Looking to the year ahead as Somerset

prepares to embrace our future.

this month...

Scouts in the community

Your festive projects

in the places you live.

PLUS...Vision 2018 Book a Think-U-Know

session online today:Stay safe online

somersetscouts.org.uk/TUK

SCOUT UTSomerset Scout Newsletter

January 2013Issue 18O

FAITH INSCOUTINGWhat does exploring faith

actually mean as we review

our fundamental values.

you scout...A camping Christmas firstBeavers from Henlade had their

first ever camping experience this Christmas - in a church. Twenty Beavers, a Cub and two Young Leaders enjoyed the experience which started off with a craft session.

The campers made angel name plates and Christmas decorations before walking to the park for a festive play.

On return was a full Christmas dinner and a visit from Father Christmas himself before heading out to Dunster to see the town lit by candlelight.

While everyone was waiting for the bus back, the Beavers sang carols for the crowds.

The following day the Beavers took part in a nativity play in Minehead.

Care home carols

The Christmas tree trade

With decorations in hand, Beavers from Trinity and Scouts from Barton

St David each visited care homes this Christmas to sing carols.

The positive impact this kind of thing has on the community is felt for a long time after Christmas is over.

As a even longer lasting treat the Beavers from Trinity made their own Christmas decorations which they delivered to the care home when they went to sing and even hung them up.

Scouts across the county have done a roaring trade in firs this year. Two

groups helped out local traders to carry and deliver Christmas trees as customers turned out to buy in the run up to the festive season.

The Shepton Mallet Scout Group raised £750 selling trees at their headquarters and delivering them to homes in the area. The Scouts carried the trees helping out all kinds of people who either couldn’t carry their own trees or wanted to make a donation.

Explorers from Wellington also fundraised by delivering and carrying Christmas trees alongside taking part in a group craft fair in the town centre hall in Wellington.

you scout...

scoutout@somersetscouts.org.uk

Scouts from Henlade raised

over a thousand pounds this Christmas in their local Sainsburys supermarket.

Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Young Leaders packed bags for shoppers during the busy Christmas period and overall raised £1170.20.

A big group bag packing

WE ARE THE UK’S MOST INSPIRING CHARITY

As Somerset’s Scouts made good in

our communities this Christmas we

learned that this is what the general

public think of us...

think that Scouting provides a healthy programme of activities for young people.

76%OF PEOPLE

71%OF PEOPLE

say they trust The Scout Association.

80%OF COMPANIES

and charities polled say that Scouting has benefited their organisation.

97%OF VOLUNTEERS

say that Scouting has helped them build relationships.

65%OF PEOPLE

think Scouting is diverse and multi-cultural.

say that a Scouting background makes people more employable.

41%OF EMPLOYERS

say that Scouting has helped them develop key skills.

88%OF YOUTH MEMBERS

say that Scouting has helped them developkey skills.

91%OF VOLUNTEERS

say that Scouting has helped them build relationships.

92%OF YOUTH MEMBERS

think that Scouting provides a safe place for young people to have fun and adventure.

76%OF PEOPLE

volunteer regularly.

36%OF FORMER YOUTH MEMBERS

volunteer outside of Scouting.

47%OF SCOUT LEADERS

COMMUNITY SUPPORT IN SOMERSET

Data sourced from The Scout AssociationDEC ‘12

FAITH INSCOUTINGExploring what exploring faith means

and Scouting’s fundamental values with

County Chaplain Adrian Prior Sankey.

Integrity

I may sound an odd question but I’m wondering if you celebrated Christmas and if so, why?

t

We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.

Scouting’s Values:

If you would like help in exploring issues of faith and ethics please feel free to make contact with me.

The role of a chaplain is that

of being a friend to all, regardless of where you are on your journey or which route you are taking. It will be a privilege to share part of your voyage of discovery.

07973 252 346 @aftathort

RespectWe have self-respect and

respect for others.

Christmas is one of two big Christian festivals and Scouts will have held parties and participated in traditional acts of worship, whatever their religious beliefs, all over Somerset in December.

The leadership of Scouting in the UK is reflecting on the Movement’s underlying principles and seeking the views of its existing and potential members of what it calls the ‘Revised Fundamentals of Scouting’.

It is therefore worth taking a moment to ask yourself whether the statement of the purpose of Scouting for over 100 years: “To contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full

physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities,” is itself still fit for purpose. Those undertaking the review are suggesting that the purpose of Scouting should be restated to explain that the Movement exists ‘to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.’

The long-standing principles of Scouting: ‘Duty to Self, Duty to Others and Duty to God’ have been updated to become the ‘Values of Scouting’, providing what some might call a ‘moral compass’, listing values for the guidance of all members of the Movement shown in the graphics above.

We support others and take care of the world in which we live.

CareWe explore our faiths,

beliefs and attitudes.Belief

We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends.

Cooperation

As a young Scout I had my life turned around by the Movement’s rigid insistence upon religious observance.

At the tender age of 14 I had decided (albeit without undertaking any research or considered thought) to declare that I was an atheist and I thought that all who claimed to be religious were hypocrites.

Being addicted to Scouting, I grudgingly submitted to the monthly attendance at church parade where I found myself sat beside an older Scout who had recently begun attending a different Church in my town.

When we got to the part of the service where we all said ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ together, he started to say the same words as the rest of us but his way of speaking was more like a conversation with God than a recital of the phrases, parrot-fashion.

I have never forgotten that moment when a light dawned and I realised that God wants a relationship with me personally not my participation in ritual or religion based on power or status. Once I started reading about Jesus and began meeting other people of all ages who had come to a similar understanding, the world of faith and spirituality took on a very different perspective.

Being a follower of Jesus is a life-long process and doesn’t exempt me from either fouling up

sometimes or having tremendous fun.

It does however mean that because God has my life in His hands I can have peace about the small and big challenges of life – and death. I guess that’s why I’m passionate that members of the Scout Movement of all ages should make space for healthy spiritual exploration. Jesus is quoted in The Bible as saying that he came that we might have life in all its fullness, Life with a capital ‘L’ (read it for yourself in John’s Gospel Chapter 10 verse 10). It’s why I started this article by asking if you celebrated Christmas. The narrative of the Nativity shows us that people with very different backgrounds came to find Jesus. Earthy, socially-despised shepherds and oriental mystics turned up with their clutter and confused minds in their honest search for answers. God did not disappoint them.

You don’t have to be a Christian to celebrate Christmas and you don’t have to be a believer to become a member of the Scout Movement.

A clue to the one requirement demanded of all members is however in a word I’ve used a few times. You do need to be willing to engage in a journey that involves your whole being: body, mind and spirit. Scouting is a Movement not an Institution –and I know which I would rather be in!

Take part in the surveyscouts.org.uk/fundamentals

Open until Jan 31st

2/3of groups

taking part in

Scout Community

Week by 2018

IMPACT

All Scouts & Explorers TUK trained on a three year rolling basis.

Development of online Scouting.

in

2018Somerset’s vision for

2018 takes another big step in February as members of the County and District management teams come together to add their ideas into the melting pot.

During 2013 every member, young and old, will be given the opportunity to contribute.

To get a feel for what we’re doing check out:

Vision Timeline

somersetscouts.org.uk/vision-2018

AGM& Vision

launchSept ‘12

Feb ‘13District &

Countyconsultation

Apr ‘13

Aug ‘13

Regional Launch

Regional Launch

1

2(by HQ)

(by HQ)

County wide consultation

Mar ‘13

The County DiarySat 26/1

SUN3/3

Issue 19 will be published March 2012.

County Masterchef Competition

Whip out your whisks for the county masterchef in 2013. Finalists from the district competitions will come together in Shepton Mallet this coming January to perform culinary magic on nothing more than two gas burners and with only equipment found in a Scout kitchen. We’re hoping the food should be good enough keep you sated till the....

SOMERSET

Your ScoutOutTell us what’s Scouting where you are:

scoutout@somersetscouts.org.uk

scoutout@somersetscouts.org.uk

Written and Produced by Richard Shepherd.www.richardesigns.co.uk

Copyright Somerset Scout Council 2013

County Mountain Bike Challenge

Try Tedbury’s testing woodland route and win races for the championship. Heats arranged by age. See online for more details.

A town centre trailtowards adventure

If you’ve ever tried ‘climbing’ along the pavement you’ll know how much like climbing

uphill it feels and this is what West Monkton Scouts did over Christmas to raise funds and the profile of Scouting in the centre of the county town.

The group set up a mock horizontal climbing wall along a large pedestrianised area in the centre of Taunton and passers by donated money to see Beavers, Cubs and Scouts scaling the course.

And nearby volunteers helped shoppers to dontated even further by inviting them to partake in the laying of a pound coin trail which stretched from one end of a large indoor shopping centre to the other.

All in the group raised £360 for their funds and helped promote Scouting no end.

There were several joining enquiries from adults and young people made on the day.

The group also carol sung outside the county museum this year.