Scouting East The Journal of East Belfast Scouting No. 348 FEBRUARY 2014 From the Editor Hello everyone, Welcome to the latest issue of Scouting East and thank you to the ADCs for news of many competitions taking place in the District in recent months. It was also great to have some of the medical students from QUB with us again running the Emergency Aid Stage 3 badge with some of our Cubs and Scouts. If any Groups would be interested in hosting the students next year, please let me know. At the time of writing, the District Cub Scout Scientist Badge is ongoing and plans are in place for the annual Beaver Scout District Badge Day and further Badge Courses for the Cub Scout Section, including Cyclist, Home Safety and World Faith. February is the month during which we celebrate Founders’ Day, as both Robert Baden Powell and his wife celebrated their birthdays on 22 nd February. Many of our Groups arrange Church Services and renew their Promises on the closest Sunday to this date; it is a good opportunity to remind our members of the values of Scouting and the meaning of our Promise; it would be good to hear about some of ways Groups in East marked the occasion in next month’s issue. 2014 marks 60th Anniversary of my own Group, with 30th Cub Scout Pack having been registered on 1st March 1954. Plans to mark the occasion are well underway, with a WWII themed-sleepover planned for our Beavers and Cub Scouts at the end of this month. On Sunday 2 nd March, we will hold a Parade and Thanksgiving Service at Gilnahirk Presbyterian Church, led by Rev Stephen Moore and our former Cub Scout Leader, Rev Nick Cooper. A warm welcome is extended to Leaders throughout the District to join us at the Service and afterwards for afternoon tea at the Jack Britton Hall where a memorial will be dedicated to our late President, Audrey Beggs, a former ADC and Vice-President in East. GSLs will have received a request from the District Chairman to update Leader Training Records. Pamela and I hope to run another First Response course after Easter and Liz Whitley is willing to provide Safeguarding Training for any Groups requiring this training. Please let Liz and I know if you have anyone who is interested in either of these courses. Ann has also enclosed information about the District Scouters’ Meeting later this month and hopefully as many Leaders as possible will be there. Best wishes, David 1 From the District Commissioner Hi Folks Thank you to the Packs who represented East at the County Gala, and I am pleased to say that after totting up the scores, our County Commissioner gave me the good news that East had won the County Trophy. We also came 3rd in the District Relay meaning that our Team came away with Bronze Medals to add to the many individual ones gained by boys from 4th, 9th, 27th and 30th Packs. Our Thanks to Steve Hoskins for organizing the event, to the County Commissioner and all the Team there on the night. It was a great event. The Beaver Unihoc was the usual exciting event hosted by 9th, and Congratulations to the Winners, 4th Colony with 7th coming second. The Art Competition was won by 33rd Colony, and Congratulations to them also – all the entries were brilliant – Well done to all Beavers and Thanks to the Leaders who came to support. A very Big Thank-you to Betty and Gareth for another great event and to Pat Gordon for all her help, and to the Referees, and Scorers Roy Lamont and Sam Anderson. The Scout 5-aside at Avoniel was also very fast and furious and the eventual winners in Junior and Senior Sections were 7th Troop. Thanks to Alan Campbell and Robert McKissick for all their help. The Cub Quiz was noisy, but very well run thanks to John Corry and James Camlin, not to mention the Markers Jamie Stronge and Gareth McAuley. The eventual winners were 33rd Pack who will go on to the NI Final which incorporates the County Final, so Good Luck to them. Our Thanks to our County Commissioner who set the questions as he is standing-in as ACC Cubs at present. At the time of writing, there are two Census Returns outstanding, so, if not in by the time you read this, please do so ASAP. Those of us who were Access NI checked 5 years ago, are now due for renewal, so if you have received a letter and form please complete it, have it signed by your GSL and sent to me ASAP. I have sent details of our Scouters’ Meeting to Section Leaders, so please encourage your Assistants to attend it as we like to hear your views. Best Wishes Ann, Tel. 9065 3226, [email protected] 2 Victor Corbett - Gone Home Vice President, East Belfast District Victor Corbett, one of our Vice-Presidents in East, has passed away after an illness. He first came into Scouting as a Cub in the 81st Pack at Stormont Presbyterian Church – now 33rd Group, and then transferred to 10th Troop where he remained until his studies in Architecture took up his time. He eventually became the Chief Architect for N. Ireland. He kept the link with 10th through the Old Boys Network and attended their Centenary Dinner in 2009. When East was divided into 3 Divisions, Victor was one of three Divisional Commissioners, with specific responsibilities and reported to the DC. In later years he took on the role of District Secretary, a role which he carried out in great detail. We didn’t rely on computers so much in those days, and Victor used to always comment about all the paperwork from HQ, which he call ‘ The Blue Perils ‘ ! When he gave up that role, he remained a valued Member of the District Executive, and although not able to attend meetings in recent times, he loved to be kept up to date with all that was going on, and attended our St. George’s Day Parade and AGM when his health permitted. Victor’s work for Scouting was recognised in 1987 with the award of Medal of Merit and this was followed in 1998 with the Award of Bar to the Medal of Merit. There was a good Scout representation at his Funeral, and our Thoughts and Prayers are with his Wife Margaret and Son Gary at this Sad Time. Ann, DC 3 East Belfast District Competitions BEAVER SCOUT UNI-HOC TOURNAMENT On Saturday afternoon 1st February, our annual District Uni-hoc Tournament took place at Sydenham Methodist Church Halls. It was great to see the Beavers from the Colonies taking part this year, 4th, 7th, 10th, 27th, 30th, and 33rd. All Beavers who took part are to be commended for ‘sticking’ to the rules and making the whole event FUN. Our thanks must go to all Beaver leaders who encouraged their boys to enjoy the spirit of the tournament. After 4 games each, the final was contested by the 4th and 7th Beaver Scout Colonies. 4th won the Audrey Beggs Memorial Cup and 7th the District Runners-up Shield. Both teams will now go on to represent East Belfast District at the County uni-hoc Finals on 1st March, we wish them well. Our thanks to Roy Lamont and Sam Anderson for keeping score in a very fast moving contest, well done under pressure! Many thanks also to Lesley McAuley and DC Ann for cutting up all that fruit! Many Colonies polished off the lot! The District Craft Competition was also judged on the day by our DC Ann Anderson and ADC Scouts Alan Campbell. The theme this year was ‘Winter Olympics / Winter Sports’ and the winners 33rd were presented the Hill Brown Beaver Scout Trophy. Well done. Thanks to Pat Gordon and all involved in allowing us to use the Halls at Sydenham Methodist Church, they are ideal, pencil us in again for next year! Gareth and Betty, ADCs (Beaver Scouts) 4 5 The District Cub Scout Quiz took place at 27th HQ St Dorothea’s on Tuesday 11th February. There was a large entry this year with 12 teams representing 4th,7th, 10th, 27th, 30th, 33rd and 73rd Packs. After 6 gruelling rounds which would have tested Mensa applicants (and leaders) never mind the Cubs themselves, three teams were well out in front of the rest of the field, with 33rd Pack the clear winners on 48 points, followed by 4th Pack ‘B’ Team with 44 ½ points and 27th Pack ‘A’ Team with 41 points. Well done to all the Cubs who took part and thanks to John and James for running the quiz, DC Ann who presented the trophies at the end and to the 27th for the juice and crisps. David, CSL 30th The District Inter-Troop indoor football took place at Avoneil Leisure Centre on Friday 7th February. A great night ended with a close contest between 30th and 27th A for the junior trophy, and between 30th and 10th for the senior trophy, with the 30th Troop securing double success with wins in both sections. All four teams will now progress to the County Finals. Alan Campbell, ADC (Scouts) 6 Be prepared to give first aid!! Once again East Belfast District partnered with the Medical School at QUB to run a District Emergency Aid Badge Course over two nights in January. Eight 3rd Year medical students were placed with the District: Eimhear, Christine, Andrew and Peter joined with 10th and 99th Cubs at McMordie Hall on Wednesdays and David, Sarveen, Sophie and Lesley with 7th and 27th Scouts at Dundonald Methodist on Thursdays. In total more than 50 of our members achieved their badges. Well done to all and special thanks to the students for all of the hard work they put into organising and delivering the courses for us. There was a great range of demonstrations, small group work and games, including ships and subs with first aid actions and a relay competition in which the scouts had to bandage their leaders (see photos). David, Assistant Badge Secretary 7 8 Major accident during redecoration of Main Cabin! A special thank you also to the ‘casualties’ who helped me with the first aid activity at the Japan Contingent Leader Selection Weekend at Crawfordsburn in early February. The scenario was that a firm of painters and decorators had hired a hapless work experience boy to help them decorate the main cabin resulting in multiple casualties, serious injuries and copious amounts of blood. Many thanks to regular casualties David Whitley and Richard Clark and new recruit, David Hoskins, and well done to the teams who all did their best to patch up the injuries! David 9 News from 30th Pack Nightmare at the Museum and the Chain Saw Massacre! 30th Pack had the opportunity to visit the Ulster Museum on a Thursday evening at the end of January where Ciaran’s Mum works as Visitor Services Manager. As the Museum was closed to the public, we had freedom to wander around, attempting not to get lost and not too unnerved by the creepy silence of the almost empty museum. We had a natural history lesson, viewing shark’s teeth and snake skin, some games and then a quiz around the exhibits on display before making our way to the war section and finally the Egyptian section to view the mummie entombed in the Perspex display case. Many thanks to Paula for a super night; I think we rounded up all the boys at home time, certainly none were too keen to sleep over in the museum on their own! In February, we visited the B&Q Store at Holywood Exchange, for a Kids Can Do It DIY Workshop. Many thanks to our instructor, Mark, who was certainly kept busy that week since it turns out 4th Pack had also been there the night before us. Soon the workshop was a hive of activity as the Cubs donned aprons and set to with drills, saws and screwdrivers. As the Leaders watched nervously and helped out as best they could, an assembly line of bird boxes started to take shape around the room with varying degrees of success. Well done to all of the Cubs- there were no injuries on the night and, assuming the new upmarket accommodation has been installed successfully in gardens around Gilnahirk and managed to survive the recent storms, 30th are proud to have done their bit to reduce the housing shortage for the bird population of East Belfast! David, CSL 30th 10 11 Scouting in Malawi 30th Group have established a link with Simon Nkhandwe, who works at the David Gordon Memorial Hospital in Livingstonia, Malawi, and also runs a local Scout group in the area. This is the hospital at which former 30th Scout Leader, the late Dr Donald Brownlee, spent many years as a medical missionary and was also involved in setting up of a Scout Group. Simon has indicated that his Group would appreciate second hand uniforms (in good order) especially shirts and polo shirts, surplus badges, also camping equipment such as cutlery, mugs, plates, possibly camping pots/pans and utensils, small hike tents, sleeping bags, compasses, knotting ropes, first aid bandages (for training), games/sports equipment etc. The Raven Trust is a Scottish based charity which undertakes health/education/ community projects in Malawi and regularly ships containers to Malawi. The Raven Trust have agreed to transport anything we are able to donate to the Scout Group in Livingstonia for us and have also suggested a possible project of their own for our members specifically to be involved in- starter packs of hand tools for youngsters who are being trained in carpentry at the workshop in Ekwendeni. What is required is a specific tool box with basic tools particularly chisels, planes (together with oil stone for sharpening), screwdrivers, hammer and saw. The tools need to be cleaned and all put in a box (metal or wood). We would like to start collecting surplus Scouting equipment and hand tools during the next few months and wondered if any other Groups in East would like to become involved? I hope to be in Scotland in mid March due to work commitments and could take some items to the Raven Trust’s depot then; my Fiesta is not very big but it is likely that I will have further opportunities to travel to Scotland later in spring and could take more items then if there is a good response. Thanks everyone, David 12 East Belfast District Scouters’ Meeting Monday 24th February at 8pm 10th HQ, McMordie Hall, Oakland Avenue Agenda will include update on events, St George’s Day arrangements, sectional discussions, presentations; refreshments and chat; please notify DC or ADCs of any other business to be added to the agenda. Please pass invitation on to all Scouters in your Group/Section. Hope to see you there! Uniform to be worn please Ann, DC Events in March 18th District Cub Scout Five-a-side Football Venue: 9th HQ Sydenham Methodist Contact: James Camlin, CSL 7th 28th District Super Troop Competition Venue: 10th HQ McMordie Scout Hall Contact: Alan, Robert or William, ADCs (Scouts) News & Views, Letters & Comments, Reports & Announcements to the Editor: David Bell Email: [email protected] Not later than 28th February for the March issue please! 13