G O V T A C E H T R E I R COU The Area
pring 2015
g.org
www.catvo
Issue 122 S Newsletter
St George's Day Awards 2015
ROLL OF HONOUR Each year we honour a few of the many
Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan leaders who give tirelessly of their time and energy to provide and support excellent Scouting adventures and activities for our young people. Recipients of these Awards have given exemplary service over many years: Congratulations to the following adults in CATVOG who have received awards in the St George’s Day list:Silver Wolf David Pendlebury, Afon District Gary Reeves, Afon District Peter Maskell, Afon District Barry Angus, Penarth and District Derrick Musk, Penarth and District
Bar to the Silver Acorn - Les Hancock, Afon District Barry Mawson, Afon District Rhod Walters, Afon District Keith Williams, Barry District Silver Acorn – Stephen Jones, Area Adviser for Water Ian McDowell, Afon District Robert Murphy, Afon District Gillian Irwin, Afon District Cynthia Jeffery, Vale District Jill Burge, East & South District Andrew Glencross, East & South District Mary Griffiths, East & South District Daniel Herlihy, Penarth and District Elizabeth Spackman, Penarth and District “Well done to everyone whose extra effort and inspirational actions are recognised this year”.
Wayne Bulpitt UK Chief Commissioner
Fun and Friendship Over 70 Beavers accompanied by their parents attended the recent Beaver Scout Awards Presentation evening, hosted by Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Scout Area. The Bronze Award certificates were presented by the Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councillor Margaret Jones. The Chief Scout’s Bronze Award is the highest award gained in The Beaver Scout Section.
Scouts and Explorer climbing competition There is to be a Climbing Competition, open to Scouts and Explorers, at Boulders Indoor Climbing Centre, Pengam Road, Cardiff, CF24 2RZ on Sunday 28th June 2015. Which Scouts or Explorers can climb the highest and which Troops and Units have the strongest teams? Entry forms and flyer can be found on the Events page of the website and the closing date is Friday 12th June 2015. If you are interested or want more details then please contact Andrew Peterken, Area Climbing Adviser at: climb@catvog.org
Are you on Twitter? If so follow @CATVOGScouts for the latest updates and news.
Unused kayaks/canoes
Area AGM 2015
e Annual General You are all invited to th out Council which Meeting of the Area Sc y 9th June 2015, will be held on Tuesda t. 7.30pm for 7.45pm star , Ferry Road, 13th Cardiff Scout HQ date in your diary Cardiff. Please put the ard to seeing you now and we look forw there.
New Area Website!
Planning work for the redevelop ment of the Area website has started. Please let us know if you have seen any good Scouti ng websites and what you would like to see on the new site. Contact: comms@catvog.org
Photo of the month March
Do you have any kayaks or canoes in your hall that are no longer used? Paddles, buoyancy aids etc? Do you want to get rid of them? If the canoes are made of fibreglass, they should be cut up and disposed of using the Council’s waste facilities. (Don’t burn them!!) However, if they are made of plastic, then they can be stored at Barry boat base and used by your Scouts and other Scouts. Contact Keith McIntyre 07855 463293 or email keith@7marine.co.uk and he will arrange for their collection.
Members of the Lord Mayor’s Own Scout Troop assisting the Lord Mayor of the City of Cardiff at a recent ceremony. Remember to keep sending your images in to comms@catvog.org
Swimming Gala 2015
The Gala was held in Penarth Leisure Centre on Sunday 29th March and my thanks go to all who took part, the Leaders in the Groups and the Area Swimming Team for making this years Gala another success. The top 3 results are as follows: Beavers 1st Cowbridge 14 1st Llanishen 9 3rd Llanishen 8 Cubs 1st Cowbridge 25 1st Penmark 21 1st Rhiwbina 21 Scouts 1st Penarth 43 1st Cowbridge 29 84th Cardiff 27 Overall Winners 1st Cowbridge 68 1st Penarth 64 3rd Llanishen 39 Congratulations to all who took part. Glenys Shelley
Area Scout Shop - Discounts! Certificates and record cards relating to the old scheme are being sold off at the Area Scout Shop at a discounted price. The certificates come in packs of 10 and are normally £3.50 per pack. They have been reduced to £2.00 per pack. Record cards are normally £2.50 and again are reduced to £2.00 per pack. They are available to purchase at the Area Scout Shop, The Hub, Maitland Street, Gabalfa, Cardiff, CF14 3JU which is open on a Saturday morning (term time only) 10am to 12pm. You can also contact the Area Office via email and phone and the certificates/ cards will be put aside for you to collect at an arranged time. They are being sold on a 1st come, 1st served basis. Items available include: Beavers - Record Cards, Well Done, Moving On, Investiture and Bronze Award Certificates Cubs - Record Cards, Well Done, Moving On, Investiture and Silver Award Certificates Scouts - Record Cards, Investiture & Gold Award Certificates • 10% commission on sales paid at the end of the year on sales of uniforms and resource materials • No postage charges • Items not in stock can be ordered and should be available the following week • Large stock of uniforms (much cheaper than other outlets) and other resources At the end of the financial year we paid almost £1,000 back to Groups as part of their 10% commission so why not check out the Area Scout Shop! scoutshop@catvog.org / 07982 560 810
Scouts take to the airwaves 1st Penmark / Porthkerry Scouts were lucky to participate in Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) with support from Barry Amateur Radio Society on the 19th October. By using amateur radio they were able to talk via HF to radio amateurs and other groups participating to obtain the "Communication Award". In addition, the Penmark group were given a demonstration on satellites and able to hear a transmission via satellites including FUNcube-1 (http://funcube.org.uk) an educational single CubeSat project with the goal of enthusing and educating young people about radio, space, physics and electronics. Sue Evans
Sam Cross 34th Cardiff Scout Troop
Derry O’Toole Meritorious Conduct Award
Sam Cross is a Scout from East and South District, 34th Cardiff Scout Troop, who throws himself at everything on offer and fully immerses himself within Scouting which is well known to all. However what is less well known is his condition, Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, through which he must be ventilated at night and has a pacemaker fitted due to further heart related issues.
“I can’t really explain what it feels like to save someone’s life. It’s quite a strange feeling” Derry O’Toole, our District Network Commissioner, has recently been awarded with the Chief Scouts Award for Meritorious Conduct after performing lifesaving CPR on one of his neighbours.
Despite his condition, Sam never lets it get in his way – from camps to kayaking he always finds a way to get involved and is too busy getting stuck in to bother mentioning it. Although as you can imagine despite his independent nature he still has some support from his mum, Sarah, who supports and encourages him to take part rather than wrapping him up in cotton wool. Therefore following Sam’s strong determination and positivity towards Scouting despite his condition, the decision was made by The UK Scout Association to award him with a Meritorious Conduct Award. As a District we are very proud of Sam, along with all his peers and family, and would like to wish him all the best going forward and hope he continues to enjoy Scouting and inspire others. Zach Carter East & South District
Archery sessions CATVOG have a team of instructors that are available to run Archery sessions at Miskin Mill Scout Campsite & for those camping at Jubilee Fields. All equipment is provided and a session is run for approximately 2 hours including a safety brief. Each session costs £40.
Derry has been involved with the District Team since the age of 16 initially working within the Beaver team and has since moved to his new role as of September 2014. He has also continued to volunteer at the 29th Cardiff Scout Group as an Assistant Scout Leader and as an Assistant Explorer Scout Leader with Phoenix ESU. In November 2013, he was approached by his neighbour when her friend had gone into cardiac arrest following a fault in her friend’s pacemaker. Fortunately due to the first aid skills Derry has acquired from the organisation, he was able to carry out CPR and support the paramedic’s when they arrived. Subsequently the friend has gone on to make a full recovery. Therefore following Derry’s quick thinking, The Scout Association has decided to award him with the Meritorious Conduct Award. As a District we are very proud of Derry and would like to congratulate him on his actions and wish his neighbour’s friend all the best in the future.
Ideal numbers are 12 Scouts per session although larger numbers may be accommodated but will result in a reduced number of shoots per person. This is based on four shooters at any one time. To book a session please contact Simon Miskin: archery@catvog.org
Beaver Scouts library sleepover Beavers for both 11th and 5th Barry Sea Scout groups attended a Harry Potter themed sleepover at Barry Library and participated in a variety of Harry Potter themed activities which included making their own Wand. The staff at the Library organised a very good treasure hunt around the ground floor of the Library which allowed them to learn all about the various statues and some of the books before spending the night sleeping amongst the books. For many of the Beavers from both Groups this was their first time sleeping out with the Beavers, earning them their 1st Nights Away. The Leaders of Both 11th Barry Sea Scout Group and 5th Barry Sea Scout Group want to say a big thank you to all at the library and the Council who helped put this on. In particular we wish to thank Gillian, Katherine and the Security Guard Adam, who put up with 50+ beavers disturbing what we're sure is normally a nice quiet night shift.
Gold DofE Awards
Congratulations to Emily Davies, Celts Explorer Scout Unit - Afon District Achieving the Gold Award has been described as a "marathon not a sprint" and requires substantial committment and persistence. Well done Emily on completing this prestigious Award.
Australian Scout enjoys Christmas in Cardiff Afon District Scouts received a special visitor. Nick, a Venturer form Melbourne Australia, who was hosted for 6 weeks by a Cardiff scouting family as part of the SCYEP exchange programme, which runs every year. He visited Phoenix ESU, 2nd Llandaff & 2nd Rhiwbina Scout Groups, and ran an Australian themed evening for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Nick also spent a weekend with The Kimono Dragons at their WSJ preparation camp at the beginning of December, making the camp truely international. The visit ended with a muddy visit to Gilwell Wintercamp, which was by far the coldest he had ever been! There was 15 Australian Venturers in this years contingent, staying at various locations around the UK, although Nick was the only Scout to be hosted in Wales. The Australian contingent spent a sightseeing week in London, before returning home. Leanne Church
Cowbridge Beavers & Cubs raise £500 for Marie Curie
Training team update
Another successful training weekend at Miskin was held on 20th – 22nd March. Although cold the weather did us proud and stayed dry. Over the last 12 months the Cowbridge Beaver Colony has been working with a local volunteer community garden, Old Hall Gardens in Cowbridge, as part of their Environmental Partnership Badge.
While the bulbs were planted Peter Knapp and his wife Jo turned up to lend their support. Jo used to be a volunteer Beaver Assistant Leader herself and so was keenly interested in what the Group was doing.
In early February the Beavers and Cubs sold sponsorship of 200 Welsh Narcissi bulbs to be planted in pots with local businesses donating the compost and pots. Selling at £3 each donors were asked to complete a ‘memory slip’ naming a person to be honoured which would be planted with the bulb. As it was Marie Curie Cancer Care that inspired the idea it was decided all proceeds from the bulb sponsorships would go to them.
The mayor formally opened the garden and Jean Humphries one of Marie Curie Cancer Care’s fundraising supporters received a cheque on behalf of the charity, thanked the Scouts for their efforts and then blessed the Garden in her other capacity as a lay preacher.
“The Scout Group set-up a stall outside the Town Hall and was particularly successful “ explained Cub Leader, Iris Simpson.
This has proved a wonderful opportunity for the Scout Group to create something that will have a lasting community impact and which everyone can share in and enjoy. “My only regret” added Eluned “was that we did not order more bulbs. 200 bulbs sounds a lot but actually looks quite a small number when you see them all planted.
There was much praise within the community for this initiative and raising an astonishing £570.73 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
“A lot of the Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and parents turned up in shifts to sell and there was a real party atmosphere. We were particularly delighted that Peter Knapp, the Mayor of Cowbridge, turned up to meet some of the young volunteers and congratu- As interest in the community has late them on their hard work sell- been so positive we may plant ing all of the bulbs. more bulbs next year”.
We had a total of 19 participants with a few just attending the odd module that they required. Modules included 5 (Fundamentals), 7 (Scouting for All), 8 (Working with Adults), 9 (Skills of Leadership) and 14 (Young People Today). For the last three weekends we have been able to use facilitators. They are a great asset to the team and the training works and flows better with these in place. Our activities included building the tallest newspaper tower, pick up sticks, the lego challenge and an egg hunt. A resident squirrel decided to take part in the egg hunt and chewed through one of our plastic eggs to get to the chocolate. Saturday evening ended with pub games kindly lent to us by Denis. A great evening. Details will be out soon regarding our July weekend. This includes those modules required for Nights Away, Practical Skills and Activities Outdoors. The emphasis being on a practical weekend. The weekend is July 4th - 6th so put the date in your diary. Lynn Thompson Area Training Manager
Water Activities Programme Activity Canoe training sessions
Date Venue Cost Contact May to July Barry Boat base Launching fee Steve Jones Wednesday Barry No1 Dock £1.50 per boat 2084 3725 evenings water@catvog.org 6.30 – 8.00pm Notes: Canoes, paddles, helmets & buoyancy aids etc will be provided. Groups can bring their own canoes if they wish. A series of evenings can be arranged to gain WCA canoe awards or ‘one of’ taster sessions Canoe taster day
Sat 26th September pm
Barry Boat base Barry No1 Dock
Launching fee £2.00 per boat
Canoe Flat water slalom competition
Date to be advised
Barry Boat base Barry No1 Dock
Entry fee £2
Sailing taster session
Sun 31st May
Barry Boat base Barry No1 dock
£5 per participant for groups of 6 - 12
Steve Jones 2084 3725 water@catvog.org Notes: This activity is a taster session for scouts who would like to try canoeing. Each session is 1.5 hours and times will be arranged to suit demand Rex Hendricksen 20751143 rexh@btinternet.com Notes: In slalom competitions, scouts have to negotiate a course consisting of ‘gates’ made from 2 poles hanging over the water, as quickly as possible, without touching the poles. Canoes & equipment will be provided but some experience is needed. Nigel Vick 07812 930001 nigelvick@aol.co.uk Notes: Sailing taster sessions can be arranged on other dates by arrangement with Nigel Vick. All equipment is provided Sailing improver sessions
May to July Barry Boat base £5 per participant Nigel Vick Monday evenings Barry No1 dock per session 07812 930001 6.00-9.00pm nigelvick@aol.co.uk Notes: These sessions are aimed at scouts & explorers who can sail, but would like to improve their skills to gain RYA awards Traditional rafting permits
By arrangement
Cosmeston Country park
£5 per person. Rex Hendricksen Max 4 at any one 20751143 session rexh@btinternet.com Notes: A rafting permit is required for B1 waters. Any leader wishing to obtain a permit will need to complete a theory session (1 evening) and construct a raft for some scouts to use at Cosmeston (1 evening) 3 Monday evenings Barry Boat base Cost to be advised Keith McIntyre RYA Power boat in May – dates to be Barry No1 Dock 07855 463293 course advised keith@7marine.co.uk Level 1 Notes: This course is intended for age 10 & upwards and will qualify the participants for the Power Coxswain activity badge Barry Boat base Cost to be Keith McIntyre 16th & 17th May RYA Power boat Barry No1 Dock advised 07855 463293 course keith@7marine.co.uk Level 2 Notes: This course is intended for age 12 & upwards and will qualify the participants for the Power Coxswain activity badge. It is not necessary to hold the level 1 certificate to participate Barry Boat Base
By arrangement
Barry No.1 Dock
Keith McIntyre 07855 463293 keith@7marine.co.uk Groups may use the launching facility at Barry Boat base by contacting Keith McIntyre in advance. Sailing craft & canoes/kayaks are available for use , or groups can bring their own craft – launching fee £1 Barry No.1 Dock Cost to be advised Keith McIntyre 18th&19th April Dragon boat helm 07855 463293 permit training & keith@7marine.co.uk assessment This course is intended for over 18’s who wish to helm a Dragon boat. The first day is training & the second assessment
Boat certificates
From 1st February 2015 the current boat certification & inspection scheme is discontinued. The new rules state that Scout craft must have a unique identifier i.e. name or number code, have appropriate marine insurance, and be judged ‘fit for use’ by the leader of the water activity.
11th Barry visit Westminister So what do you do with a group of Beavers and cubs on the first day of half term? Hire a coach and go to London. About a year ago a Scout from 11th Barry Sea Scouts decided to hold a fund raising evening to raise over ÂŁ500 to fund the purchase of a new Shelter Box for the Young Shelter Box Appeal. Amongst the guests was Alun Cairns MP who extended an invitation to the Scout and members of the 11th Barry Sea Scout Group to join him in a tour of Westminster Palace. So early on February 16th, a rather wet and dark monday morning the Beavers, Cubs, helpers and Leaders of 11th Barry along with our new District Commissioner, Chris Parsons, boarded a coach and made their way to London. First stop was the Imperial War Museum where the Beavers and Cubs spent time wondering around the various exhibits and buying presents from the gift shop. Following this they walked along the Thames, past Lambeth Palace Gardens and on to Westminster Bridge.
Passing through security at Westminster we headed to Westminster Hall where we were met by Mr Cairns and Hannah Kentish, The Scouts Association’s first ever UK Youth Commissioner. Mr Cairns introduced himself and explained the History of the hall including how Henry VIII used to play tennis in the hall which facinated them. Mr Cairns then took us for a short walk through the Palace to the Palmerston Room where he explained how Paliament works and answered lots of questions. Chris Parsons spent several minutes talking to the Beavers and Cubs before handing over to Hannah Kentish who explained a little about what she does. Akela took over and called up five Beavers who where linking with Cubs. These five then made the Cub Promise and were invested into Cubs. A Quieter than normal B.R.A.V.O. was shouted out by all the cubs to welcome the new members.
Chris Parsons made some presentations to the leaders. Firstly Bryan Foley, Group Scout Leader was presented his 15 years Service Award and Assistant Beaver Section Leader, Stephanie Murray, was presented with her Wood Badge. Bryan took the opportunity to present Mr Cairns and Hannah each with an 11th Barry Necker.
After saying our thank yous and goodbyes to Mr Cairns and Hannah the Cubs and Beavers were then given a fascinanting tour of the Palace which included the House of Lords and House of commons. Following the tour we made our way back to our coach and started our return journey to Barry. An exciting day was had by all with many memories to talk about.
Barry District Scouts Boat Base Barry District Scouts boating team are able to run all types of water activities and carry out all scouting activity badges. The team can run a 2 hours, half and full day sessions for all members in your Group which could include badge days, fun days or training events.
RYA Power and Sailing courses available for all members. Leaders are welcome to come and join the sessions to learn new skills and gain activity permits. For details please see the news section of the area website or email: barryscoutboatbase@gmail.com
Submission deadline for the next Courier is: Tuesday 30th June 2015 Editor: Gareth Johns c/o The Hub CATVOG Scouts Maitland Street Gabalfa, CF14 3JU