Gravesham Scouts Bulletin - January 2025
Happy New Year
I hope you all had a great holiday and the opportunity to take a break with family and friends.
The District programme for 2025 is on the website – and can be accessed on line, as a pdf or as a google calendar. Booking is now open for Winter Camp (adults – please contact Darren) and Easter Hillcraft – please sign up before the deadline of 31st January.
The Scouts Transformation project continues; if you are an adult volunteer and haven’t logged on to the new Digital System yet (go to Scouts.org.uk, choose Sign in at the top right then Forgotten Password), we have a drop in support session on Sunday 19th January at Hopehill to help you. The new Digital System also lets you submit Nights Away Notifications on line – feel free to give this a go if you are planning a camp or sleepover – but at the moment you can still send a form to Del and I by email.
All volunteers will have some learning to do in “My Learning”. We all have to do the new Safety training following the Great Orme incident – and you may have some other modules too. First Response (or another First Aid qualification) is needed for all volunteers working directly with young people – if you are not sure about when this needs to be completed or renewed, let me know; booking is still via the County website.
If you want to complete your Wood Badge (which is now optional) then we will have more details on how to do this in Spring 2025.
As well as the new Digital System, there are other things being reviewed. The results of the uniform review have been published and revised shirts for Scouts and older sections will be available soon, although there is no need to replace existing uniform. Updates to the programme for Explorers and Network are also going to be trialled in 2025 for roll out in 2026.
At Hopehill the service team have continued to clear many, many leaves as well as keeping on top of maintenance. If you have time to join them (on a Wednesday or ad-hoc at weekends), you would be very welcome. We are expecting the results of the planning application for the new toilet / shower block shortly (after prolonged environmental surveys) and we will then be able to move forward with planning the work. Watch out for details of celebrations of Hopehill’s 75th Birthday coming out soon.
The new inflatable assault course has been delivered and will be available for use this camping season. The climbing tower has now been certified for use by those with climbing permits and we are working to allow other volunteers to be authorised to run climbing with the auto-belays – details to follow. If you are interested in being an instructor for archery, air rifle shooting or tomahawks we have opportunities for all of you – and if you would like to be a warden please get in touch with Keith. And for those interested in leading in the hills there is a course planned for 14-16 March, and there are paddling sessions in the calendar too.
Best wishes for a happy, prosperous, healthy and enjoyable new year to you all
Fraser Patrick
Lead Volunteer - Gravesham Scouts
Gravesham Scouts Bulletin - January 2025
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