5th Dunstable Scout Group |
Newsletter April 2002 |
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Dear Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, Parents, and Friends, Why a Newsletter? At a recent meeting, those present felt that it might be a good idea to put together a newsletter, to help to explain what the 5th Dunstable Scout Group is all about, who we are, what we do, and how we do it. This one, being the first, will rabbit on for a bit about the long-term structure of the group and its members, to put you in the picture. Future newsletters will concentrate much more on activities undertaken by the group or its individual sections. We’ll try to keep you informed about things we’ve done recently, and things that are coming up in the future. About the Group The Scout Group is a sociable organisation. It exists primarily to provide activities for the young people who form the four major sections: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures. But there are also many adults involved in the Group - leaders, helpers, friends, as well as parents - and there’s no reason why the adults can’t have a good time too. I know it was a long time before I realised the extent of the organisation which lies behind the regular weekly meetings - in fact, until I was invited to join the Executive, I didn’t even know it existed! And I know that there’s a whole bunch of us ‘old-timers’ who’ve known each other for years, and it can seem rather a difficult "club" to join. But rest assured, we don’t mean it to be like that, we are friendly underneath, and we always welcome anyone who is interested in what we do. |
Upcoming Activity You should by now have seen the letter about our regular "Family Camp" at Emberton Country Park. This is one of the major opportunities for you to join in with the activities of the Group, without having to commit to anything. It’s just an opportunity to get together with the leaders of the Group, and with other parents, as well as the children themselves, and have a restful or active weekend, as it pleases you. If you’re a regular camper or caravanner, this is a good start to the new season. And if you’ve never tried it, but would like to, then this is the ideal opportunity, surrounded by a friendly bunch who can help if you need it. If you can’t come for the weekend, you could just pop up for a day. Messing about on the Water This year, the Group has rationalised its fleet of water craft, with the sale of the three "Toppers" (a one-person sailing dingy) and the purchase of six new kayaks to replace the ageing and rather damaged ones, plus two Canadian canoes - which seat about 4 people each. All of these craft will be at the Family Camp at Emberton, and are all available for the use of anyone attending the camp. We’re planning to "baptise" the new craft by attempting to paddle 100 miles (collectively, not each!) over the weekend, and we want everyone possible to do their bit. Even if you’ve never been in a canoe or kayak before, you can still do a short distance, and maybe acquire a new leisure activity! Paying for it All You may ask how we manage to afford this sort of equipment. Well, for the most part, it does not come from your weekly subscriptions, nor from the annual "capitation" fees. It comes instead from the Group’s fund-raising activities, which include each year the Jumble Sale (which this year brought in over £1300) and the May Fayre and Plant Sale (which last year raised £1000). While I’m talking about the Jumble Sale, I must take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped this year - we really do value your help, as we only ever seem to manage just enough people. |
Organisation So who organises these fund-raising activities? Well, several paragraphs ago, I mentioned a mystical beast called the "Executive". This is effectively the governing body of the Scout Group. It consists of a mixture of the "uniformed" branch - the leaders, and a "civilian" branch - the officers and other members. It is the job of the Executive to ensure that everything is in place administratively to permit the smooth running of the Group. And this includes making sure the Group has sufficient funds to carry on with its activities. The whole of the Executive consists of volunteers (as indeed are all of the leaders and helpers who look after your children each week), who give their time and enthusiasm to help the Group to thrive. To help you to get to know the people who run the Group, I have included a diagram showing the organisational structure. I’ve even included some photos, so you can recognise people when you see them. I haven’t managed to catch everyone on camera yet, so I’ll have to update this in a later edition. Comments? If you’ve got any comments about the Scout Group, or about this Newsletter, or you want to offer your help in some way, then I’d be pleased to hear from you. You can contact me at:
2, The Cheveralls Or you can often find me around the hall around 7:30 on a Wednesday evening, picking up cubs and dropping off scouts. Or of course, you can always speak to any of the leaders. |