It’s six years since the team at Bramshill Scouts made an autumn half-term trip to Belgium and France so the time has come for another visit with a new group of Scouts and Explorers.

This time, there are still some spaces on the coach. Join them between the 30th October and 3rd November on this remembrance trip to Ypres.

Those interested should drop the Bramshill District Lead Volunteer an email for further information – [email protected]

A full schedule

On the journey from Calais, the expedition hope to have time to stop at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, where a hospital had been located and pay our respects to the 33 former Scouts who lie there.

On our first evening in Ypres, we will parade our flags at the Last Post Ceremony at Menin Gate and lay a wreath. More than 140 former Scouts are commemorated on the memorial.

Image from 2023, when Hampshire Scouts visited the Menin Gate.

Our trip will include visits to Essex Farm Cemetery, the Passchendaele Museum and trench system, and then a cross-country walk to Tyne Cot Military Cemetery. This is the largest Commonwealth war graves cemetery, where we will have a battlefield guide help our young people learn as much as possible about the history and relevance of the site’s location. More than 115 former Scouts are buried or commemorated here. We’ll also visit the German Military Cemetery of Langemark.

Friday 1st November is a public holiday in Belgium, and the Ypres Scout Group is visiting us and we’ll entertain them with some ‘English’ games like ‘Shove-halfpenny’, dominoes and tiddly winks! Afterwards we’ll take a meal together and have a badge swap.

On Saturday we are heading down into France to visit Vimy Ridge, where there are memorials to the Canadian troops who fought alongside us in WWI and a visitor centre.

On the return trip we will visit the town of Poperinge, an important staging post and rest area in WWI. We will explore the town and its association with the men who were ‘shot at dawn’.

The Hampshire Beavers team are excited to announce an addition to the calendar for 2023 as we plan a visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. With a wealth of history from the Mary Rose, including their new 4D experience, to The Victory.

We have managed to secure all access passes for the day, this includes all attractions and the 90min harbour boat tour.

The cost per Beaver, including all the attractions, boat tour, our exclusive badge, a picnic badge and a secret treat is just £29!

I have worked closely with the events team and have secured a free leader place for every 3 beavers attending, We appreciate that some groups need a higher ratio of adults so all additional are just £5. Young Leaders will also benefit from this amazing discount. Adult tickets are normally £44 so this is very generous of the Dockyard.

Those beavers with an annual Pass to the dockyard will need to pay £5 to cover the badges and little extras 

We will be there the weekend of 25-26 November and you can choose either day to visit. You don't want to miss out on our first Hampshire Beavers Portsmouth Historic Dockyard badge do you?

Bookings are now open at https://forms.office.com/e/taADudBP1x but be quick! Booking Deadline is 5th November and the payment deadline will be the 8th November

We can't wait to see you there

Any questions please get in touch

We are very excited to announce that the Young Leaders’ Rally will be back for a sixth time to provide fun and #SkillsForLife! This is a weekend event organised by the Top Awards Team for Young Leaders across the county to further their training, as well as sharing experiences and making friends.

The event is subsidised by Hampshire Scouts and we hope the cost will be around £35 for Indoor accommodation and £25 for camping for the weekend. Payment will be requested nearer the time along with full information. Payment will be required in full before the event in order to attend.

Activities will include:

Watch this video to see what we did at the last YL Rally! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfpWGN8cius&t=17s 

We are limited to 120 spaces for this year's Young Leader Rally! If you wish to attend, book now to avoid disappointment! Please note that we have limited spaces for indoor accommodation, due to this we will be operating a first come first serve system. Once all the spaces indoors are gone the only available accommodation will be outside (camping)

Signup: https://forms.gle/ocsHucr5XwWeU66y5 

If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email [email protected].

Calling all adults and young people! We have some exciting opportunities for you to learn new skills to help promote the brilliant work you're doing with Scouts in your community.

February 2024 sees the return of Hampshire Scouts' training events for adults and young people to help them tell their Scouting stories to the media, on social media and to others to spread the word and help grow your group. Taking place at Lyon's Copse, Shedfield, it's free of charge.

Location: Lyon's Lodge @ Lyon's Copse, Solent Scout Training Centre

Scouts Speak Up: Friday 2nd to Saturday 3rd February, free, food and accommodation indoors included plus an adventurous activity. Scouts, Explorers and Scout Network aged 13-25.

Adult Media Workshop: Sunday 4th February, free, food included. Open to any adult volunteer in any role.

Aim: to promote the good news stories of the Scouts by communicating effectively with the media, on social media and with those outside the movement.

These courses are free-of-charge and funded by Hampshire Scouts, so sign up while spaces are available. Timings will be confirmed once registration closes. Places are open to those outside of Hampshire Scouts for a nominal fee.

Open for last minute booking, closes on 24th January 2024.

What does the event look like?

As part of the event we cover:

These give you skills not only to help grow your own skillset but also helps spread the word about what we do so more people can get involved locally. Knowing how to answer difficult questions helps in your career just as much as on camera too.

For our young people taking part in Scouts Speak Up, you'll be in small groups supported by a mentor who has done this before and can offer some tips if it feels a little daunting. For our adults attending the Adult Media Workshop there are plenty of volunteers able to answer your questions too.

We always aim to provide an adventurous activity for our young people on Scouts Speak Up and we decide this based on the requirements of our young people attending. We'll provide dormitory accommodation at Lyon's Lodge overnight and keep you well fed through the weekend too.

All this is free of charge to Hampshire Scouts.

We want as many young people as possible to have adventurous activities and gaining the skills needed to lead them is one way!

On Saturday 23rd September at Hawley Lake, Minley, Hampshire, we're running an assessment day so you can gain your Kayaking or Canoeing permit for B1 waters.

Attendees will need to work to the Kayak Assessment Checklist and be compliant with the POR rules for water activities, a recap on the POR rules will also be given on the assessment day. Applicants will need to be at the old BCU 3* level for flat water strokes or alternatively have passed the BC Explore Award.

The day will run from 0900 to 1700 and you will need to bring with you a kayak or canoe plus your paddling equipment, together with a packed lunch. Showers and changing facilities will be available on site. There may be a possibility to hire equipment on the day, please contact me if you require this.

If you are interested in attending the assessment please send me an email with your name, telephone number and scout membership number and I will be in touch with further details. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Email Paul Mant, County Assessor

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue service have issued some new advice for volunteers using Scout halls for sleepovers to ensure everyone remains safe.

These should help you when completing your risk assessment for the event. It remains important to contact the service if you are planning an event so they can prioritise any incident at a HQ when a sleepover is taking place. Tel: 023 8064 4000, email [email protected] or use the Contact Us page of their website.

Their advice is as follows:

Means of escape

Raising the alarm

Lighting

Fire extinguishers

Calling all Hampshire Explorers and Scout Network:

HSX are hosting the AdEx Challenge, a series of challenges and bases to test your teamwork and leadership skills. Activities will be based around an expedition scenario.

The weekend will finish with a HSX social on Sunday lunchtime. So if you've caught the expedition bug you can find out more about HSX, our future expeditions and our regular UK training weekends.

When: Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th September

Where: Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre, New Forest

Who: Explorer and Network Scouts over the age of 14

Cost - £25pp

Sign-up closes on Sunday 18th August.

Who are HSX?

Hampshire Scout Expeditions (HSX) is a county-based organisation specialising in youth development through mountainous activities and international expeditions. Throughout the year we run numerous training weekends throughout the UK to adventurous locations such as the Brecon Beacons, Lake District, Snowdonia and the Cairngorms.

We also have a track record of leading international expeditions to all corners of the globe, running trips places such as Nepal, Peru, Patagonia, Belize and Cambodia, as well as placing members on the summit of Mount Everest and the South Pole!

Archery as well as being an Olympic target sport is also an inclusive and exciting adventurous activity for our young people. Thankfully for those looking to lead these activities, there are courses coming up:

Braggers Wood: 9th and 10th September 2023

Christchurch Scouts have Aim 4 Sport running an Archery GB Instructors Course at Braggers Wood on the 9th and 10th September.

They are offering a discount to Scout members so if you have anyone that might be interested.

Please book via https://www.aim4sport.com/courses/archery-gb-instructor-courses-now-available/

Ferny Crofts: 4th and 5th November 2023

This is a two day course which is designed for people with little or no prior experience of Archery. Candidates must be at least 17 years old by the start of the course.

Topics that are covered within the course are; how to shoot arrows, preparing and delivering Archery sessions, how to select appropriate equipment, setting up a range and how to ensure safety on the range. Successful candidates will gain an Archery GB Instructor licence which will last for three years.

This course is not catered, so please bring lunches for the two days, although tea and coffee will be provided throughout. You will be working outdoors from time to time, so please wear appropriate clothing and bring waterproofs.

The days will run from approximately 9:00am to 5:00pm. Cost is £175. Camping can be booked separately. 

Book at https://fernycrofts.cinolla.com/

After a successful start to 2023, places are starting to fill up on the annual Hampshire Scout Expeditions (HSX) trip to the Lake District over the Easter Weekend.

Heading up on Thursday, 6th April, the trip will offer Explorers and Network Scouts the opportunity to get out into the Lakeland Fells. Over the course of the weekend, participants will have the opportunity to go climbing, hillwalking and scrambling - there may even be an opportunity for a wild camp! 

As part of the trip, HSX will be providing transport for the weekend (with picks available from Ferny Crofts, Eastleigh train station and Tesco Winnall), food for the weekend, indoor accommodation, and qualified instructors.  

For more information or to sign up, please contact Tom Robinson at [email protected].

Sign-up is open until Wednesday, 15th March 2023.  

As we look forward to a a new term our programme for November usually includes our act of Remembrance which takes place on the Sunday nearest to 11th November, the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War. 

It is an opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life and commemorates British service members who have died in wars and other military conflicts since the beginning of World War One.

But how do we ensure those who gave their lives are not forgotten? And how do we involve young people in this?

CWGC: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Since its establishment by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission have constructed 2,500 war cemeteries and plots, erected headstones over graves and where the remains are missing, inscribed the names of the dead on permanent memorials. More than a million burials are now commemorated at military and civil sites in more than 150 countries and territories.

The work of the CWGC is supported by a group of volunteers across the country who work alongside the Public Engagement Co-Ordinators and deliver a range of talks about the varied work of the CWGC, its history but also, importantly, its work today.

Today, over a century after the CWGC first began, their work continues through the staff, supporters and volunteers who preserve our unique cultural, horticultural and architectural heritage and ensure that the stories of those who died in the First World War and Second World War are told.

Their aim is to actively engage new audiences and find innovative ways to involve the whole community with our work – through education and outreach, voluntary activity, arts and heritage projects, local research and partnership working. We aim to increase local awareness of CWGC sites across the UK.

How can they help your Scouts?

If you're a Squirrel, Beaver, Cub, Scout or Explorer section and would like a guided tour of a cemetery near you or a talk on our work delivered at your H.Q. you can book a talk, using this link - www.cwgc.org/talks and for tours or anything else, please email - [email protected]

This year Remembrance Sunday is on 13th November.

© 2020 Hampshire Scouts, Charity Number 1015788. Proudly built and supported by Cloud Digital Solutions.
crossmenuchevron-down linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram