Annual report 2018
Treasuresreport
The Group has run at a surplus of £6,640 this year, with funds available increasing to £26,457 from £19,817. Thanks to everyone who has completed a gift aid form, as ever this is an important source of funds for the group and our 2018 claim is in progress at the moment. Didsbury festival raised around £1200 for the group.
We’ve been in our current location for over 30 years and the hut is in need of refurbishment. We now have sufficient funds to start work on improving access to the hut and updating the toilets and kitchen area – watch this space!
The 2017 - 2018 accounts will be audited over the summer.
Matthew Rushton
Group Treasurer
GSL’s report
We have had another successful year and all sections are near maximum size. We have had the Beaver scout waiting list closed for most of the year as the demand was too great for the number already on it.
We still need more leaders than we have, this is especially a problem in both cub sections. They both need more leaders as there are only 2 for each pack, at times we are at the minimum number allowed to run the sections. The number of leaders needed is higher for activities outside which meant on occasions we have not been able to do them.
Helen and Rosemary are the driving force behind the garden. Last year for the Britain in bloom / Greening Gay Britain they along with the Explorers and Beavers achieved a Silver Gilt award for the garden, thanks to all those who have helped, well done. Didsbury as a whole achieved a gold award and is now in the champion of champions section for Britain in Bloom this year. You can see the garden is looking even better this year, it is hoped that judges think so too.
The lease for our HQ is due to expire next year and we have been having problems getting meaningful talks with the council about renewing it. A developer has suggested they build us a new HQ which we have now declined. We have a solicitor on the case and a section 26 has been served on the council asking for our lease to be renewed. Until this matter is resolved we are not spending any money on renovating the building which we are desperately keen to do.
Many thanks, to all leaders and supporters, well done.
Keith Hampson
Group scout Leader
Beaver report
The beaver waiting list has been closed since the beginning of this year as it was oversubscribed. It is likely it will reopen during the summer. The beaver scout colony remains full with 24 children on each night.
Since last year John has moved to Scotland and we were sorry to see him leave us. Sara who helps on a Tuesday will be leaving us to become a student in Leeds, Annabelle will also be leaving as she has a place to do her PGCE. We thank both of them for their help in beavers.
Claire Parker is the leader for Tuesday helped by Alistair, Drew, Annna and Karin. Harshad Mistry is the leader for Wednesday and he is assisted by James, Rowan, Dodo and Andreea. Although the leader numbers look good on paper most of my leaders are not full time and assist when work permits.
We try to make sure that the beavers gain their bronze chief scout award but this is not always possible as due to the long waiting list children often come in when they are already seven. This means that they do not have enough time to do all the work needed to gain it. To get this highest award in beavers they need to gain all six challenge badges and complete four activity badges. We have been working hard for the beavers to achieve this with a varied programme over the year. We have had talks from a reporter and a cameraman from the BBC. They were then asked write a report about where they had been during the holidays this was for their personal challenge and towards their photography badge they were asked to takes photos and make a scrap book. Some of the work we do with them but we then ask them to complete work for themselves.
My thanks go to all my leaders for all their support and effort so that we can run a fun filled programme for the children. It takes commitment to give time for preparing and attending each evening and this is all voluntary as there are no paid leaders at a local level in scouting.
Helen Hampson
Assistant Group Scout Leader for Beavers
Cub report
Thursday Night Saxons Cub Report
We currently stand at 28 Cubs, with a regular attendance of 24 being led by two leaders.
Over the past year our cubs have earned 237 Badges
Including 76 Challenge Badges and Four Silver Chief Scout’s Awards
Monday Night Celts Cubs Report
We currently stand at 28 Cubs, with a regular attendance of 22, being led by two leaders
Over the past year our cubs have earned 2 Silver Chief Scout’s awards and around 100 badges
Joint Pack - Main Highlights
Eight of our Cubs took on the Pike View Competition Hike in April coming in 9th (Celts) and 11th (Saxons).
March saw many of us support the Friends of Didsbury Park in helping to clear the way to make a path of Poppies to commemorate the losses of WWI.
We joined other packs from Manchester South in a Camp Fire Sing Along in December 17
We successfully held our Wild West Themed Summer Camp in June 17 and was attended by 24 Saxons and 17 Celts along with much needed support from Parents and Leaders.
Rough Plans for the coming year
We are holding our next Annual Summer (Pirate Themed) Camp June/July 2018
We intend to have a Sixers and Seconders Camp in October 2018 and hope to Invite two other groups from the district to join us.
We also intend to return to Pike View Hike in April 19
We also hope to introduce the cubs to some new sports and activities over the coming year
Rolando Johnston (Thursday cubs), Claire Lydon (Monday cubs)
Scout report
Griffin Troop (Tuesday)
We have had another successful year with a number of residential and outdoor activities which always prove to be a hit with the scouts.
Throughout the year we have had between 23 and 29 scouts within the section with a regular attendance of between 18 and 22.
This year we have had a number of cubs join us from the cub section and they are settling in well. We have a nice mix of ages within the section and will be focusing this year on increasing the amount of badgework we complete.
Currently we are developing our leadership team as we have lost three leaders. We currently have four leaders but will be looking to recruit some more in the coming year.
I would like to thank all the leaders within both the Griffin section, Phoenix section and the wider group for all their support throughout this year.
Brian Cosgrove
Scout Leader
Phoenix Troop (Wednesday)
Phoenix troop have had a great year. At a recent troop forum, our young people told us they enjoy scouts for the firelighting, wide games and break away from the stresses of regular life.
We've been on spring camp already this year and are looking forward to summer camp with Griffin troop.
Here's to another year of youth shaped scouting
Simon Jermy
Scout Leader
DVESU (Didsbury Viking explorer scout unit)
2017/18 has been another busy year for the explorer unit. Our numbers are down slightly since
last year, mainly to members turning 18 and leaving the unit. We now have 12 members of
the unit most of whom are regulars to the meetings. We also still have a number of young
leaders helping with other sections within the group, although some of the members who
were young leaders have now turned 18.
We continue to have a very active program which, as always, is created and run by the
young people themselves. One of the highlights of the past year was the unit’s trip to the
Gilwell 24 camp (a weekend camp at Gilwell park that features 24 hours of continuous
activities) for the first time. Unfortunately it clashes with a number of other events this year
but a couple of the members are attending. Besides this we have also continued to be
active with the garden in the scout hut, helping to replant the beds ready for the summer.
This summer we have a team taking part in the County’s explorer belt expedition in the
Netherlands. We also continue to have a large portion of the members enrolled in the Duke
of Edinburgh's Award and the Chief Scout or Queen’s Scout Awards, and who are working
their way through the requirements. We are aiming to run expeditions for these awards in
Autumn as well as having the first unit camp for a number of years.