Congratulations

District Explorer Scouts ( By Andy Castling)

The Frostie Camp ( Durham ), the Caud Marra Camp (Kielder) and the Winter Expedition Training weekend (Seathwaite, Keswick) are three events where you can certainly get out and about if you want to. Two of the events will be over by the time you read this, hopefully there are reports elsewhere on those events.That leaves the Winter Expedition Training weekend.

WET Weekend - A County weekend event in the Lake District at Seathwaite, near Keswick on 10th to 12th March 2006.Open to Scouts and Explorer Scouts with the aim of giving you a taste of winter walking and camping. Experienced leaders from the County Mountaineering Panel are on hand to guide and instruct. The weekend is self catering with camping fees (approx £3 per night) to cover, see February County News for full details.The campsite is sited in the heart of the Lake District in Borrowdale, with all grades of walking possible to suit all tastes and experience. Please contact County Office , Paul Henderson 0191 2905634 or myself if you are interested, I for one will be going along to represent Great North.

WGL - If you are a leader, and interested in walking, the County Walking Group Leader course may be of interest to you, again February County News has the full details. This is an ideal opportunity for Leaders to acquire a walking qualification and also gain good experience. Based up at Powburn Scout Centre over the weekend 7th/8th/9th April 2006 . Please contact County Office , Stuart McKay 07788731744 or myself if you are interested or want more information.

GPS –I spent a good evening with the Griffin Explorers going through various subjects related to maps, mapping software and what a GPS(Global Positioning System) can do (or what it can’t do). I thank the guys for their contributions, hoped you enjoyed the evening and I have learnt a few new uses for a rubber chicken…

DC`s Report

Our Congratulations in this edition are directed to the District, a group, a section and an individual. Thank you all for getting the information for Census to Alan, by the correct date. Based on my information about figure submitted I am delighted to say that our figures are up by about 2%, exact percentage as soon as I get it. 

I have started giving the Centenary Badges to the Groups / Units they can be stitched onto the uniform now and remain there until the end of 2007. (Actual numbers given to the GSL or Group Contact is the same as submitted on the Census).

Kingston Park Scout Group celebrated its 25th birthday in January, at present there is only one section there, but I am confident that the Group will soon be growing again. Congratulations to Stephen and Aileen Duck who have been the constant Leadership Team within the Pack since it started.  Secondly, Brunton Park Beaver Scouts are 21 years old on March 1st, again congratulations to Kathleen Swallow and Diane Gardiner who have led the Beaver Scouts since they started. 

On hearing this I wonder, where have all the young people who have passed through our hands ended up? did they attend and enjoy other Sections? are they still in the area? if they are still in the area do you ever wonder if they would like to come and join Scouting again in a Leadership or Support role?

Congratulations to Kevin Futers, from the 27th Newcastle , who has completed and had validated all the elements of his Wood Badge. I look forward to receiving it and presenting it to him in the near future.  It is hoped that there will be more Leaders gaining the Wood Badge over the next few months.

It is the time when we think of organising Nights Away experiences for our Young People, please remember to let me as well as your Group Scout Leader have a copy of the Programme and the Nights Away Form. A really important document that MUST be completed is the Home Contact Factsheet. Please remember that the Home Contact should not be related to anyone on the Nights Away experience.

Please remember to invite the District Team to any events that you are organising, we are here to support you.

Best wishes

Kath

“IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?”

Dinnington Scout Group, 25 th Newcastle (English Martyrs)

27 th Newcastle ( Ferguson Lane ), 47 th Newcastle (Holy Cross)

Kingston Park Group, 49 th Newcastle (Robert Stewart)

82 nd Newcastle (St James&St Basil), 74 th Newcastle (SilverLonnen)

Westerhope Group, 73 rd Newcastle (Westgate Baptist)

Not forgetting the three Explorer scout groups within the district

Here is a threat. If we don`t get any news from at least some of you, I`ll FILL the spaces left with stacks of awful jokes. Come on—get writing—even if it is a joke,

New Address.

District Leaders, please note that Tim Speed has moved. All correspondance- ie CRB forms, Adult applications etc should now be sent to

Mr Tim Speed, 1 Springhill Gardens , Newcastle upon Tyne , NE15 6QS.

Telephone Number remains the same

To those who are computer literate , you will know that a spell checker is invaluable when working. But getting the “write” word is a problem on occasion, which the checker doesn`t pick out. This poem will show how difficult it can be. It is called

"Four Yore I`s Only”

Eye halve a spelling chequer

It came with my pea sea,

It plainly marques four my revue

Miss steaks eye kin knot sea,

Eye strike a quay two rite a word

And weight four it too say

Weather eye am wrong oar rite

It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid,

It nose bee fore two long.

And eye can put the error rite-

Its rare lea ever wrong.

I`ve run this poem threw it

I`m shore yore pleased two no.

Its letter perfect all the weigh

My chequer tolled me sew.

Taken from an article in “Pathways,” the Parish Magazine of St Bartholomews Church in Longbenton

The Circus comes to Great North District

Did I hear someone ask “ Where? ”

You`ll have to wait until next month to learn about that. Needless it to say, a great act was

made by all.