Links - Wimbledon & Wandle District Newsletter

Appointments Committee - Joan Burgess
Congratulations to the following Leaders who have had their full warrants approved:

2 Provisional Certificates have been issued, 4 Worker Certificates and 6 cancellations.

Our thanks and appreciation are sent to all Groups who are helping us keep the records up to date, and we wish you all a Very Happy and Peaceful Christmas break.

Membership fees and Census return
The census will be distributed as soon as it is available and must be returned at the GSLs' meeting on 21st January, along with the membership fee of £24.50 per head.
If your census is late, or not accompanied by a cheque, the fees will increase by 50p to £25 per person.

In the July copy of Links, you were reminded that a copy of your Group accounts must be forwarded to John Young, District Treasurer, within two weeks of your AGM. Half the Groups in the District have not complied with this.
This is not optional: POR 3.48.h is quite clear on this and rule 3.48.i states that the County or HQ can also request a copy.

Please ensure that your accounts are with John by Christmas to provide him with some light reading over the festive season!

Every Group is required to produce an Asset Register in accordance with current POR and Charity Commission requirements. A pro-forma can be downloaded from the District or County websites.

It has been suggested that a list be compiled of Groups who own Mini-buses, along with details of who to contact, should you be in need of extra transport when organising a camp. A good place to advertise the details would be Links so if Groups who are prepared to loan out their minibus could give the details to Lesley, a list could be published in the new year.

District Store
Don't forget the Store will be closing for Christmas on 6th December and re-opening on 10th January.

Brian has a very good line in slightly used air-beds at £10 each in stock, plus a few Jamboree scarves that were ordered but not collected, so if you would like a new one as a souvenir, please contact him.

Merton Council's Fireworks Display

The early evening Firework display in Morden Park on 3rd November was on a Scouting theme. The event started with Campfire's Burning as a number of Cubs from the 2nd and 5th Morden Packs entered the arena with burning torches, under the very watchful eye of their Leaders. Once the bonfire had burned down the fireworks were let off accompanied by the music that has been heard round camp fires and at Gang Shows for the past hundred years. It was a fine, chilly evening and, as Bob says in his report, an excellent advert for Scouting.

A big thank you to Cliff Iles of Merton Council, who promoted this to celebrate our centenary year.

We [15 Explorers and 4 Leaders from Mitcham and Raynes Park] got to our HQ on Friday and loaded our stuff in the two vans and off we went - 6 hours in the van. We sang along to music and then by the last 2 hours most of us were sleeping. When we finally got there it was dark and when we got into the hut we were staying at, the other van was already there. We pretty much went straight to bed (or that's what the Leaders thought) and the next thing we knew it was time to wake up (7 AM!), have breakfast and then get ready for the hike. We got into our groups and checked we had all the right stuff and off we went. This hike was more challenging than the Brecon Beacons, one reason being because the closer we got to the top, the windier it got. We went up and up until we were at the top [999m or 3,250 ft!!] and we had lunch under a tent-like thing (that's a Bothy bag - Ed) that you pull over you and sit on. And with no time wasted, we made our way back down and I think it's safe to say we all tripped over or got pushed by the wind at least twice. We then drove back to our hut and had nice warm showers. After dinner we had a slideshow about the Jamboree of the summer just gone, and then we had some games/challenges and got ready for bed. The next day, before making our way back, we went rock climbing, which provided many funny pictures. So we then got in our vans and went home and slept and slept and slept and slept and slept.

Over 120 talented young musicians from Scout and Guide Bands in South West London joined together for the first time in 25 years to form a Massed Band in this year's Lord Mayor's Show in the City of London on Saturday 10 November.

County Band Adviser Dave Gould, who co-ordinated the project, said "I was so proud of the young people, the bandmasters and their assistants who worked so hard as a team to pull this off. I'm sure that every Scout and Guide who lined the streets of London, or watched us on the television, will agree that we did Scouting and Guiding proud with a smart and polished performance all the way".

Beavers - Julia Doolan

The fun Activity Day in October went well and even the weather was kind to us, so that we could do activities outside. Thank you to everyone that helped out on the day.

There is a County Skills Day being held at Walton Firs and open to all Leaders on Saturday 15th March 2008.- Something to think about!!

Would anyone like to go out for a meal in January or February 2008 to socialise? Please contact Julia Doolan, Clare Tweedley or Hilary Mavin.

Cubs - Michèle M^cNamara (ADC Cubs)

Firstly: congratulations to the 2nd Morden for winning the handicraft competition.

Leaders' Christmas dinner - is planned for January 4th at Park Place for all Leaders and helpers, please call Mia Patterson by December 20th if you wish to attend.

Next CSL meeting - will be at 22nd Wimbledon HQ, on January 9th, please bring with you a game to share with the other Leaders.

Scientist Badge day - 27th January at County Base. If you weren't at the last CSL meeting I need to know by the 14th December, which Packs are intending to come, estimated nos. and what bases the Leaders are prepared to run. Cost £1.50 per Cub payable on the day. Details have been sent to all CSL's.

Please note: the times detailed in the letter sent to CSL's re scientist badge are incorrect, they should read: morning session 9.30 - 12.30 and afternoon session 13.30 -16.30

Finally to all Leaders and Helpers may I take this opportunity of wishing you all a Happy Christmas.

Scouts - Dave Bixby (ADC Scouts)

My thanks go to the 6/12th for their hospitality at our last Leaders' meeting. With the business over in 40 minutes, we could settle to the important part of the meeting. The curry they supplied was excellent and gave a nice, social end to a hectic year. It was a pity that England could not rise to the occasion against Croatia, to really round off the evening.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to Alan Haskell, an experienced SL from Salisbury, who is going to head up the re-opening of the 2nd Morden Troop in January and to Deborah Carter, who is taking on the new Troop at the 5th Morden. Please give them all your support.

Any Troop intending to take part in the Handball competition on 3rd February needs to contact Gary Baker, SL, 23rd Mitcham by 5th January. Cost of entry will depend on the number of teams entering but will not be more than £10 per team. Details of rules and previous competitions are on the District website but, as always, if you need a hard copy just let me know and I will get one to you.

As we look forward to 2008, we face a big challenge to make the most of the publicity generated this year and deliver the expectations of the Scouts in our care. If you need help or support, please don't hesitate to contact us - Tim, Dave H or myself.

I would like to wish everyone a happy Christmas and an exciting and fulfilling New Year.

Explorers - Neil McLauchlan (DESC)

Our next Leaders' Meeting is on December 5th at Merton Park HQ (probably in the Church Hall) 8.00pm start.

A reminder that Keith & John will need all Unit's accounts forms Jan - Dec 2007 asap in January. These need to be supported by bank statements, cash books, receipts etc. Also in January we will need lists of members together with the Membership subscription by late January, exact date to follow.

Explorer Scouts Young Leaders - Liz Laverick

I have had a couple of offers of help to support the Young Leaders with their training and to observe them with the young people at their section meetings, which is fantastic.

At the County Meeting on the 18th November I met the other Explorer Leaders for Young Leaders for GLSW. What is happening is very exciting and we can tap into and join the training sessions in the other districts. Something is being planned for early in the New Year so I need names, please!

The problem is obtaining a database of all Explorers working as Young Leaders. No one has sent me an email, phoned me or posted me any information whatsoever! It is going to be extremely difficult for me to get to any Beaver Section meetings because of the hours that I work; Cubs will also be quite difficult so I need all of you to help me.

I have therefore attached the original application form, which Neil distributed, on the link below. I have altered the contact details so that the information can be emailed, posted or phoned to me. I will accept direct applications from the Young Leaders themselves, the Section Leaders of the Groups they work with or if they are registered with an Explorer Unit their Explorer Leader. It does not matter if I end up with several applications for one Young Leader.

It is very important at this time as the census is due that we have the names and details of all our Young Leaders especially the ones who do not pay membership to another Explorer Unit. If they have no membership they have no insurance and if an accident should happen there is no cover. They will not be supported by the Scout Association. They themselves cannot claim on the Group's insurance and if the accident occurs to a third party that young person (their family) or yourselves will be personally liable. These rules are not new they have never been covered. Please be safe not sorry and send me their details.

Fellowship - Linda Vaudrey

We spent a very enjoyable evening, once again, at our recent Beetle Drive. Thanks to Jean for organising.

Our next event will be our New Year Meal on Saturday, 12th January 2008. Details re venue and times are to follow.

Looking forward, please note that our A.G.M. will be held on Tuesday 18th March 2008, at the Wandle D.H.Q.

We hope to see as many of you as possible at the All Leaders Quiz on Monday 3rd December at Atlasta Hall and at the General Leaders Meeting on 30th January 2008 at the Wimbledon D.H.Q.

The tents used by the GLSW Jamboree contingent have been donated to the Districts and Wimbledon and Wandle now has four of these domes, which are probably most suitable for use by older Scouts and Explorers. If your Troop or Unit would like to borrow them, please contact Brian Whalebone.

Further to my request for help in last month's Links, several people offered but one of the first was Mia Patterson, who will cover the two weeks I am away in at the beginning of February. Thank you, Mia.

If you have ordered badges recently but not collected them, please come and get them as soon as possible, as I can't keep them specially for you beyond stock take and they will go back into stock.

Yes I did say Venture Unit. The Viking Unit was formed back in 1969 as a joint unit between the 3rd Mitcham and the 26th Mitcham in the early days of Venture Scouting marking some what of a parallel with Explorer Scouting today when young people were asked to leave the confines of the Group with which they had been a Cub and Scout to work with Scouts from another Group. No doubt Scout Leaders were saying we will loose them to Scouting sending them away from their roots. Well 38 years later we still meet once a year on the first Saturday in December. Friendships formed all those years ago endure and for those of us from the 26th who not only lived north of the railway but in the main went to ILEA schools unlike the rest of Mitcham District the retention rate to go on to become Scouters has been high. Back in 1969 Cliff Condon SL at the 3rd along with Lance Williamson SL at the 26th encouraged us together. Explorer Scouting today gives the same challenges to SL's in that they should be encouraging their Scouts into Units often away from the Group to give them the challenges they deserve, whilst also opening the doors to leadership by encouraging them to consider the young leader scheme.

All those years ago I was soon drawn back to my roots and became an ASL back at the 26th, whilst John Tweedley & Dave Christmas stayed with the 3rd to take warrants there. Both Laurence Barham and myself have gone on to become District Commissioners a role I have just been appointed to for the third time.

Well as usual the unit gathered on the 1st December this year with some 25 or so of us turning up for the evening plus Cliff, Joan and some of the new generation of leaders at the 3rd. Laurence had flown in from Fiji and another of our number from the Caribbean so my journey from Peterborough was only a short hop. Memories of past activities were discussed together with the latest news on our children and grandchildren and for those of us with appointments our recent meetings at the World Jamboree & O2 dome. Yes as big as both these events were I bumped into the 3rd at Chelmsford and Cliff at the Dome.

So what am I saying - Scouting is a family and we should not confine our young people within our Group boundaries. Give them a chance to flourish and encourage them into our Explorer Units and back to your Groups through Young Leadership when they wish to retain Group ties. The Viking Venture Unit was and still is a success of encouraging inter Group sections. Donations gathered at our annual meeting continue to support the work of the 3rd. With good health I for one hope we will all be around to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Units formation in 2019.

Trevor Watson
District Commissioner - Nene District, Peterborough
Acting District Commissioner - Medehamstede District, Peterborough