IN THIS ISSUE:
District Headquarters Bookings.
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Editorial
Comment.
The spread throughout the country of Foot and Mouth
disease has affected everyone, with restrictions being placed on movement in
the countryside.
How will these controls affect Scouting in
Someries District? At the time of
preparing this Newsletter, the campsite at Bromham has been closed until the end
of March, after which time the situation will be reviewed. National Heaquarters
have issued an edict advising that the following areas should be avoided:-
Parts of the countryside used by farm animals, woodland and parks where deer
can be found,
National Parks and open countryside.
Headquarters have also advised that certain areas off the Gillwell estate into
Epping Forest have been closed.
Note: futher information about Scout Headquarters restrictions can be found
on their web site www.scoutbase.org.uk.
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Uniform.
As you will be aware, this year will see the
introduction of the new uniform for all sections. Unfortunately Scout shops are
fast running out of some parts of the old uniforms. If young people
transferring to the next section have difficulty getting uniform or wish to
wait for the new uniform to arrive, they can continue to wear their old
uniform. Maybe Groups could organise to borrow uniforms from youngsters who
have transferred recently; this may help for St. Georges Day perhaps. Some
uniform is being sold off at discounted prices: please contact the District
Scout Shop for details.
Criminal Records Office
At last some good news: the Government which is
soon to insist that all adults who work with children will have to be checked
by the criminal records office, has now changed its mind and will not be
charging voluntary organisations ten pounds for every check. This is great news
for keeping our young people safe. So please continue to clear all prospective
Leaders/ Helpers/Parents through me.
District Events
District events can only take place when they
are supported by you and your young people. So thank you for that support and
well done to all those who have taken part or will be taking part in the Beaver
Christmas party, draughts competition and camp fire, Cub football and cooking
competition, Scout five-a-side and cooking competition. I should like to add my
thanks to the Leaders who have taken the time and trouble to organise these
events for everyone.
Summer Camps
Now is the time to be planning and
booking your summer camps; hopefully the Foot & Mouth outbreak will not
prevent these from taking place - but not getting your PC form in in time,
might!! All sections must let me know of any proposed trip/outing/camp that
will take place outside the District.
District Commissioner
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District Beaver Scout Draughts competition.
This year the competition was won by a Beaver Scout from 3rd Someries. Second was a Beaver from the 1st Someries
The District Beaver Scout Leader also reports
that a collection of green flashes from all the Colonies within Someries District
has been made. These items together with Luton and Millennium badges have been
taken to the Bedfordshire County Scout camp site at Bromham for burial in a
“Time capsule.”
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Cubs six-a-side competition. This year the
competition was held at the Regional Sports centre at Stopsley.
After a very exciting and close competition,
1st Tigers “A” team won the event. 1st Badgers were 2nd,
with 3rd and 19th Someries sharing third place.
Well done and a word of thanks to all the teams
that entered the competition and to the organisers of the event.
________________________
ADC Scouts has sent in this report:
All the troops are running well with full programmes,
getting ready for the camping season to start, apart from the troop who camp in
January, who will remain nameless.
This years 5-a-side football was held on 10th
February. We had eleven teams entered and ten on the day with one mixed team
from the 3rd and the 19th who ended up in the semi final. The winners this year
were the 7th Someries. Well done to all the Scouts who took part, and my thanks
to the two referees.
On Saturday 10th March the Scouts have their
cooking competition, this year with a difference. Last years winners who have
to organise the next event, have decided to do it on the theme of “Ready Steady Cook,” so this year no one has
had an opportunity to practice their menus, as they don’t know what they will
be cooking. However if the standards are maintained from previous years it
should be very good.
Also coming up is the Fire Fighters Badge
course at Stopsley Fire Station for four weeks starting on Tuesday 12th June,
with three Scouts from each troop able to attend.
I will, now
that my evening shifts have changed again, start to visit the troops a
bit more often than I have in the past. What I would like to say here is that,
as I have said to all Troop Leaders, I am at the end of a phone if you want me
to come to your troop or for just a little help now and again just call me.
___________________
COUNTY SECRETARY/ADMINISTRATOR
REQUIRED
Details and application form are
available from the County Scout office.
Tel. 01234 826079 e-mail: bedscout@talk21.com
Although our ADC/AT is busy
with her new baby, she is still
available to talk to and arrange for Leaders/Helpers
to attend training courses!
One Leader from 1st Someries attended an
Introduction to Scouting (Beaver) at Bromham on 10/11th February.
______________________
The VSL informs us, that the Venture Scout
programme of events has been seriously curtailed by the current outbreak of
animal Foot and Mouth disease. The plans for a night hike and an Activities day
at Henlow have for the time being been “put on hold.”
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The District Appointments Committee has
approved the appointment of 5 Leaders/Helpers.
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(From the Scout shop manager).
We are now virtually out of green Scout shirts.
We have one sized 12.5in. neck (very
small) and a 16 and 16.5 inch (very large). Scout Shops Ltd., have no more to
offer us.
We have a limited number of Beaver and Cub
sweatshirts and also Beaver Joggers in stock.
From Tuesday 6th March all
Beaver sweatshirts and joggers will have been reduced in price by 50% and will
cost £4.00 per garment.
The new Scout uniform
News of the new uniforms is gradually filtering
through and we hope to have them in stock in September. We’ll let you know
of progress as word comes to us.
The items above are the “key elements,” there
are also optional Polo shirts, shorts etc.
Note: for Scout and Badge
shop opening times see the the end of this Newsletter.
___________________________
Two teams were entered for the Quiz at
Haddenham, an annual event which raised
£7000 for the cancer research
fund, making a total of £21,800
altogether.
Catering for the “Action for Growth” event at
Wrest Park went very well and thanks were received from the County
Commissioner.
The ADC/F is running a course for the “Air
Spotters Badge” at the 7th Someries on Mondays, to be followed by the “Air
Researcher”
Due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak our usual
programme of walks has been suspended.
Extracts from Someries District Fellowship March
Newsletter.
Diary Dates:
Sunday 22nd April, St. George’s Day Parade.
Sunday 13th May, Rotary Club of Luton annual
Charity Walk.
Wednesday 6th June, District AGM
Wednesday 2nd July County AGM
13th/15th July
National Robin Hood gathering.
Uniform review. The committee of the Council has agreed that the Scout Fellowship should
continue to have the option to wear the adult uniform.
New Scout Fellowship Badge. A competition is
open to all members of the Scout Fellowship to design the new badge.
An up to date Someries District Directory has
recently been issued. Should there be any changes/corrections please send them
to the District News Letter editor or the DC..
For about two years thre DC’s wife, has
been working at Bromham as the Bedfordshire County Scout Secretary. Janet has now accepted a
full time appointment with another
company. We wish her all success
in her new job.
Janet will still remain in Someries District as
a member of the District Executive.
This leaves a vacancy at the County Office.
Anyone interested in this post, should apply to the County Office (see advert).
_____________________________
·
New arrival for the District’s ADC/AT. Congratulation on the arrival: a
new baby girl. Born on the 1st February
2001 at Bedford hospital. The little
bundle weighed 6lb 1.5oz. and has been named Iona Frances.
·
John (16th Someries) has retired from active
scouting after 40 years service. A party to celebrate this occasion was held at
Ross Park on 24th February. The event
organised by 16th Someries brought together old and more recent friends from
John’s scouting career.
·
David has reached
pensionable age, and retires as ADC/GD.
Although relinquishing his warrant David is staying on as Manager Ross
Park H.Q.
·
Lea Valley/ Someries Districts joint presentation of new Scout
Section changes was held at St.Mary’s
Church Hall , on the 7th February. The
presenters were able to provide details of the changes within Sections which
now provide a more exiting and challenging programme especially for older
scouts.
·
Luton PR team Photographic Competition. A Scout from Icknield District won this competition.
·
20th World Scout Jamboree. The next World Scout Jamboree
will be held in Thailand, (Sattachip, Conburi Province,
150kms south of Bangkok). The dates for the Jamboree are 28th December 2002 -
8th January 2003. Further details can
be found by visiting the Jamboree website http://www.taiscouting.com/jamboree/
·
It is with great regret that we hear of the
death of Ian Stewart who died suddenly on March 13th. Ian will be remembered as Cub Scout Leader at
3rd Someries and also as the leader who entertained:- Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Leaders at many District Camp
Fires. Ian will be missed by us all.
Ross Park is available for private bookings.
If you need somewhere to hold a birthday party or a fund raising event then
telephone 01582-720435
SOMERIES DISTRICT
BADGE
& SCOUT SHOP OPENING TIMES
2001
Address:- Someries District HQ. Applecroft Road,
Luton, Beds. Tel
01582 454637
Tuesday Evenings 7.00pm - 9.00pm
May 1st to May 22nd
June 5th to July 10th
September 11th to
December 11th
Badges are also on sale on the dates & times shown above.(Tuesday evenings only)
Saturday
Mornings 9.30am - 11.30am
April 21st to May 19th
June 9th to July 14th
September 15th to
December 8th
Badges are not available on Saturdays.
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