SUMMER 2019 District Newsletter Sir Fynwy Purple Card The purple card has been updated to make Diary Dates it easier for leaders managing incidents to know who to contact for support. 10 September Team meeting Information is available from the scout 28 September District Beaver trip to website and cards can be ordered from the Scout shop. Cadbury World 27-29 September Gwentrek Funding Opportunities 12 October Cub Scouting Skills Check out the latest local grant funding 19 October Scouts @ Masterchef opportunities, subject to location and eligibility criteria. These include up to 16 November Area Cub Cooking Competition £10,000 for activities, community support 24 November Cub Quiz and capital projects for those in the 20% most deprived areas of the UK (you can 30 November Christmas Ball, check your rating for England, Scotland, Monmouthshire Golf Club Wales and Northern Ireland), and up to £10,000 to support equipment and 25 January Swimming Gala activities. Find more information through the Scout grants page. Shirenewton Scout Group MAUREEN It is always great news to hear that a scout group is expanding. Shirenewton have been rapidly increasing. In Unit Resource Events Entertainment numbers for a considerable time and they now have the Nights opportunity to open a second Cub Pack. The new Pack will commence in September this year and be based at - Shirenewton Recreation Hall meeting on Tuesday away evenings. This is extremely good news and will reduce their waiting list considerably. Mobile Activities Activities Mobile Growth within the District as a whole continues and it is hoped that other MAUREEN is the District mobile activities unit. She made her additional colonies, packs, troops and units first official appearance at the District AGM and proved her can be established in the next twelve worth at the Monfest event. After the summer break, she will months. be used to cater for District and Area, as well as a marketing tool. In order to spread the marvellous work, effort and energy that If you have any items or photographs for goes into scouting, a photographic completion open to all District inclusion in the Autumn District Newsletter, scout members, has been launched. To enter the competition, please send to Christine Hands, DDC over the next few weeks take a photo of a fun and exciting Programme, Newsletter Editor, by 7 October scouting activity. Your image could be selected to be one of the 2019. [email protected] those permanently displayed on MAUREEN. Closing date is Next Issue 1 November 2019. Further information has been sent out separately in the last week. Page 2 District Newsletter Summer 2019 St George’s Day The District annual St George’s Day service was held this year at Abergavenny Castle. Groups from across the District attended on a sunny April afternoon. The poppies were on display and remained at Abergavenny Castle until early July. The poppies can now be seen for the next few months at Caldicot Castle. Swimming Gala The District swimming gala for all sections was held at Pontypool Leisure Centre on Saturday 11 May. A large number of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts took part, together with a few intrepid leaders. The results were: Beavers: 1st Gilwern Reds, 2nd Abergavenny, 3rd Gilwern Blues Cubs 1st Raglan, 2nd Abergavenny, 3rd Wyesham Scouts: 1st Shirenewton, 2nd Raglan, 3rd Wyesham Leaders: 1st Gilwern, 2nd Raglan =3rd Abergavenny & Wyesham Well done to all who took part and also to the Fellowship for the hardwork as starters and timekeepers. District Newsletter Summer 2019 Page 3 Nine teams of Beavers and younger Cubs took part in the District Cubetrex event CUBEtrex held at Goytre Wharf on Saturday 18 May. The weather stayed fair and the young people enjoyed a number of outdoor activities ranging from fire lighting to first aid to knots. Well done all who took part and thank you to Sarah for organising the event and to all the leaders who accompanied the young people or helped with organising the bases. Scouts from across the District Bushcraft took part in the recent Bushcraft event held at Wentwood Forest. Scavenging, shelter building and survival techniques were important factors for the week- end. MonFest The leader/family camp held the last week- end of June at Tudor Cule was a great success, even though someone did get their vehicle stuck on the way out. Simon Gair came from Sedbury & Tidenham to pass on his bushcraft skills teaching leaders how to make a fire with a bow saw and two pieces of wood. Other activities included climbing, archery, rifle shooting, crate stacking and tomahawk throwing. MAUREEN attended her first official function and helped to provide the great food on offer. Messing about in the river was, of course, obligatory. The evening entertainment was provided by Jonathan Quick and was much enjoyed by everyone. Thank you to all who attended with special thanks to the organising team. An extremely enjoyable weekend. Page 4 District Newsletter Summer 2019 District AGM The District AGM took place on Tuesday 25 June at Usk and was well attended by representatives from the District, Groups and civic dignitaries. Alan Llewellyn agreed to stand as Chair for another year but there was a change of Secretary and Treasurer. Lesley Whittaker was approved as District Secretary and Andy Whittaker Awards were presented during as District Treasurer. the evening. Thanks were extended to out- The Presidents Cup for service going District Secretary Don to Group and District was Norris and District Treasurer awarded to Lloyd Fennell Kate Sarsby for their admirable Tom Vaughan Cup 1 for work over the years. Kate was service to the District was presented with a bouquet of presented to Ceri Carllyon flowers and Don with a hip Tom Vaughan Cup 2 for flask plus a bottle of something support activities was awarded A new award in respect of training good to keep it filled. to Sarah Cornwall was presented to Pat Hillman The Andy Whittaker trophy was awarded to Andy Whittaker was Geoff Marlow presented with the The David Marsh Shield given by the Fellowship Award of Merit, for outstanding support was presented to Don Christine Hands Norris. received the Silver The District Commissioner commendation was Acorn and Pat Hillman presented to Lee Dodderidge and Ceri Carlyon was presented with for organising and arranging Monmouthshire the Bar to the Silver Remembers Acorn. Visit to Windsor Castle On 28 April, Lorna Corbin, Christine and Jon Hands, and Steve and Sharren Rogers attended the St George’s Day, Queen’s Scout Award ceremony at Windsor Castle. A wonderful day for hundreds of young people, parents and scout leaders in the presence of HRH the Duke of Kent, Bear Grylls, Tim Kidd and scout ambassadors. Even the weather stayed fine! Page 5 District Newsletter Summer 2019 Portcullis Camp What a wonderful weekend! Nearly 900 young people enjoying loads of exciting activities. The weather was good, the sun actually shone! There were a few causalities and hiccups but on the whole everything went well. Area are suggesting the event takes place again in 2023. Seems a long way away but doesn’t time fly when you are having fun! All Wales Saturday 8 June saw the Cub Fun Day Gilwern Cubs triennial All Wales Cub Fun Day held at the Royal Welsh Showground. A number of coaches went from Monmouthshire full of exited Cubs and adults. Activities were arranged in four zones - Skills, World, Adventure, and Outdoor. Due to the inclement weather the activities were held in the large barns but this did not prevent the Cubs from having a good time. Hammock Camp Five groups from across the District attended the Scout camp held at Tudor Cule on 6/7 July. Gilwern Cubs have been tackling the ‘Three Peaks Hammocks were suspended between trees Challenge’. In April they climbed to the summit of the throughout the site, some on the bank and others Blorenge, in July they tackled the Skirrid and in by the river. No official activities were arranged September are planning to get to the top of the Sugar but the scouts managed to find plenty to occupy Loaf. Most of the young people completed the hikes with them. Meals were cooked over open fires and no complaints, but one or two of the older adults found it plenty of marsh quite a challenge to finally get to the top of the Skirrid. mallows were also Mind you the views are magnificent, so it was worth it in toasted and eaten. the end! Page 6 District Newsletter Summer 2019 Explorer Update All Explorer Units are at last compliant with POR regarding their accounts and for the purpose of audit will have a robust and transparent online system that can be viewed by the District Treasurer at any time. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure the section grows during 2019 & 2020. We are currently short of two full time assistant leaders and will unfortunately also lose Louise Voaden as leader with Celtic Warriors in Magor. It is also important that we improve the link between Groups and Explorer Units and need to focus on developing a clear map outlining the transition between Scouts to Explorers. There are several opportunities that we can investigate to ensure that Scouts have a much clearer understanding of the things Explorers do and the simple method of joining. The target is to reach a 75% growth in members before the end of 2020. Regarding leaders, if anyone knows of any likely candidates who might be willing to become either a leader or assistant leader please let Geoff or David know.