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Welcome to Edition 23 of Tails of the New Forest. As Christmas approaches, find out what’s coming up, some opportunities for you and what’s been going on below!
What’s coming up?
Totton Santa Run
By Steven Osborn, Group Scout Leader at 5th Testwood
I hope you’ve heard about it already but I apologise for nothing! We really need your help!
Totton Santa Run is one of our major fundraising events and sees loads of runners dressed as Father Christmas take on either a 2.5km or 5km route around the streets of Totton before finishing at our Christmas Fayre.
There are still plenty of places for runners so if you’re interested go for it and book tickets now at our ticket portal. If you’re not the running type then please please share the event so we can get it in front of as many people as possible.
Plus we need help on the day with our road closures – email [email protected] if you can help!
There are many squeezes on families at the moment but every little helps us raise funds to fix our hall (including our roof)!
A Copythorne Christmas
By Kevin Harmer, Team DC
Come and join us at Copythorne Scout Hall for our Christmas Fayre, Lantern Parade and Carols around the Campfire.
Fayre starts at 2pm on Saturday 2nd December. Santa’s Grotto, Craft Stalls, Tombolas, Games and Christmas food and drink
Lyndhurst’s Christmas Fun Day
Plus Lyndhurst Scouts are playing their part in this big Christmas community Fun Day.
Details on the flyer and on Facebook.
Reminders, opportunities and notices
Deadline looming for Scouts Speak Up and Adult Media Workshop
Hampshire Scouts have some exciting opportunities for you to learn new skills to help promote the brilliant work you’re doing with Scouts in your community.
February 2024 sees the return of Hampshire Scouts’ training events for adults and young people to help them tell their Scouting stories to the media, on social media and to others to spread the word and help grow your group. Taking place at Lyon’s Copse, Shedfield, it’s free of charge.
Location: Lyon’s Lodge @ Lyon’s Copse, Solent Scout Training Centre
Scouts Speak Up: Friday 2nd to Saturday 3rd February, free, food and accommodation indoors included plus an adventurous activity. Scouts, Explorers and Scout Network aged 13-25.
Adult Media Workshop: Sunday 4th February, free, food included. Open to any adult volunteer in any role.
Aim: to promote the good news stories of the Scouts by communicating effectively with the media, on social media and with those outside the movement.
These courses are free-of-charge and funded by Hampshire Scouts, so sign up while spaces are available. Timings will be confirmed once registration closes.
Booking through this form – numbers for young people needed by this weekend!
Reptile Academy
We’ve been approached by the Reptile Academy with educational experiences for groups and residentials for DofE too.
The Reptile Academy, offer fun and educational reptile experiences at their facility in Dorset.Specialist teams will welcome your group to explore a wide range of exotic species in 2-hour sessions. They are also an approved activity provider for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award (residentials), as well as providing Summer Camp Residentials. Please get in touch with Gary Weeks, ICAN Events Manager & Head Keeper, to discuss more.
Tel. 02380 394174 m: 07927 529077 e: [email protected]
Upcoming Remote Locations First Aid Course
Runways End Outdoor Centre are hosting a 2 day first aid course on the 10th and 11th January 2024. This 2-day intermediate course is designed for group leaders working in remote areas. This course is recognised by all outdoor governing bodies e.g. MLTB, BCU, IRATA, RYA etc. as well as exceeding the recommendations for the HSE recognised Emergency First Aid at Work.
We are able to offer this 2 day course at cost price of £120 per person. If you are interested or would like to book, please contact the centre direct on 01252 344421 or send them an email.
As many of you may have heard, The Scouting Association will be shaking things up a bit with Transformation, this will be happening next year and as more details are released, we will keep you updated of the progress.
District Programme Team
By Kevin Harmer, Team DC
I have been looking into one of the concepts that has suggested within the Transformation idea about ‘Teams’ within the district. As we know, for a long time the DCs have had a team of ADCs to help with programming events during the year for each section. With the addition of Squirrels in the District and of course the merger between North and West, this has become increasingly more difficult with the amount of Young People we now have in the district. Gone are the days when we could do a District Swimming Competition in an afternoon at the local swimming pool.
I would like to put together a District Programme Team. This team can have as many people in as we like and it will be a combined effort of the team to help get the programme of District events in the diary, hopefully solving problems from different people’s skills and knowledge. We will still need a main lead for each section withing the Programme Team, and I do hope that our current ADCs will consider taking that position within the new team.
I have also changed the format of the GSL meetings that were being held twice a year, and now will make this into a quarterly GSL/District Team Meeting to save having countless meetings in everyone’s diaries. I have put the dates below of these 4 meetings for 2024. I have not confirmed venues or whether they will be hybrid or face to face at this stage.
- Wednesday 21st February
- Wednesday 15th May
- Wednesday 18th September
- Wednesday 27th November
Please do get in contact with me if you would like to be a part of the District Programme Team, especially if you have ideas of any events that you would like to see return to the district or new ideas that you have for district events
What’s been happening?
Magellan Explorers raced to success in the Hampshire Scouts Kudu night incident hike. Read more from the team on our website.
Remembrance Sunday was marked across the district with events held by groups in their local community. There were services in Totton, Copythorne, Lyndhurst, Netley Marsh, Fordingbridge, Ringwood and Burley. It was so good to see so many young people and volunteers represented in their community. Here’s the pictures we’ve seen below.
The District Expedition went down very well with our young people, check out this report from our District Youth lead, Michael.
It was great to see 5th Testwood holding a successful maintenance day recently with loads of jobs done:
It’s been quite a month for Stanley’s Own Scout and Guide Band. First they were at Winchester Round Table Bonfire and Fireworks:
…plus their annual Christmas concert went down a smash…
…and then the Band teamed up to perform in the Lord Mayor’s Show inside the City of London!
Speaking of institutions, the Fordingbridge Scout Post is back!
And while we’re in Fordingbridge, the Sandleheath Beavers have been having a great time at the Fire Station:
And finally, 5th Testwood’s Squirrels look back on an amazing month of activities where the Drey really got into their stride:
That’s all for this month! Remember you can stay up to date with what’s going on on our Facebook page (/newforestscouts) or Instagram (@newforestscouts). Plus if you’re a volunteer you can be part of the Facebook group for members too.
Lynn, Robin and Kevin.