Posts by: Slough Scouts

Slough District AGM Report

   |   By

Here is the District Report from the Annual General Meeting. Slough District AGM Report 2014

The best District with the Best people and part of the best County. To Quote Babe Ruth  “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” Bruce Clark – Ex District Commissioner

 

Tim Haggett takes over as new District Commissioner

   |   By

Tim HaggettIt is with a lot of excitement and a little apprehension(not sure that I would be human if there wasn’t) that I take over as District Commissioner of Slough District.

I joined the District back in 2006  from Cardiff, where I had several roles including Scout Leader, Acting Group Scout Leader and Assistant District Commissioner Scouts, and was immediately welcomed into the fold. From very early on I could tell that Slough District was a great place for all our youth members to be. There is a strong heritage and the want in every group to better themselves to make the experience that our members get an awesome one.

Now that being said, if back in 2006 you had told me that I would be taking over form Bruce I probably would have laughed at you, but having worked along side of Bruce as his deputy, I happily accepted the role.

My plan is to build on the growth that we have seen since 2007, while working with the existing groups and their teams to reach out to even more young people, to help the sections deliver even better programme and to strengthen the support structure and services we provide as a District Team to help make the lives of leaders at the coalface a little easier.

Bruce has left some big shoes to fill, having done a tremendous job leading Slough Scouting over the last ten years, but my plan is to fill those shoes and to lead the District onto bigger and better things.

Tim Haggett
District Commissioner

AGM Date Change

   |   By

 

The Slough District Celebration & AGM will now be held on the 9th June at 3rd Upton Scout hut from 18:30

You are Invited to Slough District Celebration & AGM

Free Dinner Included: Fish, Sausage or Vegetarian and Chips

Activities Include: Games for Kids, Adults Support Stalls Including, Training Advisors, Compass, OSM, District Activities, District Media Team and The County Training Team.

RSVP by email to [email protected] including your meal choice.

Bruce to retire as DC

   |   By

Over the past 10 years Bruce Clark has been the DC of Slough District Scouts.  At this years Annual General Meeting he will step down and handover the role to Tim Hagett.

Over the last 5 years Bruce has been instrumental in bringing over 50% more young people into the district, opening 3 new scout groups and countless other achievements.

“Bruce has put in tons of hard work, commitment and passion towards the scouting community.  As well as being District Commissioner for 10 years, I think it’s fair to say that Bruce will always have a position as District Commissioner in our hearts.” – Eric Moor (Explorer)

Slough Scouts Bowled Over to raise funds Japan Jamboree

   |   By

Slough Scouts chosen to attend next year’s prestigious World Scout Jamboree have taken part in a special ten-pin bowling event as part of their fundraising efforts.

The five Scouts selected to represent Slough, Berkshire and their country at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in Japan next year took over Absolutely Tenpin in Slough on Tuesday. A total of 90 people took to the bowling lanes to raise an impressive £870 towards the once-in-a-lifetime trip.

There was a distinctly Japanese flavour to the evening thanks to some of the Scouts choice of attire as they tried to strike up their fundraising totals.

In addition to the five Scouts, eight adult volunteers from Slough have also been selected in leader and staff roles. The group will be part of a contingent of 3,519 from the UK, who will make the intercontinental trip to Japan to join 40,000 Scouts from around the world next summer.

 

Aiden Boland 15, Jamboree participant:

It was a really enjoyable evening of bowling fun and it was a great way for us to combine a social event with fundraising for Jamboree. We have been so fortunate to represent Slough at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in Japan and we appreciate the huge amount of support that is coming our way. To raise nearly £1,000 while having fun is a fantastic achievement and it will contribute significantly to our combined fundraising efforts”

 

Part of the trip fees paid by UK Scouts goes towards a solidarity fund helping Scouts from less fortunate countries across the world to attend the Jamboree.

Among the supporters were 1st Langley Scouts, SAS Network – Slough’s 18-25 Scout provision, Edith Rose Nurseries Ltd and many family and friends.

 

Rebecca (Edith Rose Nurseries Ltd)

“I used to be an assistant Cub Scout leader in Surrey and know what amazing opportunities Scouting provides for Young People. We’ve come to support the Slough Scouts in heading to Japan. I wish them all the best.”

 

Niki Hickly, Supervisor, Absolutely Tenpin:

We are delighted to be able to help local charities raise money for good causes. As a not for profit organisation, it’s extremely important for Absolutely Ten Pin to reinvest revenue back into the community and this is one way we able to meet our charitable aims, the Slough Scouts group were a pleasure to have as our first of many charities and we hope to work with them again in the near future.”

5 Scouts from Slough have been selected to represent Slough, Berkshire and their country in Japan, 2015

   |   By

5 Young People have been selected to be part of the 45 from Berkshire attending the World Scout Jamboree in Japan in 2015. About a month ago they took part in an action packed selection weekend of different team activities with over 170 other applicants. Out of the 15 applications from Slough 5 were successful.

About Selection weekend

3519 Scouts from the UK will join over 30,000 Scouts from all over the world to attend the 23rd World Scout Jamboree, spending 12 days of activities and opportunities to make new friends and learn about other cultures. Scouts from the UK will also get the opportunity to stay with a host family for 3-4 days giving them a real insight to Japanese life.

 

Why do the Young People want to go to Japan?

Damien Woodall, Adult Volunteer “This is truly a once in a life time opportunity for these Young People. The trip will help each Young Persons confidence, communication skills and much more. They will build memories and friendships that will last forever.”

Bear Grylls, Chief Scout ‘The reason why Scouting remains the largest youth movement in the world is that it’s got great core values: it’s faith, it’s about friendship, it’s about fun – it’s all part of what we wanted when we grew up.’

These Young People are already starting fundraising for the trip and have spent the day bag packing at Sainsbury’s, Farnham Road. Part of the fees paid by UK Scouts goes towards a solidarity fund helping Scouts from less fortunate countries across the world attend the Jamboree. They are also planning to do much more fundraising on the lead up to their trip.

 

Explorers go Scuba Diving

   |   By

Slough Explorer Scouts were thrown in the deep end last week when 16 young people from Resolution Unit experienced a unique scuba diving evening.

The young people used the swimming pool at Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning for an introduction in scuba diving, led by DiveStyle. Each Explorer Scout was given an in-depth health and safety briefing and a lesson in using the equipment.

It was then into the pool for a trial dive with an instructor, who helped the young people learn safety techniques and get to grips with the bulky equipment.

Explorer Scout Eric Moor gives his view of the activity: “With a lovely big swimming pool ahead we were itching to get the equipment on and rush in. However, as most things start, we began with a little health and safety introduction, including how the equipment worked and how to use it. If I were going to trust this equipment for my time at DiveStyle I thought it important to listen and so we did. I found the quick talk short, simple yet incredibly informative and interesting so top marks to the instructors!

“We then got kitted up and in the pool in no time, as someone who has never scuba dived before I was incredibly nervous and I don’t think I was alone. It took me a while to get used to such an unnatural circumstance but after a while my nerves vanished and I felt at peace. I feel like a major part of this was due to the comfortable atmosphere we had with the DiveStyle instructors as they were always there for support under and above the surface.

“As the RESU Leaders joked about it being ‘The quietest the Unit has ever been’, I found the whole experience incredibly relaxing but loads of fun as we tried out different safety techniques such as removing our breathing apparatus and finding it again safely, working out how to control the heights we float at and filling our goggles with water and then emptying them whilst underwater.

“Of course, when seeing the instructors present these before asking us to do them I had no idea I would even attempt one, however as a part of the everyday adventure scouting provides, all of the group managed to try at least one of these frightening activities and the instructors seemed really impressed with us, especially Alex who managed to take off his goggles completely, put them on again and then empty them whilst underwater.

At the end of the session I was exhausted but I found it to be an amazing experience so thank you for the leaders for organising this visit and to the instructors at DiveStyle for the safe and supportive guidance and an overall unforgettable experience.”

You can watch a special video of the Scuba activities, created by Eric, at the following link: Slough Explorer Scouts Scuba Evening Video or read the news article published by the Slough Express here

Beaver Sleepover

   |   By

‘This weekend we took a visit down to Colnbrook C of E Primary school to take a look at what the District Beaver colonies were getting up to on their weekend sleepover. Just after they finished lunch we managed to catch them doing a range of activities from making healthy fruit kebabs to using the new district archery kit. Despite the slightly soggy weather conditions forcing Beavers to wrap up warm, I didn’t manage to see one unhappy face as everyone had something fun to do thanks to the leader teams involved. ‘

Beaversleepover

Explode 2013

   |   By

Explode 2013 was a camp for Explorers from all across Berkshire held at PACCAR Scout Campsite.

There was a huge range of activies to do from backwoods cooking to archery.
On the Sunday the army came in and ran a series of bases all around team building.

 

Here is a recap of Berkshire’s county Explorer Scout Camp, Explode 2013, an activity and social camp for Explorer Scouts in Berkshire. With over 110 Explorers from 7 of the 11 Districts represented.
Created by Eric Moor

30 amazing facts about Scouts

   |   By

Did you know that David Bowie’s first public performance happened at Scouts? Or that Hergé’s legendary character Tintin is based on a Scout? Read on for more eyebrow-raising factoids about Scouts.

David Bowie’s first public musical performance was at a Scout camp on the Isle of Wight in 1958. David accompanied his friend George Underwood on the ukulele, while George played washboard bass and sang.

During World War II over 50,000 Scouts trained to undertake National War Service jobs, including acting as police messengers, firemen and stretcher bearers.

31 million people are active in Scouting across the world – that’s equal to the population of Peru.

Scout Groups in Merseyside hold the current world record for the longest handshake chain.

Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys has sold 150 million copies since 1908, making it the fourth bestselling book of all time after The Bible, The Koran and Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book.

Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards credits Scouts with nurturing his music career. ‘I got to be patrol leader within six weeks – I just shot to the top. Once I had a bunch of guys together, it doesn’t matter if it was the Scouts or a band, I could see my way clear to pull all their various talents together.’

In the past one hundred years, over half a billion men and women have taken the Scout Promise.

In January 2012, Scout Bryony Balen became the youngest ever Briton to ski to the South Pole at 21.

There’s a Scouting poster in both the EastEnders and Coronation Street cafes.

To mark the centenary of Scouting in 2007, Scouts planted half a million trees across the UK.

There are only five countries in the world that do not have Scouting – China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Andorra.

Scouts were the original Olympic Games Makers. During the 1948 ‘austerity’ Olympics in London, Scouts were described as ‘The Oil within the Wheels of the Olympic Games Organisation’ – performing tasks like serving tea, running messages and carrying placards in the opening ceremony.

Gilwell Park, the Scouts’ UKHQ is home to part of the old London Bridge designed in the 19th Century by John Rennie. The rest is in Arizona.

Liam Payne from world-dominating boyband One Direction is a former Scout, as is ‘reem’ ankle watch-wearing TOWIE star Joey Essex.

Each day 100,000 people in the UK take part in Scouting activities – more than the capacity of Wembley stadium.

The first World Scout Jamboree in 1920 was attended by 8,000 Scouts from 34 countries as well as an alligator from Florida, a baby crocodile from Jamaica, a lioness cub from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), monkeys from South Africa, a baby elephant and a camel.

Georges Remi, aka Hergé, based his legendary comic-book character Tintin on a Scout.

Singer and DJ Jarvis Cocker donated the platinum disc for Pulp’s biggest ever album, Different Class, to his old Scout Group in Sheffield.

In 2012 Scouting was voted the UK’s most inspirational and practical charity.

The current and youngest ever Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, was one of the youngest people ever to climb to the summit of Mount Everest at the tender age of 23.

Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting Movement, was voted the UK’s 13thmost influential person of the 20th Century.

In 2009 a group of Cub Scouts (aged 8 to 10) lobbying against the ‘rain tax’ were banned from entering Parliament for being too young.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney went to Cubs together.

When Scout volunteer The Duchess of Cambridge was pictured wearing a pair of Le Chameau Vierzonard wellies, sales of the boots rocketed over 30%.

Scouts are in the news all the time! Each month more than 70 positive mentions are made on the radio, TV and in the papers.

Polar explorer Ernest Shackleton took two Scouts with him on his final expedition to the Antarctic on the RSS Discovery.

During Scout Community Week, 16,000 Scouts and volunteers across the UK cleared 800 tonnes of rubbish, which is equivalent to 65 full double decker buses.

Sea Scouts helped evacuate Dunkirk during World War II.

In the past decade, 43,000 girls and young women have joined Scouts, Cubs and Beavers. That’s the same as the population of Folkestone.

Scout Leaders contribute the equivalent of 37 million hours of voluntary work every year – worth an estimated £380 million.