;

Welcome to our fourth edition of our Newsletter, bringing you many of the successes in growing Scouting across the UK.

Census 2004

Northumberland Scout County receives funding from Europe

Dorchester District, Dorset Beavers away

Salford school enjoys Scouting

News from Snowdonia & Anglesey

The Essex Experience says 'thank you' to all its friends and partners.

This document is also available as an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file: dp-2004-04.pdf

Are you a half empty or half full person? Your answer, of course, will taint how you view this years census results.

We have now received nearly 98% of all returns, and the rate of decline now shows a reduction to 2.5%, better than last year although still a reduction.

More significantly ...........we have received final complete and verified results from 87 Counties/Areas and 29 of them are showing increases.

Yes, of course there is more work still to be done, but this swing is substantive and we need to ensure that we build on the momentum.

Northumberland County Scout Council have recently received a 2-year grant from the European Social Fund to help support the development of Scouting across the County. Plans are afoot to expand the employment of County Development Officers from one to four. We hope to provide more information about the project as it gets underway.

In the sunny County or Dorset, in particular the county town of Dorchester, the DC reports that over the past 6 months they have opened two new Beaver Colonies. This now means that they have, for the first time, a Colony in each of the ten Groups in the District. The next target is to repeat this for Scout Troops!

St. Paul's Primary school in Salford, Manchester recently celebrated its third year of operating Scouting as part of its normal school curriculum. Championed by the school Headteacher, Friday afternoons are set aside for Scouting for the 150 young people attending the school.

The school was looking to develop an innovatory programme to help cover the Personal/ Social/ Health & Citizenship guidelines in relation to the National Curriculum at Keystages 1&2. Scouting was perceived to add a fun practical dimension to the school curriculum in an area of traditional under achievement academically, serving to provide an inclusive system of achievement for all.

In addition to Beavers & Cubs run during school time, there is further opportunity for older pupils to go to an after-school club.

After 16 week development projects the New 1st Benllech Beaver section (Anglesey) is now up and being run by six new leaders with 14 new Beaver Scouts - this project was plagued by problems with premises, a lesson now learnt, all future targets will be checked out in this regard before the involvement of the LDO.

Also 16-week development projects have resulted in a new Group of 1st Llanberis Beaver and Cub section. Being run back to back on the same night, one after the other, meant that the two sections were treated more or less as one target. Beavers have 12 new Scouts and five new leaders, Cubs 24 with three Leaders. This target was run exclusively within the school and continues to meet there too.

Research continues into the development of Explorer Scouting, ahead of a campaign of recruitment to start in the summer. Thanks to the forum members for their input at our last meeting, their comments have been taken on board.

The Essex Experience 2003 was a very busy one with more young people than ever attending; 126 at the Challenge Camp and 176 at the Essex Experience. These young people came from 31 different schools and youth organisations across Essex. In addition 30 volunteers, from 15 different organisations, attended and successfully completed the volunteer training course.

To mark the completion of yet another successful event the Essex Experience Partnership Awards Evening was held in March at the Shire Hall in Chelmsford. Hosted by County Commissioner Barry Cousins the evening was an opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to more than 70 organisations that helped to make the Essex Experience happen. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of a special 'Thanks Plaque' to Basildon District Council in recognition of the outstanding contribution this organisation has made to the event in terms of funding, volunteers and general support since the Essex Experience began in 1996.