St George’s Day

At their recent meeting GSLs were advised of the arrangements for this year's parade & service on Sunday 25th April. Format is as for the last few years with assembly in The Causeway on Wimbledon Common at 12:30 and moving off at 12:50 through Wimbledon Village to Wimbledon College where the service will commence at 1:30pm. Dismissal will be from the college playing fields at about 2:15pm.

We are unable to use Sacred Heart church this year as the floor is being relaid so are grateful to Wimbledon College for the use of their sports hall.

Details are on the link below.

District Directory

A new District Directory is being put together, to be produced in time for the AGM.
If you know of any changes that should be included, please contact Sue Southwood in the next 3 weeks.

Grant Aid

Grants of between £500 and £1000 are available from funding raised by Sports Relief this spring.  For more information, log on to www.sportsrelief.com or call the Capital Community Foundation on 020 7582 5117.

And if you are raising money for Sports Relief, you can be in with the chance of a prize voucher worth £100 to spend on sports equipment for your Scout Group.  To enter, all you have to do is email sport.relief@scouts.org.uk sport.relief@scouts.org.uk and tell them how your Scout Group will be raising money for Sport Relief. Tell them what you will be doing and when and where you will be doing it.  Your event must take place and not just be an idea because they will be asking you lots of questions!  The closing date for entries is 15 March.

Training Dates

Diary Dates

District Commissioner - Joe Rogerson

Following on from last month’s Links, the final figures are now in for the District census and, as expected, they show an overall increase in membership. The number of adult leaders at the grassroots grew by 4.3% and the number of youth members by 10%. Particular credit must go to the 1st Wimbledon, whose numbers rose by 32%, and to both the 19th and 22nd Wimbledon whose numbers also increased significantly. Twelve groups showed increases on last year and four groups have over 100 youth members, which means that we now have over 1300 scouts. The number of Young Leaders who are not attached to an Explorer Unit stands at 42, so, taken together with the many Explorers from units who also fulfil this role, this augurs well for the future.

You may have read that, following consultation, the Association has issued changes to the “Home Contact” system, which is now known as “In Touch”. As a District our policy remains that every Nights Away event needs a Home Contact, so there is no real change to the way that we have been doing things for years. The one slight amendment that we have made is that we have removed the absolute need for the home contact to have no family tie with any of the participants, although, of course, this is still preferable.

Just a gentle reminder to everyone about NAN forms needing to be filled in prior to going away or having sleepovers, as one or two have been forgotten recently. The reason for the form is obvious, particularly if anything were to go wrong.

Youth Organisations in Uniform (known as Project YOU) is being launched in Merton at the Savacentre in Colliers Wood on 20th March. We will be represented at the event, as will Guiding and the other local uniformed youth groups, it being an opportunity to showcase our Movement and recruit. If you would like to lend a hand, please contact Liz Laverick.

Finally, if you have not already done so, please let me know the date for your Group AGM so that myself or a member of the District Team can come along.

Joe

Further information can be found on the GLSW web site.

District Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 12th May

Is the date in your diary?

Census

A big thank you to the Groups that got their numbers and fees in on time – what a pity there is always someone who can’t quite manage it!

The numbers are up, as Joe says, and full details are available on the link below.

National Trust Barn

At the back of the Surrey Arms is a barn owned by the National Trust.  The District have used it for storage for many years but we have now been asked to vacate it.  Are you interested in any of the following?  If so, please contact Cliff Condon.

• One set of patio doors, 5’ wide
• Counter/shelf unit 7’ x 2’ x 3½’ – some parts lockable
• 2 chemical toilets
• Computer work station
• 2 small trailers

There will be a work day to clear the barn on 13 March – offers of help to Cliff please.

Trophies

If you have won a trophy recently and would like it to be engraved, please get it to Cliff Condon as soon as possible.

Scouting Skills

A new book ‘A Complete Guide to Scouting Skills’ is now available.  It has a forward by Bear Grylls and covers such subjects as camp cooking, hiking, first aid, wild life and adventurous activities.  It costs just £9.99 if ordered through the Store (full price £14.99).

The Big Adventure

It’s back!  With support from Sainsbury’s and their Active Kids voucher scheme, lots of information in Scouting Magazine plus The Little Guide to The Big Adventure, a pocket-sized pack which offers practical tips to parents and new adults it is a practical way to recruit new adults.

If you want the badges you will need to order them . . .

Copy for the next issue should be with the editor by Thursday 25th March

If you would like to be notified by email each time Links is published,

click on this link links@wimbledonandwandlescouts.org and we will add you to the list

May there always be work for your hands to do;

  May your purse always hold a coin or two;

     May the sun always shine on your windowpane;

        May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;

           May the hand of a friend always be near you;

              May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.