Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council 2013

Transcription

1 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council 2013 Remembrance Parade 2013

2 Scout Groups and Explorer Units SCOUT GROUPS 1st COULSDON SCOUT GROUP Richmond Hall, Fourth Drive, Coulsdon, CR5 3BD (Access from rear of Lion Green Road car park, CR5 2NL) 1st CROYDON (Addiscombe) SCOUT GROUP Beverley Hall, Grant Road, Croydon CR0 6PJ St Matthew s Church Hall, Chichester Road, Croydon CR0 5NQ 2nd CROYDON (1st Crystal Palace) SCOUT GROUP The Den, 3 Rama Lane, Cintra Park, Upper Norwood, SE19 2LJ 6th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP Bynes Road, South Croydon, CR2 0PY 7th/12th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP Rear of 35 Birdhurst Rise, South Croydon CR2 7EJ 10th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP St James s Road, Croydon, CR0 2UW 16th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP Large Church Hall, Croydon Minster, Church Street, Croydon, CR0 1RN 23rd CROYDON (1st South Norwood) SCOUT GROUP The Den, 30 Love Lane, South Norwood, SE25 4NG 26th CROYDON (St Andrew s) SCOUT GROUP St Andrew s Church Hall, Quadrant Rd, Thornton Heath CR7 7NG St James the Great School, Windsor Rd, Thornton Heath CR7 8HJ 27th CROYDON (St Mildreds) SCOUT GROUP St Mildred s Hall, Bingham Road, Croydon CR0 7EB 28th CROYDON (Our Lady of the Annunciation) SCOUT GROUP Rear of Craven Road, Croydon, CR0 7JH 29th CROYDON (St John s) SCOUT GROUP Behind Shirley Parish Hall, 81 Wickham Road, Croydon, CR0 8TB 31st CROYDON (2nd Shirley, St George s) SCOUT GROUP Rear of St George s Church Hall, Elstan Way, Croydon CR0 7PR 38th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP The Den, Peppermint Close, Alfriston Avenue, Croydon CR0 3DX 39th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP The Quest, Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8JG 44th CROYDON (Air Scouts) SCOUT GROUP Ad Astra, Hythe Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8QQ 49th CROYDON (Christchurch Methodist) SCOUT GROUP Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, 114 Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon, CR0 6AD 53rd CROYDON (St Gertrude s) SCOUT GROUP St Gertrude s Church Hall, Wyche Grove, South Croydon CR2 6EX 61st CROYDON (St Oswald s) SCOUT GROUP The New Enterprise, Biggin Hill, Upper Norwood SE19 3HT 63rd CROYDON (4th South Norwood) SCOUT GROUP Rear of Holy Innocents Church, Selhurst Rd, South Norwood SE25 6XX 67th CROYDON SCOUT GROUP The Endeavour Halls, 273 Norbury Crescent, Norbury, SW16 4LF 68th CROYDON (Al Abtaal) SCOUT GROUP The Endeavour Halls, 273 Norbury Crescent, Norbury, SW16 4LF 1st PURLEY (Princess Christian s Own) SCOUT GROUP Purley Park Road, Purley, CR8 2BW 7th PURLEY (All Saints, Kenley) SCOUT GROUP All Saints Church Hall, Church Road, Kenley CR8 5DU 8th PURLEY (St Mary s) SCOUT GROUP Scout HQ, St Mary s Church, Purley Oaks Road, South Croydon CR2 0NR (Entrance in Beech Avenue) 9th PURLEY (St John the Baptist) SCOUT GROUP St John the Baptist Parish Centre, Dale Road, Purley, CR8 2EF 11th PURLEY (St James) SCOUT GROUP St James Church Hall, Lower Road, Kenley CR8 5NJ (Access via footpath between 18 & 20 Lower Rd, Kenley CR8 5NB) 16th PURLEY (7th Sanderstead, All Saints) SCOUT GROUP Cranleigh Close, South Croydon, CR2 9LH 17th PURLEY (St John s, Old Coulsdon) SCOUT GROUP Rear of St John s Church Hall, Marlpit Lane, Old Coulsdon, CR5 2HD (top of Marlpit Lane) 18th PURLEY (Sanderstead URC) Scout Group Farmfields, South Croydon CR2 0HQ 19th PURLEY (Riddlesdown) SCOUT GROUP Dunmail Drive, off Mitchley Hill, South Croydon, CR2 1EX (Access from bottom of Mitchley Hill, CR2 9HJ) 21st PURLEY (St Barnabas ) SCOUT GROUP St Barnabas Church, Higher Drive, Purley CR8 2HR 24th PURLEY SCOUT GROUP Rear of Hillars Heath Road, Coulsdon CR5 2JP (path between numbers 28 & 29) 25th PURLEY (St Mark s) SCOUT GROUP Scout Hut, Rear of St Mark s Church Hall, Church Road, Purley, CR8 3QQ 29th PURLEY (Purley Baptist) SCOUT GROUP Purley Baptist Church, Banstead Road, Purley CR8 3EA 1st SELSDON & ADDINGTON SCOUT GROUP Rear of St John s Hall, 7a Upper Selsdon Rd, South Croydon CR2 8DD 2nd SELSDON & ADDINGTON SCOUT GROUP Entrance between 89 & 91 Foxearth Rd, South Croydon CR2 8EN 5th SELSDON & ADDINGTON SCOUT GROUP Addington Methodist Church, Huntingfield, Addington CR0 9BA 17th SELSDON & ADDINGTON SCOUT GROUP St Columba s Church Hall, Queenhill Rd, South Croydon CR2 8DW EXPLORER SCOUT UNITS ALL SAINT S EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT All Saints Church Hall, Church Road, Kenley CR8 5DU COLLIERS EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT The Endeavour, 273 Norbury Crescent, Norbury, SW16 4LF COULSDON EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT Richmond Hall, Fourth Drive, Coulsdon, CR5 3BD (Access from rear of Lion Green Road car park, CR5 2NL) CROHAM VALLEY EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT St Paul s United Reformed Church, Croham Park Avenue, South Croydon. 7/12 Croydon HQ, Rear of 35 Birdhurst Rise, South Croydon, CR2 7EJ KENLEY EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT 21st Purley HQBP Hut, St Barnabas Church, Higher Drive, Purley CR8 2HR PHOENIX EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT Scout Hut, Rear of St Mark s Church Hall, Church Rd, Purley, CR8 3QQ PINEWOOD SEAHORSES EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT Pinewood Scout Centre, between 157 & 159 Shirley Church Road, Croydon, CR0 5AJ PURLEY CROSS EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT Purley Baptist Church, Banstead Road, Purley CR8 3EA PURLEY OAKS EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT 8th Purley Scout HQ, St Mary s Church, Purley Oaks Road, South Croydon CR2 0NR (Entrance in Beech Avenue) SANDERSTEAD EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT 16th Purley HQ, Cranleigh Close, South Croydon CR2 9LH YOUNG LEADERS EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT No regular meeting place 1 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

3 CONTENTS Croydon District Scout Groups & Explorer Units 1 Awards Annual General Meeting Agenda 4 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting District Chairman s Report 7 District Commissioner s Report 7 District Beaver Scout Report 8 District Cub Scout Report 8 District Scout Report 9 District Explorer Scout Report 9 Scout Network Report 10 District Scout Active Support Report 10 District Activities Report 11 Nights Away Support Report 12 Group Support Report 12 District Appointment Committee Report 12 District Adult Training Report 13 District PR Committee Report 13 District Safety Committee Report 14 Scout Chaplaincy Report 14 Bears Wood Campsite Report 15 Pinewood Scout Centre Report 15 Croydon District Marketing Kit 16 Notes 17 FINANCIAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS Croydon District Scout Council A1-A8 Croydon District Camp Sites CS1-CS2 Croydon District Explorer Units EU1-EU2 Croydon District SAS & Network SAS & N 1-SAS & N 2 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

4 Awards 2013 LENGTH OF SERVICE AWARD 2013 Chief Scout s 5 Years Service Award Alexander Beal, Jacqueline Bennett, Christopher Bundle, Patricia Campbell, William Campbell, Cheryl Collins, Tana Danielson, Janice Dowson, Allison Edmonds, Anthony Gaunt, Julie Hardy, Christopher Leonard, Paula Londors, Fionnuala Mcfadden, Sophia Moore, Anita Murphy, Joshua Phillips, Ian Pritchard, Eric Sands, Jina Stillman, Tracey Yates. Chief Scout s 10 Years Service Award Victoria Armitage, Sara Bonavia, Jill Burman, Andrew Connor, Matthew Cox, Stella Davis, Marina French, Andrew Hancock, Patrick Kingman, Jonathan Lee, Heather Lindsay, Trevor Lowe, Eric Sands. Chief Scout s 15 Years Service Award Catherine Balzer, Simon Chapman, Patricia Dean, Sheila Donald, David Edwards, Martin Greenwood, Brian Grubb, Leonard Honey, Kenneth Jackson, Jenny Thairs, Janet Willis. Chief Scout s 20 Years Service Award Linda Blackman, George Bruce, Brian Grubb, Jennifer Handley, Dawn Lockyer, Anne Smith. Chief Scout s 25 Years Service Award Kathleen Bradshaw, Loraine Davis, Stuart England, Michael Gilbert, Deborah Jeffries, Michael Turner. Chief Scout s 30 Years Service Award Paul Bates, Gina Gilbert, Michael Gilbert, Leslie Parmenter, Kathleen Smith. Chief Scout s 40 Years Service Award Richard Ball, Eric Bradley, Robert Craigie, Kerr Mckinnon. Chief Scout s 50 Years Service Award Rodney Bavin, Stuart Cheesman, James Penny. Chief Scout s 60 Years Service Award John Ashe, John Taylor. CHIEF SCOUT COMMENDATIONS 2013 Victoria Armitage, Matthew Cox, Stella Davis, Nicola Dibbs, Sheila Donald, David Edwards, Naomi Endersby, Linda Ford, Marina French, Martin Grindrod, Peter Hicklin-Mighall, Marcia Hill, Julie Hillier, Caroline Hubbard, Sharon Hudson, Alexandria Lamont, Sara Leahy, Christine Scott, Janet Southcombe, Martin Southcombe, Patricia Stannard, Mark Vaz, Debora Walker, Dominic Watts, Mark Weston, Sean Weston, Paul Young. MERITORIOUS CONDUCT MEDAL 2013 Derrick East, Brian Lamont, Yvonne Lamont. GOOD SERVICE AWARDS 2013 Ian Tombleson Award for Merit Robert Craigie Bar to the Award for Merit Robin Worthington Bar to the Award for Merit ST GEORGE S DAY AWARDS 2013 Peter Palmer Silver Acorn Beryl Watts Silver Acorn Stephen French Bar to the Silver Acorn Donald Johnston Bar to the Silver Acorn Kevin Moynihan Bar to the Silver Acorn David Shepherd Bar to the Silver Acorn Gerald Tubb Bar to the Silver Acorn Derrick East Silver Wolf WOODBADGES PRESENTED IN 2013 Andrew Reeves Explorer Scout Leader Franchesca Taylor Beaver Scout Leader Caroline Welham Assistant Cub Scout Leader David Seaman Assistant Scout Leader Neil Tyson Scout Leader Richard Goad District Explorer Scout Commissioner Magda Esterhuyse Beaver Scout Leader Alexander Graham Assistant Scout Leader Chelsea Marshall Assistant Cub Scout Leader Ian Pritchard Assistant Cub Scout Leader Steven Storey Scout Leader Cathryn Bell Beaver Scout Leader Alastair Cargill Assistant Group Scout Leader Simon Cripps Group Scout Leader Robert Croft Group Scout Leader Desmond Donohoe Assistant Cub Scout Leader Naomi Endersby Cub Scout Leader Anthony Gaunt Assistant Scout Leader Martin Grindrod Assistant Cub Scout Leader Roderick Joseph Assistant Cub Scout Leader Stephen Maskell Assistant Scout Leader James O'Malley Assistant Explorer Scout Leader Brian Penny Assistant Cub Scout Leader Peter Stout Assistant Group Scout Leader Andrew Watts Assistant Scout Leader Simon Chapman Assistant Scout Leader James Bates Assistant Scout Leader Alex Kelberman Explorer Scout Leader Paul Young Scout Leader Sarah Turner Assistant Beaver Scout Leader Anna Hutson Beaver Scout Leader Simon Anderton Explorer Scout Leader Richard Carrau District Scout Leader Matthew Cox Assistant Beaver Scout Leader Douglas Gordon Assistant Cub Scout Leader Leo Hawkins Assistant Cub Scout Leader Jacqueline Snow Beaver Scout Leader Helen Medland Assistant Group Scout Leader Stephen Roach Explorer Scout Leader Gabriella Covacci Group Scout Leader Anthony Eeles Group Scout Leader Elizabeth O'brien Group Scout Leader Christopher Ioannou Scout Leader Nicholas Smith Assistant Explorer Scout Leader Claire Shadbolt Assistant Scout Leader 3 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

5 Annual General Meeting Agenda ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF CROYDON DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL TO BE HELD AT EMMANUEL CHURCH HALL, NORMANTON ROAD, SOUTH CROYDON ON THURSDAY 15 MAY 2014 AT 7.30PM FOR 8PM AGENDA 1. Welcome and Introduction. 2. A moment for reflection. 3. Apologies for absence. 4. Confirm the minutes of the District Scout Council held on 16 May Approve the District Executive Report for Approve the audited accounts for Nominations of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. 8. Commissioner s nominations to the Executive Committee. 9. District Scout Council nominations to Executive Committee. 10. Appoint Chairmen of Sub Committees. 11. Appointment of President and Vice Presidents. 12. Nomination of a) Badge Secretary. b) Auditor. 13. District Commissioner. 14. County Commissioner. 15. Presentations. 16. Close, followed by light refreshments. Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

6 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 2013 CROYDON AND DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING This meeting was held on Thursday 16 May 2013 at Emmanuel Church Hall, Normanton Road, South Croydon at 8pm. 1. Hallam Carter Pegg (District Treasurer) John Taylor being in hospital welcomed everyone to the meeting especially: Ian Newbery (County Commissioner); Martin Whiting (Assistant County Commissioner); Vice Presidents: Councillor Sara Bashford; John Ashe; Derrick East; Lynne Hale; Don Johnston: Les and Margaret Ling; Tony Rowland; John Seaton. 2. A moment of reflection to remember our founder Lord Baden Powell and other members of Scouting who are no longer with us. Sadly this included Mick Morris GSL 61st Croydon who died on 15 May Our thoughts are with his wife Judy and the family. 3. Apologies for absence had been received from John Taylor (District Chairman); Chris Dean (Assistant County Commissioner); Jean East (Vice President); Keith Nethergate (Vice President); David Shepherd (GSL 7th Purley); Roger Tomlin; James Bates; Jim Penny; Martin Greenwood (ADC Cub Scouts); Dave Martin. 4. The minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 17 May 2012 had been read and agreed at the District Executive Committee meeting held on 25 June, 2012 accepted by the meeting and signed. Copies had been sent to all Groups and a copy was in the report. 5. The Chairman presented the District Executive Committee s report for 2012 available to those present at the meeting. There was a pause in the meeting for everyone to read the report. More copies of the report were available on request. It was proposed by Tony Rowland that the report be accepted and seconded by Mark Hudson. Agreed by those present. 6. The District Treasurer presented the audited accounts, which have been included in the report. The Treasurer mentioned some items in the accounts. The accounts have been audited. There were no queries on the accounts from the floor. It was proposed by Les Ling that the accounts be accepted and seconded Peter Pocknell. Agreed by those present. 7. Steve French, District Commissioner, took over for the next item: nominated John Taylor, District Chairman; Pam Grogan, District Secretary and Hallam Carter-Pegg, District Treasurer. I am pleased to confirm that having spoken to John Taylor he has agreed to stay on as District Chairman and support me. I am also pleased that both Hallam and Pam are also willing to stand for a further term in office, therefore I would like to officially confirm John Taylor as my nomination for District Chairman and, unless there are any other offers from the floor, to nominate Hallam as District Treasurer and Pam as District Secretary. There being no other nominations they were appointed for another year. Agreed by the meeting. They were thanked for all their co-operation and assistance during the year. 8. Steve French, District Commissioner, read out the District Commissioner s nominations to the District Executive: Tony Rowland Andy Robson Don Johnston 9. The Chairman read the District Scout Council s nominations to the District Executive: Kevin Moynihan, Mandy Giles, James Bates, Kate Balzer, Justin Musson. Explorer Scouts: David Rixson and Ryan Whitehead. 10. The Chairman read out the appointment of the following Chairmen of the Sub Committees, which were approved: Don Johnston - Appointments Advisory Tony Rowland Public Relations Andy Robson Pinewood John Taylor Bears Wood/Policy and Finance Tony Grogan Safety 11. The Chairman read out the President and Vice Presidents in the District. The following had agreed to continue for another year: President, Ray Mears Vice Presidents: John Ashe, Sara Bashford, Derrick East, Jean East, Lynn Hale, Theresa Jeffrey, Don Johnston, Les & Margaret Ling, Keith Nethergate, Tony Rowland, John Seaton. 12. The Chairman presented the following nominations and they were agreed: Badge Secretary, Martin Hewitt. Auditor, Miss C. Leong. 5 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

7 13. Steve French District Commissioner Job change in 2012 means I have to work for a living and become an organised person I attended at least 90 meetings, AGMs etc. March 2012 Awards Night Dean Jeffery, London Commissioner. Altered from October to March by request of the Leaders. Executive and GSL workshop was held and from that the Executive Power booklet was printed. CROYCamp in June: 2000 attended during the weekend with the Beavers Fun Day as part of the event. One of three Jubilee Beacons was lit. 40 activities. Croydon TV made a DVD and copies are available. Our membership numbers in 2012 increased and again in 2013 by 2.4% Leaders are committed in Croydon and volunteer for at least 9000 hours during the year. Marketing in the community is the important way forward to recruit Leaders. Recruitment Day on Saturday 18 May in Croydon will hopefully assist in this and make us known. I would like to thank the District Team for all their assistance, especially Margaret and Roger without whom I would not be able to do my job. I wish John Taylor all the best for a speedy recovery and thank Hallam and Pam for their support. Hallam Carter Pegg thanked the Executive for their assistance in training. 14. Ian Newbury County Commissioner Nice to be standing here again. Your Explorer numbers were up by more leaders with a loss of 25. More leaders needed. It is important what we do for the young people especially with a triple dip recession and job situation difficulties. I met a former Scouting colleague recently and he said he put down his success to what Scouting had done for him. I wonder how many of the young people today will be able to say the same thing in 20 years time! Advert gone out for a County Adult Recruitment Officer and it is hoped that the role will be filled by September. The job will involve contacting Colleges etc for adult leaders. I would like to thank Steve for all his hard work. Sara Bashford Vice President Just back from a meeting in London on the London Youth Games young people giving up their time to run it. Without people like you volunteering it would be too costly to finance. Scouts of all sections have a good time and value the experience. Finance is constantly a problem. Tony Rowland has been short listed for the Croydon Civil Award. 15. Steve French and Ian Newbery presented the following awards: 30-year service award Beryl Watts 40-year service award Dickie Ball 50-year service award Tony Grogan 60-year service award Hallam Carter Pegg, John Ashe Wood Badges Richard Goad (DESC); Jenny Thairs (ADC Beaver Scouts). St Georges Day Awards: Silver Acorn Peter Palmer; Beryl Watts Bar to Silver Acorn Steve French; Richard Goad; Don Johnston; Bill Tubb. Silver Wolf Derrick East who had also been awarded Chief Scout Commendation for Meritious Conduct Medal. Sonya Dyer (From the Awards Night) presented the runner-up for Chief Commissioner Award. Flowers were presented to Pam Grogan (District Secretary) and Rene Logan. Bottle to Hallam Carter-Pegg (District Treasurer). 16. Any other business Tony Crackett requested that the annual report be put on the website in advance of the meeting so people could comment as per his request last year. He was informed that the last accounts had only been submitted two weeks ago. Also he queried the Bill Holman Memorial Fund: why had the money been used? This will be looked at by the Policy and Finance Committee at their next meeting. Richard Goad now has access and control of the website please contact him if you require a password or to change one. Treasurer Gift aid rules have changed as from April 2013 and you can claim on bucket collection provided no one gives more than 20. Also bag packing etc. 17. Date of next meeting of the District Executive Committee is 24 June 2013 at Bears Wood. Chairman thanked everyone for coming and invited them to stay and chat while enjoying the refreshments. The meeting closed at 8.45pm. Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

8 District Chairman s Report The District objective over the last year has been to ensure the improvement of Scouting at Group level. Our DC Steve French and his team have put in considerable effort to give Groups and their Leaders ideas and, in some cases, direct assistance at Section meetings. Additionally, GSL meetings and workshops have been set up to give positive input, all related to ensuring our youth members get the best quality Scouting and a good range of activities. Investment in the new kayaks and safety equipment at Pinewood has seen a very good take-up of courses and increased water-related activity sessions at both Pinewood and, during the latter part of 2013, at Norwood Lake. Bears Wood has a climbing wall, crate stacking and archery activities available with qualified instructors. If Groups have their own certified instructors and copies of the necessary documents are made available when booking Bears Wood then your own instructors can be used. In Croydon we have also invested in specialist branded equipment to enable both Groups and District to hold Recruitment Days and attend local fairs and events across the Borough to market the Scouting adventure. Leaflets and advertising materials are available for Groups to use. (Enquiries to the DC for details). It is very disappointing that after all the effort put in by the District our annual census figures at year end did not show a positive improvement. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: is it because of the programmes being offered or the lack of Leadership in some areas? Clearly we have some very small Groups in the District and this may be a key factor. We all need to move with the times and respond to modern trends. Our young people need adventure and challenge, and it is significant that larger Groups seem to achieve this and retain or increase their membership. For Scouting to increase and prosper in Croydon we need to make changes in some areas. It won t be easy, but we must remember that we are all involved to give our youth members the very best that Scouting can offer. My thanks to the District Executive who have supported the DC and his team and who run the administrative side of Scouting for Croydon District. John Taylor, District Chairman District Commissioner s Report Another busy and successful year for Croydon Scouting. Numbers were up in the District, highlighting the good work being carried out in many of our Groups and Units. Membership in 2012 was 2893 and in 2013 it rose to a great achievement all round. In January we published and distributed nearly 5000 copies of our Celebration of Success booklet. Copies went to all members of the District as well as to local libraries, GP surgeries, schools, churches, meeting places, CVA shop and the Croydon Visitor Centre. We also advertised at East Croydon Station on the concourse that leads to platforms 1 & 2 and utilised several of the tube-liner frames to advertise Croydon Scouting on the Trams. In April we held our ever-popular District Awards Night at Whitgift School. Tim Kidd (UK Chief Commissioner for England) attended and gave a very inspiring talk to us all. In May we held our Recruitment Day in the centre of Croydon, for which we hired a mobile coconut tree climbing wall and had one of our new branded marquees on display. In excess of 100 youth enquiries were gained, plus seven or eight adult enquiries, which were forwarded to local Groups to follow up. Many of our Groups and Sections attended a variety of camps and holidays during the year, and reports from members of the team were that standards were again very high. We held another two Safeguarding Awareness training sessions, bringing our total number of members having received training up to around 270. We also rolled out the new mandatory Safety Training in October and since then have started to take this training locally to Groups. This short, informal training helps to remind us all about our planning for events and activities, risk assessments, duty of care, adult in charge and the reporting procedures for accidents. To book this training for your Group please contact the DC. In September we made a fundamental change in the way training is offered and administered in Croydon. I appointed John Seaton as District Training Manager, closely supported by Margaret Tyler, Roger Jones and Jon Slade. I am very pleased that training in Croydon is now well and truly back on track. About 60 members of Croydon District joined with Croydon Guiding and attended the Croydon Civic Remembrance Parade and Service in the town and at Fairfield Halls. As ever, it was a very humbling occasion and our young people were a credit to the movement. In a change to previous protocol and following discussion with the Guiding Commissioner, we decided that we would have a Scout and Guide place our respective wreaths beside the War Memorial. This moving moment was captured on film. What a tremendous advert for Scouting and Girl-Guiding! Throughout the year all Sections held a solid programme of activities and my sincere thanks go to our Sectional ADCs and their extended teams for everything they do to support the District and for the support given to me personally. Thanks also to Margaret and Roger Jones, my Deputy Commissioners, who take a great deal of the pressure off me personally. Thanks also to Liam and George Campbell, Dickie Ball, Andy Dovey, Kate Balzer, Cari-ann & Andrew Bailey and John Seaton. Thanks also to John, Hallam and Pam and the Executive for the support given to me as District Commissioner. Steve French, District Commissioner 7 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

9 District Beaver Scout Report Throughout the year we held a number of different events, attended by many of the Colonies, which provide an opportunity for the Beavers in your Colony to enjoy a range of different activities and have fun with other Beavers. The Leaders get to have fun too. In May 2013 we held our first day trip to Drusilla s, which was a complete success. The feedback from all the groups and parents was first-rate and Drusilla s said we were the best visitor group they have had for a long time, which was great to hear. Thank you to everyone who came and made it a very enjoyable day out. In December we held our annual Christmas party at Edenham High School, lots of fun was had by all. The Beavers enjoyed a range of activities from party games to decorating festive biscuits. Thank you to everyone that attended and helped make it a great day. I d also like to send a big thank you to the cooks at Edenham High School who made the festive biscuits for all the Beavers to decorate. Our future plans are to hold an activity day in July and our annual Christmas party in December. My team and I are currently in the planning stages and will inform you of any further developments. I have been to see a lot of Colonies this year and am pleased with the progress of all the Groups, keep it up. I am still slightly concerned that some of the Beavers are not attending sleepovers. From experience I know that the Beavers love attending sleepovers and it helps them with the transition into going camping with the Cubs. The District team are always on hand to help with anyone who would like to arrange one. If I have not visited you yet and you would like me to do so, please let me know and we can make arrangements. To all those that continue to attend the District meetings or send representatives, thank you. Please do continue to come to these meetings as they give you a chance to voice your ideas and any problems you may have, as well as find out what events we have planned for the year ahead. As you are aware, there has been a problem with addresses. If you are still not receiving s please contact us so we can make sure you are on the list. Remember, we are always here to help with any problems you may encounter. I d also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the District Beaver team for all your hard work and support, which helped make it a successful year. It has been a pleasure working with you all and I look forward to working with you throughout the coming year. I am happy to help you within Scouting and look forward to meeting more of you over the coming year. Please feel free to contact me at jenny@thairs.net Jenny Thairs, ADC Beavers District Cub Scout Report Once again we have had a full calendar of District events, starting with the District Quiz, in which nine teams competed some for the first time, which was great to see. The eventual winners were 2nd Croydon Goldfinch Pack who were over the moon as it was their first win at a District event for 56 years! 7th Purley and 18th Purley came second & third, respectively, and all three went on to represent the District in the County round held on 1 March at Wallington HQ, where Croydon won the overall District Trophy. In between the two quiz rounds 2nd Croydon hosted a Local Knowledge Badge day in which over 100 Cubs participated. Thanks to Liam Campbell and Crystal Palace Museum for organising this event. The Cubs met at Crystal Palace Park for a guided tour of various sites, ending at the museum where they learnt more about the history of the Glass Palace. The day finished at 2nd Croydon HQ for refreshments and a quiz to test what they had learnt during the day. April and May saw the rise of archery as a Cub event, when youngsters and adults alike had the opportunity to hone their skills. The Cubs had a day at Woodcote High School (thanks to them for hosting the event), where attendance was sadly affected by the weather. Wind and rain interrupted all the sessions, especially in the afternoon when rain stopped play. None the less in true Scouting spirit the show must go on, and it did. Olde Coulsdon Archers, who had run a base at the Jubilee camp in 2012, kindly invited Leaders to a free taster day for adults at Chipstead Valley Primary School, where over 60 Leaders and helpers were taught and practised how to shoot properly. An excellent buffet lunch was provided and a great time had by all, so much so that the events are to be repeated this coming year. In June, 61 Cubs had a brilliant time kayaking at Pinewood, which is sure to become a regular for many Packs and for which George Campbell and his team must be congratulated. Unfortunately, though, we had to cancel a June event due to lack of interest. The Mang Challenge was to be a set of fun activities for older Cubs to compete in teams over a number of bases to complete challenges and test teamwork and initiative. The Team will investigate the lack of uptake and re-introduce the event when solutions have been found. Baloo Trophy followed in September at Bears Wood when increased numbers again stretched arrangements to the limit. The event was won by 11th Purley, again! 1st Purley came a close second and 2nd Croydon s two teams took both third & fourth places. Congratulations to those who took part in these events and especially to all the winners; spread the word these are great events where everyone enjoys themselves. All these events could not have been successful without the huge amount of help & hard work of so many people who give of their time freely and so generously. My thanks to all who helped in so many ways, organising, running bases, catering or bringing Packs and supervising Cubs, and to those who have hosted events this year. We couldn t do it without you. My thanks also go to Pat Campbell and Sarah Turner who have joined the existing members of my team, Peter Pearce, Mandy & Peter Giles, Gene Dunbar & Liam Campbell without whom I could not even start to do my job properly. Martin Greenwood, ADC Cub Scouts Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

10 District Scout Report I took over as ADC Scouts from Dickie Ball on 1 July 2013 and would once again like to express my thanks for all his hard work. The Scout Section had a very successful year in 2013, and all of our events showed increased attendance. I would like to send a big thank you out to all the Leaders and Explorers who helped us run the events, as without them it would have not been possible. During 2013 we introduced two new members on to the Scout District team in the form of Dave Seaman and Nick Smith. In November 2013 the team and I sat down to organise our calendar of events for 2014, when we plan to do bigger activities and link with George Campbell, ADC Activities, for water activities. I would once again like to thank the District Team, the Explorers and all the Leaders who have helped over All that is left to say is bring on 2014! Dave Martin, ADC Scouts District Explorer Scout Report Croydon Explorer numbers are slightly up on last year, although we nearly lost Croham Valley Unit mid-year, but they are fighting back and membership is growing again. I am also very pleased that in the next few weeks a new Explorer Unit will be starting in the Crystal Palace area, filling a large hole within the District. We currently have around 220 Explorers in Croydon, of which over 130 provide service around the District as Young Leaders. We ran five Training Sessions during the year, attended by over 50 Young Leaders and covering the vast majority of the 11 Modules. The sessions were all held at Pinewood Activity Centre, covering such topics as challenging behaviour, programme planning, special people, games, styles of leadership and others. These Young Leaders provide invaluable help in Groups all over the District and many sections would struggle to run without them. We awarded the YL Belt Buckle the highest award a YL can obtain to Pinewood Seahorses Explorer Scout Georgina Edrupt, who is a Young Leader at the 5th West Wickham. Thanks are due to those who have helped with the YL training over the year: Jenny and Andy Robson, Vicki Armitage, Diana Walters and Nick Smith. Croydon Explorers continued to represent the Borough at County and National events during the year. Well done to All Saints who won Red Flare this year, and to other Units who entered teams in Red Flare and the Southern 50 competitions. Croydon Units also attended Gilwell 24, Scarefest, Ice & Fire and Wintercamp. This year many Units have been mixing and coming together as Croydon Explorers with more individual joint activities or with District events such as the Sports evening, Survival weekend or our mountaineering weekend in the Brecon Beacons. I am often staggered at the range of activities we offer to our Explorers, from curling, bob sleighs, Morris dancing, Formula 1 racing simulator and two Units forming the backbone of Pantomime or Gang Shows with local groups. We really do get out there and undertake some amazing activities alongside many traditional Scouting events. Finally, Explorers are often found helping the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts with their activities either at Group or District level, which was recognised by a reception hosted by the Mayor of London. Also local MP Gavin Barwell hosted Seahorses on a visit to The Houses of Parliament, the pinnacle being an investiture of new members on the green, inside the Palace of Westminster under the watchful eye of Big Ben. I d like to thank all the ES Leaders and Administrators in Croydon, who don t have the benefit of the non-uniformed support structure found in a Group for fund-raising or managing the unit. It is often not recognised outside the Explorers Section that this extra burden falls on the same people running the programmes. It is staggering we raise thousands of pounds for our funds and still give these young people the opportunity to undertake such a wide range of activities. Richard Goad, District Explorer Scout Commissioner 9 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

11 Scout Network Report Over the past year there have been a number of changes for Network and we have sadly had to say goodbye to some members. However, we have still managed to enjoy a variety of activities. We entered a team into Operation Red Flare, which resulted in us winning the Network trophy after a gruelling night hike in the Box Hill area. The event was topped off by James Bates being presented with his Queen s Scout award, which was actually our second one completed this year as Ben Latchford completed his award at the same time although his was presented at the County awards evening. We have enjoyed taking part in a variety of activities, including hand-making buddy burners, playing Frisbee golf, sampling various desserts at Afters, and practising our Scout skills. We also helped at various District events, including the recruitment day in central Croydon and manning a checkpoint at the Baloo trophy. We have also helped out with checkpoints for various Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and celebrated bonfire night with Croham Valley Explorers. Our final camp of the year was at Gilwell Reunion at the start of September, where we joined up with Networkers from Sutton, Richmond and Paisley in Scotland for a great weekend of fun and opportunity. It was nice to spend some time with others and exchange ideas. Looking forward we have plans for rowing and dry slope skiing in the coming months and we will be heading back to Gilwell in September to take part in another Gilwell Reunion. Network members are also willing to come and speak to Explorers to find out more about what we do. If there are any Explorer units who would like us to visit please contact us. We continue to meet fortnightly on a Tuesday and would welcome any Explorers who may be interested in joining us; we can be contacted on croydon.network@blueyonder.co.uk Cari-ann & Andy Bailey, Scout Network Leaders District Scout Active Support Report As you know, Active Support has, nationally, taken the place of the Fellowship and in Croydon we launched our Active Support Unit in November Since that time our membership has remained much the same, recruitment proving difficult, and has unfortunately dwindled this year with the sad passing of several valued members. It seems appropriate, before saying anything else, to thank all the members of Active Support for their continuing can do approach and generosity when supporting different areas of Scouting in Croydon. Our first job as Active Support was to make sure we didn t lose the important functions of the Fellowship, which in Croydon were to provide some support to certain District and other events, to fundraise for and support Scouting causes, and to enable those retired from Scouting to be kept updated and involved. We ve achieved this so far, and our 2014 programme maintains our support to District training events, activities such as the District Beaver funday, offering a day s labour at Woodlarks, and keeping retired members in touch through Bourne Again. We ve also added to our programme this year and last year, assisting several individual Groups with their events such as sleepovers, fundays and family camps. This has been really enjoyable and has enabled us to add to the support the Groups enjoy and make new friends and contacts. Socially our members are thinking this year of a suitable way to focus on, and commemorate, the Great War and particularly Croydon Scouting s involvement in it. A new idea for this year is to try to network and link up with all the adults in the District, partly to share experience, ideas and possibly time, but also just to socialise with like minds! To this end I will be sharing some dates for anyone interested to meet in a Croydon pub, and we ll go from there! If anyone is interested in developing Active Support or just participating, I d love to hear from you. If you re really keen it would be great to have some Active Support Co-ordinators in post to manage the Social and Service programmes get in touch! Kate Balzer, Manager, Scout Active Support Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

12 District Activities Report 2013 was a very busy year on the activities front. Activity Notifications: Croydon District now has a robust system of Activity Notifications in place, which many Groups and Sections are now using. Activity Notifications can be submitted directly from the District website and analysis of the submitted forms provides valuable information for the District Team. Many thanks for the hospitality shown to me by the various Groups I visited during 2013 to explain the new system. Many thanks also to those Groups who are now using the system. Activity Permits & Register: Croydon District now has an exhaustive record of who holds which permits. This is a valuable resource, which can only help facilitate an increase in the amount and quality of adventurous activities taking place. The amount of activity permits has increased markedly, especially for water activities. I ran several kayak and traditional rafting Leader training and assessment sessions during 2013 and will run more where demand dictates. More recently, we secured the services of Simon Keen, GLSW Dinghy Sailing Instructor, who ran a similar session at South Norwood Lake, where five candidates were assessed and signed off. This means that we are now able to offer sailing sessions for Cub age and upwards. Well done to all those who have renewed or gained new activity permits and NGB qualifications. My emphasis for 2014 will be to promote the gaining of non-water activity permits. Sailing/Canoeing/Kayaking & Traditional Rafting: It s very pleasing to know that within District we effectively have our own Water Activities Centre, albeit in two locations. Sailing & canoeing South Norwood Lake During 2013 we ran 19 Saturday morning sessions and we saw older Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and some Leaders under sail and under paddle. As previously mentioned we now have five Scout assessed dinghy sailing instructors and so we can accommodate Cub age upwards. Kayaking & rafting Pinewood Jenny Crook, bookings secretary at the time, remarked that it had been the busiest summer she d ever known on the lake. Disappointingly though, there are still Groups and Sections who we ve not seen or heard from. During 2013 we had Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Leaders and parents kayaking and rafting. Didn t quite manage to get the DC out though, maybe this year? Boat inspections/float testing: In May 2013 I swamp-tested every boat and float-tested every buoyancy aid presented to me by District and three Groups. It was a busy but very useful day s work, which meant that all the equipment could be used to deliver sessions for young people involved in Croydon Scouting and beyond. Archery/Shooting: Croydon District has also witnessed an increase in the number of qualified Archery and Shooting Instructors/Leaders. Well done to all those who renewed or gained either or both of these qualifications. There are always courses being run relatively locally so please keep your eyes and ears open witnessed several inter-group/section archery sessions and competitions, well done to those who organised and ran them. I feel a District Archery or Shooting competition is not far off. Other activities: Activity Notifications indicate that during 2013 other excellent activities were enjoyed by members of Croydon Scouting: Walking, climbing and windsurfing for example. For a District of our size we have relatively few hill-walking or climbing permit holders and not a single windsurfing Instructor/Leader. As mentioned earlier, one of my personal aims for 2014 is to increase all three so that even more youngsters can enjoy the OUT in Scouting. George Campbell, ADC Activities 11 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

13 Nights Away Support Report This is a new and exciting role for me and I have been tasked with ensuring that camping standards in the County and more locally in Croydon are maintained at the highest level and that any new legislation or edict from HQ is applied. Please ensure that if you are staying on a larger site that you put the building/site number on your NAN form for ease of location. Please also ensure that the NAN form is sent to the correct District address. address: nanforms@croydonscouting.org.uk It is my intention to visit as many of you at camp as possible both this year and in the future, and of course if you have any issues regarding the nights away process, applying for a permit or indeed any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Dickie Ball, ADC Nights Away Support Group Support Report The last year has seen some original collaboration and initiatives designed to best utilise Leaders & experience within the District. I have actively encouraged Groups to pool their resources and, by doing so, they are in a much better position to offer more dynamic and challenging activities and events. I would like to co-ordinate some more workshops for GSLs and Executive committee members to offer support for those Groups to best use what in a lot of cases are very limited manpower resources. For the coming 12 months I would encourage Groups to get in touch as early as possible if they have operational difficulties to allow the District Team the opportunity to assist and support. I will also be looking at Development Strategies for Special Needs provision within Croydon Scouting. Liam Campbell, ADC Group Support District Appointment Committee Report As you will see from the following figures we had a very active year, which is of course extremely good news. I have not been able to chair all the meetings myself, mainly due to family commitments, however I am backed by an excellent team and my deputy chairman Hallam Carter Pegg. My thanks to him and all the rest of the committee for their help and commitment over the year. Last but not least our Appointments Advisory Committee secretary, Rene Logan, for all the hard and sometimes trying work she does to get the paperwork ready for us to meet the candidates. The committee has met 13 times and seen Leaders from 24 groups: Beaver Scout Leaders 3 Assistant Beaver Scout Leaders 10 Cub Scout Leaders 2 Assistant Cub Scout Leaders 7 Scout Leaders 1 Assistant Scout Leaders 12 Group Scout Leaders 2 Assistant Group Scout Leaders 1 Assistant Explorer Scout Leaders 1 Total 39 Donald Johnston, Chairman, Appointments Advisory Committee Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

14 District Adult Training Report This report covers the six-month period from October 2013 when I took on the role of District Training Manager. In that time 10 Wood Badges were completed (three Beaver, three Cub, three Scout & one GSL), mainly due to the sterling work by both Roger Jones and Margaret Tyler in harrying people to complete their training. When I started, District had a problem getting new leaders to complete their Getting Started Modules (nos. 1-3) after being granted a Provisional Warrant by the Appointments Committee. These modules should be completed within five months but up to 30 leaders had still not done them, some after a number of years. A new system was devised whereby District purchased the DVD of module 1 and gave a copy to every GSL so that prospective new Leaders could watch it when they signed their AA form. The Appointments Secretary would then send me a copy of the AA form and I would arrange to meet the new Leader. At the meeting module 1 would be validated, their Personal Learning Plan Completed (module 2) and the bulk of module 3 discussed, leaving them only to run an opening/closing ceremony and a game in order to finish the Getting Started Modules. The aim was that these three modules were completed before the person went before the Appointments Committee, so that a full warrant rather than a provisional could be issued straight away. This has proved most successful: at the end of March 50 full warrants (15 Beaver, 10 Cub, 20 Scout, 1 Explorer, 3 GSL & 1 District) have been issued to new Leaders and those on longstanding provisional warrants. A further six Leaders have completed two out of the three modules, and only one historical provisional warrant still remains. Thanks to Jon Slade for his help in seeing a number of new Leaders and those on old provisional warrants. County has now delegated the running of modules 5-9 plus 11 & 14 to Districts. A training programme has been circulated to all GSLs and those in training detailing the dates when training for these modules are to be held. The date for training alternates each month between a Sunday and a weekday evening. So far two Sunday sessions have been run, covering five modules and 19 Leaders have attended. Margaret Tyler organised a very successful Core Skills Day at Bears Wood, which allowed Leaders to complete Module 18, and Jon Slade and I were there to carry out any validations that people required. There is still a great shortage of Training Advisors in the District, but this shouldn t be a barrier to people doing training. Remarkably, new Leaders are the ones attending District courses, while those that have been in for a few years seem less keen. HQ is in the process of carrying out a full review of training and possible major changes may be implemented in So, on the basis of better the devil you know, I would encourage all those who have been warranted for over a year to make the effort to complete their training as soon as possible. Thank you to all those that have assisted in any way, be it helping out running modules or just answering my s quickly. John Seaton, Croydon District Training Manager District PR Committee Report Looking back over the year, the committee has been quite active by publishing several articles in the Croydon Advertiser, designing and printing the Annual Report and re-prints of the District leaflets. The committee has also been responsible for material displayed in the Fairfield Halls. The District team produced the Celebration of Success booklet in January and arranged for advertising on the Trams and at East Croydon Station. We also helped with the Annual Awards Night by getting it mentioned in the Croydon Advertiser before and after the event. The responsibilities of the committee also stretch to the design and printing of the campsite booklets and previously publishing the Bourne Again District newsletter. All these measures help to keep Croydon Scouting in the forefront of people s minds. To support the District team the PR Committee arranged for the design and purchase of the new branded Gazebos ready for the District Recruitment Day held in May 2013, as well as the Croydon Scouting silicon wristbands. Unfortunately, with the sad death of Peter Pocknell and other members recently leaving the committee, we now desperately need new members. New and fresh ideas and skills to help us keep up the good work by making sure Croydon Scouting goes from strength to strength. Last of all, I would like to thank my committee members Mike Gilbert, Paul Carter, Les Ling and Ron Leonard for all their hard work over the last 10 years. Also to the Secretary Nikki Main for typing the minutes and sending them on after each meeting to the District Secretary for the Executive meetings. Tony Rowland, Chairman Note from the DC: My sincere thanks to Tony and ALL members of the District PR Committee for all their hard work and past service. However, we are at a position where we urgently need to rebuild this committee. If you have a skill or passion for PR or marketing, or generally have an interest in advertising please get in touch. Croydon Scouting will be lost without a voice and after all the hard work that has gone on before we cannot afford to let this happen. The voice of the District is with the PR Committee. The external face of Croydon Scouting needs to have a calculated and motivated appearance and work within our community, and the local business and commerce sector to achieve presence and support. Please contact Tony Rowland or the DC for further information Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

15 District Safety Committee Report The District Safety Committee exists to offer help and advice to Scout Groups on their statutory responsibilities and duty of care for safety of persons using their premises. These responsibilities are not Scout Association rules but Health and Safety Legislation. Members of the committee have conducted a safety audit of Group and District premises and provided a report to Groups with recommendations for improvement where necessary. These recommendations have been generally well received but not fully implemented by all Groups. We are now arranging a five-year Safety Re-Audit of premises and will be in touch with group safety officers to meet and conduct the audit. Fire Risk Assessments: The Regulatory Reform Order (RRO) came into force on 1 October Under this reform it is a legal obligation that all premises require a Fire Risk Assessment. The regulation also requires that a documented Fire Risk Assessment be available for inspection on the premises and that all users are aware and trained in the actions required by the assessment. Other legal requirements introduced under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: in Scouting we may not be at work but this legislation forms the basis of good practice and is applicable when premises are let out to other users. In the event of an emergency or incident we may find ourselves judged against these legal requirements. We therefore recommend the following practices, procedures and paperwork as evidence of Duty of Care. Appoint a Group Safety Officer Maintain a Group Health and Safety Policy Maintain a Safety Logbook for your premises Prepare and maintain a Fire Risk Assessment Regularly inspect and hold certificates for Electrical and Gas Installation and Fire extinguishers. Provide and record training for Users of the premises and Members Maintain an available First Aid Kit and accident procedures and record. Below is a list of attachments available on the website that can be downloaded and adapted for individual Group purposes Name Group Health & Safety Policy Group Safety Logbook Group Safety Officer Duties Group_Fire_Risk_Assessment.doc Duty of Care Summary User Training Notes and Welcome Pack Risk Assessment for Group Maintenance Activities Storage of LPG First Aid notice board sign Asbestos in your home Disabled Discrimination Act requirements Electrical and Gas Installations The Regulation requirements Group Premises Audit Check List Health and Safety Law for Your Scout Premises- What you should know HSE Publication indg236 Electrical Inspections District Safety Committee, Committee members: Chairman: Tony Grogan, TechIOSH, MIIRSM, NEBOSH. Tel , tonygrogan93@gmail.com John Ashe, John Hazeldean, Alan Kemp, Steve French. Scout Chaplaincy Report Following the visit to the Croydon Mosque towards the end of 2013, Croydon District Scout Chaplain Revd Andy Dovey s focus has concentrated on providing support to the Scout Groups to widen their knowledge of World faiths and to award Faith Badges. Subsequently, a group of young people from Croydon District were welcomed on a visit to the South Norwood Islamic Centre to learn about and explore the Muslim Faith. More than 113 people comprising adults and a complete cross-section from our younger uniformed members from various Groups/Units attended this event. We view Croydon as a large multi-faith and cultural borough that provides excellent opportunities for our children to learn about the cultures and faiths around us. Scouting is open to both sexes and all faiths and cultures, and it is important that we interact so that we can respect each other s faiths and cultures. Not only did the centre welcome the large group, but they also provided a very appropriate interactive presentation on the Muslim faith, explaining the Five Pillars of Islam, details on fasting, Ramadan, how often they are called to prayer each day and many other elements of the faith. Younger members of their faith read from the Koran and the witness of mid-day prayers. A tour of the centre was completed with a banquet of traditional food. Feedback from the Units that attended includes accolades of, All enjoyed the friendliness and experience we had there; the food was a pleasant surprise. Moving forward, we are now arranging further events, including a visit to Croydon Minister, and holding our very own Christingle Service in December and awarding lots more Faith Badges. Revd Andrew Dovey, District Chaplain Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

16 Bears Wood Campsite Report The site continues to be used on a regular basis and early booking is recommended as in 2014 we are booked every weekend until the end of June for the Hut. Limited camping sites are still available. Regrettably the wet weather and the high winds did a considerable amount of damage, trees down and the site was very muddy. This delayed our work programme on the sites but now with the better weather tidying up is in full swing. The car park has now had a further dressing of tarmac scalpings; leaf clearance and a general clean-up are well under way. Dave Martin ADC Scouts is organising pioneering activities at Bears Wood and to this end new pioneering poles have been purchased and all ropes and pulley blocks have been checked. The site and building continue to be improved and in August the gents toilets will be refurbished and in due course the ladies will also be done. Our thanks go to the regular working party and to all Groups who have done site work at Bears Wood. John Taylor, Chairman, Bears Wood Pinewood Scout Centre Report 2013 was another good year at Pinewood. The roof works completed in 2012 were tested to the extreme by the bad weather later in the year and it passed with flying colours I hate to think what the damage would have been if we hadn t got the works done during the summer! Fixing the lake leak was the next big challenge. A small specialist contractor from Esher was recommended to me and after a meeting on site with Roy Goff of R&M Conservation and Lake Construction Design Limited, he confirmed where I had thought the leak was and what works were required to fix the problem. Some of the old concrete structure was removed and the hole plugged with some blue engineering clay, kindly donated (delivery charge only) by Borough Green Sand Pit. The aforementioned rain soon restored the lake level to overflowing. Thanks to Kate Balzer for her excellent work on the new website. In an effort to plug the funding gap created by the vacation of the site by Adventure Quest, George Campbell kindly introduced us to the nice people at Croydon Council Green Spaces Team, Croydon Adventure Project & Youth Forest Project. We have entered into an agreement whereby they will use the centre for their various activities. In return, they will help us by applying for grants to maintain the building and grounds. They will also run activity days using their equipment and qualified instructors, which will be chargeable, and the proceeds coming to Pinewood. Through the Croydon Council Green Spaces Team, we have also been introduced to their Arboricultural contractor and will be exchanging the use of the Pinewood grounds for training, in return for them undertaking any tree works that we require. We look forward to building on these new relationships in The committee has undergone some changes in We were very sad that Lionel Moss passed away during the year; our thoughts are with his family. Jenny Crook decided to step down from the Bookings Secretary role, sincere thanks to Jenny for her many years of dedicated volunteering. The committee was joined by Mo Haque who is an ex-scout and part of the SAS team. I also wish to formally extend my thanks the rest of the Pinewood Committee: Chippie, Keith, Mark, George and Kate, for all of their hard work. Here s to an exciting 2014 working with our new partners and plenty of kayaking, raft building, pioneering, rock climbing, crate stacking, fire lighting, camping etc early booking advised pinewoodscoutcentre@outlook.com Andy Robson, Chairman, Pinewood Management Committee 15 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

17 Croydon District Marketing Kit The District has invested in and now owns two fully-branded and professional compact gazebos. One unit is 4.5m x 3.0m and the other is 3.0m x 2.0m. We have also purchased two Feather Flags 3.4m overall height and ideal for outdoor marketing opportunities. These items are in addition to an assortment of existing roller banners and leaflets with the Croydon website and the District telephone number on display. Other items like special tables with branded table covers, laptop, projector, projector screen and petrol generator are also available. Various media files can also be provided for your use on outdoor or Group events. To support Scouting in your Groups we also have copies of the recent GSL support booklet and the Executive Committee support booklet entitled Executive Power, giving real time support in the important GSL and Executive Roles. We also have booklets available for both Bears Wood and Pinewood, plus leaflets advertising the Pinewood Water Activities to help Section Leaders to arrange and book activities and programme ideas. Please contact our PR Committee on pr@croydonscouting.org.uk to discuss any local marketing opportunities or with requests to use the gazebos, banners or publications. A deposit and/or small charge will be made against the gazebos and feather flags. Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May

18 Notes 17 Annual Report and Accounts of the Croydon District Scout Council May 2014

19 2013 Financial Report & Accounts Page A1

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