).  More details to follow – but in the meantime we’d be grateful if you would mention this to others you think might be interested who might not have received this newsletter, and also be sure to save the date.

District Trailer (PICTURE)

The District now has a box trailer available for use by all Groups.  We will be finding someone to look after the bookings but for now please contact Ben Pearson (b.pearson@ealingandhanwellscouts.org.uk) if you would like any further info or would like to book it.  We thank the 25th Ealing for their generous funding of the trailer, and 1st Hanwell for providing space for its safe storage.

District AGM

The Annual Report will be posted on the District website soon. But below are a few key points for those unable to attend in person this year.

First and foremost we want to extend a massive thank you to David Thurston (Chair) and Sue Hyde (Secretary) for their years of service on the District Executive, both now standing down.  We welcome new Chair, Jonathan Bartlett, and thank David for helping us with the transition. We also thank all those members serving on the District Executive Committee for another year.  

We now need everyone’s help to find a new District Secretary  The District is currently looking for a new District Secretary as a matter of some urgency – this is not a position that can be left vacant! Perhaps you can think of one or two particular (non-uniform) parents in your Group – or supporters of scouting in your local community – who might be willing to consider helping in this way? Please let us know, or have a word with them on our behalf – lots of information and support is available. The role is very similar to that of a Group Secretary, but in this case the person would be helping the District Chair with the smooth functioning and sound administration of the District, and would be providing administrative support to the running of the District Executive Committee (meeting agendas, minutes etc plus next year’s AGM). It would certainly be feasible for the role to be shared.

Here’s a link to a sample job description https://scouts.org.uk/media/901987/Secretary-to-the-Exectuive-Committee-Sept-2017.pdf

Another announcement at the District AGM was that Roy Gosling is now standing down as Deputy District Commissioner after almost 30 years in that role.We thank Roy very much indeed for his long and illustrious support of the District in that role, and are also grateful to him for agreeing to continue as District Badge Secretary, and for accepting a new role as District Vice President.

Finally, the District AGM gave us a suitable opportunity to present Di Ljubisic (9th Ealing) with her 40 year Service Award – a wonderful achievement! And we were also delighted to present Mark Howson (1st Hanwell) with his Wood Badge- well done Mark!

Grow Your Group

The second  session will take place on Sunday 4th November at 1st Hanwell, this time at the slightly later time of 2pm-6pm. The same people as session one – PLUS any additional uniformed and Executive representations from all our Groups –  are warmly encouraged to attend and benefit from the ideas and resources on offer.

GLMW Hill Walking

Do you like getting out into the hills?  Do you want to obtain a Terrain Permit to allow you to take young people out to more wild areas?  There is whole team in GLMW dedicated to helping you and their next trip is to Snowdonia in November.  Visit http://www.glmwhillwalking.org.uk/book-a-place/4571508651 to book a place.

News from around the District

GLMW Elements – with thanks to Nuria and Sergio for the write up. PICTURE

Scouts at 7th Hanwell attended for the first time the County Elements Camp at Paccar. We were there one of the biggest group with 20 scouts. The camp was a challenge since the very beginning, as by the time we arrived to the site it was dark and we needed to put everything up with just a waning moon and some odd torches.

After a very small breakfast, Saturday started with some survival skills lessons (woodcarving a peg with a knife, fire starting, foraging and shelters). During the afternoon, all this skills were tested as they needed to create a shelter where they were going to sleep that night, they also needed to start a fire and keep it going for cooking their dinner. They were assessed by their team work, the food, shelter, tidiness…  After a short campfire and hot chocolate they all slept in their shelter. They couldn’t be happier in the morning, they had enjoyed the adventure of sleeping in their own bivouac.

Sunday was another competition showing off all what they had learnt the day before. They also had time for some crate stacking. But the icing to the cake was finding out during the closing ceremony, that they were the winner group! They couldn’t had been happier. Well done 7th Hanwell!!

District Beaver Hike – October 6th (PICTURE) – with  thanks to Mandy for this report

Over 50 intrepid Beavers from across the district joined a hike along the River Brent, in spite of cold rainy weather.

They had a a series of challenging questions to answer along the route (provided by Martin, from 1st Ealing North), and they all earned their Hikes Away stage 1 badge.

Thank you to all the Leaders who organised the event, and well done to the young people who took part.

DC Team Visits

This month Heather attended 8th Ealing AGM and Ben attended 1st Ealing North’s AGM. At 8th Ealing, we had an impressive science display by the Cubs, a number of new parent helpers offering their assistance, in different ways, and Heather was also delighted to present three Wood Badges – to Dani, Rob and Eoife. Congratulations to all three.  The 1st Ealing North had a fantastic series of outdoor activities planned…but the rain came. We were still treated to a great cake competition, bar-b-que and more. We thank Rosanna Elliott for her six years as Chair at the group and thank Patrick Lee for stepping forward to be their next Chair.

Heather, Ben and Simon.

DC team, Ealing & Hanwell  

dc@ealingandhanwellscouts.org.uk

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USEFUL INFORMATION

District Website

The refreshed and updated Ealing and Hanwell Scout District website is now live – although please note there will be further revisions to follow  (both in terms of the new branding style, and the functionality)

District Contacts

Some of your regular District contacts now have new email addresses.  Please see below:

John Matthews – District Vice-President and Leighton Hall Bookings – j.matthews@ealingandhanwellscouts.org.uk

These are very new so I suggest including their personal address for the next few weeks.

Please update your contact lists for these as it’s really important that we reduce the number of ‘business’ emails going to people’s personal email accounts.

Key dates for the District Diary

October

• Modules 5, 6, 11 & 12A (Our organisation) PACCAR – 13th October

• Swimming Gala (& Beaver Fun Swim) – 13th October
• Modules 7,8,9 (Working with Adults) PACCAR – 14th October
• Modules 16&17 (Intro to Residential) PACCAR – 28th October

November

• • Executive Support day led by the County team – 3rd November

• Grow Your Group, Session 2 (1st Hanwell) – 4th November 2-5pm

• Remembrance Sunday Parade – 11th November
• Modules 14,15 & 18 (Supporting Young People) PACCAR  – 17th November
• Modules 12B, 13, 19 (Great Programmes) PACCAR – 18th November
• Young Leader Training – 24th November@LH

December

• Grow Your Group, Session 3 (1st Hanwell) – 2nd December 1-5pm

• • Scout Managers Training – PACCAR 1st – 2nd of December

• District Cub event (date TBC) – Christmas gang show or similar

January 2019

February 2019

• • District Beaver Party – 2nd February

• Young Leader Training – 3rd February@LH

• • February Freezer Camp – PACCAR 15th February

• District Cross Country (all sections) – date TBC

• District Cub event – 5 aside football – date TBC

March

• District Beaver Sleepover – 22-23 & 23-24 March (at SAC)

• Young Leader Training – 30th March@LH

April 2019

• St George’s Day Parade 28th April (pm) – TBC

May 2019

• District Cub event – Athletics – date TBC

• Young Leader Training – 19th May@LH

• GLMW’s All American Adventure, Paccar – 24th May

July

• Young Leader Training – 6th July@LH

Summer 2019

• Camporee (District Cub Camp, week-long) – July 2019 (dates tbc)

• World Scout Jamboree, Scout Mondial, North America 22nd July – 2nd August

2020

• WINGS – 25th July – 1st August, Windsor Great Park

Contact Jenny Foxwell to book onto any training courses

Get in touch with us to add any further dates to the District Diary