Thousands come together for Scouting event

THOUSANDS of young people have been enjoying the thrills and spills of Notts Scouts’ biggest camp.

About 3,500 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from across the county have taken over Southwell Racecourse for a bank holiday weekend of fun and entertainment.

The event officially opened on Friday night with a disco, followed by three days of activities for youngsters aged from six to 18.

Matt Rooney, head of Notts Scouts, said: “This weekend is the biggest thing we have ever done for Notts kids.

“It’s been amazing seeing everyone together and having one big party. We’ve never really seen anything like it before.”

Notts Scouts held mass camps in 2007 and 2009 to mark the centenary of Scouting and Notts Scouts respectively.

This year’s camp not only marks the London Olympics and the Queen’s diamond jubilee but also celebrates a momentous year for Notts Scouts.

The organisation has just experienced its highest annual growth rate in membership in its 103-year history, attracting more than 700 new Scouts – a growth rate of nearly 10 per cent.

It took the total number of Scouts in the county to more than 7,100.

The racecourse was taken over by a sea of Scouts, some go-karting around the parade ring, others riding three- wheeler KMX bikes around the stable yard, while others queued up to try the water slide down the racecourse’s grandstand.

Among the youngsters trying out the slide were Cubs from 1st Meadow Covert Scouts, in Edwalton.

William Harvey, nine, of Gamston, said: “I was nervous at first and worried whether I’d get wet or not. This is amazing. It’s a big difference compared to our normal activities.”

Fellow Cub Ryan Merryweather, eight, of West Bridgford, said: “I just stuck my legs in the slider and they gave me a massive shove and I went really fast. I went flying and got soaked – it was great fun.”

Adam Carratt, of Phoenix Explorers, in Porchester, etched a Scouts badge onto a tumbler during a glass engraving masterclass.

Adam, 15, of Gedling, who has been in the Scouts for 10 years, said: “I’ve been on about 20 or 30 camps and this is probably the biggest I’ve been on.

“I’ll be coming to the end of being an Explorer soon but it’s been really good. I’d say to anyone who’s younger than me to give it a go.”

Cub Ben Howick celebrated his 10th birthday with friends from 1st Gotham Scouts on Friday night.

Ben, of Gotham, said: “We had cake and I got a present and we went to a disco. It’ll be a birthday I’ll remember.”

Kerrie Anderson, Akela at 1st Gotham, said: “We’ve a group of 59 children and leaders here and we’ve never done a camp like this before.

“Scouting is very important for young people. It gives them a grounding in life and makes them independent.”

Elsewhere, friends Ellie Paterson, eight, and Ella Turner, nine, of 1st Forest Town Scouts in Mansfield, were buzzing after completing the climbing wall. Ellie, of Mansfield, said: “I hadn’t done climbing before and it was a bit scary when I got to the top, but I managed it and felt really excited.

The fun continued yesterday with the Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers joined by young Beavers for the day.

The celebrations come to an end this afternoon – but only after Notts Scouts have attempted to set a new world record for the largest group breakfast.

Weetabix donated 10,000 of its cereal biscuits to eat, while Warburtons gave 60 loaves of bread.

Link to the Article: Nottingham Evening Post

The Duchess of Cambridge is to become a volunteer in the Scout Association, working with youngsters in north Wales.

The Scout Association said Kate will be getting her “hands dirty” teaching Beavers and Cubs – aged from six to 10 – a variety of skills including putting up tents and lighting fires.

She will work with youngsters near her home on Anglesey, but will also assist in other areas of the UK.

The duchess, a former Brownie, has also become patron of four charities.

Across the UK, she has accepted honorary positions with Action on Addiction, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, the Art Room and the National Portrait Gallery.

The Scout Association said her role with them would be as a volunteer.

A spokesman said: “She doesn’t want to turn up and open things, she wants to volunteer, and that’s the difference.

“It’s about rolling up your sleeves, getting your hands dirty, and that’s what she’ll find is fun.”

Her work will start with groups in north Wales, where her husband William works as an RAF helicopter pilot, but could see her helping across the UK, or wherever she lives in the future.

The spokesman added: “She will be doing all the things that any other volunteer leader would do.

‘Inspiring’

“She might be teaching them how to put up a tent, light a fire, read a map and compass – anything that any other leader would do on a regular basis.”

UK chief scout Bear Grylls said: “The duchess has an incredibly busy life, which makes it all the more inspiring that she has chosen to volunteer alongside us.”

John Muston, of the Scout Association in Snowdonia and Anglesey, said: “It’s great that the duchess can find time in her busy schedule to help scouting.

“The demands and pressures of modern life often mean it’s harder for people to find time to volunteer, so for some time now the scouts have offered volunteer roles in such a way that adults can get involved flexibly, similar to the way that the duchess is supporting scouting.”

It has been announced that Kate has become patron of four charities.

St James’s Palace said the choices reflected her interests in the arts, promotion of outdoor activity and supporting people in need of all ages, adding that the organisations “compliment the charitable work already undertaken by her husband”.

The duchess is already patron of the charitable foundation her husband founded with his brother Prince Harry, but these are her first external patronages.

The Art Room uses art therapy to help children with issues like low self esteem and Asperger’s syndrome.

Action on Addiction, helps people with a range of addictions at treatment centres across England.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (Each) provides care and support to children with life-threatening conditions and their families across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The duchess has also accepted a role with London’s National Portrait Gallery.

Source: BBC News

WHEN icy blasts gripped Notts last year, it left some communities struggling to keep day-to-day life on track.

To avoid a repeat this winter, Notts County Council decided to ask the people on the ground for help.

The result is that 65 farmers and 88 other representatives of town and parish councils across the county have agreed to become “snow wardens”.

With the authority busy clearing the county’s main A and B-roads of snow and ice, the volunteers will be paid £45 an hour when called upon to clear any minor roads that are vital to ensuring communities aren’t cut off.

Among those who have signed up is farmer Chris Cockayne, who runs Top Brackendale Farm in Cropwell Bishop with his brother, Ian.

The fourth-generation arable farmer will help the county council with clearing roads between the A52 at Saxondale to the Hickling estate.

The route will see him cover some roads in Cropwell Butler, Cropwell Bishop, Kinoulton, and up to Hickling Pastures.

Mr Cockayne, 67, said: “We should all have a social conscience and do something to help the community on these occasions because we have the machinery to do so.”

Arable farmer Keith Bonser has also been enlisted to keep roads in East Leake, Sutton Bonington, Stanford-on-Soar, and Normanton-on-Soar clear should snow fall.

Mr Bonser, who has farmed at Cedars Farm in Normanton-on-Soar for the last 23 years, was previously a snow warden for the village’s parish council.

In preparation for his new role, he has spent £2,000 on a snow plough which can be attached to his tractor. Mr Bonser, 63, said: “I think there’s just too much for the council vehicles to do.

“My role will be to snow plough minor roads and keep the villages moving.

“It’s right farmers should help. We used to do a lot of snow ploughing years ago and now the role is coming back.

“The snow plough is a reasonable investment, but it’s worth it to keep people moving. I’m just doing my bit for the community.”

The other 88 volunteers will take it upon themselves to monitor snowfall in their communities and report back to the council with any problems. Some will then be in charge of leading community clear-ups to help the likes of care homes remain accessible.

…….

Source: This Is Nottingham

A new information service using Twitter has been launched aimed at keeping walkers safe in Snowdonia.

The national park is using the social media site to give people weather information and walking advice before they take to the mountains.

The service – @safesnowdonia in English and @eryridiogel in Welsh – will also highlight good mountaineering examples.

Llanberis Rescue Team said it regularly saved walkers who had failed to check the weather forecast.

“This new service will be a valuable service to everyone who intends to walk on the mountains in Snowdonia,” said John Grisdale, chairman of the Llanberis Rescue Team.

“Llanberis Rescue Team is called out too often to rescue walkers in bad weather because they haven’t bothered to look at the weather forecast and therefore haven’t prepared.

“If walkers did their research thoroughly, including finding out what the conditions on the ground before setting out, it would make our work as a rescue team much easier.”

Changes in ground conditions will be tweeted, as well as general advice on walking in the mountains.

National park warden Gruff Owen, who is responsible for the new service, said: “In the middle of all the Christmas excitement, it’s very easy to forget the importance of thorough preparation before setting out on the mountains, and knowing what the ground conditions will be is part of that preparation.

“You need to ensure that you have the correct equipment, including an ice axe and crampons and knowing how to use them is as important as having them.

“Knowing also what the ground conditions will be before setting out is incredibly important.

“The mountains of Snowdonia are there to be enjoyed, but you will not enjoy the experience if you haven’t prepared yourself adequately.”

The national park already supplies information to the Met Office website, which gives detailed information about weather conditions in Snowdonia.

Source: BBC News

Scout team prepared for any emergency in harsh winter weather

FROM hanging up the baubles to cooking a turkey and writing stacks of cards, Christmas preparations can mean different things to different people.

But for the Nottinghamshire Emergency Scout Support Team (Nesst), being ready for Christmas involves food packages, first aid and a four-by-four vehicle.

The team, which consists of around 30 volunteers who are adult members of the Scout and Guide Associations in Notts, works to support local emergency services in times of crisis.

Last year the team helped deliver hot meals, and in some cases medicine, to the elderly and vulnerable across Notts when bad weather left them stranded at home.

And this year, Notts scouts are ready to do even more in the community.

Keith Morris, 45, of Mansfield, Nesst team leader and district commissioner for Mansfield, said: “We are preparing for the bad weather at the moment, and we are on the emergency planning call list for the city and county councils.

“We are just waiting for the call if the need for us should arise in whatever way.

“Last year we were taking care workers out to the elderly and vulnerable and working with the district nurses in the county, as well as taking medicine out to people.”

He said it was important for Scouts to get involved in their communities.

“We are fine doing our weekly meetings, but I think we need to be out there too,” he said.

“For me personally, I was a Scout as a youngster and got an awful lot out of it.

“It gave me opportunities and skills I would never have got without it.

“And this gives me the chance to give that back to the Scouts, as well as giving back to my community.”

The unit, and other local scout members, have already been getting into the Christmas spirit in other ways.

The Nesst team, which has a four-by-four vehicle equipped with a first aid kit and other emergency tools, has been used to help Wollaton Rotary Club – by dragging their Christmas float around the local area as they spread festive cheer and collect donations.

Other Scout initiatives have also been active.

Around Notts, Scouts have run a Christmas post scheme, which sees them deliver Christmas cards locally for a small donation.

Last year, Scouts in Radcliffe-on-Trent and Trowell delivered more than 6,000 cards as part of the scheme, raising £1,000 to be split between the Scouts and a chosen charity.

They are now hoping to make another big impact in the community this year.

Mr Morris said: “I think it’s important for us to be seen working in the local area.

“It’s also particularly important around Christmas time, when people could be more in need of help or support.”

To see the full article, check out the Nottingham Evening Post story

We’re not sure when the article is being published, but as soon as we know, we will post the article on here.

whilst there I got a picture of the Team Leader with our support vehicle:

We are writing to say ‘THANK YOU’ for all of the hard work, energy and effort you put in to make the Chief Scout Activity Day happen!

The feedback we have received so far has be overwhelmingly positive and from speaking with young people on the day we were hearing replies like; ‘the best day ever’, ‘really cool’, ‘exciting activities’, ‘having the chance to play around with your mates’.

We do not underestimate the amount of time you and your teams put in, to make the day the success it clearly was. Thank you.

The Chief Scout also enjoyed his visit to Nottinghamshire very much and you all made his visit memorable. He has asked that his personal thanks be passed on to all those who organised the event and to those who supported the Scouts who attended. As Bear returned to the helicopter he tweeted “thank you for an incredible welcome from so many thousands of Scouts”.

Mark Tarry, Deputy Chief Commissioner England, who accompanied The Chief Scout, said, “This event was so well organised and seeing over 1500 young people having fun taking part in so many activities was truly wonderful. Having a strong team of focussed adults in place is key to the successful delivery of an event like this one. Well done and thank you!”

So again, on behalf of the Nottinghamshire Scouts we’d like to say thank you for everything you did to make Saturday such an amazing and memorable day. We could not have done it without you.

With proud and grateful regards,

Matt Rooney – County Commissioner

Steve Day – Deputy County Commissioner

Chris Blockley – ACC Project Lead

There is a atricle on the Notts Scouts website about the Activity Day, to read the article, click here

The explorer, who is the organisation’s Chief Scout, flew into the Chief Scout’s Activity Day at the Harvey Hadden Sports Complex, Bilborough, on Saturday.

His helicopter was greeted by hundreds of cheering Scouts, and he took part in painting and craft activities with them.

Bear, who was joined by two of his sons, also tried out slack-lining – similar to tightrope walking – and the zip-wire, and joined youngsters on Spider Mountain, climbing up a 23ft-tall giant tube with horizontal webs of bungee.

Read more here:

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/TV-action-man-Bear-star-Scouts-big-day/story-13919200-detail/story.html