Clive Mason (Group Scout Leader) Receives Merit Award

We are extremely lucky at 1st Bradley Stoke Scouts to have a Group Scout Leader who has over forty years experience of Scouting and is still as enthusiastic as ever. Clive Mason has been a driving force behind our Scout Group and has served as our Chair and as our Group Scout Leader over a period that has seen the group triple in size to become one of the largest in the country. His skill and expertise is now being utilized to help other groups in his recently taken on role as Assistant District Commissioner (Group Support).

Clive was awarded the scouting ‘Award for Merit’ which is given for ‘outstanding service of not less than 12 years and 10 years exceptionally. It implies keen, conscientious, imaginative and dedicated service over a sustained period’ and is, in our opinion, long over due.

When he received the award Clive posted…

“It’s not often I’m lost for words in a Scouting environment. However, I am absolutely gobsmacked but nonetheless proud to receive this award at the District AGM. I only ever wanted to give back the time that a volunteer gave to me when I started my Scouting career well over 40 years ago. Still ‘doing my bit’ for 250 people in the community and this is merely a reflection of all those fantastic young people, adult volunteers and lifelong Scouting friends (around the world) I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy life’s experiences and make a positive difference with.

Also timely to express my love and gratitude to Vicky, Tash & Ben who still let me disappear for countless Scouting evenings, days and weekends…I couldn’t do it without their understanding and support.”

Thank you Clive – Hoping you will stay with us for the next 40 years!

On 27th May 2016, around 4000 Scouts and Guides from the Avon area and beyond gathered at the Windmill Fisheries Showground in South Gloucestershire for the 2016 County Jamboree.

Sun, rain, mud, lots of activities and a visit from ‘Bear’ made the weekend a fantastic experience for all.

Just over half the Group (105 young people) supported by 31 volunteers attended with Dave Pace (Assistant Group Scout Leader – Cubs) doing a sterling job as our Group lead for this major event.

Seasons Greetings from the GSL!

Well it’s not long until the fat man comes down the chimney, and before anyone says it, I’m not talking about me!

t’s that time of year when I traditionally wish all members and supporters of 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group, a very happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. It’s also an opportunity to update you all on what’s ahead for the Group in 2016.
Our Year…

2015 has been another great Scouting year. Our ever enthusiastic leaders have continued to provide diverse programmes delivering fun, friendship, challenge and everyday adventure for our young people…and adult volunteers! Without any doubt, we provide the most diverse range of opportunities and activities for young people in the community than any other organisation…and exceptionally good value for money too!

At the beginning of 2015, we opened an additional 2 Beaver Colonies and another Cub Pack (based at Holy Trinity School). This brought our Group sections to 4 x Beaver Colonies, 3 x Cub Packs, 2 x Scout Troops and our partnered Explorer Scout Unit (Trident ESU).

At least half of the Group attended BJAM15 at the end of May. This was a District Jamboree held at Woodhouse Park. Aside from allowing some our younger members (and leaders!) to experience their first nights under canvas, it gave them the opportunity to meet the wider Scouting family (around 1000 participants).

One of the highlights was one of the most entertaining camp fires sing alongs I’ve experienced…it takes a lot to get the GSL dancing!

Our ‘Water Rats’ section successfully ran their first full season of activities. All sections took part in raft building at Trench Lane and other activities such as canoeing & kayaking were held at Bristol docks, Clevedon lake and Yate leisure centre. We have been very fortunate to not only inherit around £6k’s worth of equipment from a closing canoe club, but were also were awarded a Spielman Trust grant of £1.8k. This has provided us with a firm financial foundation to build the project and enable even more young people from within and outside the Group to experience these activities.

Our 2nd Remembrance Parade ran successfully in the Town Square and the rain (just about) held off! Even greater numbers attended this year and once again, proved what a successful project this has been not just for the Group, but the community as a whole.
The year ahead…

Whilst already serving approximately 210 young people, we nonetheless remain a victim of our own success and still have to manage lengthy waiting lists. By no means is this a badge of honour and as a result we are currently planning a 4th Cub Pack by next Easter and a 3rd Scout Troop within the year. This of course will only be possible by maximising current availability at Holy Trinity School (Brook Way has more or less reached maximum capacity), and the successful recruitment of additional adult volunteers to support the new sections.

With good strategic planning, these sections and the Group as a whole will be sustainable. However, we will have to give serious thought to any further expansion as there has to be a manageable limit. Undoubtedly some young people will be disappointed that we can’t accommodate them. We routinely guide them in the direction of our neighbouring Groups but not surprisingly…they want to join the local one!

As proof that it only takes a spark to make an explosion, further to a suggestion following last year’s remembrance parade that we perhaps formed our own marching band…it’s happening! Following a successful pilot evening and subsequent planning meetings, this new project will be starting in January and meeting at the new BSCS primary school. All ages membership will be from existing section members and led by both new & existing adult volunteers (including qualified music teachers). Now we really will be able to blow our own trumpet!

Following our attendance at BJAM15, at the end of next May we will be attending the County Jamboree to be held at the South Gloucestershire Showground at Westerleigh. Keep an eye out in January for invitations to attend and I would encourage all our members to join around 4000 of their Scouting brothers & sisters in a great range of activities over 3 days & nights.

Finally, it’s going to be a big year for our Cub & Beaver sections who are celebrating their 100th & 30th Anniversaries respectively. They’ll both be taking in part in some special events and activities to mark this.

All the above is obviously in addition to the weekly section meetings and weekend activities…from abseiling to zorbing!
Fundraising…

Just a quick word about fundraising. Without the continuing support of our fundraising team and their initiatives, we would struggle to financially maintain the Group. Please check out our fundraising page at Fund Raising and in particular, our ‘fundraising’ portal at easyfundraising. By utilising this simple portal when you shop online, you will raise Group donations from the retailers (over 2700 of them) without it costing you a penny extra! This really is a licence to print money and the more we can encourage people to utilise it the better!

If you have any ideas for fundraising or perhaps would like to join our fundraising team, please contact us at Contact Fundraising

Our volunteers…

Of course none of this would be possible without the continuing recruitment of new adult volunteers, and the dedication and support of our existing ones. Nor must we forget our Young Leaders who are a vital part of our leadership teams and are rightly regarded as such.

We are always on the lookout for additional support. If you feel you could contribute in any way, large or small to help us out, please let us know by either approaching your section leader, Nick Nelson or myself or by filing in the Adult Volunteer form. All the adults in the Group are volunteers and undoubtedly like you, lead busy lives. However, volunteering with us is easy, fun and flexible – how much time you give is completely up to you...see Join 1st BSS.

All our Beaver colonies have been busy fundraising for Guide Dogs by getting sponsored to do their “Knight’s challenge” – a week of helping out at home with things like tidying up, washing the dishes, making their bed, getting themselves ready for school & making Mum a cup of tea! They have been living up to their Beaver Promise by doing their best & helping others. Altogether they have managed to raise in excess of £500! However, one young Beaver – Jemima Grinter went above & beyond with her challenge & managed to raise an incredible £170! In a small ceremony, attended by the Bradley Stoke Journal, she was awarded a special medal, certificate & badge from Assistant Group Scout Leader for Beavers – Katherine Robinson.

All the four colonies are lucky enough to have a visit planned over the next few weeks from the Guide Dogs when they will get the chance to meet the dogs & learn more about coping with blindness as part of their “Disability Awareness” badge. Their fundraising also links up with the new Scout Association project – “A Million Hands” calling on every Scout in the country to help improve the lives of those affected by disabilities. Guide Dogs are one of the Associations new partnered charities. The photos show Annette (a local puppy walker) with her new Guide Dog puppy – Guilda & John with his expert Guide Dog – Dez (who won the prestigious “Guide Dog of the Year Award” in 2012). John has written a book about how his life has been transformed by Dez (with all proceeds going to Guide Dogs) – “A Dog Called Dez” (available on Amazon). It really is an incredible read, detailing the difference these amazing dogs make to those who have lost their sight. He has also just finished a children’s book, also about Dez & his adventures, to be published shortly (more to follow when that is available).

Help us get funds to set up and run the Water Based Activities that our young people love to take part in.

Go to https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/Project/View/537 and cast your votes to help us get funding from the Aviva Community Fund

Tomorrow Evening (Thursday 5th March) our Youth Representative is putting on the very first Youth Forum with Thursday Scouts. Covering topics like the Programme, Badges, Group Events, Section Names and much more!

Head over to the ‘Youth Shaped‘ webpage to find out more about how you can help!

Follow @BSS_YouthRep on twitter for the latest updates of Youth Shaped Scouting in Bradley Stoke.

The future of Scouts is youth-shaped

On Saturday, 120 Explorers, Network members and volunteers gathered in London to discuss the best ways to start shaping the future of youth-shaped Scouting.

The event was led and organised by UK Youth Commissioner Hannah Kentish, along with deputies Jay Thompson and Jagz Bharth.

Four different topics were covered throughout the course of the day. Discussions included:
young peoples’ experience of youth-shaped Scouting and ways in which it could be improved
the logistics of running a youth council
the topics that matter to young people and what the youth council needs to address first and foremost
the ways in which even more Scouts can be persuaded to get involved

Hannah comments: ‘I didn’t realise that my own ideas could make such a huge impact on my Scouting experience and the experience of others around the whole country too. This is such a great opportunity for me to have. It’s important that as young people we get the chance to discuss the issues that are important to us, and it’s essential that we are part of the solution too!’

#YouShape

In the afternoon, the conference was live-streamed, so that people who weren’t in the room were able to join in. The afternoon’s question and answer session, run by the UK Youth Commissioner team, Chief Exec Matt Hyde and UK Chief Commissioner Wayne Bulpitt, was also broadcast on Twitter so that people could have their questions answered no matter where they were!

‘Feeling empowered and enthusiastic after #YouShape today,’ said Sophie, a YouShape delegate. ‘Seeing so many with so much enthusiasm for Scouting, all with views and ideas shared by all around the tables was really special,’ added Ollie.

What’s next?

The atmosphere at the conference was incredibly lively, and left the team with plenty of ideas to work with in the future. Deputy UK Youth Commissioner Jay Thompson praised the event for bringing so many enthusiastic young people together. ‘Being able to speak up at events like this really gave me confidence,’ he said. ‘I have learnt so much from events where I could speak up and listen to people with the same interest and enthusiasm for Scouting as I do.’

The team will be reviewing all of the thoughts of delegates from the weekend to decide on the best way to make sure Scouting is led by young people all over the UK.

Check out the day’s action on our Facebook page, and get involved on Twitter using the hashtag #YouShape.
Tomorrow Evening (Thursday 5th March) our Youth Representative is putting on the very first Youth Forum with Thursday Scouts. Covering topics like the Programme, Badges, Group Events, Section Names and much more!

Head over to the ‘Youth Shaped‘ webpage to find out more about how you can help!

Follow @BSS_YouthRep on twitter for the latest updates of Youth Shaped Scouting in Bradley Stoke.

Shaun The Sheep Visits The Beavers
12 FEBRUARY 2015

The Beavers were lucky enough this week to welcome some very important visitors to their meetings – fresh from his movie premiere in London was none other than Shaun the Sheep (who also brought along one of his Aardman model makers, Jimmy Young).

Jimmy patiently handed out small blocks of Plasticine and then went on to create some Aardman magic that had soon turned them into a whole flock of Shauns!

The Beavers learned about the importance of getting each quantity right and how to keep the black and white colours separate. Each Shaun had its own individual personality (much like the Beavers themselves!) and they proudly displayed them.

The real Shaun and his little nephew, Timmy, made friends with our own “Beaver-of-the-week” (he gets awarded to one of the Beavers each week for outstanding behaviour).

Jimmy had also brought along some more of the sheep that usually appear alongside Shaun, as well as the main villain from the new film – Trumper. The Beavers particularly liked Trumper’s red pants that were showing through his trousers after he begins to meet his demise!

With half term now coming up, many of our Beavers will be “flocking” to the cinema to watch the new film and Jimmy tells us that the Aardman studios (based just up the road at Aztec West) is busy making the fifth series of the television programme that usually airs on CBBC.

We would like to say a huge “THANK YOU” to Jimmy (and Shaun) for turning the group a little “sheepish” this week and we look forward to seeing them again soon. Baaaaaa!