Scouts

Hi All,

The Gang Show team are hard at work to pull together a great show on Sunday 16^th March at Stourport High School. We would love as many young people from across the district as possible to come and see the show. Maybe some of your section are performing in the show and you want to support them or you just want to see what Gang Show is like, we would love you to come and see the show and support our young people who will be performing.

Tickets are Free. Yes that’s right Free!!! So please gather your section together and come and join us.

Doors open 13:30 with the show starting at 14:00. We estimate a finish time of around 15:15.

There are currently 150 tickets available however we may release more once we have completed the cast sign up. Seat numbers are not assigned so will be on first come first served basis

To book tickets for your group please visit: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/t-eanxona

So as many people can make it as possible please only book the tickets you require. And if you end up with extra tickets please let me know asap so they can be re-released.

Yours in Scouting

Mark "Mike" Atkinson
Section Leader
16^th Wyre Forest (St Michaels) Scout Troop

Induction is our settling-in period, a time where we want to give volunteers an extra special welcome to make sure they have a great start with us. 

Here’s what you can expect when you first join: Welcome Conversation Within six weeks of joining Scouts, you’ll have a Welcome Conversation with your Team Leader and a Welcome Conversation Volunteer.

Safety and Safeguarding learning The safeguarding of young people at Scouts is our number one priority. You’ll need to complete your Safety and Safeguarding learning in your f irst 30 days.

You’ll also receive a copy of our Safe Scouting Cards. Criminal record check The safeguarding of young people at Scouts is our number one priority. We have a few steps to follow to make sure only appropriately checked adults can volunteer with us, including a criminal record check.

If you’re in England or Wales, submit your criminal record check within 30 days of joining, or within 60 days if you’re in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Declaration You’ll need to complete a declaration. It involves accepting Scout values, and agreeing to follow Scout policies and complete the learning required.

You’ll have to agree to the declaration when you first sign into scouts.org.uk. References We’ll ask you for contact information of people who can vouch for your character and suitability to work with children when you first join. This is one of our measures we take to keep young people safe.

When you’re asked to provide their details, you’ll then have six weeks to do so. Growing Roots This is the learning you’ll need to do within your first six months as a new volunteer or when you start a new role. It covers the basics of Scouts, data protection and creating an inclusive environment.

Welcome conversations will be held in 2025 on these dates:

25th Feb at Rhydd 7.30 start

22nd March at WF15 10 am start

then

Venues to be confirmed for the following:-

Sun  4th May    11.00 am

Tues 27th May    7.00 pm

Sat  28th June    10.00 am

Sun 20th July    11.00 am

Tues 23rd Sept    7.00 pm  

Sat 25th Oct    10.00 am

Sun 30th Nov    11.00 am

Tues 20th Jan 26    7.00 pm

Julie will write to you with an invite. Please do try to attend as this is a key part of the appointment process and a chance to meet & chat others new to Scouting.

As mentioned in the last DLM minutes I am going to be heading up the new District Nights Away team. Sarah is still going to be supporting me with assessments etc but I will be taking over the main bulk of approvals.

Going forwards please can you direct any nights away queries to me at mark.naa@wyreforestscouts.org.uk

For anyone that has any of my various other scouting email addresses please don't use these for nights away specific enquiries, please only use the new address above.

As before please make sure you get your NaN forms submitted using the county form 14 days before as a minimum to give me time to check through them. Please note I am still getting to grips with the new system there are some bits of compliance data I am struggling to access so whilst we try to get that sorted I may need to ask you to send me screenshots from the new system for any data I can't see yet.

I look forward to seeing your plans for Nights Away this year and any questions just let me know.

Yours in Scouting

Mark Atkinson
Nights Away Adviser
Scouts Wyre Forest

Annual Great British Spring Clean – 21^st March to 6^th April

So here is your annual reminder of the Keep Britain Tidy's national campaign dates, equipment is at the back of the hut in the shed code 769 and we now have the bright orange bags too. Please can you book the equipment out with me directly on 07811949049 WhatsApp if you can as it makes it easier for leaders planning. 

Need to know

1. Scout group name
2. section
3. How many children involved for equipment purposes
4. Area you are planning your litter pick.
5. log your litter pick here for bag collection by council  Community volunteer litter picker | Wyre Forest District Council

(wyreforestdc.gov.uk) 

Karen

I'd like to start by saying a huge thank you to all those that have offered me support and congratulations on my new role. I feel also that I should thank those that nominated me,

Over the coming weeks and months, I will be looking to putting together my own teams within the district, and that includes bolstering some of the teams we already have in place. I am very pleased to announce that, so far, the following appointments have been agreed:

District Program Team leaders

Squirrels- Emily Denton

Beavers - Melaine Williams

Cubs – Kelly Mayall

Scouts – Ryan Clarke

Explorers – Ian Wood

Nights away – Mark Atkinson

Michelle Brooks – DDLV (program team lead and leadership team member)

I am very fortunate to have been handed a strong and successful scouting district, Many people have already asked me what changes I will be putting in place and the answer is very few. For now, I want to continue with the excellent work Julie has put in during her term and continue to grow the district.

Julie and I have met on a number of occasions to discuss the handover, and she has also agreed to assist me with some administrative jobs while we all get use to the new, transformed Scouts. I am extremely grateful for Julies continued support during this period, finally I will speak for all of us in this room when I express our gratitude to Julie for her outstanding service throughout. I think its fair to say the challenges she has had to overcome, particularly in the most recent months would have been enough to make most of us throw in the towel, her commitment to scouting is truly admirable.

On that note I am please to say that Julie has agreed to take on roles on the Welcome, Awards Training, and Rhydd service teams, as well as continuing to sit on the District Trustee board

Quick Review

Remembrance day parade - Went well, very well supported in all aspects but once again WF came out in force,

Camp Cockerel – Great Support again and Wyre Forest excelled on home turf. 4 Local units attended. With St Micheals claiming 1^st and 3^rd Places on Both day bases and night bases and then going out to have team “TTTTTEAMMMMM” claim the trophy as overall winners and there team “60% normal” coming 3^rd overall.

Beavers Santa Safari, over two nights this year and again well-organized with a great turnout.

Christmas post - another great year, review and rework for forthcoming year. More from JS later.

Andy, DLV