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Welcome to Edition 30 of Tails of the New Forest. This month in Tails, the summer kicks off so lets see what our Scouts of all ages have been doing this term and catch us next time to see what has happened over the summer. Plus, some events to note for the rest of the year.

What’s coming up?

Save the Dates

There’s lots of opportunities coming up – save the date and keep your eyes open for the full joining details. District-run events are highlighted in yellow with other county or Ferny Crofts events also provided.

  • 6th-8th September: Skills Training Weekend open to all section volunteers.
  • 14th-15th September: Young Leader training weekend covering Modules B-K at Lyndhurst HQ, see below for more details. Book now.
  • 20th-22nd September: Emlyn Trophy Scout Patrols enter a camping competition and challenge of the more traditional Scouting skills, County event. Details and sign up.
  • 21st September: Ferny Crofts Squirrels Fun Day Open to all Squirrels in Hampshire, day of activities such as inflatables, Climbing, Archery, Tunnelling, Arts and Crafts and more! £15 for Squirrels, details on Ferny Crofts website.
  • 22nd September: Soap Box Derby Race go-carts against others at Netley Marsh in a fun filled afternoon. Starts 1pm, ice cream van present. Entry pack now published.
  • 22nd September: Ferny Crofts Beavers Fun Day Similar to Squirrels Fun Day the previous day, £15, details on Ferny Crofts website.
  • 13th October: Chief Scouts Award Day at Ferny Crofts, anyone who has received a top award in the past 12 months is invited.
  • 19th October: Ferny Crofts Fright Night Recommended Beavers and above, with a large range of activities not normally available at Ferny Crofts such as Traditional Fair Ground Games, Inflatables, Creepy Crawlies and a Halloween Trail through the woods. Young person spaces are £25 each, details and booking on Ferny Crofts website.

New Forest Young Leader Training

Young Leader’s are our adult volunteers of tomorrow. We’re keeping up the tradition by holding our annual training weekend covering modules B-J this September.

Covering skills of leadership, making scouting for all, games, programme planning and behaviour among many others, it’s a fun weekend residential based at Lyndhurst Scout HQ, starting around 9.00am on 14th September and finishing around 1.00pm on 15th September.

The cost for the event is £18 per person, camping on site with tents provided. This event is open to all Young Leaders in Hampshire, but we try and give priority to New Forest Young Leaders if they are quick in applying. Book and see payment details here.

Gilwell Reunion

An exclusive volunteers-only event, Gilwell Reunion takes place at Gilwell Park in London from Friday 30th August to Sunday 1st September.

Housing a comprehensive programme of activities, workshops and entertainment, leaders can discover and develop lifelong skills, explore inspiring programmes ideas and embrace new challenges. Reunion is more than just a weekend of programme support. It’s a chance to connect with like-minded Scouts, make new friends and reminisce with old ones.

Bookings close on Monday 5 August, secure tickets and find out more about the event on the Scouts website.

Reminder: Public adventure Fun Day at Ferny Crofts

Looking for something to do with the family during the summer holidays?

Why not check out the Adventure Fun Day at Ferny Crofts on Monday 26th August (the bank holiday).

Open to the public, this event will have a range of adventurous activities like high ropes, crossbows, and the adventure course.

They are also looking for volunteers to support with the activities on the day.

For full details of this event, and to book, take a look at Ferny Crofts’ website.

Reminders, opportunities and notices

Get ready for Transformation

Ahead of the launch of the new membership system to replace Compass later this year, we are asked to all check the following please before the end of September.

If you have any questions, or can’t get into Compass, we have a team of district volunteers that can help, just email them at [email protected]

Volunteers:

  • Check your personal details on Compass are accurate.
  • Make sure you have an email, not shared by anyone else, on Compass.
  • If you have an email you want to be emailed on, mark it as ‘Scouting Enquiries’
  • Ensure you have a contact phone number and ideally an alternative listed on Compass.
  • Make a note of details, such as ongoing learning hours, which won’t be migrated.

What groups should be doing:

  • Helping you do the above
  • Checking the details of your section are accurate – meeting days, times and locations.
  • Making sure your roles are accurate: that Compass knows exactly which sections you help with, in what role and close any which aren’t active.
  • Closing any Occasional Helper roles which have since left, e.g. parents of children who have left the group.

What the district is doing:

  • Supporting volunteers and groups with the above, such as through the team of volunteers at [email protected]
  • Updating the details of Explorers and Network
  • Ensuring training records are complete and recorded correctly.
  • Closing district Occasional Helper roles which are no longer needed.

Administrator job at Ferny Crofts

Ferny Crofts are looking to recruit a Part Time Administrator (22-30 hours per week), to provide administrative support to all aspects of Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre, including bookings, operational finance, marketing and support to management. 

​This is a job-share role, with two Administrators working together to provide seven day per week administrative cover for the Centre. Therefore, excellent communication and team-working qualities are essential. Salary: £12.46 per hour. (£24,300 per year full time equivalent, pro-rata for part time role) Closing Date for applications is 26th August 2024. For more details and to apply, please send your CV and a cover letter to [email protected]

Updates to POR, our Policy, Organisation and Rules

Last month, the Scouts made a few updates to the March 2024 edition of POR, available on the Scouts website at scouts.org.uk/por and marked in red on the downloadable version. In short, these updates were:

  • Changes throughout the Ratios section (4.4) to provide additional clarity on the Leader in Charge, any other adult at the activity/event and the ratios for each section depending on where the activity is taking place.
  • An update to rule 4.6.1.2 on if no member of a Section Leadership Team with a full appointment can attend an activity.
  • An updated definition for ‘Activity’ in the Definitions Chapter.
  • An update to 6.2.1.1 to reflect the confirmation of HM King Charles III as our new Patron.

Scout Experience Survey

Every year, the Scout Experience Survey is a chance for young people, volunteers and parents/carers to have their say and let HQ know about their experience with Scouts. This help them understand what to make better.

Getting lots of adult volunteers, young people (aged 13+) and parents to complete the survey every year is so important. We’ll be sharing it on our social media this week.


Make sure you take part before the survey closes on Tuesday 18 June.

Bear steps down as Chief Scout next month

For the past 15 years, Bear Grylls has served as our tenth Chief Scout, a volunteer ambassador and figure-head for our activities in the wider world.

But at the end of next month, at Gilwell Reunion, Bear’s replacement will take over and become our eleventh Chief Scout.

Since becoming our figurehead in 2009, Bear helped turbo-charge the image of Scouts as adventure-seeking, curious young people who make friends and learn skills for life.

True, we may not end up in the wilderness like he does, nor would we likely be guiding celebrities through these challenges on television, but he helped build on the good work of the early 2000s in reversing the decline of Scouts seen in the 90s.

Scouts is now more popular than when he first stepped up and with more people. It’s an impressive legacy as the second longest Chief Scout.

Read more about it on Carl’s blog.

What’s been happening?

We’ve mentioned that Eling Sea Scouts took on the epic challenge of a 24 hour paddle to raise funds for the group, and also to provide a good backdrop to their AGM, and we’re so glad to see a fantastic £2,200 raised!

The Scouts Expedition Challenge set off around Lyndhurst early in the month, with troops able to take part to complete their top awards. Led by district volunteers Simon and Barry along with Joe, experienced Scout Leader at Testwood, it was valued by so many. Here are some pictures from Sandleheath on the event:

We hear the Scouts at Fordingbridge couldn’t let the Sea Scouts have all the fun, taking to the water at Avon Tyrell for some paddleboarding:

and at the New Forest Water Park

Meanwhile, the Netley Marsh Carnival has been on, with both the Scout group there playing their part to the tunes of neighbouring Copythorne Scout and Guide Band.

Plus, they had an amazing summer concert this month, with videos of a number of their performances on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StanleysOwnBand

Bog hopping and Boat making at Ringwood

3rd Ringwood Scouts have been busy over recent months making model sailing boats from recycled materials (old pioneering poles, cloth scraps etc) and a small number met up at Cadmans Pool in July to brave the horizontal rain and wind and sail their boats, which despite the adverse weather sailed remarkably well.

This was followed a few weeks later (in lovely sunny weather) by our annual end of term bog hopping. They all looked so clean at the start… 2 hours later after a flour fight, tug of war, skipping in the bog and a dip in the pool they were hosed down so we could see their faces again. Hopefully they will all be clean again by the Autumn term.


As many of our young people head off on adventures this summer, we want to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who make it happen. Here’s a video from young people across the UK saying how much it means to them:

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.

Do remember to share your stories with us throughout the month so we can share them directly and keep having great Scouting adventures.

Lynn, Robin and Kevin.

Send your news and items for the next edition of Tails in August before the 26th to [email protected].

Tails of the New Forest – 31st July 2024
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