Diary Dates

Uniform prices

A number of items of uniform have gone up in price recently and the new prices will come into effect at the District Store from 1 November - these include all the polo shirts (Beaver through to Leader), Beaver sweat shirts (new price £9.50), Scout shirts (£16), Explorer shirts (£17.50), Leather belts (£10), ties (£10), plastic woggles (18p) and baseball caps (£4.50).  Send your parents up to the store before the end of October (it's not open half term week - 28 October) to save them some money.

The store is open on Thursday evening from 7.45pm to 9.15pm during term time in the Morden Hall HQ.

Swimming Gala

Many thanks to Michèle McNamara and her team for organising the first Wimbledon and Wandle Cub Gala.  12 Packs took part and the results were as follows:

NT Fayre - Children's Corner

A special meeting was held on 21 September to discuss the future of this event.  Before any plans or detailed discussion with Four Seasons (the organisers of the Fayre) can take place, we need a new organising team as Bill Vaudrey is not well and Cliff Condon feels that he has done it for long enough.  While every help and guidance will be offered to the new team, new people and new ideas could give the event a much needed lift!  If you would like to take on the project but want to know more, please contact Bob Prescott or Cliff .

District Badge

At last we have our new District Badge.  Supplies have been issued free to all Groups based on their census figures and both badge secretaries have stocks for sale.

If you have not seen the badge yet, have a look here.

Morden Hall Park HQ

Trophies

Wimbledon and Wandle District deserves some decent trophies for the many activities which the Sections are organising.  However, trophies are extremely expensive and it seems sensible to review what we already have across the District and decide which can be re-used and which should be archived.  If you hold a trophy - whether it was for a current competition or event, or one which has not been held for many years - please get it to Cliff Condon or Dave Gould, or leave it at the District Store on a Thursday night.  Once they are all in, a decision can be made on the way forward.

Just a reminder that the County Beaver Leaders Skills Day (based around the Five Programme Zones) is on 28th November at Bow Lane (County Base) and is suitable for Beaver Leaders, their Assistants and other adults regularly helping with Colonies.  This will be a good opportunity to obtain activity skills/ideas  and, of course, don't forget the chance to network with other Leaders during the day.  If you wish to attend, and haven't already notified me, please do get in touch.

Also, if you would like to volunteer some time on the day to assist with some of the activities for our District's Zone (Exploring the World Around Us) then please let me know.

Swimming Gala - thanks to all the packs that took part and the Leaders & Explorer Scouts who gave up their time to help run the gala. Congratulations to the 14th Wimbledon who won both the Pack trophy and the relay. I have a number of items of lost property, which I shall bring down to the Morden Hall Park DHQ on Thursday if anyone would like to claim them.

 
Handicraft Competition  - Don't forget our next event is the handicraft competition at the 22nd Wimbledon HQ on November 7th. The last entry date for this competition is the 15th October if your pack has not registered its intention to participate with me by that date they will not be allowed to take part. Cost £10 per pack. Cheques to be made payable to Wimbledon & Wandle District Cub Acc.

Remember next CSL meeting November 3rd at Morden Park DHQ at 20.00 hours.

Our last Scouters' meeting at the beginning of September was not particularly well supported but there was sufficient interest in a Swimming Gala amongst those present for us to make the decision to proceed with it. After the event we will review its successes and any weaknesses to identify whether the concept of a Scout Section Gala is viable for the future.

Details for our Incident Hike based around Boidier Hurst on Sunday 7th November have been circulated and entries should be with Andy Edmonds by Sunday 17th October. The activity will be designed around the number of entries received by that date so please ensure that you get your entry in as soon as possible if you plan to have a team.
If your Troop has not entered the event before and you wish to know more about it please call Andy or myself.
Link: Incident Hile Details

Our Troop Quiz will be held at the Sacred Heart Edge Hill Upper Hall on Wednesday 17th November. Several Scouters volunteered to supply a set of questions and I have already received one of them. If you agreed to do this, please let me have your questions as soon as possible so that the organisation can be completed.

The Section Scouters' Christmas Meal is booked for Tuesday 14th December and will be held at Park Place in Mitcham. A deposit of £5 per person is required to secure your place at the table to enjoy the meal and the high standard of conversation, intellect & wit for which the Section is rightly renowned.

Please let Andy have your payment by Saturday 9th October so that numbers can be confirmed to the restaurant.
Link: Christmas Meal Details

September got off to a great start when 16 Network members attended the Gilwell Reunion, and not only met the new Chief Scout, Peter Duncan, but had a photo taken with him. We also had our very own Network 'barman' with us, from Wimbledon and Wandle no less. Anthony Ginty is a member of the Queen's Scout Working Party, and ensured a first class service to the thirsty 'Networkers' from GLSW !

The following weekend, on September 11, a small group headed for Poole Harbour and a 'reprise' Mystery Investiture without the 'mystery'! Gale force winds prevented sailing and canoeing, but did allow the journey by ferry to Brownsea Island following a leisurely stroll across the Purbeck Hills. After a good night's sleep on B.P's original 1907 campsite, everyone got stuck into some pioneering during Sunday morning before striking camp and going to the 3pm church service at St Mary's. Upon arrival it was discovered that we had more than doubled the congregation, and had volunteered ourselves to pump the organ and read both lessons. However, it was a memorable occasion for the five Network members, including Ed and Sam Jones(formerly of Raynes Park ESU) who reaffirmed their Scout Promise and were invested.

Network is very much in recruitment mode, and on September 23 took a table at the Kingston University 'Freshers Fair', where 'Welcome leaflets' and free tins of 'Network Beans' were handed out - nothing like a bit of bribery and corruption!

Looking ahead to the autumn, we return to Dartmoor for another Queen's Scout Expedition at half-term, while on November 14 three Queen's Scouts from GLSW will be on duty at the Cenotaph in Whitehall for Remembrance Sunday.

The 'Winter Meet' will be held from January 7-9 at Dewerstone Cottage, and application forms will be available shortly. Places are limited to 24 so a quick response is advised. Apart from the walking and climbing there will be a slap-up dinner on the Saturday night.

The Easter Assessment for Queen's Scout and Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award Expeditions will take place from 28 March until 3 April in the Yorkshire Dales. Further information and a booking form can be located on the County website - www.glscouts.org.uk/network

Next summer will see approximately 15 Network members at Eurojam as International Service Team staff, while an even larger number will be heading for Sweden and four days log-rafting before joining the Service Team at Edda 2005. Please ask for an application form if interested. The Belarus Project Network has metamorphosed into the GLSW International Network, which will operate as an umbrella for all future GLSW Scout Network activity abroad. A meeting for those interested in this Network will be held shortly.

And finally, we are pleased to announce that there will be a GLSW Explorer Belt Expedition in July/August 2006. All Network members and Explorers aged 16 and over will be eligible. Watch out early in 2005 for details.

Recent Events:
Sunday, 5th September visit to Kew.  Sadly, due to lack of response, this trip was cancelled.  Thank you though to David and John for their efforts.
Wednesday 22nd September - a very interesting talk on life as a BBC photographer was given.  Attendance, however, was poor.  Thank you to Bill and Enid for arranging the talk and for the refreshments.

Forthcoming Events:
Sunday, 10th October - Ten Pin Bowling at the David Lloyd Centre.  Please contact Dave Gould a.s.a.p.

Best wishes to Jean Brumwell, John Prior and Bill Vaudrey who are now all out of hospital and recovering at home.  Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Jean Waro who is in hospital at the moment.

Birds of Prey

The 8th Wimbledon are celebrating 95 years of Scouting and one of the special events they have planned is a special display from the Raptor Centre in Tunbridge Wells.  This will take place from 7pm to approximately 8.15pm on Thursday 25th November at Wimbledon Chase Primary School.  The cost is only £2 per person and everyone is welcome but bookings must be made as soon as possible and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  Contact Ron Crabb.
Link: More Details

First Aid for Young Leaders

The 14th Wimbledon have moved house!