To: all Members
Sent: 12:00 Friday 30th October
Hi
Welcome to your round-up of news from Wrexham Scouts
COVID-19. It’ll be no surprise to you that we’re facing the biggest challenge any of us have faced in Scouting – and of course for many of us it’ll be equally challenging at home or in work. I’d like to say a massive thank you to all of those who’ve done their best to keep Scouting going – you are absolute superstars. Some of the things I’ve heard about have amazed me. But I’ve also heard of some really tough challenges. Please click here for a full round-up of what’s happening in the Sections which are meeting, and those who aren’t – and what support we’re planning.
District Team meeting. I think it’s important that we are open about what we discuss and plan. Have a look at the minutes of the latest District Team meeting if you’re interested.
Youth Forum. One thing I realised after the District Team meeting was the lack of young person input into what we’re doing. While we’re not standing in the way of this – we’re still looking for someone to take on the role of District Youth Commissioner – we could do more in the short term. So Aaron is hosting a Zoom meeting for any Scouts or Explorers who’d like to have their say next Thursday 5th November. Please help us share this date. We’d also ask all Scout and Explorer Leaders to share with their members information about Make Your Mark – a UK Youth Parliament survey to shortlist issues that are important to young people across the country.
Financial support. Lots of Groups and Units may be struggling financially due to lost fundraising opportunities and loss of subs incomes. While all Groups in Wrexham who own property successfully applied for £10,000 grants, there may be further help needed. Have a look at the #grants-funding channel on Slack for sources of funding including the latest Council grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 – and don’t forget to sign up for The Scouts Race Round the World campaign raising funds to keep struggling Groups afloat.
Badges, Shop, Resources and Appointments. Of course our normal Wednesday night buzz at District HQ has been absent since March and lots of us miss that. Firstly badges: Caroline our new Badge Secretary is now taking orders for badges online via shop.wrexhamscouts.org.uk and will post them out to you. We are working with the shop volunteers to look at reopening the Scout Shop as soon as possible for things other than badges. It will be fully risk assessed and COVID compliant and we’ll get details out to you as soon as we have them. We won’t be reopening the Resource Centre for drop-ins, but Annie-Marie will be happy to help anyone who wants anything, just get in touch and arrange for pick-up or drop -off. Sandra is doing an amazing job renewing DBS checks via Zoom – thank you! – and we are looking at holding Appointments Committees via Zoom too.
Remembrance. Scouts will not be attending any formal Remembrance Sunday events this year. Please do not plan to attend your cenotaphs or war memorials as others may have the same idea and numbers may exceed 30. There are ideas online for how we can still mark the day.
That’s it for now.
We’ve got some really challenging times ahead of us, but we are Scouts and we will get through this. The faces of those young people who’ve started back have demonstrated how much they miss what we do and so there’s no doubt we are needed.
Thanks for all you do. Stay safe.
Moz
District Commissioner
Scouts Wrexham
07779 272340
wrexhamscouts.org.uk
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