Group Scout Leaders Report

In our 6th year we’ve awarded a staggering 548 badges, including 11 top awards and organized numerous camps, hikes and other great activities. We opened our Explorer Unit, thereby completing our set of 4 independently-run sections, and had 5 international trips. We moved to a new location for Cubs and Beavers, which allowed us to finally split the Beavers and Cubs and promote growth. We are well on the way to completing 11 wood badges (adult training award) this year in our group, as well as all other adults working towards their required training. Four Nights Away Permits and two Snow Sports permits were also awarded. The ambassadors of the UK and USA attend our group AGM, and we launched the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in the Group. 5 of our members attended the World Scout Jamboree in the USA. We topped this off with a 70% increase in membership recorded at the annual census in January 2020, including a record number of new leaders and adults working in the group. So altogether a great year……….but then COVID 19 burst on us.

But the group rose to the challenge! After a short period of thought, our leadership team threw itself into providing online Scouting. We have seen a large number of our members taking part on a weekly basis, and the originality and creativity from all sections has to be applauded. We have also shared these ideas with other Scouting groups across British Scouting Overseas.

It has been sad that we could not provide all of the activities that Scouting is best placed to deliver. I hope that out of this global crisis, our group will emerge stronger. our membership numbers undamaged and our enthusiasm for Scouting renewed. As our Chair has already said in her report, we are working with British Scouting Overseas so that we can resume face-to-face Scouting again in the safest possible way.

As usual, I have a number of thank yous this year because the group is now very much a large team effort. Scouting could not happen for the four sections otherwise. I am overwhelmed by the efforts of my team and group executive to provide Scouting of the highest quality. We might not always do things perfectly, but we learn from our mistakes and we will make things even better in the coming year.

I would like to offer particular thanks to our host schools, Riverside International School and Park Lane International School and their staff. To Eleanor Hammond, Group Executive Chair, for her guidance and patience. To Jana Pavková, our Treasurer, whose workload has increased significantly due to our expansion. To Alastair Hammond for his wise council and his huge efforts in starting the Explorer Section, for which he has been awarded a Commissioner’s Commendation for Good Service. To Chris Wait (Baloo) who has also moulded a fabulous leadership team in the Cub Section, overseen our successful move to Park Lane, and who also spent part of the 2019 summer at the World Scout Jamboree in the USA. He has also been recognised with a Commissioner’s Commendation. To Jenny Kyselá-Heikkinen (Sleepy), my right hand for so many of the last few years: we simply could not have got this far without you. To Manon Frot, whose amazing admin skills have supported the group’s training as well as running the Scout Section. Thank you all!

I would also like to highlight the work of Chisato Hashizume (Bambi). Just before the virus lockdown, she took over as Beaver Scout Leader. This meant that she hadn’t had much chance to get her feet under the table with normal Scouting when she was thrown into Scouting Online. I would like to thank her for her enthusiasm for this and the work she has

To my leadership and admin teams, thank you all! 1st Prague has become a shining light in Scouting, and it’s all down to you. Thank you for volunteering, and for giving up your valuable time for all the young people we lead. You are each of you stars.

I would also like to highlight a few other much-needed thank yous. To Chris and Julie Roberts for letting us use their basement for the last year to store our kit, a huge thank you. Thank you to Steve Entwistle, our former group secretary, who stepped down after the 2019 AGM, and who was a great source of guidance and enthusiasm from our earliest days. Thank you to Dominic Afriat, outgoing District Commissioner for all his support, and to our Local Training Manager John Marr and his wife Chrissy for all their help with training this year. Thank you to Dale Turnbull, Assistant Scout Leader, who left us to return to the UK but who still helps us out online.

Finally, a huge thank you to my partner Simona and my daughter Mia for putting up with me spending many hours Scouting.

Let’s look forward to a great uninterrupted year to come!

Simon ‘Mang’ Burgess Group Scout Leader gsl@praguescouts.cz

Group Leaders Training Day 12th October 2019