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Message from The Chief Scout - Kosovo Appeal Thanks

Millennium Celebrations - Information, Innovation And Imagination

Small Bus (Minibus) Permits - Act In Time

Adult Support - District Commissioners

National Lottery Charities Board - Main Grants Programme

Millennium Festival Awards for All - Small Grants Programme

Sea Scouts - Funds Available

Attention All AAC/ACC(AT)s - Support Available

Adult Support - GSLs, DCs and CC/ACs

Scout Information Centre - Hits the Road

Scout Fellowship - Thanks

Co-education - Three New Resources

Information Centre factsheets - Keep Updated

Programme Review - Have Your Say

National Queen's Scout Receptions - Future dates

Phillip Lawrence Awards 99 - Good Citizenship

Recent Appointments

Broads Authority Paddling Scheme - Easier Access

Committee News

Kosovo.

HQ Services.

Field Commissioner Review.

Development of Gilwell Park Campsite.

2007 Jamboree Bid Group.

Budget.

Co-location - Financing.

Gilwell Park.

Appointments - Scout Shops Ltd Directors.

2007 Ltd.

£50 Start Up Grants.

Programme Review.

European Jamboree 2001.

Co-education.

National Commissioner For Development.

Contingent Leader, World Scout Jamboree, Thailand.

Sir William Gladstone

The following is the text of a letter from the Chief Scout to everyone who helped with the Kosovo Appeal run in partnership with The Express newspaper. Dear Scouters.

The last few weeks have been difficult for all of us in Scouting. We have seen the tragedy in the Balkans with hundreds of thousands of innocent people driven from their homes and separated from their loved ones. We have seen the bombs in London - apparently motivated by hatred - which have injured dozens and killed several people. And we have learned of the tragic death of TV personality Jill Dando. A lady whose graceful charm and enthusiasm at a Royal Scouting event in London last summer was but a foretaste of help and support she was already giving to the Movement. These situations and other recent tragedies are difficult to explain for us as adults. To young people they can be incomprehensible. As is so often the case, they turn to adults, be they parents, teachers or Leaders in Scouting for some explanation and guidance. Their questions are not easy to answer. We have to try because Scouting is about educating young people for life. We can pray for a quick return to peace and stability and we must help our young people and each other to come to terms with all that is happening. On a more practical level during the last few weeks, Scouting in the United Kingdom has done much of which it can be truly proud.

Our involvement with the Kosovo Appeal launched by Express Newspapers provided a means by which many thousands of members of the British public could demonstrate their generosity in providing vitally needed clothing and blankets for the refugees. As our young people helped with the collections they must have realised that in times of great need, it is not just Scouts who 'think of others'. The fact that Scouting was able to respond instantly and rise to the challenge so quickly clearly demonstrates that we can be proud of our ability and determination to 'make a difference'. Indeed as the momentum increased it became known as 'The Scout Appeal'.

The Express has already been giving us detail of cargoes which have been delivered and we know that some of the armed forces and aid workers who are distributing it are Scouts. Executives from the paper tell us that the initiative has produced more material aid to the Kosovo refugees than any other British based agency apart from the Government. Everyone in Scouting has just reason to be proud of what has been achieved and I want to add my thanks to those that have already been so freely, frequently offered. It would be nice to think that we can put out the 'Job Done' signs. Sadly there is still much to be done at home and abroad and we will continue to work closely with our World Scout colleagues in the days ahead. Insurmountable obstacles, challenges and frustrations have been overcome during this initiative and I want to simply say 'Thank You'. The Scouting family is proud of you for all that you have done and are doing to help others in need.

George Purdy
CHIEF SCOUT

Information Packs covering various aspects of the proposed Millennium Celebrations are to be sent out shortly. There will be a range of ideas and suggestions for County/District/Group events and especially for the proposed national camping weekend of 26-29 May 2000.

Top secret details are also about to be revealed for a Millennium chase around the United Kingdom to be used by all Sections. It aims to provide a fun and challenging piece of work in the build-up to the Millennium Camp. Plans for an extra special, exciting and exhausting weekend Celebration Event at Gilwell Park at the end of June specifically for holders of the Chief Scout and Queen's Scout Awards are also about to be launched. Only 2,000 places are available so keep an eye open for details and be prepared to move fast. A weekend not for the fainthearted.

Less exhausting but just as rewarding will be the special Millennium Badge which can be worn on uniform by everyone from the Chief Scout up to the newest Beaver Scout recruit. Part of the modest cost of £1 will be a donation to a local charities throughout the United Kingdom. These will be available from Badge Secretaries in the Autumn.

With the arrival of the Camping Season a timely reminder that ALL Scout groups, including Local Venture Scout Units or Districts who own or hire a Minibus require a SMALL BUS PERMIT. Application Forms are available from The Scout Information Centre on 0845 300 18 18.

For those who require additional information regarding Minibus Regulations or Driver Training please contact the Legal Department at Baden-Powell House or the Community Transport Association (CTA) Advice Line on 0161 367 8780.

Thank you to all District Commissioners who responded to the requests for information about their role and their successes and difficulties. At the Spring meeting of the National Team for Adult Support, the issues raised were discussed. Actions were suggested that could help District Commissioners with their role, some were short term and others were longer term aims. An article will appear in a future edition of SCOUTING Magazine outlining the issues and the outcomes. Thank you again to all those who gave information to enable this piece of work to happen.

The current themes are Community Involvement and Poverty & Disadvantage. An application pack covering both themes is available by phoning 0345 91 91 91. The Board run a continuous grant making process and there are no closing dates for the request or submission of application forms. The two themes are expected to run concurrently for a couple of years. The minimum grant is £500 and more than half the grants given to date have been under £50,000. It is highly recommended that a copy of your application be sent to the experienced Lottery Team at B-P House prior to submission for help and advice where appropriate.

Further information can be obtained by sending an A5 S.A.E. to the Finance & Marketing Department at BP House. For help and advice please contact The Scout Association Lottery Line on 0171 590 5123.

The National Lottery Charities Board Small Grants programme has now been replaced by this programme in all countries except Northern Ireland where both programmes will run concurrently. All programmes continue to offer grants of £500 to £5,000 to small community groups. The application forms and guidelines for these awards vary slightly between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales but the programme itself is essentially the same.

To obtain an application pack for Awards for All please call your respective country's application line:

A fact sheet can be obtained by sending an A5 S.A.E. to the Finance & Marketing Department at B-P House stating which country you are based in. For help and advice please contact The Scout Association Lottery Line on 0171 590 5123.

The purpose of this fund is to assist non Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scout Groups (there is a separate fund for Royal Navy Recognised Groups) to obtain boats and equipment and develop Sea Scout Training.

The Fund has recently received a donation of £30,000 from a Charitable Trust to fund capital projects. Applications are welcomed, however please bear in mind that the maximum grant given is £2,000. Grants are awarded on a matching pound for pound basis and applicants are therefore expected to match any grant awarded by the Association.

For an application form please send a S.A.E. to June Wakeford, Grants Secretary, The Scout Association, Churchill Industrial Estate, Lancing, West Sussex BN15 8UG.

As many of you will be aware, in 1994 the Association introduced a competency based scheme primarily aimed at trainers. At the end of this year Leader Trainer and Assistant Leader Trainer warrants will expire, and all trainers should have relevant certificates of competence.

Far from wanting to fill you with panic, if your County/Area has yet to get started or has got stuck along the way, the Adult Support office at Gilwell is offering to come and help you through the process and answer your queries. All you need to do is to give the Adult Support office a call on 0181 524 5246 and we will help.

Everyone struggles with their Scouting role from time to time, and we often learn how to make life a bit easier by hearing what someone else has done. For the sections of your role you find easy, let us know what you do and why it works for you. Please send your examples to the Adult Support office at Gilwell Park and we will share these examples through Talking Points or in SCOUTING Magazine. This way hopefully everyone can gain some new, good ideas.

One of the services provided by the recently launched Scout Information Centre is to attend large scale Scout events (100 or more adults) and show you the resources currently available and let you purchase them. All requests will be dealt with on a first come first served basis and will need to take into account existing commitments. Book us now for the rest of this year and all of 2000. If you are interested in taking advantage of this service please contact us on 0845 300 18 18 or email us at info.centre@scout.org.uk

Thank you to all those of you who responded to the recent questionnaire about the Scout Fellowship. Over 500 responses were received which will inform future decision making.

Three resources on the topic of co-education and mixed Scouting are being distributed.

Living and Working Together is a pack of information on the topic. It includes advice on 'What is co-education?' 'How do we become mixed?' and the Section-specific questions most frequently asked. This pack will be sent to all County/Area Commissioners, District Commissioners and Group Scout Leaders.

We are all in this Together - Help for Sectional Programme is a set of programmes on a plate for all Sections. The activities are either ones that are wholly suitable for everyone to take part in or are ones that look at particular aspects of co-education, such as gender stereotyping. Again, this will be sent to all County/Area Commissioners, District Commissioners and Group Scout Leaders.

We are all in this Together - Help for Trainers is a training package on the subject of co-education and mixed Scouting to help Trainers address the issue in a number of scenarios, whether they be formal courses, AGMs, short input into meetings etc. In the pack are three different training sessions and all the support material, such as overhead transparency masters and case studies, that is needed to run any of the sessions. This pack will be sent free of charge to all Assistant County/Area Commissioners (Adult Training) and Assistant District Commissioners (Adult Training).

Further information is available from the Adult Support Section at Gilwell Park.

The following new or revised factsheets have now been placed in the Information Centre:-

The Programme Review Group was set up to examine the fundamentals of Scouting within the UK. This includes reviewing all aspects of the programme for Beaver Scouts through to Venture Scouts. The aim is to ensure that Scouting is still modern and relevant as we move into the next millenium. The Group has undertaken a vast amount of work over last few months. The information provided by everyone internally and externally allowed the Programme Review Group to identify specific issues needing addressed. After identifying these, the group held eight workshops in different locations throughout the UK, ranging from Cardiff to Harrogate and Northern Ireland to Hatfield. People were identified locally and invited to attend the workshops. Using local people to identify the participants ensured a good mixture of people with a wide variety of experience at all levels of Scouting.

The workshops themselves were highly successful for a number of reasons. They helped to ensure that Programme Review involved as many people as possible from different areas in the UK, therefore ensuring that the generation of possible solutions was not seen as Headquarters focused. The workshops gave people the opportunity to 'have their say'. Those participating indicated very strongly that following the weekend they felt very good and positive about the future of Scouting.

The 'solutions' are currently being sorted in preparation for the consultation with the Movement, due to begin in the Autumn. Programme Review has listened carefully to the views of people all over the country, and worked with a whole host of people to generate solutions to problems and issues. In the Autumn the consultation period will start giving you the opportunity to say what you think about any proposed changes. Don't miss it, it is your chance to have your say in the future of The Scout Association.

The next two National Presentations have now been confirmed for Saturday 27 November 1999 at The Guild Hall, Winchester and Saturday the 4 March 2000 at The Guildhall, London. Any Queen's Scout wishing to attend these presentations should indicate this on their white card which is given to them on presentation of their cloth badge.

The Phillip Lawrence Awards recognise outstanding achievements in good citizenship by young people aged 11-20. The Awards focus on exceptionally praiseworthy activities rather than on the individuals concerned. It is a Home Office scheme so they are looking for achievements in combating lawlessness and violence, in promoting community safety or racial harmony and in encouraging others to do likewise. Copies of the Nomination Form may be obtained from James Davison, Room 938, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AT. Information is also available on www.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawrence.htm. The closing date is 10 September 1999.

Chief Commissioner of England for the South East: Renewal of appointment of Mr W. L. Cockcroft until 31/3/2004

Area/County Commissioners: Shropshire, Roy Webster (previously County Chairman) wef 1/4/99. Banff & Buchan, Andrew Brown wef 19/2/99. Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan, Keith Burfoot wef 8/6/99. Greater London North-East, Len Newman's renewal until 31/3/2001. West Yorkshire, Roger Williams renewal until 31/3/2000. Ceredigion, Les Broughton renewal until 31/12/99. Solihull, Ken Meeson wef 15/6/99. Belfast, Maynard Porter wef 3/12/99

Area/County Presidents: Perth & Kinross, Major the Hon Sir Lachlan Maclean Bt DL, wef 19/2/99. North Yorkshire, The Rt. Hon the Lord Crathorne DL wef 20/3/99. Greater Manchester North, Mr. Frank Deakin wef.1/5/99

Under a new scheme called 'The Broads Authority Paddling Scheme' (BAPS) members from any association or youth group registered with the Norfolk Council of Voluntary Youth Service can now paddle in a group under the direct supervision of a BCU Instructor or a Scouter or Guider who holds an authorisation from their governing body.

Paddling will be in a kayak or nominated for use under the BAP scheme which is exempt from the usual Broads Authority toll. Instead of the toll per canoe or kayak there is an annual registration fee which will allow a group of up to ten kayaks or canoes to have 'BAPS' stickers issued, for recognition by a river inspector.

The Committee offered its congratulations to all those volunteers and staff that had been involved in the initiative. It agreed that it would review the Association's involvement at a later meeting.

Work is on target to allow the Committee to discuss the provision of these Services at its June meeting.

The Committee agreed that it would bring forward to June its next consideration of the expansion of the Field Service.

The Committee noted the 'Vision' paper which will be the subject of discussion at the May round of sub-Committee meetings. It will discuss the development again at its June meeting.

A progress report was received. This included updating of preparations for the 'bid' presentation at the World Scout Conference, in July 1999 that the UK Association hosts the centennial event. The Committee agreed to sign an 'Accord' with Chelmsford Borough Council and other third parties indicating that Hylands Park, Essex is 'currently the named site for the Jamboree within the bid'.

Current indications suggested that due in no small part to the stringent controls adopted, the Association would now achieve a surplus of income over expenditure in the current financial year. This had been greatly assisted by the positive steps taken to reduce expenditure including a freeze on all staff vacancies.

The planned deficit budget for 1999/2000 was approved. The Committee accepted that many charities recognise that the nature and timing of calls against resources lead to arrangements whereby budgets were balanced over a three year rolling term rather than annually since the switching on and off of resources as annual income allowed was not a cost effective nor efficient way of working.

The Committee agreed to fund the co-location project through the sale of the Association's present offices in Cromwell Road. The search for a buyer will start immediately. It was emphasised that Baden-Powell House Hostel is unaffected by this decision. Grant Funding. The Committee was pleased to note that The Scout Association had received notification from the Department for Education and Employment of £145,000, £135,000 and £130,000 in grant aid for the next three years.

The Committee was advised of the latest proposals to convert the offices in the Barn complex to three star quality bedrooms as a part of the business plan to make the conference operations more profitable as soon as possible. The business plan will be submitted to the May meeting of the Finance sub-Committee for approval

Michael Bowes was appointed a director wef 4 May. David Markwell - the new Managing Director (Designate) - was appointed a Board Director wef 2 July.

The Committee noted the appointment of Derek Pollard as the Chairman (Designate) of the new company (once established) for a period of three years. It further agreed to appoint Jim Hunter as the Vice-Chairman (Designate) and Derek Humphreys as a non-executive director again for three years.

The Chairman of the Community Development sub-Committee reported that £50 Start Up Grants had now been awarded to over 150 new Sections involving over 3,000 young people and 300 adults.

A progress report was received. The group is on track to report to the Committee in June on possible models and consultation methods. The consultation period will be launched at the AGM in September 1999.

The Scout Association has been invited to join a European group to discuss the feasibility of a European Jamboree in 2001. This would be for 11 to 15 year olds between 29 July and 4 August. The event provides yet another opportunity to get more young people abroad and the UK Contingent could be up to 2,400 strong. The Committee agreed that two volunteers may attend the next two planning meetings in France and requested further details about the event, including a budget, at its June meeting.

Members received copies of the new materials which will be distributed in the June Headquarters Circulation. The working group has completed its work.

A Search Group has been established under the Chairmanship of Mr Matthew, Chief Commissioner.

A Search Group has been established under the Chairmanship of Mr Little, Chief Commissioner.

The Committee of the Council was pleased to record its pleasure at the announcement on 23 April 1999 of the creation of Sir William Gladstone, former Chief Scout and Vice-President of the Scout Association, as a Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Garter by Her Majesty The Queen.