IFC_NetworkSupp_FebMar2011.indd 4 10/01/2011 17:02

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Important announcement regarding changes to the UK Adviser roles

On 1 January, the volunteer structure for the Programme Team changed and

Graeme Hamilton has been appointed to the role of Deputy UK

Commissioner for Programme. Previously Graeme was the UK Adviser for

Cub Scouts and has been heavily involved in Scouting in Scotland.

Adrian Wray will stand down from the role of UK Adviser for Scout

Network at the end of March after three years in the role. The Programme

Team would like to take this opportunity to thank Adrian for all his hard

work over the years including the time he spent on the Scout Network

Support Team previous to his appointment as UK Adviser. Adrian has made

a particular impact on the Scout Network review in 2002 and his work in

local Regions and Counties across the UK.

Should you wish a member of the Programme Team to support your event

or Scouting in your area please contact [email protected] to

discuss your requirements further.

New look Network

Published by:

The Programme TeamThe Scout Association,Gilwell Park, Chingford,London E4 7QW

Tel: 0845 300 1818

Contributions to: [email protected]

ADVERTISINGRichard Ellacott [email protected] Tel: 020 8962 1258

Contributors: Eleanor Rendells, Peter Ford, Patrick Rooke, James Boyle, Chris Dean

Cover photo: Allan Baxter

For ease of reading, this supplement refers to all variations of ‘county’ groupings simply as County.

You can read all the section supplements, and the main magazine, online at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

Welcome

New factsheetA new factsheet has been produced to support the safe and responsible use of social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Social Networking Sites and Scouting promotes a common-sense approach as well as containing information about the training opportunities available

Find it by searching for FS103011 on www.scouts.org.uk

4 Network newsA round-up of what’s happening in the section

6 What’s the point?A new series of articles that go to the heart of the section

8 SSAGO and onionWhat do you know about Scouting clubs at UK universities?

10 Hallå SverigeSwedish meatballs and water awareness from the programme factory

12 Enter the academyWe reminisce about the pilot event as the academies whirr into action once more

14 Où est la piscine?A Parisian Network adventure

16 World aware, world helpfulThe latest Scouts of the World Discovery

17 21st-century penpalsThe International Links Scheme

18 EventsTeam Penguin look back at their Explorer Belt in Serbia

Graeme Hamilton

New factsheet

Contents


4 Network February/March 2011

News and updates

Chief Scout’s Survival Camp20-21 August 2011

Chief Scout Bear Grylls is holding a

24-hour wilderness survival camp on his

island in Wales, and eight Scout Network

members aged 18 to 25 will be lucky

enough to join him!.

If you have achieved your Queen’s

Scout Award or will have by 13 August

2011 then you are eligible to apply. The

closing date for applications is 30 April

2011. To find out more and get an

application form visit www.scouts.org.

uk/survivalcamp

Factsheet UpdateThe following factsheets have now been discontinued and will no longer be updated:FS800016 | SDA Skills and DevelopmentFS800015 | SDA CommunityFS800014 | SDA InternationalFS800013 | Finance & NetworkFS800001 | Decision making in NetworkFS800011 | CRB & Network

New factsheet:FS103011 | Social Networking Sites and Scouting

All information on the Scout Network section can either be found in Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) or in the Information and Resources area of www.scouts.org.uk

A camp with the Chief Scout, make your own on-brand flyers, defunct factsheets and an old pioneer. The swiftest of round-ups of Scout Network news

Switch on to adventure in 2011If one of your new year’s resolutions is to smarten up your

signage and local communications, then help is at hand. The

Scout Association’s Print Centre is a free facility available to all

members. Personalise and print on-brand resources using

templates for flyers, calendars and more. To access, please log

in using your membership user name and password at

www.scouts.org.uk/brandThis year we will be launching templates for more events

including jumble sales, swimming galas, newsletters, annual

reports and District directories.

Handy hint Use the purple only version of the Scout logo as

it’s more visible on a white background and helps

us get recognised all over the UK. If you have any

queries, email [email protected]


News

Charlie Horne, now

Appointments Secretary of

Deal, Walmer, Sandwich

and District Scouts

Young Leaders –Ongoing learning moduleAre you a Beaver,

Cub or Scout section

leader? Ever have Young Leaders

come to your section without

knowing much background about

the scheme? A new ongoing

learning module has now been

launched to support section leaders

in gaining vital knowledge about

the Young Leader’s Scheme and

their role in supporting it. For more

information, ask your training

adviser or visit the training area of

the Information and Resources

pages of www.scouts.org.uk.

Well I never…In the Hourglass Tower item in the December/January issue

of Network you asked if anyone had done a similar project.

Well, yes I have, but probably not in the time frame you

had in mind. The photo (below) was taken during my Scout

Section Leader Advanced course in May 1978. Sadly, even

then, I would have been too old to be a member of Scout

Network (if it had existed).

The course was held at the Kent County campsite at

Hamlet Wood near Maidstone. I hate to say this, but I do

think our tower was a little taller; although, I’m sure, even

less stable than the Cornwall Network’s version. It’s nice to

see that such activities are just as much fun in 2010 as they

were in the 1970s!

Charlie Horne



What’s the

point?As the Network nears its tenth

birthday, we take a look at what makes the section tick, why you like

it and if it’s seen its day. The search has begun for Network’s

beating heart

S ince its genesis in 2002, the idea of a ‘youth’

section for 18 to 25-year-olds in Scouting has

been tossed around, chewed over and

debated. By its members, by section leaders

who see it as a social club for those who could be doing

them a favour in leadership roles, and by managers

who are trying to find the best format and structure to

enable Network to be sustained and grow.

So what have we learned, nearly ten years down the

road? And have we answered the question: What is

Network for? Over the next couple of issues, we’re

going to be asking the questions that get at the heart

of the section in these pages, and talking to people

who were there at the start, and some current Network

members to sit down together and pick apart the

achievements (and pitfalls) of the section’s first decade.

You have the floorThere is clearly some genuine affection for the Scout

Network, as members who have been in touch with the

supplement over the years are quick to speak eloquently

about the effect international experiences, expeditions

and projects have had on them as individuals. It should

be remembered that the section is still in its infancy,

and hasn’t reached ‘teen age’ yet.

But there are also issues that have been slow to

resolve, such as the management of the section, and

communicating its identity to local Groups and Districts.

Stories of success are coupled with anecdotes that

express a frustration from those who have tried to

establish a Network and felt like they’ve been bashing

their head against a brick wall.

Dear to your heartJust before Christmas, we posed the question on the

Scout Network Facebook page, ‘What does Network

mean to you?’ A broad question, yes, but one that we

hoped would elicit the feelings and emotions that come

with reflecting on why Network is special. Here’s a

selection of the answers we received:

‘What does Network mean to me? Not as easy to

answer as it sounds. It depends on the individual and

the group leaders as well as the other members of the


Heart of Network

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group. On top of that the activities combined with the

numerous camps change the idea of what Network

means to me. You get to do things you never thought

of doing before. It’s a chance to go new places, see

new things and meet other Network members.’

Victoria Hadfield, Starchaser/MENS (Manchester East Network Support)

‘To me, Network is a great way of making friends,

staying with old ones and having fun. Most of all it’s

that feeling of reaching 18 and not having to leave

Scouting and all the fun times that go with it!’

Rose Ware, Bedfordshire Clangers Network

‘Network is about getting something back from

Scouting. As an Explorer Scout Leader, being in

Network provides me with opportunities to enjoy

socialising with other people in Scouting of my age, and

enjoyment without responsibilities. I see the point of

Network as doing lots of activities, making new friends

and having a laugh.’

Jess Flavin, Merseyside Scout Network

‘First and foremost it’s my way of keeping Scouting

for myself. Yes, I help out at a Group and help out

when I can to support events for all sections but

Network ensures I get the most out of Scouting.

If anything, my Scouting experience becomes richer

the older I get. Thanks to Network, I get much more

out of it now.’

Lewis Abbott, Chair of Ormskirk Local Scout Network

Don’t sit on the sidelines. Join the discussion about the real meaning of Network and play a part in its future development. We’ve started the ball rolling on the Scout Network Supplement group on Facebook. Sign in to have your say.

What do you think?

At the end of it all, Network is a great adventure with great mates

Getting involved at events is one part of the fun of Network



You can’t get a degree in Scouting, but you can continue the adventurous life at university through the Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO). Eleanor Rendells joined up at Southampton Uni, and hasn’t looked back

SSAGO and onion

Of all the societies I joined as a fresher, I can

honestly say that SSAGO is one of the best.

It is great value for money (extremely

important as a student) but far more

importantly, it’s fun. The Student Scout and Guide

Organisation is open to anyone studying at university

who would like to join in with Scout and Guide style

activities.

This year, we accrued 42 members, including 20

freshers. There’s a good split between Guides and

Scouts which is great because we have a mix of people

and personalities. We also get a much wider range of

activities offered to us and it’s great to work with the

‘other’ organisation, a chance you don’t often get in

regular Scouting and Guiding circles.

MeetingWe have a weekly meeting in a local pub where we

catch-up and plan activities. Our diverse membership

has led to numerous interesting discussions and

debates. Meeting regularly is the best way to get to

know everyone else in the society in a relaxed, informal

atmosphere.

HelpingSSAGO also aims to connect students with local

Scouting in leadership or helper roles. At the start of

the academic year, one meeting gave us the

opportunity to meet with leaders from Groups in and

around the city. The Groups who were there

understood that students may not be able to give

regular commitment, but could work flexibly around

term schedules and allow us to keep up our Scouting or

Guiding.

CampingOne of the first events of the SSAGO year is Freshers’

Camp. This year it took place in Devon and is definitely

worth participating in. As well as spending Friday night

at the Tar Barrels Carnival in Ottery St Mary’s, we hiked

from Seaton to Beer and enjoyed a campfire on the

beach and a paddle in the not-so-warm sea. There were

also silly games on the campsite and a trip to the Rufus

Stone in The New Forest.

RallyingEvery term, SSAGOs from across the UK host a Rally


SSAGO

SSAGO BASICS Student Scouts have several choices when they rock up at campus, and each university will have its own setup, so find out what’s on offer before you arrive and get swept up in the melee of student life.

Network – Some unis have distinct ties to a Network, which will be a combination of students and local residents who are of Network age.

SSAGO – Some college campuses are all-consuming, and the only time you see ‘townies’ is on the odd night out. In these instances, SSAGO may be the only choice you have.

Leadership – Joining up with a local group can help you connect with your university town, and give you a break from campus chaos. SSAGO and Network could hook you up, or you can contact the Information Centre with your new postcode.

Scout Active Support – You can still be involved in Scouting without the full time commitment. Scout Active Support Units provide a resource to Scouting by means of specialist skills and qualifications or services where required.

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Student Scouts have several choices when they rock up at campus, and each

GET INVOLVEDFor details of SSAGO go towww.ssago.org.uk

To find your local Scout Group (to volunteer) or Network (to join) visit www.scouts.org.uk/join 0845 300 1818 | [email protected]

To find your local Scout Group (to volunteer)

where everyone goes camping for a themed weekend.

In November, over 240 people attended the Silly Hat

Rally in London. The next (called ‘The Legends Rally’)

takes place in Cardiff in February. We’ll be there.

SSAGO’s got ballsSocial occasions are a mainstay of the student Scouting

life, culminating in SSAGO balls, which are held by

individual societies and at national level too. These too

are themed, and always give rise to some hilarious

moments.

Because meetings happen in the evening, they rarely

interrupt studies and tend to get a good turnout.

Activities can be suggested by any member but are

usually the genius ideas of the committee. Comprised

of nine students who are elected annually by SSAGO

members, anyone from any year can stand for positions

such as president, treasurer, Guide/Scout liaison

officers, social secretary, webmaster and more. If you

know your onions, and would like to get involved in the

organisation of SSAGO, you’ll find a role that suits you.



Hallå Sverige

Our programme processing this issue has been done by the International Team, who remind us to join in with the build up to the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden. Super (trooper)

The Join-in-Jamboree theme for February is Hallå Sverige

(Hello Sweden). Get involved by cooking up some Swedish fare at

your next overnight event

For the meatballs:2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 red onion 1 tsp of dried or frresh oregano

1 tsp of dried or fresh parsley300g beef mince300g pork mince

1 free-range egg yolk2 tbsp plain flour

Salt and pepper to season

For the tomato sauce:1 tsp of sugar

1 crushed garlic clove1 can (400g) of chopped tomatoes

2 tsp of Worcestershire saucesalt and pepper

To serve:100g cheese (cheddar or parmesan)

For the meatballs:

QUICK AND EASY SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Our World: World Water Day

March’s Join-in-Jamboree theme is ‘Our World’, promoting

awareness and action on international issues

22 March 2011 is World Water Day. This has been

observed since 1993 and was created by the United

Nations in order to recognise the issues surrounding

water supplies and promote activities relating to water

awareness.

In March, members of your Scout Network can come

together to promote water awareness to other sections

in your Counties and Districts. Be creative in how you

deliver some activities to another section. You could run

games involving water awareness which are in other

sectional Join-in-Jamboree resources, available to view

online at www.scouts.org.uk/wsj2011. Alternatively,

you can search for programme activities involving water

on Programmes Online at www.scouts.org.uk/pol.

You could also make a presentation to other sections,

discussing their own level of water use and what can be

done to reduce water consumption. The choice is yours,

but be creative.


Programme factory

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Let us know what you’ve been doing to Join-in-Jamboree by posting your pictures and comments on the Scout Network Supplement group on Facebook.

Join in and share

Looking aheadThe themes for April, May and June are:

April – Make a change! Make a difference! Get

involved with a life-changing charity, such as ShelterBox.

You can do this via the ShelterBox Experience on

18-20 March or 13-15 May. Find out more at

www.youngshelterbox.org/events.php

May – Scouting Skills. Replicate a Swedish landmark

with a supersize pioneering project. Enter the Network

flagpole competition by building it and sending us your

photos.

June – Working together. Get the team going and

put your skills to use with other sections, or using

the Taking the Lead resource.

www.scouts.org.uk/takingthelead

Instructions1. Dice the onion and fry in 1 tablespoon of

olive oil for 3 minutes until the onion softens. Remove from the heat and put to one side.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the pork mince, beef mince, oregano, parsley and flour with your hands for 2-3 minutes.

3. Separate the white and yolk from an egg. Beat the yolk using a fork and add this to bowl. The egg yolk will bind all the ingredients together.

4. Add the cooked onions to the bowl and season the mixture with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients again for 1 minute with your hands.

5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour onto a work surface or plate. Take some of the mixture from the bowl, quickly turn it in the flour and then roll it in your hands to make a

golf-ball sized meatball. Repeat this until you have run out of mixture.

6. Using the pan you fried the onions in, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Then cook the meatballs on a medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. To ensure the meatballs are thoroughly cooked, cut one in half. The meat should be brown all the way through. If there are any hints of pink, put them back on the heat.

8. When cooked, remove the meatballs from the heat but keep them warm while you make the sauce.

9. In a saucepan, add the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.

10. Pour the hot sauce over your meatballs and sprinkle with your choice of cheese.



Enter the academy

Trialled last year, the activity academies are

back, and an ideal way of fast-tracking your

Network to a series of skills. Elis Matthews

recalls the successful pilot

‘W hat’s the difference between a life

jacket and a buoyancy aid?’ The

question was thrown out,

followed by a pregnant pause.

Eyes fell to the floor, course mates looked suspiciously

at each other. From the back of the room, an answer

was offered… ‘A life jacket puts the buoyancy behind

the neck to keep your head the right way up when

you’re in trouble in the water; a buoyancy aid keeps you

generally afloat.’

This could have been a scene from any activity

assessment, but the setting was Hawkhirst Scout

Activity Centre on the banks of the picture-perfect

Kielder Water, and the context was The Scout

Association’s pilot Activity Academy. The week-long

course, organised to allow Scout Network members

and leaders aged under 25 to gain canoeing, sailing

and power boating qualifications and Scout activity

permits, focused on water activities, making the most of

the facilities the centre has to offer the outdoor enthusiast.

Repeat formulaThis spring, the academies return with an extended

offer. As well as repeating the water activities course at

Hawkhirst, there’s a more general (but no less useful)

Introduction to Instructing course being held at

Youlbury Scout Activity Centre which aims to give you

the tools to become an effective outdoor instructor.

If the first academy was anything to go by, these

intensive courses are worth investing the time in, as you

have the opportunity to gain experience and

qualifications that usually would take several weeks at a

greater overall cost. There’s also the added benefit of

attending the academy with like-minded souls from all

over, rather than the same old faces.

Skilful mentorsIt takes a special something to turn a group of

twentysomething strangers into a crooning bunch of

wetsuited posers within 48 hours of first meeting, but

that’s the memory I’ll take away from the sun-kissed


Activity Academies 2011

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jetty of the Hawkhirst site. Young men and women,

who signed up to learn technical skills on the water, got

new friends and new ideas about what it means to be a

Scout in the 21st century out of the bargain.

The staff are brilliant. Working at everyone’s level,

offering honest and practical answers to the technical

questions, offering reassurance and guidance without

condescension. The expertise that exists within the

teams at our national Scout Activity Centres is first rate,

but it’s cheerfully passed down, with the newer members

of the staff being subjected to the usual rites of passage

(Mike, the sailing instructor, was dunked in the water by

the sailing class shortly before I left).

We take all comersSome of the participants had only just turned 18, and

new to Network and adult leadership. The course

opened their eyes to the section and to the possibilities

getting activity qualifications can lead to. There were

also seasoned leaders, and competent sailors and

paddlers, for whom the course offered a timely

refresher and a chance to validate the skills they had

with the appropriate certification. But in the middle was

the social melding of a new group, the first graduates

of the ‘Activity Academy’, who continued their

conversations via Facebook and Skype.

You might not be the first class to experience the

academy, but you’ll be part of a select bunch if you get

quickly booked on the impending courses. I can’t

recommend them highly enough, and indoor

accommodation and hearty food is provided so you can

focus on getting the most out of the sessions. Both

academies take place during the week from 28 March

to 1 April, and full details can be found at

www.scouts.org.uk/events



Où est la piscine?

T he international element of the Network

programme is one of its shining lights, as it

allows us to discover new countries and

broaden our horizons as Scouts and active

citizens. Yet sometimes our nearest neighbours hold the

key to discovering more about our Scouting, and about

ourselves.

I was recently introduced to a new event being

organised by the Scouts et Guides de France, exclusively

for Scouts and Guides aged 17-22. Staged over four

days (22-25 April) in the French capital, Paris d’Avenir is

geared towards giving youth members the tools to feel

empowered in making a difference in their local

communities, inspiring creativity (for which the

flamboyant French are famous) and invoking cultural

exchange in the centre of one of Europe’s greatest

metropolises.

Everybody needs good neighboursAs UK Scouting’s Global Adviser for Europe (one of

two) I’m keen to highlight the advantages of Networks

exploring what Scouting has to offer in our own

continent. An active and diverse Scouting community

awaits, and Paris d’Avenir would be one of the most

economic ways to access this in 2011.

The event has three themes, spread over the

weekend. They are:

YOUTH INVOLVEMENT. Making choices and being

committed here and now allows us to reach our

potential and find happiness.

CREATIVITY. By innovating and creating we are the

change we want to see in the world

INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE. Meeting each other is

using our differences as a basis to build peace.

Lost in translationOnce you get past the bizarre version of English spoken

in Europe by Scouts who are not native speakers, and

try and wheel out your best GCSE French (Je m’appelle,

Je voudrais, Où est? and so on) you’ll soon find much in


International

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A new event across the Channel could open up

a new avenue of discovery. James Boyle says bonjour

to Paris d’Avenir

common with your French counterparts (known as

Compagnons) and begin up to ‘104 journeys’ that will

help you build a better world.

Add to this social occasions (Souk), an Easter

celebration, a street action in Central Paris (Happening)

and some Scouting activities and you’ve got a perfect

Parisian weekend with your mates (and some new

friends).

Saturday programme – The number 104The main day of Paris d’Avenir centres around the

number 104, with projects, partners, hunts and arty

stuff to participate in.

104 JOURNEYS. An afternoon of community service

with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) involved

in building a better world. These range from ‘Double

click on the mouse’ to ‘Handi lip dub’.

104 CLUES. A scavenger hunt to discover the

cosmopolitan Paris. Armed with a metro map and

a sense of joie de vivre, you’ll be challenged to work

in teams to find the answers.

104 MINUTES. An artistic evening exploring

intercultural dialogue. What talent will you bring?

This event does have a unique ring about it, and the

more UK Networks that take part, the better it will be.

Give the website a visit and take your place in

contributing to the Paris of the future.

If you’d like more information, or can’t wait to book, get what you need at www.parisdavenir.eu or drop James a line at [email protected]. There are advisers for all world Scouting regions. See them at www.scouts.org.uk/globaladvisers

Bienvenue



World aware, world helpfulThe third Scouts of the World Discovery was held over two weekends in September 2010 at Ullesthorpe Scout Campsite, Leicestershire. Scout Network members from all over the UK attended and, for the first time, the Discovery focused on two themes: environment and peace. Chris Dean reports

On the first weekend participants spent a day

exploring one or other of the themes. A

group visited the Derby sewage treatment

works at Spondon to learn about waste,

clean water and renewable energy – the site is already

60% self-sufficient – and then travelled to Carsington

Water to assess the environmental impact of this Severn

Trent reservoir. The other group headed to Leicester,

where their task was to investigate the success of

various initiatives aimed at improving community

cohesion. Results were shared amongst all participants.

Another day was spent on generic skill training

including prejudice and stereotyping, conflict resolution,

and problem solving.

Turbine testersThe main emphasis of the second weekend was

developing such skills as project management, and

working on action plans for the Scouts of the World

Voluntary Service, a project lasting 14 days. This was

reinforced with presentations from Practical Action and

the first two UK Scouts to achieve the award, Rosie

Hawley and Matthew Abbott, and a real hands-on

demonstration of assembling a medium-size wind

turbine suitable for generating energy in rural villages in

developing countries.

Next stepsThe second stage is for the participants to spend a

period of time reflecting on their experience at the

Discovery, introducing programme ideas in their local

Scouting communities, and planning their voluntary

service projects in detail. The Scouts of the World

Voluntary Service will take them to many different parts

of the world in small teams, from Nepal to Singapore,

and Korea to Uganda. Mentors will be on hand to

support and keep track of progress, and a Reunion and

catch-up weekend took place in December 2010.

SCOUTS OF THE WORLDThe Scouts of the World Award is an award of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). Find out more about it at www.scout.org

The team works as they build a wind turbine


International Links

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As the old adage goes, ‘There are no strangers in Scouting, just friends you’ve yet to meet.’ Peter Ford considers the International Links Scheme, and how it might just hook your Network up with a new global possibility

T he International Links Scheme offers a

means of communicating with other Scouts

abroad and provides an ‘international

experience’ without necessarily having to

leave town. The traditional concept of writing a letter

has now given way to members all over the world from

Australia to Malawi and Hong Kong to Zimbabwe

requesting links with Scouts online.

As well as exchanging emails, International Links/

penpals can now talk to each other on Skype, share

photos and videos using any number of online tools

(including Group websites, MSN and YouTube), and link

up with each other in October during JOTA-JOTI, the

world’s largest International Scouting event! There’s still

room for snail mail though... badge swaps, anyone?

Why make an international link? Scouting has always promoted international peace,

understanding and co-operation by encouraging

contact between members from various countries and

cultures. These connections help develop a broader

awareness of the global community, seeing what they

have in common and what the differences are between

themselves and Scouting friends globally.

Reasons to be global:

• Opportunity to make new friends

• Helps you complete the International Partnership

Award and International areas of the International,

Values, Environment list for Chief Scout’s and

Queen’s Scout Awards

• Build relationships that can last a lifetime

• Swap photos, programme ideas and camp

experiences.

• Leaders can exchange ideas with, and gain support

from, an international counterpart with similar

interests and goals

• Maybe even visit and camp together.-

How do you find a link?If you are interested in trying to organise a link, please contact Peter Ford, International Links Co-ordinator, by email [email protected] or register online at www.scouts.org.uk/intlinks. The scheme can be used by individual youth members and leaders, as well as Group links between sections. You can also search for, and share experiences of, international campsites online by using the new Globe Trekker tool. Go to globetrekker.scouts.org.uk to start your quest.

21st-century penpals



FebruaryFun in Beds.25-27 Feb.

Bedfordshire Network Camp.

Cost: £25 (before 5 Feb) £35 after.

[email protected]

Hub Camp 2011.25-27 Feb.

Nethy Bridge, near Aviemore.

www.scout-network.org.uk

MarchOperation Red Flare.5 March, Surrey Hills.

Night incident hike for teams of 4-7.

www.glswscouts.org.uk/2011/

operation-red-flare

Network Activity Academies. 28 March to 1 April.

Introduction to Instructing @

Youlbury | Watersports @ Hawkhirst

See p12-13 for more information.

[email protected]

AprilApex Overnight Challenge. 9-10 April, Sherwood Forest.

Tough challenge event including

climbing, caving, mountain bikes

and more.

www.apexchallenge.co.uk

Paris D’Avenir.22-25 April 2011.

International Rover event. See

p14-15 for more information.

www.parisdavenir.eu

[email protected]

Events

SErbiaN ExplorEr bElt ExpEditioNTeam Penguin, a group of three Scout Network and Guide members undertook their Explorer Belt Award expedition across Serbia in August 2010. Helen and Louie tell us what it was like

The trip was for 17 days and was the biggest challenge in Team Penguin’s lives so far. We gathered at the Serbian headquarters in Sabac ready to begin. We were very nervous as we couldn’t plan routes until the day before we were due to leave, which was nerve-racking. Our nerves increased after we planned our route and it dawned on us how far we would be walking for ten days with our really heavy bags – our first day was 22km.

We had a fantastic time during the expedition.

The Serbian people were so kind to us and helped at every opportunity, even though many couldn’t speak a word of English. We were offered drinks and food wherever we stopped or even when just passing by their house. We helped on a farm doing chores, hiked like a walking jumble sale with washing drying on our backs and Ben even had his hair shaved off as one of the challenges. Along the way we made some great friends, who we hope to keep in touch with in the future.

It felt like we had walked 1,000 miles but completing the challenge gave us a great sense of achievement. If you ever get the chance to experience an Explorer Belt, then do it. www.scouts.org.uk/explorerbelt


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WALTON FIRS ACTIVITY CENTREConvent lane, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1HB

Owned and managed by Walton Firs Foundation

Warm & Friendly Welcome3 Accommodation Buildings, 30 acres of Camping Ground

Activities, Open Fires & Easily Accessible

Wardens: Sue & Dave McIntosh 01932 8632243Email: [email protected]

www.waltonfirs.co.ukWalton Firs are pleased to welcome Scouts

Please note that while we welcome Scouts, this centre is neither owned nor run by The Scouts Association

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