Dear all
 
You will hopefully already be aware that the Scout Group is holding its Annual General Meeting on Monday 15th March, starting at 8.30pm. 
 
The meeting is not normally a long one as the attached report covers what might ordinarily be quite long verbal updates (circulation in advance means that we can focus on key messages and any questions arising).  Ideally, the meeting would have taken place late last year, but it is one of so many things which have been thrown out of kilter by the COVID crisis
 
The meeting will be via Zoom, with logon details as follows:
Topic: 1st Stoke Gifford Scout Group AGM
Time: Mar 15, 2021 08:30 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting:    https://zoom.us/j/93984929617

Meeting ID: 939 8492 9617    Passcode: 165910

The Agenda is as follows;
1.         Welcome and introductions
2.         Apologies
3.         Minutes of last year’s AGM
4.         Group Annual Report (key points & questions)
5.         Nomination of Exec Chair
6.         Appointment of Secretary
7.         Appointment of Treasurer
8.         Appointment of any other Exec members
9.         AOB
 
Regards
 
Ian Butcher
Executive Committee Chair

Sue Baker, a Beaver Scout leader and Michele Grattidge, Scout and Explorer Scout leader were presented with awards in December for their dedication and support to scouting in Stoke Gifford.
Michele started as a parent helper at 1 st Stoke Gifford Beavers in 1997, when her son Chris joined the colony.
She soon went into uniform as an Assistant Beaver Leader and from there has been a Cub Leader and then on to be a Scout Leader with the 1 st Stoke Gifford School Scouts, based at St Michaels Primary School.
In addition, she was a founding member of the Solar Explorer unit in 2007 and was an Assistant Explorer Leader until 2020.
She is a trained Duke of Edinburgh assessor and played a leading role in many Solar D of E expeditions and camps as well as supporting other groups with their assessments. She has been on more camps than she can remember and played a part in the growth and development of so many young people over the years.
She is the first person to be a leader at all our units, i.e. Beavers, Cubs, Scout and Explorers. Chris has gone on to be a Scout and Explorer Scout Leader himself, keeping up the family tradition.
Michele was given an ‘Award for Merit’. This award is given for outstanding service of not less than 12 years. It rewards keen, conscientious, imaginative and dedicated service over a sustained period.

OSR Scout Troop having spent a couple of weeks writing prayers and choosing hymns with Karen put it all together today at St. Michaels Church for all the other uniform groups from Stoke Gifford. Scouts read, sang, collected donations, flags, helped people to their seats, gave out harvest bread and much more.
The service was fab with lots of food donations collected for Filton Food Bank with cheerful harvest hymns, thought provoking readings and thoughtful prayers. Thank you for all putting in so much effort, proud of you all.

So 0600 on Saturday 21/07/18 was time for the cubs and scouts of Stoke Gifford to form up and travel to Browsea Island the site of the first scout camp.
We took the coach to Poole Quay and then ferry across to the island, followed by a short hike and then set up camp, evening meal and then bed everyone shattered.

The next day started with breakfast then red squirrel watching and conservation. Our meals were prepared by the 23 adult leaders for the 56 young people. An evening of crabbing and then bed.
The island has a no fire policy and so to challenge the scouts and cubs a mission to build a raft to float in the sea and make a fire big enough to roast a marshmallow.
The final full day was occupied with visits to the reserve and orienteering with sleeping out under the stars in bivouacs then the last morning was decamp to start the return journey home.

What a great camp.

Fish and chips on the quay and then on to the coach.
Many thanks to all involved in the organisation and running of this special camp which all the children thoroughly enjoyed.