Topic: Scouts
Blog entries relating to my Scout activities including many Jamboree’s, camps, troop nights and trials and tribulations along the way
Moot 2013 – Never Mind
Well the news was finally in yesterday, my second attempt to join the UK Contingent for the World Scout Moot in 2013 lay in tatters as I recived a very generic email.
Dear applicant,
Thank you for your recent application to join the Contingent Management Team for the World Scout Moot. I regret to inform you that we have received an unusually high number of applications and on this occasion we will not be able to take your application further.
There was some other text about other possibilities for IST, etc but to be honest after applying and interviewing for the Contingent Manager role and being turned down, and then applying and not even being interviewed for CMT I think my Moot adventure has come to an end. I just don’t have the energy to pursue it any further, I could apply for IST but I don’t think I could face being rejected a third time, added to which the two setbacks have knocked my enthusiasm somewhat.
I spent some time yesterday afternoon feeling a little bit washed up, and wondering if I had reached the peak of opportunities for me in Scouting or if my lack of Queen’s Scout was now the cause of my feeling like I was being held back. As was pointed out though there’s always something to do at the grass roots of Scouting where the rubber really meets the road.
February 22nd, 2012 | Scouts | No Comments
Moot 2013 – Another Application
Last year I applied to the UK Scout association to lead the UK contingent to the World Scout Moot in Canada during 2013. Completing the application form seemed to take ages, the preparation for the interview took days and days. In the end it was not to be and I was informed I had not been successful by the UK International Commissioner Nigel Hailey.
Now the appointed contingent leader has started advertising for contingent management team members and I’ve started filling out an application form. I’m not sure if I’m crazy or not but my good friend John from the Birmingham Jamboree unit is applying and the chance to work on another big international project with John is something I quite fancy a chance at. Here goes and hopefully I’ll be off to Canada next year.
PS. In BirmingJAM news the unit members are plotting to go to BrumJAM 2012 for a summer reunion and the youngsters are driving the process, which is great as most of their leaders are on various organising teams involved.
January 30th, 2012 | Scouts | No Comments
Spitfire 24
It’s been just over a week since we got home from this years Spitfire Scout District Camp which I named Spitfire 24. I have only just about recovered.
Some time in the way back when I had this idea. I had seen good things about Gilwell 24 a camp for Explorer Scouts that runs for an entire 24 hour period and thought that it sounded like a great idea to strip down and run for the Scouts as a district camp. Except I don’t think I really realised how long 24 hours actually is. My basic idea was that I would run the camp with a regular Friday night programme and then the 24 hour part would commence at breakfast on Saturday. I split the day up into 3.5 hour activity sessions and put bases on that would take 30 minutes (ish) to complete. More bases during the day and early evening and slightly less in the early morning as some of the Scouts would give up and go to sleep. I put a cinema on in a building on the site and held a midnight camp fire. Nick my DSL took the Scouts off for a wide game at 1 in the morning.
Overall the camp was a success, the kids had a great time and I’ve had some emails thanking me for running it. But I’m not sure If I want to stay up for 24 hours again, well not for a little while anyway.
June 28th, 2011 | Scouts | No Comments
Gangshow, Oh Gangshow
Well it’s arrived already! The hotly anticipated (tongue firmly in cheek you understand) East Birmingham Gangshow. Today we spent what felt like an eternity transforming an unassuming school hall into the stage for the show. The caretaker actually commented that she never sees that much stuff in the hall or the hall being that tidy.
I’ll be spending the next week standing in my favorite place, behind the sound console. I don’t get to be sound engineer very often as everyone assumes I’m a lighting guy when in fact I’m a bit multipurpose me.
Anyway you can still get tickets if you fancy a nice night out.
February 19th, 2011 | Art, Scouts | 2 Comments
A New Appointment, A New Beginning
On Saturday I was appointed as Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts) in Spitfire District. This is exciting in a number of ways, absolutely terrifying in others, and makes me a little bit sad.
I’ve now got the ability to organise any event I want to for the Scouts in the District, I can in theory let my imagination run wild. I’ve already started working up a number of ideas and fired up a good old fashioned mind map.
I’m now looking after and supporting 18 Scout Troops around the district, each with there own way of doing things, and different political issues to consider. Out of all that I have to build a united team of leaders to provide quality exciting programme to the Scouts in the District.
Finally, in order to make any of this happen I have to step down from my Scout Troop.
Onwards …
February 1st, 2011 | Scouts | No Comments