Diary Dates

Appointments Committee 

Congratulations to the following Leaders who have now had their full warrants approved:

• Deborah Carter, SL 5th Morden

• Scott Duncan, ASL 16th Morden

• Graham Hodson, ASL 1st Lower Morden

• Andrew Parkinson, ABSL 23rd Mitcham

• Rosemary Parkinson ABSL 23rd Mitcham

• David Stevens, GSL 8th Wimbledon

3 Worker Certificates have been issued and 11 cancellations.

A revised Warrant Review form is now available - requests to Joan Burgess.   Reminder lists will be sent to Groups in due course.

Training - Alison Edwards

Despite it officially being the Easter Holidays, training has carried on at a great pace in the last month! 

We held a drop in session for new Leaders in late March and congratulations go to the 9 members of the District who spent a weekend at Bears Wood last month doing their nights away module despite cold wet weather and a LOT of wet canvas!.

Also well done to the Explorer Leaders of the Edge Hill and Raynes Park Units, several of whom have also now completed their training. I shall be keeping Gilwell busy processing wood badge applications in the coming weeks.

Just a reminder to GSLs and ADCs in particular, to let Joan Burgess and myself know of any changes of role and 'new' folk so we can sort out appointments and training as smoothly as possible.

Any training queries please do contact me.

CRB Forms

The Association has changed its policy and everyone must be CRB checked every 5 years.  This means that anyone who has been in post since before 2002 and has not done a CRB will have to do one in the next few weeks.  If this means you, please contact your GSL urgently to obtain a form now.

District Store

The Store will only have about a dozen Beaver Log Books or Power Packs in stock at any one time - if you know you will need more, please order them in advance from Brian.

Current special items:
1 Cub Lanyard (£2.50);  1 Centenary belt (£12.00);  Air beds (£10.00)

The store will be closed for half term on 29th May but don't forget the new Saturday opening dates:  
17th May, 7th and 21st June, 5th and 19th July.

MySkip.com is an internet based initiative that provides an alternative to the traditional ways in which we currently recycle.  It does so by creating an on-line virtual skip that works in a similar way to EBay but is easier to access, more convenient and free to either rummage or dispose of useful items.

Scout Groups can use it to get rid of those items that are cluttering up meeting places and are too good to throw away but are never used . . . and then find lots of new things to fill up the space made available.

Have a look!

We apologise for having to cancel the Bike Ride Fun Day, due to the lovely snow.
We are hoping to re-schedule this event in June, when hopefully the weather will be a little warmer.

We have been asked to join in the Sports Day on Saturday 12th July 2008 to be held at Wimbledon Athletic Track in Wimbledon Park, from 2-4pm. Ours will be a Fun Day with lots to do and with mixed colony teams. If you have any ideas for our fun day, please bring them to the next meeting.

 It was nice to see a few more people at the last meeting, so if you can make the next one, it will be on Wednesday 21st May.

Football - this is being held on 11th May at Raynes Park High School, if you are attending make sure your parents are aware of the rules regarding behaviour etc.

Athletes Badge Testing - This has been arranged for Friday evening 6th June  (weather permitting) at the Raynes Park playing fields in Grand Drive, from 18.00 hrs onwards. Any Cub that hasn't earned this badge yet is welcome. A Leader(s) or parent may accompany them. Full details and map will be issued. Do put it in your diary since this is an opportunity for Packs with no access to sports facilities to offer the badge to their Cubs.

County Night Exercise - Bentley Copse:  We had 9 teams entered from Wimbledon and Wandle and congratulations go to the 14th Wimbledon for coming a very creditable 3rd in challenging conditions.  Only 9 teams out of 31 starters managed to complete the course.  Well done to all concerned.

Our next Leaders' meeting at Morden Hall DHQ is on Monday 12th May.

This is also the closing date for the karting event.  Please remember that the karting does not have to involve the whole Troop or necessarily the Leaders from the Troop.  If just 3 Scouts from each Troop took part the event would be oversubscribed, so, if you just have a few interested, they could be dropped off by their parents without tying up another weekend for already hard-pressed Scouters.

At the next meeting we will need to sort out what help or support Troops would like for training their Scouts for the survival skills weekend.  We will need to know at what level to pitch the weekend eg beginner, expert or somewhere in between.

If it would help for one of the team to come and explain the set-up of the camping assessment weekend to your Scouts or provide some expertise on the preparation for this event, please let me know.

Don't forget, if you are short of tentage for a particular camp, there are 4 tents that were used at the Jamboree available for you to borrow - contact the County quartermaster, Brian Whalebone.

We all had an enjoyable evening at the Beetle Drive on 16th April.  Thanks to Jean for organising it again.

Thank you also to all members who helped on St George's Day.

Reminder - District A.G.M., Kenneth Black Hall, on Wednesday 14th May - as many members as possible to attend please.

Our visit to the Isabella Plantation has been moved from Friday 16th May to Sunday 18th May due to evening closure times.  We will meet at the Car Park at 10.00 a.m.   Please let Rob know if you are coming.

Training Dates 2008

All Modules will be held at Bow Lane Scout Centre except Module 16 which will be at Bears Wood.

6mm Polypropylene Rope

If anyone has a source of this rope - such as is used for draw cords for cables - could they let Dave Bixby know, as the Troop Scouters will need lots for their Raft Race in July.

St George's Day Parade

It was a bit damp but there was an impressive turn-out.  Thank you to Wimbledon College for the use of their sports hall and to everyone who had a part in putting this major event together.

Constructive criticism to your Section Leaders' meetings, please.

Wimbledon Village Police Junior Tug of War

The Wimbledon Village Safer Neighbourhood Team invites young people (11-16 years) from school, church, resident, cadet and other local groups to take up the challenge and enter their Annual Charity Tug of War on Saturday 21 June 2008, 10.30 am-12.30 pm at the Wimbledon Village Fair. Full details are on the poster found on the web link below.

If you are interested in entering a team(s), please contact PCSO Caroline Bedford (contact details in the poster). In addition to a Team Captain, you are allowed 8 people per team plus 4 reserves.