Diary Dates

Census

See Bob's comments above - we hope to be able to publish full details next month.

Appointments Sub Committee - Joan Burgess

• Warrants agreed:

  • Gillian Blackhall - ABSL, 8th Wimbledon
    

  • Joe Rogerson - ESL, Mitcham ESU

• Working with Group:

  • Helen Mavin, 5th Morden
    

  • Christopher Vickers, 16th Morden
    
  • Jonathan Lyle, 22nd Wimbledon
    
  • Catherine Thomas, 22nd Wimbledon

• Warrants cancelled:

  • Karen Paxton, 36th Mitcham

CRB forms

The CRB have issued revised instructions and help sheets to assist in the accurate completion of the forms.  All GSLs have been sent full details, which should be available for all Leaders. 

The CRB Form is at the moment being revised reducing the paragraphs to be completed. These are scheduled to be available in April.  

All CRB forms should be returned to Robert Brumwell together with a signed covering note. Additional forms are also available from him.

Reviews
GSLs are now responsible for all Warrant Reviews.
Details, and a copy of the Review Form, have been sent to GSLs.  Completed reviews should be returned to Joan Burgess.

Links

If you would like to join the people reminded by email when each new edition is published, just send an email to links@wimbledonandwandlescouts.org to be added to the list.

District Store

Just a reminder that the Store will be closed on the first two Thursdays in April for the Easter holidays.  It will re-open on 20th April.

www.where-wolf.com

Check out the above web site for a grid reference finder.  This little card makes pin-pointing map references much easier.

Fridge

If you are planning on changing your fridge but your old one still has some life left in it, the Bow Lane Scout Centre is looking for a standard size fridge to fit under a work surface.  Please contact Cliff Condon if you can help.

Joan Condon

It's good to see Joan out and about again.  She sends the following message:

"Through the pages of Links, may I say Thank You to all who sent cards and best wishes during my recent illness. I am now on the road back to good health."

Mary White

I am also pleased to say that Mary White is recovering well and back home in Morden.  For the time being, however, Lesley Bixby will continue to sell the badges at the District Store on Thursday evenings.

Keys

Have you lost a bunch of keys.  They were found at Bow Lane Scout Centre but do not fit the locks there.  Contact Cliff Condon if you think they may be yours.

Boat

The 1st Morden have the hull of a 15' speedboat for sale.  It has been re-sprayed recently.  There is no trailer but they will deliver it.  Contact Dave Bixby to discuss details.

Swimming Gala

Despite the bug creeping round the schools that reduced the number of entrants, the combined Cub & Scout Swimming Gala proved to be an enjoyable evening that suggests that the event should remain in the Sections' calendar.
Thanks go to the crack team of Gala Operatives, led by Michèle McNamara, for their efforts in providing the event.

Congratulations to the 1st Lower Morden who won the Group & Cub trophies and to the 22nd Wimbledon who took the Scout honours.

The full team results are available by clicking here.

Please provide feedback from leaders & young members on the Gala at the Sectional or GSLs' meeting.

Lost property:  2 items of lost property left after the Gala: a lady's scarf (red) and a water bottle (England).
Michèle McNamara has both of these so please contact her if you think they are yours.

Training

Anyone can do, or re-visit, any module and is welcome to apply.

Applications can be made as follows:

• If you are re-visiting a module as 'ongoing learning', apply via GSL to Joan Condon

• If you already have a 'Training Advisor' apply via them to the Local Training Manager

• If you have completed part of the old style training - any warrant holder in this position will have had a letter from County and will have been told what modules they must do to complete their training.  They will be assigned a County Training Adviser on the first module they attend and then given the opportunity to get the modules validated.  Please note that some modules have new or additional material in them although they still hold the 'old' training name.  If you have any questions or you need application forms, please contact Joan Condon or Brian Beckley.

• Any warrant holder, holding a warrant prior to December 2004, and so far has had 'no' training needs, should contact their Line Manager/GSL who should have completed module 1 and got the module 2 workbook for them.  (Module 1 is available on video from LTM, module 2 is available from HQ cost £5).  You can then select the modules you need to do and start training.  If you have any questions or you need application forms, please contact Joan Condon or Brian Beckley.

On Sunday 22nd January 116 Cubs attended the badge day at Bow Lane HQ where they all earned their communicator badge by taking part in many different activities. Thank you to all the Leaders and helpers who gave up their Sunday to make it a success.

On February 8th we held a District Cub quiz. This was requested by the Packs that formally belonged to Wimbledon District, once again, however this was poorly attended by the Wimbledon side of the District. In fact only 7 Packs entered in all.

If we are running the wrong kind of activities or too many, you can let us know at the CSLs' meetings but, if you don't attend anything, we can only assume that everything is all right. The DCSLs' and I are trying to visit each Pack but this is a big job on top of all the other things we are responsible for; our numbers are in the directory, so please do contact us if you have any problems, queries or ideas.  I have also asked each Pack to let me have a short report for the minutes, even if you are unable to attend the meetings; at the last count only 7 packs had bothered to send a report.

Five leaders and myself attended an Explorer Training Day run by Graham Haddock the National Commissioner for Explorer Scouts and four of his team. It was an honour to have them in our County as they travelled from all around the country to run the day. We had an interesting time and have several ideas to discuss at our next District meeting.

P.S. I have a few fabric-covered airbeds available for the first caller (1 double & 3 singles). I believe that at least one of the singles has a puncture that deflates overnight. Anybody is welcome to these for free. I am unable to test them, as I do not have a pump!

Two Network teams from GLSW took part in this year's Southern 50 Challenge Hike. Out of a field of 20 teams in the 'blue riband' 50 mile event, they were placed 4th and 6th respectively. 'The Walking Blues' even managed to win the 'Sharon Blower' trophy as the highest placed 'mixed team'. The next long distance hiking event is the '4 Inns Walk' in April, and plans are afoot to enter an experienced team.

The annual Mountaineering weekend in February was well supported and much enjoyed despite the minibus breaking down on the way to North Wales. A full day's hill walking and scrambling was undertaken on the Saturday, followed by some indoor climbing arranged for us by Bob Lewis on the Sunday morning at the Joint Forces Mountain Training Centre.

On April 22 we are holding a 'St George's Day' celebration Barn Dance, and tickets are now available from myself, price £6 or 4 for £20. There will be a 'live' band and some delicious food, but 'byob' ! A week on, and we shall be taking the field at the Richmond Athletic Ground in the preliminary  rounds of this year's Middlesex Sevens. Network members should contact me immediately if they wish to play as training sessions are being arranged.

Our summer plans are now well advanced. Several members are going to the Seychelles, and a larger group to Lithuania for the County Explorer Belt expedition. The base camp team includes Catherine Golden and Alex Minajew.

Several Network members are about to 'tie the knot', and a special badge has been produced to recognise their achievement !

Details of the forthcoming spring/summer programme will be published in the next issue of 'Links', but a rolling list of events can be viewed on www.glswscouts.org.uk/network

February has been a fairly quiet month for the Fellowship.  We do however, have our Annual General Meeting on Sunday 19th March, 8.00 p.m. at the Wandle DHQ.  This is a very important event in our calendar and we would like all members to attend.  We are hoping to invite our new ACC to the meeting and look forward to seeing you all there.  Light refreshments will be provided.

Reminder:
Sunday 23rd  April, St George's Day
Wednesday 26th  April - Beetle Drive and Fish 'n' chip supper.  Further details about both events later.

Of the 26 teams who entered the County Cooking competition, 8 came from 5 Troops in Wimbledon and Wandle.  Congratulations to the East Mitcham A team, who won with 69 points and to the teams from 1st Morden (A and B), 8th Morden (A and B), 19th Wimbledon, 22nd Wimbledon and East Mitcham B who all did extremely well.

District Cub Quiz

Many thanks to the teams who supported the first District Cub Quiz on Wednesday 8th February - thanks also to Alison and Michèle for keeping the scores and to Mia for sorting out the refreshments.  The full results are available by clicking here.

• 22nd Wimbledon 132 points

• 1st Lower Morden 107

• 11th Mitcham 101

Congratulations to them and well done to the two teams from the 5th Morden and those from 6/12th Mitcham, 1st Wimbledon and 13th Wimbledon who also took part.