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SCOUTING Scouting Editors: Hilary Galloway, Elis Matthews, Dave O’Carroll and Rose Wells Team Administrator: Vicky Jacobs The national magazine of The Scout Association ISSN 0036 – 9489 © 2011 The Scout Association Registered Charity Numbers 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland) Published by: The Scout Association, Gilwell House, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW Tel: 0845 300 1818 Fax: 020 8433 7103 Email: scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk Website: www.scouts.org.uk/magazine Contributions to: scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk Please note that the views expressed by members and contributors in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Scout Association. Publishing Management: Think, The Pall Mall Deposit, 124-128 Barlby Road, London W10 6BL Sub-editors: Rica Dearman and Marion Thompson Art Director: Ian Hart ADVERTISING Sales Executive: Richard Ellacott richard.ellacott@thinkpublishing.co.uk Tel: 020 8962 1250 Printed and distributed by: Headley Brothers Ltd Printed on 100% recycled paper

CONTRIBUTORS Charley Boorman, biker, traveller, presenter and adventurer, answers your questions on page 30.

Dutch Scout Larah de Groot is looking after the Netherlands’ Home Hospitality (HoHo) for post-World Scout Jamboree on page 39.

LOG ON – DON’T MISS OUT If you have moved house, want to change your section supplement or amend your personal details, you can update with a click of the mouse: • Sign up at www.scouts.org.uk – you only need to do this once. You will need your unique membership number to hand (this can be found on the address sheet that comes with Scouting magazine) • Log on • Update your details and anyone else’s you are line manager for • Logging on today also means you can access Programmes Online, the revolutionary programme planner!

VALUING TIME AND

TREASURES The next character trait on our list of seven Scouting principles is this: ‘A Scout makes good use of Time and is careful of possessions and property.’ The one factor that all of mankind has in equal measure is time – we all have 24 hours in each day, and how we use it really matters. When we all reach the end of our life and look back, those of us who have used our time wisely will reap the rewards – there will be a trail of good relationships, fun adventures and meaningful achievements. Conversely, if we are lazy, and waste time on too much TV and video games, we aren’t going to have much to look back on with pride. All our lives are products of all the many daily small decisions we make – so use your 24 hours, or 1,440 minutes, wisely! The second part of this principle is about being careful with our possessions and property. We live in a consumer-driven world, where if something breaks, we chuck it. That is bad for the soul and the environment. Learn to fix things and to look after your things. When I meet people who are careful and grateful for the possessions they have, I am always impressed. One final note: being careful is different from being stingy. Being careful means being full of care – so sharing your possessions is a vital part of this principle. (Although I don’t always succeed when telling my two-year-old to share his little wooden tractor!)

Bear Grylls, Chief Scout MORE ONLINE

Visit www.scouts.org.uk/magazine to read more features, watch videos and enter competitions

100,685 average circulation from 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2010

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Contents

REGULARS

FEATURES

9 IN BRIEF 11 MAILBOX 12 NEWS | Events, campaigns and updates 25 FOR/AGAINST | Should practical skills be part of the Wood Badge module? 53 CAMP COOKING | A beefy barbecue recipe from TV chef James Martin 54 HEALTH & WELLBEING | Keeping your teeth clean and healthy at camp 76 COMPETITION | Win circus kit and a copy of Essential Knots 81 ROUND OUR PLACE | One Member reveals why a new National Scout Activity Centre is her second home 82 FIVE MILES WITH… | Woodhouse Park Activity Centre volunteer Sue Gillett

20 3,000 SCOUTS, 18 COUNTRIES, 1 EVENT | What Home Hospitality can offer Scouts after the World Scout Jamboree ends 26 24 HOURS LATER | The Birkenhead Gang Show does two performances in 24 hours – in venues 212 miles apart 30 ‘SCOUTS ARE LIKE THE IRISH – THEY TRAVEL WELL’ | Charley Boorman tells us about travelling, biking and Scouting 32 10 WAYS TO BETTER FUNDRAISING | Top fundraising tips and a project to help Ugandan Scouts 36 THE RIGHT FIT | How Scouting helped one woman with chronic back problems feel useful again

39 GOING DUTCH | Larah de Groot prepares us for HoHo in the Netherlands 40 A VISION FIT FOR THE FUTURE | What Scouting will look like in 2018 44 THRILLS AND SKILLS | A camping weekend for leader training 47 SKILLS & ACTIVITIES | All things aviation, plus a new book on tying knots 56 GOING PLACES | Summer excursion ideas for the whole family 61 PEAK PRACTICE | Hill walking in the Peak District

S T N E T N O C OPINION

7 GLOBAL GATHERING | UK Chief Commissioner Wayne Bulpitt on what makes a great Scouting leader, plus more from the blog

PARTNERSHIPS 63 PROMOS & RESOURCES

IN THE SUPPLEMENTS ST GEORGE’S DAY The 2011 list of award recipients | BEAVERS Fun nights away,

a UK group abroad, plus Ben Nevis Beaver | CUBS Bushcraft, safe outdoor ideas and a focus on Fundays | SCOUTS Camp challenges, teaching effective use of firelighters and a programme in pictures | EXPLORERS How to celebrate a Unit’s birthday, plus making the most of adult volunteers | NETWORK Aberdeen Network tells us how it does it, with events that bring all sections together | FOCUS Recruitment special and an awards night with a difference

All available at scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Opinion

WHAT MAKES A GREAT ? R E D A E L G N I T U SCO UK Chief Commissioner s the question Wayne Bulpitt ponder

y the time you read this, we will have completed the 12th and final District Commissioner and Group Scout Leader Forum. We have met with more than 2,500 local managers across the UK to discuss our Vision 2018 plan and explored ways in which we can support them in taking this forward. (Read more about our vision on page 40.) We have some exciting goals in place to build on the immense successes we have collectively achieved over the past ten years. The vision is to develop this further, ensuring all young people have the same opportunity to benefit from the difference that Scouting can make to their lives. For me, the key to achieving success is to have motivated all leaders in our Groups and Districts (ie you!). The best way to achieve this is to aim for this at all levels. There is no doubt that an effective Group Scout Leader and District Commissioner will, in turn, make the leaders in their respective teams feel inspired and supported. By identifying what it takes to be a great Scouting leader, we can help make Scouting an even better experience.

You can find out more about how we plan to turn this dream into a reality in local meetings over the coming months and you will have the opportunity to shape future work aimed at supporting you to achieve our vision.

Wayne Bulpitt is UK Chief Commissioner. Email him at ukcc@scouts.org.uk or write to him at The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW. Catch up with his blog at www.scouts.org.uk/ccblog

from the blog

SCOUTING, THE REAL ESSENCE OF A BIG SOCIETY

For me, Scouting and Guiding is an example of the local community helping itself, through volunteers or other support that communities and local businesses offer to Scouting. In a similar vein, I noticed at the very end of the evidence given to the Education Select committee into services for young people, that those organisations that rely primarily on paid youth workers were promoting the myth that somehow paid youth workers are more ‘professional’ than volunteers. Wayne ‘I believe the Big Society is based on local communities developing groups, raising their own funds and taking advantage of grants when available. This is a bottom-up approach, which truly provides what the community wants and is what Scouting does day in and day out.’ Steve ‘A little while ago, I attended a community and voluntary sector event about managing volunteers, with a focus on issues of confidentiality and responsibility. One (paid) youth worker commented that volunteers shouldn’t have access to confidential information, as they didn’t have the training or conditions of service to deal with it appropriately. ‘I pointed out that Scout training is recognised by the ILM, that all our volunteers sign up to follow the Association’s policies and procedures for handling sensitive or confidential material. After that we got on really well – and she asked to keep in touch as her organisation would be interested in working with Scouting on common issues.’ Duncan www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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In brief

A snapshot of Scouting past, present and future – all on one page

Going up

What’s popular in the world of Scouting?

↑ Social media campaign. Thousands of Scouts took part in our call to ‘put a scarf on it’ (see News). Well done, all. Next year’s campaign will ask you to ‘put a woggle on it’ – where Scouts will be asked to glue woggles to the tips of their shoes for the day. What fun that will be! Find out more at www.scouts.org. uk/april1 ↑ Scout time. You put your

clocks forward recently, didn’t you? Next year, you won’t. From 1 April 2012, Scouts all over the world, who already share a Promise and an ideal, will be asked to share the same time. What better way to feel part of a global Movement than to know that we all eat breakfast or sleep at the same time? More information at www.scouts.org.uk/april1 as we have it.

↑ One lucky Scout is to be given the opportunity for interstellar adventure. We are launching a search for an astronaut Scout to test backwoods cooking, navigation skills and flag breaks on the moon’s surface. To apply for a place on the Frontiers On Operating Lunar Scouting project, visit www.scouts.org.uk/april1

Ask the Information Centre The Scout Information Centre is a unique place. Its team of dedicated and friendly advisers is there for you between 8am and 7pm weekdays and 9am and noon on Saturdays. It can help with any Scouting-related questions you have. No question is too silly – the team has heard it all before. Call now on 0845 300 1818 or 020 8433 7100, or email info.centre@scouts.org.uk

Tips for registering on scouts.org.uk

The Scout Information Centre has some handy hints for those who may be registering for the first time on The Scout Association’s website: 1) Make sure the details you enter on the registration page match those on your record. 2) Make sure your name is entered in full and not as a ‘known as’ name. 3) Ensure the first and surnames are entered with a capital letter at the start and the rest in lower case. 4) Check your Membership Number is eight digits in length and your date of birth is in the dd/mm/yyyy format. 5) Choose a unique username. ‘Akela’ or ‘Skip’ has probably already been taken. 6) If you are still experiencing issues, call 0845 300 1818 or 020 8433 7100 for assistance.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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MY TRUE

NATURE MY TRUE

NATURE Photography

MY TRUE

NATURE Photography

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Mailbox Email us at scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk or write to Scouting magazine, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW

y a s r u o y e v Ha STAR LETTER

Right up your Baden-Powell street Following last issue’s request to send in photos of you beside any street named after our famous Founder, Baden-Powell, a family of Scottish Scouts went one step further. David and Sarah are photographed beside a street sign in Albufeira, Portugal. The street was named after B-P in celebration of the Centenary of Scouting in 2007.

Shirts: in or out? In the February/March issue we dared to ask: Should Scouts tuck their shirts in when in public, or is leaving them out more in keeping with a modern and relevant Movement? The debate raged on into the social media stratosphere. Here are some of your comments from our Facebook page: There’s an age-old saying, ‘you’ll never be a Scout with your shirt hanging out’. I believe that if you are wearing full uniform then it should be neat and tidy and tucked in, especially for special events. Andrew Watt Being 19 and a leader I can understand the fashion sense Scouts feel with their shirts untucked. I myself let my shirt slip out at weekly meetings, but not if it involves being in the public eye or getting photos taken. Jake

The writer of the star letter will receive a copy of A Complete Guide to Scouting Skills, also available from www.scouts.org.uk/shop

I personally feel that there shouldn’t be a set rule saying whether or not shirts should be tucked in or not because, at the end of the day, each Scout Group is different. Sam, Scout Turn to page 25 for this issue’s hot debate.

Last Laugh hooray Our long-serving cartoonist, Ian West, sends a thank-you message: ‘By now you will have realised that Last Laugh has disappeared from the pages of Scouting. Magazines must constantly adapt to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of their readers and, after more than 2,000 drawings, it’s time to stop.

‘I’d like to say thanks to all those who, for the past 25 years, have followed Last Laugh, habitually turning to the back pages to glance at the cartoons before progressing to the more serious issues inside. ‘I still draw many cartoons, so keep your eyes open – my work will always be in a book, magazine, newspaper, advertisement or website somewhere near you.’ www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Events, updates and news from around the UK

news Bonita Norris to headline Reunion 2011 2-4 September

Bonita Norris, the youngest British woman to climb Mount Everest, will be just one of the special guests at this year’s Reunion. Open to all adults in Scouting, the weekend provides the chance to try an activity, learn something new or share ideas and skills. On Saturday, bases and stands will focus on sectional support, with everything from how to deliver a badge to where to go for your next camp, plus some programme ideas in between. Sunday will be a day of free workshops, training and activities designed to help you in your role. There will also be the usual mix of socials, entertainment and networking opportunities. To book or to run a workshop, training or activity, contact the Reunion Team at gilwell.reunion@ scouts.org.uk or visit www.scouts.org.uk/reunion

Days out travel This issue showcases some of the best days out in the UK (see page 56). Remember, if you’re travelling by minibus for Scouting purposes you will need to have a section 19 minibus permit. This will allow you to make a charge to passengers without having to obtain a PSV operator’s licence. In the past, we have issued beige colour permits (like a tax disc) and these would last indefinitely. The Department of Transport changed the permits two years ago. These are now purple and will last for five years. Those that have the old-style beige permits will need to replace them by 2014. You can apply for a new permit by contacting the Information Centre on 0845 300 1818.

Smokin’

Scouts and leaders from across the UK had their sights set on the recent National Small-bore Rifle Association’s British Airgun Championships. Kingston Explorer Scout Michael took the prize for becoming the British Junior Champion for 10m Air Rifle. The title of British Champion 10m Sporter Air Rifle went to Stephen Waters, a County Skills Instructor from Hampshire, and British Junior Champion 10m Sporter Air Rifle went to Buxton Explorer Scout Hannah Davies-Jones. Michael also picked up the trophy for the Class A 10m Air Rifle Aggregate and Danielle Blinco, another Explorer Scout from Buxton, took home the trophy for the Class C 10m Air Rifle Aggregate.

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News

Want more? Visit www.scouts.org.uk/news

Mapyx satellitetracking rentals

Many organisations wanted the Mapyx satellite-tracking solution, but only for a few weeks of the year. Outdoor Trail Ltd now offers weekly rentals from as little as £2 a day per participant for a typical Duke of Edinburgh Award Group.

Going underground

DON’T RAISE OUR RENTS!

The Don’t Raise Our Rents! campaign has been launched to persuade councils to offer groups fair and affordable rents and rates for the premises they use. Many groups have reported these outgoings have been increased by their local councils and fear they may be unable to afford to keep their meeting places. If this issue is affecting your group, let us know at www.dontraiseourrents.org, where you will find campaign materials to help you lobby your local council. You can show your support for other groups by signing our online petition. You can also follow us on Twitter and be our friend on Facebook.

On a cold, crisp night, 13 Scouts and their leaders pitched a tent 85m below ground. The 6th Londonderry Scout Group was visiting the Marble Arch Caves in Fermanagh. Although the caves are normally closed in the winter, the Scouts were given special access and a guided tour, using the occasion to invest two of their youngest Scouts, Ross and Victoria. ‘Because we’re Scouts,’ says Victoria, ‘we are always up for a challenge. We decided it would be fun to put up a tent underground and it was exciting being invested there.’ The Marble Arch Caves form part of a Global Geopark, an area recognised by UNESCO as having an important geological heritage.

a guide to scouts.org.uk

/magazine Check out the new digital version of Scouting magazine /QSA Your guide to the Queen’s Scout Award /reunion Book your place early for this year’s event /thebigadventure Get involved in this year’s Big Adventure

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Safe swimming

As part of the ongoing review of all Scouting activities, the rules on swimming have been amended. The new, simplified arrangements will ensure that running such activities is easier for leaders. To support the revision, which has been implemented following feedback from Members across the Movement, a range of information is available at www.scouts.org.uk/swimmingupdates

An adrenaline high

New Scouts.org.uk

We won’t lie. It’s been a long time coming, but now the new and vastly improved Scouts.org.uk is live. And what a treat! With fantastic design, a logical menu and bang-up-to-date content, we won’t be surprised if you spend more time on it than on Facebook.

Relevant to you

A new area, Member resources, contains all the information you need within one website. Content is fully up to date and now easier to find. If you are logged in, it will show you a featured article relevant to your Scouting appointment. There will be links to related articles within the page to help navigate to all the information you want. You can also see what others have been looking at with our ‘top ten searched for’ items.

Tell us what you think

We would love to hear your feedback about the new Member resources section of the website. Email the Web Team at web.team@scouts.org.uk

Highline Adventure delivers dynamic mobile outdoor and indoor adventure activities for schools, organisations and events. Activities are suitable for ages six and above, and include climbing walls, Spider Mountain, bouldering, canoeing, skate-boarding, archery and much more, which all promote personal development and working together.

TO BEAN OR NOT TO BEAN

A Big Bad Boy salad followed by a slowroasted calzone – just two of the recipes you can try during National Vegetarian Week, taking place 23-29 May. Visit www.nationalvegetarianweek.org for details of restaurants taking part, events happening around the UK and more great recipes – some of which can be cooked at camp. For would-be vegetarians, the Vegetarian Society has a Going Veggie guide and there are competitions for younger vegetarians at www.youngveggie.org

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News

Want more? Visit www.scouts.org.uk/news

Have a heart

The British Heart Foundation has three events for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, which show keeping fit and raising funds for charity can be great fun. Your group will keep 20 per cent of the funds raised from any event to spend however you choose. The rest of the funds will go to the British Heart Foundation to keep up its vital work. For more information, see their insert in your magazine or visit www.bhf.org.uk/youthgroups

WHERE WOOD YOU VISIT?

If you go down to the woods from the end of April to mid-May, you may be lucky enough to find a magical carpet of stunning bluebells. The changing seasons reflected in woodlands make them an ideal place for young people to learn about and engage with nature. VisitWoods.org.uk will help you find an accessible bluebell wood near your home. Some favourites are Duncliffe Wood in Dorset, Burroughs Wood in Leicestershire and Coed Cefn in Wales, but there are hundreds more around the UK. The website is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first interactive woodland website offering ideas, resources and activities to keep your section busy. You can also add your own reviews and pictures of your favourite woods, listing the facilities available, and have a look at where other people have suggested you should visit. www.visitwoods.org.uk

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Experience the ultimate adventure Kingswood has 30 years of experience as one of the UK’s leading providers of exhilarating, outdoor adventure trips, welcoming over 130,000 children to nine centres across the UK and France each year.

Children love us and so will you! • We can arrange everything

included in the price such as adventure activities, professional instructors, full board accommodation and all safety equipment - prices start from from as little as £59 for a weekend. We can even offer transport and insurance for your group.

• A programme tailored to meet your Scout group’s individual needs.

• Around 70 daytime and evening

activities, like 3G swing, high ropes and kayaking, all carried out to the highest safety standards.

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Don’t miss out! To find out more about the amazing adventures on offer at a centre near you call 0800 655 6564, quoting ‘scouting 11’ or visit www.kingswood.co.uk/scouting.

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News

N E W!

Want more? Visit www.scouts.org.uk/news

DID YOU PUT A SCARF ON IT?

Our first-ever social media campaign launched on 22 February, to coincide with Founder’s Day. More than 5,000 of you displayed your love of all things Scouting by Tweeting and updating your status.

HERE ARE OUR FAVOURITES:

Scouting magazine online

We’ve just gone digital. With extended features, videos, blogs and behind-the-scenes footage, it’s like your print version, but bolder. And with sections such as Skills, Health and Training, we think you’ll love our online version just as much as the print one. And perhaps even a little bit more. Log in to www.scouts.org.uk/magazine, and enjoy.

MORE ONLINE

@BearGrylls #iSCOUT because I am so proud to be part of the coolest adventure ever! Keep Scouting, champs! @laurathered #iSCOUT because it has enriched my life beyond measure. @GolcarScouts #iSCOUT because I like camping, climbing and rafting! @grogipher #iSCOUT because I want to make a difference. #iSCOUT because it’s rewarding. #iSCOUT because it’s FUN! And the campaign really captured some of your imaginations – a Trafalgar Square lion, a snowman and the local GP were some of the things that ‘put a scarf on it’. Follow us on Facebook at www.scouts.org.uk/facebook

Scouting in your inbox

Do you receive our weekly Scouting Plus, with all the latest news and updates? If not, it could be that we have no email address for you. To view and amend, log on to www.scouts.org.uk, click on ‘My Profile’ and ‘Mailing’. www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Share the adventure! Explore 110 acres of gardens and see over 7,000 wild and wonderful animals at Chester’s world famous zoo. New for 2011... • Painted Dogs arriving at Easter • Dinosaurs visit for the summer! • Plus, a zip wire course to challenge the brave hearted! Visit as a group of 15+ and save up to 30% off! Benefit from fast track admission when you book online and receive a free place for every 20 paying visitors!

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Great Outdoor Gear

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News

Want more? Visit www.scouts.org.uk/news

UPDATES

Factsheets and resources

Updated

FS155053 | Guideline for Beaver Scout Residential Experiences FS321004 | Criminal Record Checks LT435000 | Policy, Organisation and Rules

New

FS103832 | Colony Visits and Holidays Abroad FS103833 | Logos, Fonts and Everyday Adventure

Additional updates

New A guide to becoming a Scout Entrepreneur Updates Module Matrix (now includes modules 16 & 38) Events Passports (new design) Occasional Helper Form (includes box for mandatory middle name)

Honoured

A number of Members of the Movement have been honoured by Her Majesty The Queen in Her New Year Honours for 2011, for service to Scouting in their community. Order of the British Empire – Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) Thomas Hume Attenburgh For voluntary service to Scouts in Edinburgh. Christine Susan Cookman For services to the community in Merseyside. Margaret Fletcher For services to the community in Thurstaston and Irby, Wirral. James Alexander Hunter For services to the Aviation Industry. Ross William Lambert For services to the community in the North East. Rosalie Anne McCluskey For services to the community in Drongan, East Ayrshire.

Pamela Irene Norton For services to the community in the London Borough of Sutton. Paul Arthur Playford For services to the community in Tivetshall St Mary and Margaret, Norfolk. Christopher John Webb For voluntary service to the Scouts in Romford, London Borough of Havering. ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER Sir Andrew George Buchanan, Bt Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, and President of Nottinghamshire Scout County.

Run for Scouting

We’ve got 30 places up for grabs in the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, which takes place on 9 October in London’s Hyde Park. If you’re up for the challenge, run and fundraise for The Scout Association and you will help to develop local Scouting at the same time. To sign up or for more information, email Natasha Milsted at challenge. events@scouts.org.uk, with ‘marathon’ in the subject line.

360° Scouting

What’s it all about?

When asked what Scouting is about, wouldn’t it be great to have some facts and figures at your fingertips? Well, now you have. Would you like to design a poster or flyer, but are not sure which version of the logo you should use? Then take a look at our new factsheet Logos, Fonts and Everyday Adventure (FS103833) and be prepared. www.scouts.org.uk/brand

Short-term investment service

Monthly rate after deduction of Management Commission: December 2010 January 2011

0.020% 0.020%

0.520% 0.520%

Interest at the higher rate applies to deposits of £5,000 and above. Contact Frances on 020 8433 7252 (Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm) for further information. www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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3,000 Scouts 18 countries

1 event

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Expeditions

The Prime Minister of Finland has publicly backed a programme that will result in UK Scouts pitching in with the harvest in Poland. Dave O’Carroll navigates the weird and wonderful world of Home Hospitality If the 22nd World Scout Jamboree is a sizzling, simmering Scouting experience, then Home Hospitality (HoHo) is when it comes to the boil. When the Jamboree ends, more than 3,000 young people from the UK will burst out across Europe to discover how people live, work and Scout in 18 countries. The UK Contingent will enjoy at least three days visiting Scouting families in another country and living in their homes. While the Jamboree is done on a major scale, HoHo is about living in more intimate surroundings. That’s not to say that HoHo is a small affair. When Colin Simpson from the UK Contingent Management Team was asked to describe it in one sentence, he said it was ‘an enormous challenge and a massive undertaking, but a huge opportunity’. So it’s big.

Expect the unexpected Indeed, the scale of the operation is breathtaking. From the Baltic to the Balkans and the Atlantic coast of Portugal to the Arctic shores of Iceland, doors will be opened to UK Scouts to enjoy a wealth of new experiences. ‘We’ve asked the hosts to give our young people a proper flavour of the country rather than just taking them to theme parks,’ continues Colin. ‘However, the key thing about HoHo is that we really don’t know what to expect.’ The enthusiastic response of the Polish team, who are delighted to

have a few extra hands for the harvest, was a case in point. ‘I was a bit worried about that initially,’ admits Colin, ‘but then I realised that that is what the young people in some parts of Poland would actually do at that time, so it is a proper, authentic experience. ‘You get value out of this by doing what a young person would do there anyway – it’s not just about Scouting stuff.’

‘HoHo is about opening your eyes to different things… You’ve just enjoyed the most unbelievable experience of your life and you have this adventure at the end’ A different adventure ‘HoHo is about opening your eyes to different things,’ says Clive Leader, Assistant County Commissioner International for Leicestershire and Deputy Contingent Leader. ‘As a kid, I was lucky enough to go to a Jamboree, but HoHo is something else entirely. You’ve just enjoyed the most unbelievable experience of your life and then suddenly you have this fresh adventure at the end.’ With three Units in his County, going to three different locations, Clive has been able to see the excitement building first-hand.

‘We have one going to the Netherlands, one to Lithuania and one to Portugal. I was with them just before Christmas when the locations were revealed. There was a real buzz in the air, although I think some were just consulting a map to work out where Lithuania was.’

Unique opportunity It’s this diversity of opportunity that makes HoHo so unique. One can only imagine the conversations that will take place when the Leicestershire Units return and compare notes. Indeed, one Patrol is already embracing the HoHo spirit here in the UK. ‘One of our Units is a composite, which also includes Scouts from the south east of England,’ explains Clive. ‘They arranged a preparation event in London but, rather than find local accommodation, they are staying with families of the other Patrols – a mini-HoHo, if you will.’

Global ambassadors Both Clive and Colin are keen to stress the importance of HoHo in strengthening Scouting links and the part played in this by our young ambassadors. www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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WHERE ARE THE SCOUTS GOING?

Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland

IS THIS THE BEST HOHO EXPERIENCE?

‘Some time ago, I was lucky enough to be involved in a HoHo trip to Sweden. Most people whisked us off to their summer house for the weekend, which was lovely. However, on return, one Scout in my Unit was told that on the Monday morning he would go to work with the father of the family. ‘He’s a 15-year-old, so his heart sinks and he wonders what on Earth he is going to do at work all day. What he didn’t know was that the father was a test pilot for Saab. Before he knows it, our Scout is taken to the airfield, strapped into the back of a supersonic jet and flown to the North Pole and back. Not a bad way to spend a Monday.’ Clive Leader

going global If you have had an amazing overseas Scouting experience, whether it be about HoHo or something else, tell us about it on Globe Trekker, our international travel website. See www.scouts.org.uk/ globetrekker

‘In some cases it is cementing existing relationships,’ says Colin. ‘But in places like Romania, the UK didn’t really have a lot of contact with them. While arranging HoHo we found out a lot of things. There will be a definite mutual benefit.’ ‘It’s a tremendous privilege to go to the Jamboree, but even more so to be invited into someone’s home,’ echoes Clive. ‘Everywhere you go in the Scouting world, there is enormous goodwill towards the UK – our young people can add to that and make it grow.’

A great Finnish All that remains now is to discover how the Prime Minister of Finland got involved. ‘I got a call from our man in Finland to say that the Prime Minister was visiting Scouts, and if I could write a few words encouraging families in Finland to sign up to HoHo, he would see if he could get them inserted into her address,’ says Colin. ‘And it worked. The Prime Minister made a statement and families came forward.’ Now that’s hospitality.

42 Scouting April/May 2011 22

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Expeditions

Birmingham to the Baltic Explorer Scout Abi reveals her hopes and expectations for her HoHo trip to Eastern Europe

We’ve been told that Latvia is one of the most exciting places to go to because they have a lot of families there who are really into Scouting and they do a lot of activities that we don’t do in the UK. There’s loads to do, apparently. I think it’s just my Birmingham Unit that’s going to Latvia – there won’t be any other Jamboree Units there. That means that our experience will be ours and ours alone. I can’t wait.

What? No cheap flights? I think some people were disappointed that we weren’t going somewhere really hot and a few jaws dropped when we heard we would have to do a 17-hour ferry journey overnight to get there. However, that just adds to the excitement for most of us.

It’s a country that I don’t know too much about. It will be really interesting to find out what Scouting is like there and how it changes from place to place. I know we will discover that at the Jamboree, but I think that actually staying with a family will make it more profound. As a Unit, we are preparing together as much as we can. We’ve

We will get to visit their Scout Groups, and when we go back to Birmingham we will have made links between our Groups that could last for years done some research activities and shared what we’ve found. More and more we are learning about Latvia, discovering interesting things and finding places that we can go and see.

Make an impression I’m very aware that we are going to be ambassadors for the UK. It may add a bit more responsibility to our role, but it might also mean that when we’re there we’ll get to fully embrace the culture.

I don’t think there will be communication difficulties because (and I know this sounds like a cliché) we are all speaking the same language through Scouting. That gives us and our hosts common ground immediately. We can then learn more about each other as the week goes on. HoHo is a great way to bring the international Movement together. To be able to make this link, individually, with one country in particular, adds strength to the whole thing. We will get to visit their local Scout Groups, and when we go back to Birmingham we will have made links between our Groups that could last for years. www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

Exp.indd 23

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Agree?

Take our poll at www.scouts.org.uk/ magazine

For/against Expedition

Should s l l i k s l a c i t prac be part of the e g d a B d o o W module?

te the pros and cons of Two Scout Leaders deba rs skills training for leade bringing back practical

✘

yes ✔

Hilary Tulett, Trainer, Kent

Dave Ring, Trainer, Surrey

Previously, we were able to provide skills sessions on Leadership 1 training courses, but the modular system doesn’t allow time for this. Most of the current training is classroom-based with not much in the way of Scouting skills involved. We are in danger of dumbing down the practical side of what Scouting is all about. Unless we continue to do the basics, we could lose them. There are a lot of very skilled leaders, but they are becoming fewer each year and not necessarily passing their knowledge on. How many current leaders really know how to put up a Patrol tent? How many know how to use an axe to make tent pegs or even tie a simple reef knot? In Kent, we run a Skills Day once a year, and leaders are inspired by discovering basic skills. We need to bring practical skills back into the Wood Badge training system, as without the leaders having these skills, there will not be anyone to pass them on to our young people.

A mandatory training module? I’m not sure about that. Official training modules tend to be prescriptive and so would not adequately address the range of skills needed to run enjoyable balanced programmes. As a Group Scout Leader, it is my duty to ensure my leaders have a wide range of skills appropriate to their roles. In terms of passing on my own knowledge, unfortunately, my range of skills is limited. Also, if I did work that way, all they would learn is Scouting according to the Group Scout Leader. That’s hardly an extensive training regime. In my experience, optimum learning is achieved when people from different backgrounds come together to share their knowledge and skills in a comfortable environment, supported by experienced instructors. This provides a variety of skills, which can be targeted at different levels. An opportunity facilitated by Training Teams, whereby I, as Group Scout Leader, have the means to encourage my leaders to extend their skills base. So, to sum up, Wood Badge module? No. But as part of the ongoing learning programme? Definitely.

next month Read the Ongoing Learning factsheet (FS500006) for more information.

The next topic up for discussion is ‘Should you be friends with your Scouts on Facebook?’. Go to www.scouts.org.uk/magazine to take part and your opinion could be published in the June/July issue

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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24 hours later

Take 150 people, a 44-tonne lorry and a 424-mile round trip, and what have you got? One big adventure, as Elis Matthews discovered when he joined the Birkenhead Gang Show on an ambitious project There’s a palpable buzz during the interval in the auditorium of the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight, as people of all ages excitedly discuss their highlights of the first act: ‘Did you see the way those ostriches moved?’; ‘I loved the girl who sang Popular’; ‘That’s my niece!’. Backstage, the mania is even greater, as costumes are flung across dressing rooms, microphones tested and lines practised. Only the band can be said to be resting. With so much activity and intensity, it’s easy to forget that before you can say ‘break a leg’, this scene will be repeated 212 miles away. For this Gang Show is about to go on an adventure.

A hare-brained scheme ‘This is our 50th anniversary show, and I knew we had to do something different, something that none of us would ever forget,’ says show producer Graham Lysaght. He had the idea, which some would call bonkers, to return the Gang Show to London, where it was famously started by Ralph Reader in 1932. ‘When I told the management committee that I wanted to do it in the West End, 24 hours after the last Birkenhead performance, they tried to put it off to a week, or maybe a month, but I knew it had to be 24 hours, and once they agreed, the hard work began.’ Graham now lives and works in Oxfordshire and for the past six months has been travelling up to Merseyside every weekend for rehearsals. Local lad Paul Coleman, the show’s assistant producer, has been living and breathing the show, and his enthusiasm is infectious. ‘When we get together every two years, we become the biggest Scout Group in Birkenhead, and we treat it as just that. We’re a family really, with every generation represented.’ Not half, as the youngest cast member is eight and the oldest 84.

Backstage adventurers Not only will the cast of 97 make the trip to the Bloomsbury Theatre, but every member of the backstage team will be there too, reprising their

roles. Of these, only one has been serving the show for every single production in the 50-year history: make-up lady Mave Lennox. I ask her why, particularly as she now has to travel 166 miles to stay in Birkenhead for the week of the show. ‘I love it. The atmosphere’s wonderful and the show’s great. These days people think that kids are awful, and you look at this lot and they’re brilliant; full of fun and very caring.’ Up in the fly tower, responsible for tugging and winching 24 scenery changes into position, is Mal Hamer, who arrived in Birkenhead from his job as a geologist on an oil rig in time for the first night. ‘I wouldn’t miss it. My job isn’t physically demanding, but here I get to lug stuff about 15 feet above the stage. Besides, it’s good fun with the rest of the stage crew.’ While the set is being manhandled by Mal and the stage team, show veterans Eric Bell and Peter Arrowsmith are wheeled out in front of the curtain to perform some ‘fillers’ – essentially a chance for them to try out their best one-liners. ‘We don’t remember them as well as we used to, but if we forget the lines it’s usually funnier anyway,’ says Peter. I ask if they’re fazed by performing their material on the same stage that has been graced by Eddie Izzard and Ricky Gervais. ‘Eddie who?’ replies Eric.

derful and the ‘The atmosphere’s won at this lot and show’s great… you look fun and very caring’ they’re brilliant; full of

26 Scouting April/May 2011

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In focus

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Star quality ‘It’s so exciting to think that I’ll be performing in the West End,’ muses Cub Scout Jordan, who’s finding it hard to contain himself before the road trip to London. I wonder if he’s affected by nerves. ‘I was at first, but I just imagine the audience is giant bananas, and it usually helps.’ Members of the cast take part for different reasons. Producer’s son Rory, 15, has come a long way through the Gang Show. ‘It’s boosted my confidence loads, and I was recently picked for the World Scout Jamboree contingent for Merseyside. I don’t think I’d have got in without the Gang Show.’ Ruth Redfearn loves it for the friends she’s made. ‘I’ve met people through doing this who I’d never have met, yet we’re so close, we’re like family,’ says the only member of the cast sporting pink hair. Emma Donnelly studies drama at university, and is the envy of all her fellow students to be treading the boards of a West End stage. ‘They think it’s so cool, and can only dream of getting the chance to do it.’

The journey begins The show closes in Birkenhead to a standing ovation, as the Saturday matinee audience gives the cast the perfect send-off. Performers are sent home to bed, while the producers dash to catch a train to Euston. Then the crew begins dismantling the set, labelling everything to be loaded into the 44-tonne lorry that has been lent by DHL, drivers and all. Costumes are taken in, washed, dried and repacked, just in time to make the journey. The next morning, drama. One Cub Scout has overslept and all attempts at contact go unanswered. Eventually someone gets hold of a neighbour’s phone number and they are roused, turning up at the meeting point slightly red-faced. The coach wheels away towards the M6. On board, songs from the show are sung with abandon, though there are nervous glances and the over-exuberant are told to rest their voices for the big night. Bottles of water are handed out and minds turn to the challenge that lies ahead.

Meanwhile, in WC1… Already at work, the stage crew gets briefed by Bloomsbury Theatre staff, and the difference between the two performance spaces becomes abundantly clear. The stage elevates to help remove rows of unneeded seating, making space for the orchestra.

e same buzz Leaving the theatre, th ad is evident I witnessed in Birkenhe in the London audience Every piece of staging, every prop and costume has to come in through the front entrance into the auditorium and on to the stage, where they are lifted by hydraulics to the backstage area. Like a clockwork toy, the crew suddenly springs into action, and there’s no complaining from 25 heavy-eyed stagehands, just a comparison of times people got to bed, the latest worn like a badge of honour. Within 45 minutes the lorry is unloaded, and in among the flight cases and cables, aeroplane wings and balloons stand on the stage. It’s just like when a contingent arrives at a Jamboree, such is the mix of melee and excitement. The striking thing is that there doesn’t appear to be any over-exertion or moaning, yet everything gets moved quickly and without damage. A Scouting ethic pervades every action, and I wonder how many West End shows can carry things off with such proficient smoothness.

Final touches With curtain up fast approaching, the coach arrives and the cast pauses to take in the magnitude of the theatre, before being shown to their dressing rooms and backstage entrances. There’s not much time to get a handle on it, and one of the biggest challenges is the distance from dressing rooms to stage, which is much greater than in the Gladstone. Considering the average cast member changes costume six times in the show, it’s going to qualify some Scouts for the Athlete Badge, as well as the Entertainer. A brisk dress rehearsal allows the band to soundcheck and the soloists to make sure they know where the lights are. Then it’s off to the refectory for a much-needed dinner. Unaffected by the physical ordeal of moving the show to London, the Cubs in the cast play duck, duck goose and a handful of circle games.

28 Scouting April/May 2011

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In focus

Photos: Paul Ellis

Drum roll, please

MORE ONLINE

And so, at 7pm, 24 hours after the curtain fell in Birkenhead, it rises in London. A packed auditorium takes a breath as the cast launch into Take That’s Greatest Day, followed by an eclectic selection of songs, sketches, dance items and harmonies. The stand-out moments were seeing the whole cast fill the stage, letting loose to the Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling; the vocal talent of some of the junior cast, particularly in One Moment and the songs from West End shows; the hilarious American Names sketch and a rather moving tribute to Ralph Reader. Leaving the theatre, the same buzz I witnessed in Birkenhead is evident in the London audience. Among them is UK Technical Adviser for Stage Performances Ewan Murray, who produces the Harpenden Gang Show. He’s impressed by the project: ‘To de-rig and re-rig a show inside 24 hours would be quite a task under normal circumstances, but to do it with a 200-mile journey between the two is a fantastic achievement. What’s more, after a week’s run in Birkenhead, there was still enough left in the performers’ tanks to smile and sing in London like it was the opening night. Hats off!’ This echoes the praise of many others, from parents who followed the adventure down to the Bloomsbury to young people in the London

ENCORE

Watch a video clip from 24 hours later on the new Scouting website at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

area who won’t have known of the significance of returning the Gang Show to the West End. But was it worth it? I ask Graham Lysaght. ‘Absolutely. You can tell just by looking at the faces of the cast who have set out to do something incredible and managed to achieve it. To those who think the Gang Show isn’t as adventurous as the rest of Scouting, we’ve shown them that it can be. To me, this is Scouting. You push yourself, you go beyond what people think you can do, and you get the sense of accomplishment that you’ve performed on the West End stage. Wonderful.’

take a bow Share your ideas, resources and best practice at our forthcoming National Scout Show weekend, 18-19 June. See www.scouts.org.uk/events for more

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Facebook interview

e h t e k i l e r a s t ‘Scou ’ l l e w l e v a r t y e h Irish – t Charley d all-round adventurer an r lle ve tra r, ke bi k as You Were you a Scout?

Gordon McBeath Yes, I was, in my hometown in Ireland. Unfortunately not for long, as my dad’s a film director who worked around the world, so we were always off travelling. I loved Scouts though. I remember walking through the mountains in Ireland. I think Scouting is where my love of camping came from, as well as my survival skills. It’s amazing how much you remember from your childhood. I was in the middle of Mongolia once, trying to light a fire, and I remembered back to my firelighting evening.

When did you first discover your passion for travelling and biking?

Sarah Roberts Travelling was with my dad, the biking was when I was seven. I was given a Honda monkey bike and rode it into a fence. I was addicted from then on. Kids love adventure. As a dad, I instil a bit of adventure in my children. They’ve been round the world with me. And they also share my passion for bikes.

What advice would you give to our young people who are just starting out on their travels?

Tim Fawell Ask a friend to come with you. Sharing a travel adventure is amazing. And don’t be put off by what people say about countries. I’ve been to most countries in the world and always felt

safe. But be sensible. If you’re crossing a border, get out of your car quickly, and smile. Always know how to get back to your hostel. And use your Scouting skills and look around you – know where you are. Be aware. Look busy. But a word of warning – travelling is addictive.

Scouting is a worldwide movement. Have you ever encountered any international Scouts on your travels?

Jordan Seavers I’ve met loads, and as far afield as Australia and Singapore. Scouts are everywhere and pop out of nowhere. They’re like the Irish – they travel well.

What do you pack when you travel? What items are essential?

Debbie Steeples If it’s a hot country like India, you only need a couple of pairs of trousers and a handful of T-shirts. Always take a smart shirt (or dress), and a dark pair of jeans, just in case you get invited somewhere nice. If camping, choose a quality sleeping bag, roll mat and tent. Getting a decent night’s sleep is important. It’s amazing how much better you can cope with something if you’ve had a good night’s sleep. And baby wipes are essential. When biking, I always take a little toolkit with quality tools. You don’t want to be stranded somewhere with a cheap tool; it’s not going to work for long.

Boorman the questions

Scouting is about overcoming obstacles and helping young people become more selfconfident. I believe you’re dyslexic, but still managed to write five books to tie in with your TV series. What would you say to any of our Scouts who have a learning difficulty? Henry Gallants Find something that you love doing and go for it. There’s no excuses and most things can be overcome. And get lots of help, which is available today. I have a guy who helps me write the books. It’s no surprise that a lot of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, as we tend to approach problems from a different angle.

Where’s your next adventure going to be?

Ian Macdonald In the autumn, I’m doing a speaking tour round Britain and Ireland. And I’m taking people through Africa on a bike. It’s open to anyone. Not for a TV series, just for the fun of it.

ride with Charley The 2011 trip, starting on 24 August, will cover 5,000km and take in three African countries in 16 days. BMW bikes and support vehicles for families are provided, and 25 places are available. Visit www.charleyboorman.com

30 Scouting April/May 2011

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new activities

CHARLEY SAYS

We presented Charley Boorman and actor Ewan McGregor with the Navigator Activity Badge for their travels during the TV series Long Way Down and Long Way Round. ‘Ewan and I are delighted to receive this award from the Scouts, as navigation is so important to the trips we take. I hope our expeditions inspire young people to go out and experience different countries and cultures for themselves.’

WHO’S NEXT?

Visit our Facebook page to take part in our next big interview www.scouts.org.uk/facebook

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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1 2

Start early

Make sure you give yourself enough time. It’s nigh on impossible to raise £1,000, never mind £100,000, in less than two months.

Plan, plan, plan

Take the time to create a fundraising plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be thorough. Break your target into manageable goals and amounts. See our fundraising pages on www. scouts.org.uk/memberresources

3 4

Tell your personal story

This gives friends and family an opportunity to see what Scouting means to you and how passionate you are. This, in turn, should increase the amount they donate.

Capitalise online

Social networking sites are a great way to raise awareness among your friends about what you are doing. Set up a Just Giving or Virgin Money page, making it as easy as possible for your friends to show their support. Always try adding a signature line to your emails.

Take advantage of our Print Centre

Generate your own posters, flyers, invitations and banners customised to your event. The centre allows you to make personalised fundraising materials in a matter of minutes, giving you more time to fundraise. www.scouts.org.uk/brand

ways to better g n i s i a r d n u f money for new kit, Whether you’re raising tens of thousands an expedition or need your meeting place, of pounds to spruce up raising tips we’ve got some top fund

32 Scouting April/May 2011

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Fundraising

Fundraising support

Left: Bag-packing is a classic fundraiser Above: Online giving makes it easier for your friends to show their support

are a Social networking sites eness great way to raise awar among your friends ing about what you are do

Gift Aid it

Some workplaces will match the amount of money you raise, so be sure to check with your employer. Target the managers who control budgets.

Whatever you do, make sure you receive the 25p on every £1 you collect from a taxpayer. You can even raise extra funds from your membership subscriptions. For example, if your Group has 50 members each paying £60 per year, the potential Gift Aid is around £750 per year. The transitional rate stops on 5 April 2011. See www.hmrc.gov.uk for more details.

Seek support from local businesses

Successful fundraising

6 7

Match your fundraised amount

It’s best to start in your own community rather than trying a national fundraising effort. There will be lots of opportunities to engage local businesses. As well as donating cash, you could ask for their support in other ways. Some businesses could donate products and services that you could in turn ‘sell’.

The national fundraising team can signpost you to the answers you need for successful local Scout fundraising. They offer advice on: Bids to trusts, foundations and grant-making bodies Corporate partnerships Fundraising events and projects Legacies Gift Aid. Email your queries to fundraising@scouts.org.uk or call 020 8433 7100. You can also apply for HQ funds for specific projects, such as starting up a new section or Group or Explorer Belt expeditions. www.scouts.org.uk/grants

9 10

Be easy to contact

Place your name, email address and phone number on all your forms and any materials you use.

Keep going

By staying positive, being clear and focused, you can hit your target. Good luck!

You can never anticipate when a fundraising project will capture the public’s imagination. After hearing about the earthquake in Haiti that caused devastation, seven-year-old Charlie decided to cycle around his local park once to raise awareness and funds. It became an international phenomenon, was featured on the Richard & Judy show and photos of Charlie on his bike were published all over the world. He raised a staggering £250,000 on JustGiving.com

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

Fundraising.indd 33

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Fundraising

How do you ? 0 0 0 , 0 0 1 £ e s rai Mike Harley was part of the leadership team ey on a project to raise mon for Ugandan Scouts Community expeditions are expensive. But one group of 26 Scouts, Explorers and leaders from Bournemouth had to raise £100,000 for a five-week project in Africa. The venture was to work with Ugandan Scouts in the south, to help them finance and build a vocational training centre for orphans and vulnerable children. We needed to raise money to purchase the bricks and brick-making technology for the building of the school, skills training for local apprentices, as well as fund the expedition itself. We mixed group and individual enterprises. As a group, we ran several fêtes, provided talks and slideshows; we even bought a popcorn machine, which we took to all of our own and school events. This has repaid the investment many times over.

Auctions, fêtes and sponsorship Our most successful event was an Auction of Promises, where our local MP acted as guest auctioneer. By the end of the night, we had £5,000. We raised a further £4,500 ‘selling bricks’. People wrote their name on an A4 sheet of bricks and these sheets were then copied and made into a book,

which was taken with us to Uganda and presented to the school. Our best rate per hour was probably from bag-packing. The key was doing many events and often. We sometimes ran three events in one week. A local company, ICM, agreed to fund the brick machine (£22,000) if we raised the rest of the target.

y The key was doing man e W n. events and ofte ents sometimes ran three ev in one week Individual sponsorship drives were vast and varied. One of the Explorer Scouts sacrificed his long, blonde locks for sponsorship and then donated his hair to a charity that made wigs for young people with cancer. Others did dog walking, babysitting or even car cleaning. Another cycled from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Obviously, not all of the events were a roaring success and we did have

some disappointments. At one fête, we had five members of the group selling goods, and one face painting for the day and we only cleared £33.40. It would have been better to put the money in ourselves, although it still raised awareness.

Online giving We raised about £10,000 from setting up an online donation page. This was useful to capture funds from a wider audience, reclaim Gift Aid and as a means for sharing information about the project. We also set up a Nile 2010 website and Facebook page to promote the expedition and keep supporters updated. By the time we left for Uganda in September 2010, we’d raised about £110,000 and it had taken two years. We’re still raising funds for the project and are currently up to £114,000. Visit www.nile2010.co.uk or search ‘Nile 2010’ on Facebook for more information on the project. www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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t h g i r The If you developed a chronic back problem, which left you essentially housebound, you’d probably think it was the end of your Scouting adventures. Dave O’Carroll meets one woman for whom it was just the beginning When Annie Hitch came to Scouting it was a perfect match. We gained a dedicated volunteer who would play a vital role in providing adventure to young people. And Annie found a place to become ‘valued and useful again’. A back injury sustained ten years ago had worsened to the point where Annie had to give up her job. The chronic condition meant she had to have spells of lying down regularly and that sitting for any length of time was hard. Leaving the house became a major issue.

Everyone is useful ‘I was pretty much stopped in my tracks,’ she explains. ‘The emotional strain of that only made my condition worse – when you are psychologically tense, you become physically tense – which, in turn, only made me more depressed.’

The chronic condition meant she had to have spells of lying down as regularly and sitting w e hard – leaving the hous ue iss became a major

Everyone can find their place in Scouting

36 Scouting April/May 2011

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fit This downward spiral may have continued but for the strength of her resolve. Determined to keep her mind active, she contacted the local volunteer bureau and asked if there was anything she could do from home – just using a computer and a telephone. ‘They had two positions, one of which was with the Scouts in St Albans,’ Annie says. ‘So I took a look at what they were asking for and got in touch with the District Commissioner, Anne Barnes. She came around and we had a chat. ‘Anne understood that some people can give more than others and that everyone has their uses. She left it by saying that if there was anything I could do, she would be very grateful. She was so friendly, persuasive and lovely that I knew this would be a good thing.’

Learn new skills Annie now handles all the joining enquiries in St Albans. No mean feat in an area where interest in Scouting has exploded. ‘Enquiries rose from around 90 in 2009 to more than 200 last year,’ says Anne Barnes. ‘I was spending a great amount of time each day emailing and dealing with calls from parents. Thanks to Annie, all this has now been freed up for us to

Scouting for all

nd 90 in ‘Enquiries rose from arou year’ last 2009 to more than 200 look more closely at the strategic direction we wish to go in.’ Six new sections and a 13 per cent increase in youth membership last year will testify to that. But it’s not just enquiries that Annie deals with. She’s also taken the

time to acquire skills to help the District strategically. ‘I taught myself to do lots of fancy things with spreadsheets so we can see what ages parents are registering their kids at or what areas they are from and so on. That will help in deciding where to set up Groups or target adult volunteers,’ she says. ‘I hadn’t used spreadsheets before so it was a nice challenge for me – a sort of reward if you like, to gain a new skill.’

Two-way benefit It’s clear that, in Annie’s case, this is not just a means to pass the time. ‘Oh, I love it,’ she enthuses. ‘My favourite thing is feeling that I have actually found a place for a child and have helped them get into something that is going to give them a lot of pleasure.’ Even more heartening is Annie’s assertion that the two hours a day that she spends on Scouting is also good for her. ‘It’s done wonders for my confidence. I had little or no social life with the back thing, but now people from all over the place contact me to say how pleased they are that I have taken on this job. Not only that, but since I started I have noticed the pain far less.’ ‘I don’t know how we managed without her,’ affirms Anne Barnes. ‘The way she has supported both me and our District has been absolutely fabulous. It is very much her wish, when she gets better, to be able to meet folks and put faces to names. I’m confident that this will happen.’ Certainly, this is one volunteer you would not bet against.

Read Scouting magazine online

MORE ONLINE

Read more about how Scouting is open to everyone at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Scouting for kit? Sainsbury’s Active Kids is still live, and there’s plenty of time to keep collecting vouchers. You can collect 1 Active Kids voucher for every £10 spent instore, at petrol stations or when you buy groceries online at Sainsbury’s (£5 in Locals) until 31 May 2011, so please keep up your amazing efforts. Nectar points can be turned into vouchers too. Exclusions apply – see the Active Kids website for details. With loads of great sports, outdoors and cooking equipment available, one big final push to collect vouchers can make a real difference to your Group. You may also know that Active Kids is proudly teaming up with The Scout Association again to support The Big Adventure. Remember if you need to stock up the cupboards before your event, you can order an Active Kids Ingredients Card by 15 April 2011, and we’ll deliver it to you before 6 May 2011. That gives you plenty of time to prepare some tasty treats! Visit sainsburys.co.uk/activekids to view the Active Kids resources for some top cooking, games and activity ideas.

“We have been able to use some of the Active Kids equipment in Group/parent night activities – fun for all!” Jacqui Berryman, Leader, 81st Belfast Scout Group

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Profile

Larah de Groot is overseeing the Home Hospitality (HoHo) arrangements in the Netherlands for this year’s World Scout Jamboree. She tells us what our Scouts can expect

Going Dutch I’ve been involved in Scouting since I was 12 I stayed until I turned 18 and then I became a Beaver leader for three years, a Cub leader for two years and then a Girl Guide/Scout leader for five years. I love the independence you get from activities I think each time you do an activity you are challenged to do a bit more than you think you can. That’s the best thing about Scouting. That, and having lots of fun with other people. I have many international friends in Scouting Being able to go to a Jamboree puts you in touch with people from all over the world and that’s really special. I’m delighted that I get to organise that now – to bring people together and hopefully start some great international friendships. This will be my fourth Jamboree I participated in HoHo in Chile. I think I learned quite a few things from that experience, which has helped me with organising the UK Contingent in the Netherlands. I had a great time and I’m sure they will too.

Everybody will have a different experience due to the surroundings In the north it’s very flat with lots of lakes, the south is a lot more hilly (at least as much as we have hills in the Netherlands) and in the west, you have the coast and the seaside. We asked the families to make sure that the Scouts learn more about our culture. They are here for a whole week, so there are lots of things to do. Hopefully the weather will be OK – considering it will be August, it might be sunny. You never know. We do a lot of cycling in the Netherlands I think lots of Scouts will experience that because when you look around our roads in the summer, there are people on bikes everywhere. We really like our bikes. Dutch people also love to barbecue, so our UK visitors should get that too – which I’m sure they will enjoy. I guarantee fun Everyone coming to the Netherlands will enjoy themselves, I am 100 per cent sure of it.

Home Hospitality See page 20 for more about this year’s HoHo

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16/03/2011 11:19

A VISION FIT FOR E R U T U F E TH Wayne Bulpitt looks UK Chief Commissioner 18 ahead to Scouting in 20

couting has changed over the past ten years. Some of you will remember what it looked and felt like back then. Others will have joined during, or perhaps even because of these changes. A decade ago, Scouting was in a very different place, and our numbers spoke for themselves: 30,000 Members were leaving each year. We took a long, hard look at where we were and where we could be and, as a result of that work, we set ourselves six key objectives, that by 2012 we would be: Growing, Youth-led, Focused, Sound, Relevant and Diverse. To achieve this, we changed the way we look and do things. We introduced a new uniform, programme and training scheme. We became smarter at how we deliver Scouting through better support for volunteers, and enabling people to volunteer flexibly. The centenary of Scouting and the 21st World Scout Jamboree were fantastic celebrations of Scouting, which also demonstrated that Scouting is exciting and relevant. We’ve grown steadily, attracting more young people and adults to Scouting. And in 2011, we are more diverse with more communities turning to Scouting for opportunities, activities and expertise.

Our Members took responsibility for the bringing about at changes – and look what we achieved

Young people are now taking a greater role in decisionmaking locally and nationally. They have become the face and voice of Scouting, and our Young Leaders are helping to deliver great programmes. Our campaigning work has shown that we are relevant and engaged in issues affecting today’s society. We’re more sound and focused as an organisation, with a clearer idea of who we are – delivering everyday adventure. We’ve improved the way we take decisions as well as our centres and facilities. But all of these achievements didn’t happen by chance. They happened because, as a Movement, we made it happen. Our Members took responsibility for bringing about the changes we all knew were necessary – and just look at what we achieved.

The future We have achieved a great deal, but we still have challenges ahead and I know that many of us at local and national level are still working to meet these over the next year. But what of the future beyond 2012? Over the past two years, we have been thinking about what the next decade of Scouting might look like, what the new challenges will be and how we can work together as a Movement to meet them. As a result of this work, we have developed a new vision for the future, taking us to 2018.

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Vision 2018

Members of Scouting in 2018 will feel: Empowered – we all want to feel encouraged and allowed to make decisions that are right for Scouting in our area Valued – we want to feel truly appreciated for what we do Proud – we want to be happy to tell others of the everyday adventures we enjoy.

Scouting in 2018 will: Make a positive impact in our communities – we want every community to demand to have Scouting Prepare young people to be active citizens – we want to be recognised by society for shaping the lives and future of young people Embrace and contribute to social change – we want to be recognised for helping young people to change for the better the world in which they live.

For the past few months, we have been sharing this with District Commissioners and Group Scout Leaders around the UK, beginning the process of thinking about how we achieve it. The past ten years have shown just how much we can achieve when we all work together. And I know that I am personally confident and excited about the future of Scouting.

Scouting in 2018 will be: Shaped by young people in partnership with adults – we want young people and adults to work together to make Scouting exciting and relevant Enjoyed by more young people and more adult volunteers – we want to continue to grow, with more young people and adults joining us, and staying with us for longer As diverse as the communities in which we live – we want everyone to have access to Scouting.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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18/03/2011 10:16

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Vision 2018

Working together 018 towards 2

Executive Derek Twine Scout Association Chief d sion was developed an looks at how our new vi s to achieve it how we can all join force The process of developing a new vision for Scouting has taken two years and has involved thousands of young Members at every level of Scouting. We carried out research with experts looking at what the world will look like in the future and how the changing generations will impact our Movement (read the report at www.scouts.org.uk/2018). Many of you will have seen the results of that analysis at the local workshops we ran to discuss what we want Scouting to look like in the future. We have also gathered input from young people and volunteers at all levels. At the workshops, District Commissioners and Group Scout Leaders thought about how they can lead and manage Scouting to continue to grow, develop and ultimately achieve this new vision. I know that some District Commissioners are holding meetings about this. Don’t worry if yours hasn’t yet – we’re still working towards achieving our 2012 objectives that we set ourselves in 2002. This is just the start of the process. Over the coming months, you will hear more about the new vision and how we can all work together to achieve it. There will be articles in the magazine and you can keep up to date online at www.scouts.org.uk/2018 where we’ll share what’s going on nationally and locally.

The process of developing a new vision for Scouting has involved thousands of Members

You tell us what we can do to achieve the vision ‘In our District there are a lot of young people working with adults already. In Explorers we have a planning night at the beginning of the year, and the leaders go off and see what they can do to make it possible. That works well.’ Matthew, Young Leader

‘We can improve the diversity of our membership by getting more information out to people. We don’t advertise enough to the female population. People still think it’s all boys and if we can improve the public perception, we can increase the population and the diversity of our Group.’ Carl, Scout Leader ‘Scouting has made a positive impact on our community already. When I was young, it was hidden away, but now you see people walking around town and in schools wearing their i.Scout hoodies. It’s important to be seen doing activities and doing what we do well. I’m most proud when we’re growing. We’ve doubled in size in the past year. We targeted schools, holding presentations. It really worked.’ Gemma, Cub Scout Leader ‘We can help volunteers feel valued by rewarding people for their time. Saying thank you makes a big difference, keeps them involved in the team and makes them happy. We let a variety of people give as much or as little of their time as they like, such as parents driving the minibus. This takes the pressure off us.’ Steven, Assistant Scout Leader

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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S L L I K S D N A THRILLS

you’ve got the ter and friendship and gh lau ith w it ix M a s. pfire session people behind as part of g un yo e th t Archery. Bushcraft. Cam lef p ou Gr Scout camp. But one ingredients for a classic its axe to report nd. Scouting sharpened ke ee w g in in tra ly on leaders-

‘I

thought the weekend was fantastic,’ says Kevin, a new leader from Derbyshire. ‘As someone who has recently completed the Scout leader training programme, I felt I was lacking in practical skills, and the reason that Walesby was such a success is that we were able to tailor it to our needs.’ Kevin’s Group Scout Leader, Simon Temperton, had started putting together a skills programme for new leaders but, while researching, came across an advert for a Scouting skills development weekend. Run by Walesby Forest International Scout Centre, it is set in Sherwood Forest and specialises in outdoor adventure activities.

Hands-on training

When the group arrived at the centre, they received a warm welcome, with a meal and social on the Friday night, then activities all day Saturday and Sunday. ‘Leaders could choose which activities they fancied and, if any were oversubscribed, the centre put on extra sessions, with everything fully backed up by handouts,’ explains Simon. Flexibility is key during these weekends, and if a group wants to learn something that isn’t on the schedule, then the staff at Walesby try and organise it. In the case of Simon’s group, this included a more advanced course in pioneering. Sharon Jervis, another new leader on the course, found the opportunity to try new

44 Scouting April/May 2011

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Should practica ls be part of a com kills pulsory training module ? Turn to page 25 for our deb ate

our Six months later, while g well in training was progressin Scouting other subjects, practical eak skills were still quite w activities the most beneficial. ‘I was able to try out lots of different skills. It gave me a better understanding of some of the aspects of Scouting that I should be learning as a Scout leader.’ But she also found that meeting others there helped as well. ‘Being able to network with the other groups added to the overall gain from the weekend. I’m looking forward to the next one,’ she adds. Ian Sinclair, Centre Director at Walesby, says: ‘This type of experience provides leaders with an opportunity to immerse and engage in embedding learning from

RED, AMBER, GREEN (RAG) ASSESSMENTS

RAG assessments can help Groups put together a development plan. You go through all areas of the Scouting experience, and rate everything red, amber or green. Green = everything is fine; amber = something that only needs minimal work to make it green; red = something that’s going to need a bit more work. To classify something as red isn’t necessarily bad, but it just means it’s liable to take more time, which can help your Group make the best use of resources.

core modules. They can also share their thoughts and ideas, and clarify their understanding of Scouting issues and experiences from their perspective.’ This mix of expert practical tuition with the opportunity to share ideas with other leaders was something that Simon noticed

BEYOND THE MODULE

too. ‘I’ve been volunteering for almost 20 years and the aim of the weekend was to support our new leaders, but I also gained a lot from attending,’ he says.

Supplementing the training programme The event was conceived a year earlier, when Simon led his Group through a Red, Amber, Green (RAG) assessment, and identified the training of their new leaders as something they needed to work on. ‘We had a number of new leaders in the Group, so we developed a plan to get them through the appropriate training in as short a period as possible,’ says Simon. ‘I’ve been part of a training team in the past and learnt that it is important for leaders to train as early as possible to get maximum benefit and support them in their new roles.’ Six months later, Simon realised that his new leaders were going to need extra tuition above and beyond what was in the Adult Training modules. ‘While the Scout module training is flexible, well designed, well planned and usually well delivered, it does not provide the opportunity to adequately develop practical Scout skills and often only provides a taster for new leaders,’ Simon adds. Kevin agrees that, while he thought the Adult Training modules were effective, Groups sometimes needed to take the initiative in making sure leaders got enough hands-on training. ‘On the nights away training, it was such a large group that there simply wasn’t enough time for everyone to have a go at the practical tasks.’ With a determined approach, and by coordinating with a neighbouring county training team, Simon’s Group got six new leaders through all of their training modules in a little over a year. Not bad when a plan comes together.

Walesby is planning another leaders’ training weekend this year (28-30 October). For details, visit www.walesbyforest.org.uk. Scouting skills training weekends take place across our range of National Scout Activity Centres. Visit www.scouts.org.uk/sac

Training

Training isn’t just about attending courses; it’s also about having new experiences and making the most of opportunities. Here are five ways you can build on your own training: 1. Take advantage of the opportunity to do things at your weekly meetings, and learn from those around you. Scouting is all about learning by doing. 2. Buddy up, as this means you can support and motivate each other. 3. Don’t be afraid to ask. Many volunteers in Scouting are ready and willing to share their skills. If you feel there are skills you want to develop, talk to your GSL or your training teams and see if they can help. 4. Look into District and County opportunities. Local fun days, meetings and away days mean you can take part in activities you might not have in your weekly meetings. It’s a great time to be inspired by others, make new friends and possibly learn new skills. 5. Don’t forget that you can pass on what you have learnt too. As in life, learning in Scouting never stops. For more information about learning opportunities, visit www.scouts.org.uk/ learnersresources

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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? e r u t n e v d A e h t r o pf

scouts.org.uk/sac Tel: 0845 300 2549

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16/03/2011 11:19

SKILLS & S E I T I V I T C A e tu Up, up and away, as w

P48 P50 P51

rn the spotlight on aviat

ion

ader A Scout and Air Scout Le ing discuss the thrills of fly ts ou Top tips for getting Sc in the air Gain new skills with Essential Knots

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

skills.indd 47

16/03/2011 15:00

UP IN THE AIR Hundreds of Scout flights take place each year, sending our young people to new heights. We meet a young aviator and the skilled volunteers who make it happen

ourteen-year-old Scout Richard has flown in airliners and Cessnas, but today is his first time in a microlight. As he touches down, the windswept excitement is visible. ‘That was an amazing feeling!’ he yells, the sound of grounded aircraft still resounding on the Perth airfield. ‘As we rose higher, I could feel the air on my face, and it was exhilarating because we weren’t in an enclosed space, like in a plane. And everything looked like specks of dust. After a smooth landing, that was very enjoyable.’

skills.indd 48

Off the ground

Richard is lucky and has flown before, but while it’s packed with excitement when you’re hundreds, if not thousands, of feet in the air, it is the pre-flight checks on the ground that are central to the experience. These safety requirements are ingrained in the culture of air activities, and realistic with the need for precaution in the aviation industry. They differ depending on what type of aircraft is being used, as Richard explains: ‘When you go in a glider, there are fewer checks, because there’s no fuel. The main difference in the microlight was that I had to wear a warm suit, because you’re so much more exposed to the elements. The controls also take some getting used to, because they’re different in each of the aircrafts. Every time I try it out, I’ve got to have a go at controlling the flight.’

16/03/2011 15:00

Skills & activities

Roger’s top tips for getting your Scouts off the ground

Worth the effort

Flying can be a pricy activity, which puts some leaders off, but for experienced Air Scout Leader Roger Tandy, it’s worth it. ‘The look of excitement on a youngster’s face as they get out of the plane after their first flight makes all the fundraising worthwhile.’ Roger has been arranging flights for his Scouts in Halfpenny Green, West Mercia, for 47 years. For him, it’s getting Scouts ready to fly in light aircraft that drives him. Since records began in 1987, the Halfpenny Green Air Scouts have completed 1,926 flights totalling 798 hours. ‘Experience shows that if you want to have regular flights for all the members of the Group, rigorous fundraising is necessary. We’ve done the usual jumble sales and bag-packing to bring in the money for flying, which can be as much as £80 for a half-hour session.’ It pays off though, as Roger recalls: ‘Once I managed to book helicopter lessons, and the flying instructor turned out to be an ex-Scout who I’d taken on his first flight. Moments of satisfaction like that are what you do it for.’

Raise the money; flying is expensive. Find your nearest airfield or gliding club; large airports do not offer the light aircraft flying that appeals to Scouts. Check your chosen club, flying school and pilots are correctly qualified (POR chapter 9). Ensure that the club or flying school has adequate Aviation Liability Insurance (POR 9.12c). Brief the Scouts on Access to Airfields (POR 9.11) and the sensations they are likely to experience in a light aircraft (POR 9.13). Notify the Scout Information Centre, County Air Activities Adviser (POR 9.12d) in advance of the flying. They need to know where the activity is based, the name of the company flying, the type of flying (ie light aircraft, gliding, etc) and the number of Scouts, Explorer Scouts and leaders participating. Hope that you get good weather so that the Scouts really enjoy themselves and leave with a sense of achievement.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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5WAYS

TO FLY

More detailed information, including what you need to do to follow the rules, can be found in the Member resources area of Scouts.org.uk, but here’s our quick guide to super air activities

Gliding

One of the most affordable ways to give your Scouts taster sessions of an air activity is to get in touch with your local gliding club and arrange a day’s tuition. Learning the controls and seeing the rest of the group reduced to the size of ants is a memorable time in any Scout’s life. There is an elegance and tranquillity about gliding that can’t be matched.

Parascending

Parascending pilots fly canopies based on parachutes, towed into the air by a 4x4 or winch before gliding back down to land. It’s a great pursuit almost entirely unique to Scouting, and gives you some picture-postcard views from high above the ground.

3 skills.indd 50

Ballooning

For those who aren’t speed demons, a flight in a hot-air balloon can offer an alternative education in aeronautics. The size of the basket will restrict the size of groups that can take part, but tethered flights are a way round this and enable larger numbers to go up.

Kiting

Cubs and Beavers can learn the basic principles of flight and aerodynamics by making and flying kites. Air Scout Groups whet the appetites of their youngest recruits through kiting and visits to airfields and airports.

Powered flying

For future kings and queens of the skies, flights in powered aircraft are the way forward. Once Scouts turn 14, they can take control of the plane themselves in solo flights and work towards their pilot’s licence.

Aviation events

Some Counties organise bigger aviation camps, making it easier for Scouts to access flying opportunities. One such is parascending camp Sky High, Lincolnshire 8-10 July 2011. Parascending as an activity is mainly done within Scouting and over the past ten years has seen a decline in adults supporting it. It’s a great way of enjoying the outdoors and passing on skills to young people, so if you want to help your young people gain these experiences or develop your own skills, pop along to Sky High. Find out more at www.skylincs.co.uk TELL THE INFO CENTRE If you are planning an air activity with your group, you are required to notify the Scout Information Centre. Email info.centre@scouts.org.uk or call 0845 300 1818.

16/03/2011 15:02

Skills & activities

KNOTS LANDING Two knots to teach yourself, and then teach your Scouts

You’ve asked for more Scouting skills to teach yourself, and a new book gives the bare essentials, as well as some tricks, to turn you from knot novice into rope master.

Impossible knot trick

WHAT’S IT FOR? Tying a knot in a piece of rope without letting go of either end. Put a length of rope in front of your friends and challenge them to pick it up and tie a knot in it without letting go with either hand. The result must be a proper knot that does not collapse when the rope is pulled tight. Any kind of cordage will do, but a piece of rope will be easier to handle than thin cord. The rope or cord should be about 1m (3ft) long so you can comfortably demonstrate how the trick is done after everyone else has given up. Lay the rope on a table. Before picking it up, cross your arms over each other. Now lean over and pick up one end of the rope in each hand. Keeping a firm hold on the rope, uncross your arms and move your hands apart, letting the rope slip over your wrists and hands as you do so. With this trick, you tie an overhand knot in the rope without letting go of either end.

Alpine butterfly knot

WHAT’S IT FOR? Attachment point for flag clips, carabiners and sinkers; simple emergency ladder. The alpine butterfly knot, or loop (also known as the linesman’s loop), is an easily untied, fixed single loop. It suits fishing line, cord and thin rope, but is awkward to tie in thick rope. Winding away from you (L-R), make a round turn and one extra turn around the left hand. Place the left standing part over the first turn and secure it with the thumb. Pick up the bottom of the left round turn and, allowing the left standing part to run around the hand, extend a bight to at least triple the size of the turn. Lead the newly extended bight to the right and tuck it (R-L) under all the turns that are wound around the hand to form a loop. Secure the two standing parts together with the left thumb, grasp the loop with the right hand, and pull to tighten. The two standing parts can now be spread to restore the function of a continuous rope. You may need to work the outer turns of the knot inward and pull on the loop to tidy it.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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YOU CAN WITH A BOX VAN The versatile solution for transporting and storing equipment Ifor Williams Box Van Trailers are a popular choice of trailer for Scouts Groups and are ideal for transporting and storing equipment throughout the year. Strong and robust with low depreciation will ensure a box van trailer is a cost effective choice. Prices start from just £1025 +vat. For details of your local Distributor, visit our website 01490 412527 www.iwt.co.uk Over 50 Distributors Nationwide

It’s

Room for Single or Double Occupancy Valid On

Unity can cover all your vehicles

Scout Members * with ID (nett per room per night)

Scout Members’ Referral Bookings (nett per room per night)

1st – 23rd December 2010

HK$650.00

HK$700.00

24th – 31st December 2010

HK$850.00

HK$900.00

1st January 2011

HK$850.00

HK$900.00

2nd – 9th January 2011

HK$650.00

HK$700.00

10th – 13th January 2011

HK$850.00

HK$900.00

14th – 31st January 2011

HK$650.00

HK$700.00

* Scout Members are requested to present Scout Identity Card upon check-in.

Additional benefits on the below will remain the same :

Our minibus policy goes the extra mile. We can cover your minibus, even when you lend it to other Scout Groups and Guide Units.

Buffet Breakfast:

HK$55.00 nett per person per day

Airport Shuttle Service:

HK$85.00 nett per single trip per person (December 2010) HK$90.00 nett per single trip per person (January 2011 onwards) (Advance reservation is required).

Don’t drive off without Unity’s minibus cover.

For information & reservation, please contact Administration Branch of Scout Association of Hong Kong.

Call Unity now on

0845 0945 703 www.scoutinsurance.co.uk

scouts@unityins.co.uk

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, FRN 312976. Unity Insurance Services is a trading name of Scout Insurance Services Limited.

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No.8 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2376 1111 / Fax: (852) 2376 1333 Direct line to Reservations: (852) 2378 7611 Reservation Direct Fax: (852) 2376 1159 E-mail: enquiry@bpih.com.hk Website: www.bpih.com.hk

4/3/11 BP International.indd 13:53:22 1

11/01/2011 17:30

16/03/2011 14:37

Camp cooking

TV chef James Martin hosts Saturday Kitchen on BBC1. This beefy barbecue recipe is taken from his latest book, My Kitchen Perfect barbecue food, these beef koftas include fennel, which gives them a great flavour. I started growing fennel in the garden last year, and it’s extremely versatile. Pick it young to put in salads, or grill and braise it for eating warm.

l e n n e f h t i Fun w Beef and fennel kofta

Serves 4, Preparation time 1hr 10 mins, Cooking time 10 mins Ingredients 475g minced beef 1 clove of garlic, peeled ½ tsp ground fennel salt and black pepper 3-4 tbsp olive oil To serve 75g mixed salad leaves of your choice juice of ½ lemon 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 lemon, cut into wedges 4 corn on the cob

Method ■ Soak eight small wooden skewers for ten minutes in cold water. Place the beef in a bowl, grate in the garlic and add the fennel. Season with salt and pepper, mix together and divide into eight pieces. ■ Having first dipped your hands in cold water to stop the meat sticking to them, thread each section of mince on to a skewer, press into shape and place in the fridge for an hour to firm up. ■ Set a frying pan over a high heat, brush each kofta with a little of the olive oil and place in the pan to cook for about three minutes on each side. (Or cook them on a barbecue.)

■ Place the salad leaves in a bowl and dress with the lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Season and mix gently together. Remove the koftas from the pan and serve two per portion. Serve with the mixed salad, a wedge of lemon and grilled sweetcorn.

Tried it? Get more

My Kitchen is the brand-new collection of James Martin’s favourite seasonal recipes, with more than 100 tried-andtested dishes.

Go to www.scouts.org.uk/magazine to win a copy of My Kitchen.

W IN!

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

camp cooking ; Scouting AprilMay11 ; Scouting 53

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e ays have the time or th Admit it, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t alw not, ar Fe ur teeth while on camp. yo h us br to n tio na al cli in you can keep high dent at th re su en to re he is John Furniss ith a minimum of fuss standards easily and w

y first attempt at Scouting dental innovation was a complete disaster. Many years ago, while preparing to hike in the Lake District, I endeavoured to limit the weight of my pack as much as possible as we had an 80-mile route planned. I hit on the idea of reducing the weight of my toothbrush by drilling large holes in the handle. Unfortunately, the first time I used it, the head snapped off and I nearly swallowed it. Not such a good idea, perhaps. In the intervening years, I became a dentist and have tried to come up with a more practical and effective way of teeth cleaning, especially in a camping situation.

Clean once, clean well The main reason for cleaning our teeth is to reduce the daily build-up of bacteria. This film of bacteria is called plaque and forms especially between and around the necks of our teeth. These bacteria come from reservoirs that exist on our tongue, tonsils and at the back of our mouth.

Grin 54 Scouting December 2010/January 2011

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Health & wellbeing

The important thing is to clean around our teeth very carefully once a day. Much better to clean really well once daily than ineffectively two or three times a day. Therefore, when is the best time to carefully clean our teeth at camp? I would say it’s after the evening meal, when more time is available. Do it before the campfire singsong. Things may be too frantic in the morning for more than a quick mouth-freshening brush.

Recommended equipment

Braun – Oral-B Plak Control: electric toothbrush This is a very efficient robust electric toothbrush, which uses two AA batteries and can be purchased at most chemists and supermarkets. It costs around £14, including batteries and round brush head. Braun – Oral-B Interspace Power Tip: brush head Not stocked at many chemists, but can easily be obtained from Dent-OCare, by mail order. It costs around £9 for a twin pack. Freephone 0800 980 1517 or www.dentocare.co.uk

Get the best out of your equipment I would suggest the following steps for the major tooth-cleaning programme of the day: 1 Rinse first with a mouthful of water. This will help to get rid of food debris.

The main reason for cleaning our teeth is to reduce the daily build-up of bacteria 2 Use the tapered Interspace Power Tip brush just wet, with no toothpaste. Start the brush running on the outside of the top back teeth and gently apply five strokes around the neck of each tooth and five strokes between each tooth in turn (directing from gum margin to the tip of the tooth). Progressively ‘walk’ the tapered brush head around all the teeth in turn, outside and inner surfaces, uppers and lowers. Only apply very gentle pressure – let the brush do the work for you.

You do not need to press hard with an electric toothbrush. 3 Now change to the round brush head. Apply some toothpaste (ideally one containing fluoride) and carry out the same circuit around the teeth. This time, ‘cup’ each tooth in turn, moving the brush from tip to the neck of each tooth, again first on the outsides and then on the inside surfaces. Apply more toothpaste onto the round brush head as necessary. 4 You will now have a mouthful of toothpaste. Use this as a fluoride rinse. Keep your lips firmly together and ‘pump’ the toothpaste slurry around your mouth while counting to 30. Then carefully spit out into a mug. Do not, however, now rinse with water, otherwise you will wash the fluoride off too quickly (it needs four minutes ideally in tooth contact). Just leave it. If you look into your mouth five minutes later, it will all have disappeared. This programme will also work well if you are wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. So there you have it. Good camping this summer and good brushing. John Furniss is a Specialist in periodontics

and brush it www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

Health ; Scouting AprilMay11 ; Scouting 55

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GRAND DESIGNS A tranquil garden, a palatial mansion, bats, birds, playgrounds and cream teas. If you are stuck for where to go and what to do this Easter holiday, visit one of the National Trust’s many unique properties. Here is a selection.

Belton House Lincolnshire This stunning country house and lakeside walk will keep all the family entertained. Kids will love the large adventure

playground, complete with tree house and chain walk. The stable yard discovery centre will keep everyone occupied.

Fountains Abbey Estate North Yorkshire Six species of bat live in the Gothic arches of the ruins of the Cistercian abbey. But if it’s water you’re after, the Royal Water Garden contains more than 950 million litres of it in the form of canals and moonshaped ponds with statues and temples.

Castle Ward County Down

Cragside Northumberland

If you like wildlife walks and lovely views, this 18th-century mansion is one to visit. You’ll find kingfishers and buzzards; then do your own flying on the zip wire and slide in the adventure playground. In the children’s play area, kids can work up an appetite for a cream tea.

Cragside claims to be the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. The former home of Victorian inventor and landscape gardener Lord Armstrong, it stands on a rocky crag and is filled with gadgets and surrounded by amazing gardens.

Going

, whatever your interests It’s getting warmer and, Ferny fun day

Have a different day out at the Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre Open Day on 25 June. Situated in a 31-acre wooded site in the heart of the New Forest, this is your opportunity to try out a new activity and see what this great location has to offer. www.scouts.org.uk/ nationalcentres

Turn your Big Adventure into a day event Are you planning a barbecue, bingo evening, night hike or even a five-a-side football tournament between May and September? Then turn it into a Big Adventure day event, and use it as a proven way to recruit new adults and have fun. Now in its third year, The Big Adventure is an opportunity to ask parents to help out at your event and get involved in Scouting. Invite them and find a role they would be happy to take on. This could be cooking, creating a rota or demonstrating a skill. By making activities fun for

56 Scouting April/May 2011

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Days out

RIDE ON Cycling through the countryside is a healthy, environmentally friendly activity. Take part in a National Trust challenge ride at the same time and turn it into a great event. Suitable for all ages and abilities and from first-time riders to seasoned cyclists, the challenge rides, known as Sportives, start on 1 May. The routes vary from just a few miles to between 50 and 100 miles and are fully marked and marshalled along the way. Visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/cycling to find out where and when your nearest challenge ride is taking place.

places

something for everyone these days out will have

adults as well as young people, you may inspire them to help out more often. Register today for free resources to help you plan at www.scouts.org.uk/thebigadventure. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a video clip of Chief Scout Bear Grylls.

Go chill

The days may be warming up, but at the Chill Factore, near the Trafford Centre in Manchester, they believe in keeping it winter all year. The magical Snowplay area will keep younger children busy while the older ones and adults hit the slopes on sledges or in snow tubes. Advanced booking is advisable and equipment is included. Visit www.chillfactore.com for details of opening hours and prices.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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TOWER BRIDGE

EXHIBITION Enter the Most Famous

Bridge in the World

Enjoy breathtaking views of London from the Bridge’s Walkways. Experience the Victorian Engine Rooms. Enter and be amazed. Adults: £8.00 Children: £3.40 Concessions: £5.60 Under 5s: FREE Contact: 0845 404 3034 Bridge lift line: 0845 165 9815 www.towerbridge.org.uk

Special rates for groups, contact 0845 404 3034 for an organiser's pack Tower Bridge is provided by The City of London Corporation - a uniquely diverse organisation in that it not only promotes and supports the City and provides it with a full range of services, but also provides wider services for London and for the nation as a whole.

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Days out

s d

URBAN GOES COUNTRY Lee Valley Park covers 10,000 acres along 26 miles of the River Lee. From Hertfordshire, through Essex and down to the River Thames, the Park is a mix of nature reserves, sports centres, heritage sites and farms. It is also one of the venues being used for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Two of the many free and varied events and activities taking place this summer are the WaterWorks Open Day, on 13 April, and Wild Watch at the Dock, from 30 May to 5 June. The wildlife haven at the WaterWorks Nature Reserve in east London has recorded

Visit Scotland Prepare to be stunned when the redeveloped National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh is officially opened in July. From the Grand Gallery atrium, visitors will be treated to the Window on the World. This is a display of more than 800 objects rising through four storeys to introduce amazing galleries beyond. The Discoveries gallery plays out the lives of pioneering Scots through their inventions and adventures; look out for the 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite from Mars in the Natural World collections; and learn how other people live in the World Cultures galleries. www.nms.ac.uk

more than 320 species of plant, 25 species of breeding bird and a quarter of all British butterflies. Join the Wild Place, Your Space team at East India Dock Basin for close-up views of wildlife under the gaze of Canary Wharf. www.leevalleypark.org.uk

On and off your bike

Discover a gem filled with great activities and wonderful countryside at the Taff Valley Quad Bike & Activity Centre. Based near Cardiff, the centre offers exciting quad bike trekking trails for all ages. Leave the all-terrain vehicles behind and go gorge walking in the Brecon Beacons, look to the skies for some clay-pigeon shooting or aim a little lower with a round of archery. www.adventurewales.co.uk

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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16/03/2011 14:33

F -X C h a n ge

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Walks [B]

[C]

This popular ridge walk in the Peak District makes an ideal introduction to hill walking for Scouts and Explorer Scouts, says Steve Backhouse

[A]

[D]

Peak practice 83

START/FINISH

[E]

This product includes mapping licensed from Ordnance Survey ® with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. License Number PU 100040361. This map was generated and printed by T information see www.tracklogs.co.uk.

THE GREAT RIDGE Key facts

DISTANCE: 10½km (6½ miles) TOTAL ASCENT: 480m (1,575ft) START: Car park in Castleton village MAP: 1:25,000 OL1, Dark Peak SCOUTING CLASSIFICATION: Terrain One Head out of Castleton village along Hollowford Road towards Losehill Hall [A]. Continue to Spring House Farm and then begin the steady ascent to the summit of Lose Hill [B], a commanding viewpoint at the eastern end of the Great Ridge. Enjoy the views as you walk along the crest to Hollins Cross [C] and up to the summit of Mam Tor [D], the highest point on the route. Descend steeply to Mam Nick and take care as you follow the path and roads to Blue John Cavern [E]. From here, take the descending path past Treak Cliff and Speedwell Caverns and, finally, follow the footpath past Goosehill Hall back to Castleton.

Add some adventure The show caves around Castleton make an enjoyable visit at the end of this walk. See how the rare mineral Blue John was mined (see www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk) or take the underground boat trip at Speedwell Cavern (see www. speedwellcavern.co.uk).

Learn about geology The geology of Derbyshire is also very evident above ground, resulting in two contrasting landscapes seen on this walk. The Great Ridge marks the boundary between the limestone of the White Peak to the south and grit stone of the more rugged Dark Peak in the north of the national park.

See the sun rise Add extra adventure to your walk by staying at Castleton Youth Hostel, then setting off early to see the sun rise from the top of Lose Hill.

Reproduced with permission from Ordnance Survey

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Ad Page.indd 62

16/03/2011 14:35

s p i h s r e n t r pa ort come on board to supp ve ha es ni pa m co of r A numbe ent or an initiative onsoring a badge, an ev sp by it’s er th he w g, Scoutin Sainsbury’s

Sponsors: Active Kids and The Big Adventure. Resources and equipment available. www.scouts.org.uk/sainsburys

Chubb Fire & Security

Sponsors: Scout Fire Safety Activity Badge. Activity packs available. www.scouts.org.uk/chubb

Eat in Colour

Sponsors: Beaver Scout Healthy Eating Activity Badge. Resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/healthyeating

Environment Agency

Sponsors: Scout Angler Activity Badge. www.scouts.org.uk/environmentagency

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Sponsors: Safety resource competition. www.mcga.gov.uk

Merlin Entertainments

Offers available to UK attractions. www.scouts.org.uk/merlin

Met Office

Sponsors: Meteorologist Activity Badge. Resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/metoffice

Microsoft

Sponsors: IT Staged Activity Badge. Resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/microsoft

National Grid

Sponsors: Cub Scout Home Safety Activity Badge. Activity packs available. www.scouts.org.uk/nationalgrid

Natural England

Sponsors: Cub and Scout Naturalist Activity Badge. Resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/naturalengland

Ordnance Survey

Sponsors: Cub Scout and Scout Navigator Badges. Resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/ordnancesurvey

Wall’s

Sponsors: The Big Adventure and the Scout Camp Cook Badge. Resources coming soon. www.scouts.org.uk/walls

The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative

Sponsors: Cub Scout Global Conservation Activity Badge. www.scouts.org.uk/omsco

Pets at Home

Sponsors: Beaver Scout Animal Friend and Cub Scout Animal Carer Badges. Resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/petsathome

Police

Sponsors: Scout Community Challenge Award. www.scouts.org.uk/police

Puffin

Sponsors: Scout Adventure Challenge Award. Posters and skills cards available. www.scouts.org.uk/puffin

Rolls-Royce

Sponsors: Cub Scout Scientist Activity Badge. Activity packs available. www.scouts.org.uk/rollsroyce

Serco

Sponsors: Environment Partnership Award. www.scouts.org.uk/serco

ShelterBox

Global programme partner. www.youngshelterbox.org

Venture Abroad

Adventure holidays for Scouts. www.scouts.org.uk/ventureabroad

WD40

Sponsors: Scout DIY Activity Badge. Online resources available. www.scouts.org.uk/wd40

Worcester Bosch Group Sponsors: Cub Scout Global Challenge Award. www.scouts.org.uk/bosch

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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’ ! r a e l c s i ‘Coast Win money for a fantastic Group adventure by promoting an essential message The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is on the lookout for Scout Groups who will produce material to promote safety at sea or along the coast to other young people. This could be a film, poster, leaflet, magazine article, radio interview or whatever you like. You could win £500 for a Group activity.

Waterside preparation ‘Scouts are outdoor people,’ says Rod Johnson, Chief Coastguard. ‘As we are always striving to deliver our safety message to all young people, we’d like Scout Groups to show us how they prepare for waterside activities by entering our competition and leading the way.’ To help your Scouts with the task, some fantastic new resources on staying safe at the coast or the beach will soon be available.

Ready, Set, Inflate Scouts can also participate in an international event called Ready, Set, Inflate that takes place on Saturday 21 May. Some of the messages that your Group may want to incorporate are: ■ Check the tides before you set out ■ Swim and bodyboard at lifeguarded beaches only ■ Take special care if using inflatable dinghies, toys and lilos ■ Warn others about the dangers of jumping from high places ■ Prepare for cliff walking ■ Emergency procedures ■ Keep in touch with others. This will be the first time that the UK has taken part in this event and we will be joining the attempt to break the world record for simultaneous lifejacket inflations. On the day, Scouts will all inflate their lifejackets together at a prearranged time. Most people will not know how it feels to inflate a lifejacket (unless they have fallen in the water), so the aim of the event is to get them used to it. Scouts can use their own lifejackets and inflate them orally or by pulling the cord and using the gas cylinder. You may wish to ask your local chandler for help with re-packing and re-arming lifejackets following the event. If you would like to get involved, please contact Kirsten Pointer at MCA on kirsten.pointer@mcga.gov.uk

W I N!

Please send your competition entries to Sally Hilton, Corporate Partnership team, Gilwell Park, Chingford E4 7QW or by email to sally.hilton@scouts.org.uk. The deadline for entries is 31 October. The winning entry will receive £500 towards an adventure of their choice, while two runners-up will be awarded £300 and £200, respectively.

64 Scouting April/May 2011

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Partnerships

Wild times

Scouts can now enjoy their outdoor encounters with wildlife even more, thanks to a groundbreaking new project Ordnance Survey has joined up with respected naturalist Simon King on a new web-based initiative, Wildlife Whisperer. The website provides you with information on how to watch, photograph, film and generally make the most out of your contact with wild creatures. ‘Everyone can enjoy wildlife, whether they travel to Africa, go diving off the British coast or just watch wild birds in their back garden. We hope Wildlife

Whisperer gives them somewhere on the web where they can learn more, see more and get more out of their interest in wildlife,’ says Simon.

Activity resources There are also educational aids and activity packs that can be used with your Cubs or Scouts. Why not link it in with the Navigator Activity Badge, sponsored by Ordnance Survey too? Wherever you are in the country and whatever your level of interest,

there is something here for you that will enable you to enrich your experiences.

find out more Join in at www.wildlifewhisperer.tv; visit the Ordnance Survey website for the latest offers – leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Whatever your reason for coming to Cotswold Outdoor you can be sure there’s no better place to get your kit. As the recommended outdoor high street retailer for The Scout Association we pride ourselves in offering the best advice and equipment, and with a 15% discount, the best prices too. Visit us at scouts.org.uk/cotswoldoutdoor for more details.

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www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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14/03/2011 16:29 16/03/2011 15:24

Change lives with your old books Turn unwanted books into a means to educate young people in developing countries, by getting involved in an inspirational initiative The Scout Association’s partner, Bookbridge, is hoping to collect 30,000 books from Scouts in the UK over a two-week period this summer. Donations can be of books that friends or family no longer want. You can approach schools, libraries, colleges or anyone else who might be willing to help. It’s incredibly easy to get involved in this lifechanging enterprise.

What sort of books? Bookbridge is looking for fiction or non-fiction English language books; particularly picture, children’s and young adults’ books that are easy to read. The more illustrated and simple a book is, the better. Teaching materials (especially audiovisual

find out more

For information on the Bookbridge project, local collection points, resources, or to register for the sorting days, please visit www.bookbridge.org/ scouts or contact Daisy Charlton, daisy.charlton@scouts.org.uk or Alexander Ruebsaamen, alex@bookbridge.org

resources like pictures, CDs and DVDs), dictionaries, atlases and encyclopaedias would be especially welcome.

How are they collected? Firstly, get the young people in your Group to start gathering books and bringing them to meetings. Your meeting place could become a collection point for you and other groups. Bookbridge will publish the address on its website and ask Scouts in your area to drop off books. If you can’t house a collection point yourself, find your nearest centre on the website. If there are none in your area, alternative solutions will be offered.

What happens next? At the end of July, there will be a national sorting day where Scouts, together with a team from Bookbridge, will arrange what is collected. The books will then be shipped to Cambodia to form a vital part of a Bookbridge project to establish libraries.

Get involved There are six easy steps to organising a collection: 1 Decide if you would like to house a collection point – this could be your meeting place, garage or spare bedroom. Then register your details at www.bookbridge.org/scouts 2 Plan how to collect books with leaders in your section/Group/District. 3 Encourage young people in your section to collect books at home. 4 Between 20 June and 3 July, ask people to deliver the books they have gathered to the relevant collection point. 5 Transport books to a central location between 4 and 19 July. 6 If you’re an Explorer or Scout Network member, come to the sorting day to prepare the books for shipping to Cambodia. Bookbridge has also prepared programme ideas, available on Programmes Online, to help all sections understand why they are donating books. Visit www.scouts.org.uk/pol

What is Bookbridge?

The Bookbridge Foundation strives to create a world with equal access to education. To achieve this, it establishes education centres with libraries in developing countries, providing free books to people in need. Students at the centres are taught English, as this greatly improves their opportunities for employment and a better quality of life.

68 Scouting April/May 2011

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View from the ground James Webb of ShelterBox talks about a recent deployment to flood-affected Colombia As I was in the fourth team sent over, I naively hoped that much of the water would have subsided. How wrong I was. Driving through northern Colombia was a shocking experience. Fields as far as the eye could see were completely submerged, with the odd house roof poking out through the water. We were distributing boxes to families living in appalling conditions. For three consecutive days, we woke at 4am to load 55kg boxes on to boats to reach remote communities cut off by the flooding. After a four-hour boat ride, we’d arrive at what had once been a village and distribute equipment to exceptionally grateful families. We performed tent demonstrations so families could create a camp. Watching them make ShelterBox tents their home was a moving experience.

Disaster relief tents Further north, people were living in makeshift shelters or cambuchas on the side of the road. These were often nothing more than structures made from wood and black tarpaulin which, in the stifling temperatures, became unbearably hot. Moving families into ShelterBox’s specially-designed disaster relief tents (with numerous vents) was a priority.

We were able to relocate more than 200 families to camps with clean water, sanitation and large communal areas. These were close to their original homes, so the sense of community was retained. My 16 days in Colombia were among the most tiring and rewarding of my life. Knowing that ShelterBox wouldn’t be able to help families in need without the support of partners like The Scout Association is incredibly humbling. It reminded me of the importance of our partnership and how grateful we are for the vital support provided by Scouts all over the UK.

Dates to look out for

ShelterBox has lots of exciting plans for Scouts in 2011: The ShelterBox Experience: 14-16 October and 18-20 November ShelterBox Journo: Ongoing Go Global (a new resource pack for the Global Award): late 2011 London Scavenger Hunt: Summer 2011. For more information on any of ShelterBox’s plans, please email youngshelterbox@shelterbox.org

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Wall's Scouts DPS update feb 2011.qxd

1/3/11

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Page 1

Fire up your appetite for life with Wall's Make a great start to a busy day with substantial, full flavoured proper food with no half measures. Wall's sausages are meaty and full of flavour; perfect for active Scouts who are up for anything and have a big appetite for life. Eat them on their own or as part of a hearty breakfast with Wall's Bacon. And don't forget, Wall's Sausage Rolls are perfect for lunches or as a quick snack during a busy day.

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Recipe: Sticky finger kebabs Serves 4 • Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 20 minutes Chunks of delicious Wall’s sausages covered in a sticky glaze served with rice and peas

Ingredients For the kebabs: 8 great tasting Wall’s sausages 12 juicy cherry tomatoes, halved 24 button mushrooms

For the glaze 3 tbsp tomato ketchup 2 tbsp tomato puree 1 tbsp malt vinegar 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp runny honey 1 tbsp sesame seeds To serve 250g cooked long grain rice 75g cooked peas

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Method 1. Grill the sausages for approximately 10 minutes/until cooked through, turning occasionally. Cool them while you whip up the glaze. 2. Get the tomato ketchup, puree, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey and sesame seeds all mixed up in a bowl. 3. Chop the cooled sausages into diagonal chunks and push onto 12 skewers with the cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. 4. Brush the skewers with the sticky glaze and grill on a foil lined grill rack under a medium heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. 5. While that’s going, fold the peas into the cooked rice and dish it up onto four plates. 6. Serve your kebabs with the rice and enjoy the great taste and the warmth of a brilliant Wall’s recipe.

16/03/2011 13:50

P U T E G SCOUTS OFF* % 0 5 O T ent and m e it c x e , n u f Share the ith your Scouts! w SAVINGS u’ll always and yo ce as a group sion fee. n va ad in k o Bo mis the normal ad pay less than s,* including: other reward y jo en ’ll u yo Plus, er places • FREE lead ckets iarisation ti il m fa E E R •F ntrance • Priority e

p a free grou ce to WIN n a d n ch a e s th w e Have r for n you registe ! visit when w r u ebsite offers on o s

ups m e r li n g r o

.c o m / s c o u

*All details correct at time of going to print, all rewards and pricing are subject to change without notice. Rewards and prices diﬀer at each attraction, please visit www.merlingroups.com/scouts for more information. LEGO the LEGO logo and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2011 LEGO Group.

TU5278 Groups Scout Ad.indd 1

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Partnerships CRIMINAL MASTERMIND. CR I M I N A L G E N I U S . C R I M I N A LLY G O O D . . .

A DECADE OF DEMONS AND ARMED FAIRIES AF_SCOUTS AD.indd 1

04/03/2011 13:32

In 2011, Puffin celebrates ten years of Artemis Fowl with a thrilling new cover look and exciting events throughout the year. Will your Group be involved? If your Scouts haven’t discovered the masterminding anti-hero yet, they’ll love his adventurous escapades as he discovers an underground world of armed and dangerous fairies, battles

bloodthirsty demons, tries to save the world from global warming and much more. Puffin is holding a major online event starring Eoin Colfer, author of this phenomenal series, to be

THE YOUNG SAMURAI CHALLENGE FOR SCOUTS The hunt is on for the next Jack Fletcher, the hero in Chris Bradford’s all-kicking Young Samurai book series. Have your Scouts got what it takes? All they need to do is visit www.youngsamurai.com and upload a short video of themselves in action to win

streamed live across the UK and the world – a perfect opportunity for your Scouts to see him talking about Artemis. For further information, visit www.artemisfowl.co.uk

Adventure Challenge

W I N!

adrenaline-pumping prizes. There are also prizes for the funniest entries for ninjas-in-the-making who don’t practise martial arts. Check out the Young Samurai website for inspiration and get filming at your next meeting.

Puffin is back for a third year to sponsor the Scout Adventure Challenge, with some of the best-loved action brands in children’s literature, including Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Young Samurai by Chris Bradford. Visit www.scouts.org. uk/puffin to download the activity cards and wallchart for your next meeting.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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ABTA No.V025X

Awesome… Amazing… Adventure! White water rafting, giant pizzas, glaciers and axe throwing... David Bamforth, one of Hadrian East Yarrabangee Explorer Scout Unit’s leaders, talks about their adventures abroad. What do your adventure holidays involve? One of the main activities on our Norway trip was an expedition, involving trekking, wild camping and a canoe trip, this gave us the opportunity to experience the fjords, mountains and the Norwegian weather! Other highlights included white water rafting, which has become a must do activity on our trips, cycling, tandem biking, a cold dip in the fjord, archery, crate stacking and axe throwing!

Share some of your favourite moments from Iceland and Norway... Over the two trips there have been so many stories to tell; from the glacier event, ‘the yellow slide’, BBQ and festival in Iceland to the rafting test, giant pizzas and shopping in wet canoeing gear in Norway. For each trip it is the experience and sense of achievement that sticks in the mind.

How do you raise the funds for such a trip? We spread fundraising over a 12 - 18 month period with events such as quiz nights, bag packing, sponsored challenges (including climbing the height of Everest up the steps at our local paper mill) and preparing and serving a full Burns Night Supper to 120 people.

What advice would you give to other troop leaders? There is a lot of time and effort required in preparing for a trip abroad, however, it is well worth it and with the support of Venture Abroad, the organisation is made easy.

Describe your trips in 1 word... Many come to mind such as awesome or amazing, but the one word would be… adventure.

tours@ventureabroad.co.uk 205-Scout VA.indd Mag 50 Summer 2011.indd 1

01332 342 050

Visit our web site to read the full interview an d start plannin g your own adventu re.

www.ventureabroad.co.uk 17/01/2011 09:08:50 16/03/2011 13:37

Home escape plan Every household should have some sort of escape plan a fire breaks out in place, in an unlikely in the home. Hopefu event that lly you will never prepare for it so have to use it, but there is no delay it is important to when it is put into action.

Plan Together

As a family plan together ensurin g that everyone unlikely event of in the household fire occurring. knows the plan and what to do Special arrangement in the s need to be made in consideration would need to be able to escape of any possible elderly, young or the home safely. disabled family

The Escape Rou

members that

Ensure that the escape route is practicable and in case one of your can be carried escape routes is out. Agree as a blocked. Identify family at least two a meeting place possible escape outside the home. plans, It is also advisa ble to have a room in which you could this room also has all stay in if the a telephone so worse was to happe you can summo to telephone themse n. It would be sugges n help. Make sure lves. all the children ted that know your addres s in case they have Safe

ty in the Home

Know the dange

rs and fire precau tions necessary If you have gas, in the home to prevent a fire in oil or coal-burning the first place such appliances be properly ventila as: aware of carbo ted and equipm n monoxide. Ensur ent is regularly Turn off portab e your home is serviced and mainta le heaters, as ined. well as gas and going to bed. electric fires before • Make sure open fires have the fire guard • Never leave in place and secure fires, candles . or any form of unattended and naked flame in ensure candle the home s are secure before • Keep heater lighting. s away from clothe s, furniture and • Keep windo curtains. ws and doors shut to stop the fire spreading. •

•

Task

Go into groups and talk about your own home from the Scout escape plan. You hut or hall you are also might wish meeting every week. to talk about the fire evacuation plan Create a home escape plan 1 Talk about the home each of you live in ie is is it a flat or maiso it a house terrac nette? ed, semi or detach 2 ed, How many memb ers are there is your family? Are as an elderly or there any consid disabled family erations such member? 3 Plan two ways out of every room, draw a plan of escape routes your home and the possible 4 Identify a meetin g place outsid e the home 5 Make sure your escape route is not at risk 6 Review with your Scout leader and also with your family at home For further informa call 0800

tion on all Chubb

Fire & Security produc website

32 1666 or visit our

ts and services www.chubb.co. uk

This briefing is intended as general Although great guidance and is care has been not a substitute for detailed advice cannot in any circumstanc taken in the compilation and in specific circumstanc preparation of es accept responsibility this edition to ensure es. for errors, omissions accuracy, Chubb or advice given Fire & Security upon information or for any losses contained in this arising from reliance publication.

Chubb competition A new fire-safety awareness poster competition could boost your Troop’s finances while saving lives Scout Troops are invited to produce a Home Escape Plan poster that details the priority actions in the event of a fire. The competition has been launched in conjunction with Chubb, sponsors of the Fire Safety Activity Badge. The poster should include methods of preventing, detecting, containing and escaping a fire. The winning entry will receive a cash prize, and the poster will be published on the Chubb website. Information and resources to help you can be found on www.scouts.org.uk/chubb

Educational fun

more info

For further details on the competition and the Fire Safety Activity Badge, visit www. chubb.co.uk and go to the News and Resources page.

Bianca Cole, Programme and Development Adviser for Scouts, says: ‘Protecting young people by educating them about the hazards of fire and how they can prevent it is hugely important and will no doubt go on to save lives.’ ‘To make it fun as well is a great idea,’ she continues. ‘The incentive of a cash prize and the chance to see their winning design on the Chubb website will act as a tremendous incentive for the Scouts to get their thinking hats on and pens and pads out.’ Since its launch in 2004, more than 84,000 Scouts have received the Fire Safety Activity Badge, sponsored by Chubb. The company also provides educational literature and posters to

more than 7,200 Scout Troops across the UK, as well as practical help from the company’s nationwide network of offices and engineers.

Vital message Jane Garland, Marketing Communications Manager for Chubb, says that a Home Escape Plan is a vital part of every household’s fire safety: ‘Both the Fire Service and Chubb recommend that all homes have two exit routes, in case of fire, as part of their Home Escape Plan. As part of our ongoing annual campaign, we wanted Scouts to come up with ideas to illustrate posters and reinforce the crucial message of fire safety.’

W I N!

Competition details The prizes for the 2011 Fire Safety Awareness competition are: ■ First prize £300 ■ Two runners-up prizes of £100 each. The prize money must be put towards a group outdoor activity.

Send your entries to Sally Hilton (Fire Safety Competition), Corporate Partnership team, The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW. Closing date for entries is 21 October.

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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Competitions

W I N!

y l g g u j y l e v Lo of circus kit Grab yourself a sackful

in our competition

Bezerkaz Circus offers exciting and rewarding workshops and events for adults and young people. Activities are challenging, but achievable, and can be adapted to suit all ages and abilities. Try your hand at diabolo, juggling, unicycling, plate spinning, basic magic, twirling and balancing. Watch an array of circus stunts, including five-ball juggling, stilt walking, balloon modelling, fire juggling, fire eating and glow shows, with comedy suited to all ages. And look out for the gigantic bubbles. Workshops are available for Scouts with special needs, using coordination exercises, which are great confidence builders. Teamwork is encouraged through the use of drama and non-competitive games. Bezerkaz Circus has worked across all Scout sections and has even trained leaders. The circus skills trainers appeared at the 21st World Scout Jamboree, Eurojam and many other District and County events, and have also helped Scouts achieve their Circus Skills Activity Badge. This year they will be helping Beavers celebrate their 25th Anniversary in style with shows and workshops. To be in with a chance to win a box full of diabolos, spinning plates and other circus kit, email your name and address to scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk with ‘Circus’ in the subject line. The prize will go to the first entry picked out of the hat after the closing date of 20 May. Find out more about Bezerkaz Circus by visiting www.bezerkaz.co.uk or find it on Facebook. You can also call Shaun on 07866 261 346.

petition 2011 photography com Make it snappy if you want to enter our photography competition. Don’t forget to take your camera with you to capture that special picture, which shows Scouting at its best. There are four categories: Your Big Adventure event Urban Scouting Diversity Action

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Get knotty We’ve four copies of Essential Knots to give away, as featured on page 51. To win, tell us another name for the alpine butterfly knot. Send your entry, with your name and address, to scouting. magazine@scouts.org.uk with ‘Knots’ in the subject line. The first four correct entries picked from the hat will win a copy of the book. The closing date is 20 May.

How to enter Go to www.flickr.com/groups/ scoutingcompetition2011 and upload your photograph. Please ensure that you provide an email address where we will be able to contact you in the event that you are shortlisted. If your photograph is shortlisted for the cover, you will be asked to provide a high-resolution version of the image – so make sure you save them in the meantime. The closing date for entries is 1 September.

MORE Log on to Scouting online for ONLINE more great competitions – www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

18/03/2011 10:24

g n i t u o Sc

directory Visit www.scouts.org.uk/magazine for the online directory

Appropriate Scout Association authorisation is required by leaders and adults running activities and events, even when using products and equipment supplied by commercial companies. Inclusion in this listing does not imply endorsement by The Scout Association.

SUPPLIERS

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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SUPPLIERS ACTIVITIES & ACTIVITY CENTRES SUPPLIERS

WOVEN, EMBROIDERED & METAL BADGES, GROUP NECKERCHIEFS, SHIRTS AND LEATHER ITEMS, INCLUDING WOGGLES. World Jamboree Unit, District, County, Group, Anniversary and Event badges manufactured to your requirements. GROUP

NECKERCHIEFS and embroidered polo and sweatshirts also available.

Send your design for an instant quotation to: Manor Enterprises, 3 Beacon Court, Birmingham Rd, Great Barr, Birmingham B43 6NN Phone: 0121 358 7771 Fax: 0121 358 1105

www.scoutbadges.org.uk sales@scoutbadges.org.uk

EMPLOYMENT Get paid to use your Scouting skills! Raw Adventure Day Camps are running throughout SE England this Easter and Summer, and we need Camp Managers and Leaders! Apply online to teach kids aged 8-14 a mixture of pioneering, survival skills, outdoor games and craft. www.rawadventurecamps.co.uk Get involved!

ACTIVITIES & CAMPING

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CAMPING DIRECTORY

To Advertise here Please call September on 020 8962 2952

ACTIVITIES & ACTIVITY CENTRES

Les Maingys, Guernsey Best campsite in the Channel Islands, full range of activities. Enjoy the Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and Blue Flag beaches. Camping for 500, hostel for 32, Sports Hall and Indoor Climbing Wall, Archery etc.

Tel: 01481 256 796 or www.scouts.org.gg

HOLIDAYS ABROAD

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ACTIVITIES & ACTIVITY CENTRES Looking for a base to explore Snowdonia? Look no further!

Braunston Northants

Visit ‘The Old School Lodge’ - Deiniolen Four miles from Llanberis and the foot of Snowdon this Scout owned and managed lodge is suitable for all ages. The centre can accommodate up to 38 people in 8 en-suite bunk rooms and 2 twin bedded rooms. Resident warden. For details on prices and a booking form visit out site: www.oldschoollodge.org.uk or contact the booking secretary on 0151 632 4943

8-12 berth self steer narrowboats fully ﬁtted for all year round cruising. Plus day boat hire, 12 seater. Tel: 01788 890 784 Visit: www.unioncanalcarriers.co.uk

• Group tuition • Windsurfing, Canoeing, Sailing, Archery, Raft Building • Camping, Café, Bar, Disco, Games room • 1st aid courses Croft Farm Leisure & Water Park Tewkesbury, Glos. GL20 7EE 01684 772321 Email tom@croftfarmleisure.co.uk

CroftFarm_Scouting_AprMay2011.indd14/03/2011 1 Bursledon, Southampton.

09:56

Expeditions and Sales South Devon 01803 865301

023 8040 5151

Fordell Firs

Bring on the Challenge

NORTH WEST

Fordell Firs is situated in Fife on the outskirts of Dunfermline. We have 2 large chalets that can accommodate 36 and 18 people as well as a 48 acre camping area. We offer a wide range of activities including: Abseiling, climbing, zip line, caving, low ropes, adventure play area, challenge course, mountain bikes, soft play area, archery, circus skills, nature trail, orienteering, wet weather games, pedal go-carts, bungee trampoline, Jacobs ladder and more!

Address: Fordell Firs National Activity Centre, Hillend, Dunfermline KY11 7HQ Telephone/fax: 01383 412704 email: warden@fordellfirs.org.uk

FOR HIRE

KESWICK SCOUTS’ CAMPING HUT 12 bunk basic camping hut with tent area. 3 miles from Keswick. For further details contact: Gill Reader 1st Keswick Scout Group Treasurer bobandgill44@btinternet.com Phone: 017687 72073

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MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS www.glasgowscoutshop.com Equipping you for your Scouting adventures!

14/03/2011 17:34

17/03/2011 16:57

Round our place

Photography by Jemma Cox

s e r u t n e v d a Great r e w o T t a e at Gr To celebrate the official unveiling of Great Tower as a National Scout Activity Centre, we asked service team member Sarah Latham to describe the special feeling she gets when spending time at her ‘second home’

reat Tower is the place where I do most of my Scouting, because it caters to any group and there’s always something to do and plenty of space to do it in. The site can be full of people, yet you can still find somewhere to be alone if you wish.

Teen dreams I fell in love with Great Tower the first time I volunteered as part of the service team one summer. I met many friends then who I still have today; these are the ones I know will be there for me no matter what, just like I would be there for them. There’s a lovely, welcoming feeling you get when you arrive here, and there’s the sense that you have all this open space to explore and learn in. My earliest memory of coming here would be my first County Explorer Camp. I was 16 and had just joined the Movement. As soon as I stepped onto the site, I felt like I was home and I belonged. I’ve barely left since.

View finder Great Tower is vast [250 acres next to Lake Windermere], but I’ve never got lost. I’m not sure how I know my way around as well as I do, but as long as I keep walking, I will always find something I recognise. It’s the perfect place to lose yourself in your thoughts, however, as there are plenty of spots for quiet reflection, and stunning views. Great Tower has helped me through difficult times just by being a place where I feel at home and safe. The team here has always made me feel like one of the family. When something bad happens in my life, it’s the first place I think of, and I know as soon as I’m here, everything will seem a lot better and be easier to deal with. Great Tower is my home, and I hope it always will be.

find out more Great Tower joins the Scout Activity Centre family on 1 April – call the centre on 01539 531279 or email greattower.sac@scouts.org. uk. You can find out about this and all our centres at www.scouts.org.uk/sac

Vital statistics

250 acres in the Lake District Camping and indoor accommodation More than 20 activities, from canoeing to high ropes.

Tell us

If you’d like us to come round your place, drop us a line at scouting. magazine@ scouts.org.uk

www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

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16/03/2011 14:35

Interview

Five miles with…

Sue Gillett

As Woodhouse Park Activity Centre in Bristol joins the family of Scout Activity Centres, one Scouting editor laced up his hiking boots to find out what makes it special from one of the site’s valued volunteers Scouting magazine: What is your association with Woodhouse Park? Sue Gillett: I’ve been on the management committee as a volunteer for the past 30 years, most recently as chairman. SM: What is Woodhouse Park best known for? SG: Locally, it’s the place where adults come to do their training, and we’ve run several courses a year here for many years, to a good standard. For the hundreds of Scout Groups who come here, I think we’re a friendly site with a warm welcome, and very adaptable to whatever they want to do. We try to provide a home away from home and, because of that, lots of our groups come back year after year. SM: Why do you love it? SG: I’ve seen so many young people grow up here, and seeing them running freely through the woods and bounding from

one activity to the next on a fun day or camp makes me very proud. Some of them are now returning as leaders or parents with their own families, which sums up what Woodhouse Park is – a big family. SM: What are your hopes for Woodhouse Park in the future? SG: I hope that the site remains as friendly a place as it’s been for the past 30 years, and that the young people who are coming here for the first time keep coming back, and enjoy it just as much.

meet the family Woodhouse Park joins the Scout Activity Centre family on 1 April. Call the centre on 01454 613 006 or email woodhouse.sac@scouts.org.uk, and find out more about this and all our centres at www.scouts.org.uk/sac

Vital statistics

36 acres 20 activities, from abseiling to air rifles Camping and indoor accommodation.

MORE ONLINE Watch an extended interview at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

82 Scouting April/May 2011

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