Welcome to the first Wyre District Scouts eNews, arriving in your inbox to keep you up to date with important and exciting news. In this newsletter you will find:
A Message From the District Commissioner… Having started my Scouting adventure as a 6 year old in the district, it is with immense pride that I write to you all on my first day as Wyre District Commissioner. As Ian Porteous completes his term as Wyre District Commissioner I am sure that you would join me in thanking him for his tremendous dedication to the role over the past ten years. Since being appointed I have enjoyed time handing over with Ian, understanding the district and hearing about the great things which are happening within it. It is inevitable that with a change of leadership that the district itself will undergo a period of change. While some revel in change and others fear it, I see it as nothing but a good thing. It offers us the chance to develop as a district such that we can offer the very best opportunities to a growing number of young people. To achieve this we must continue to work together, help each other and put young people first.
One thing that I hadn’t expected when taking on the role is that there would be a global pandemic and a suspension of face-to-face Scouting. This time presents us with some challenges but also gives us the opportunity to try new ideas, operate in a different way and play our part in the community by continuing to offer Young People exciting activities that they can undertake at home.
I am genuinely excited to lead such a fantastic group of volunteers who offer exciting programmes to young people in the area every night of the week, giving them the chance to develop skills for life. I look forward to meeting you all (virtually) at the All Leaders Meeting on the 21st April.
District Chair (Acting) Nomination To ensure continued operation of Wyre District, during a period of suspended face-to-face Scouting, it is essential that the Wyre District Executive Committee continues to function effectively. In recent conversations with May Gandhi (District Chair) we have together concluded that she will unfortunately be unable to fulfil the responsibilities of this role during this period.
Noting the above, I am delighted to nominate Andrea Kay as District Chair (Acting) for the intervening period. Andrea is currently a local councillor and has a passion to see young people given the best opportunities in life. The District will also benefit from Andrea’s previous experience in accountancy and in her an extensive network of contacts and relationships with other local organisations.
If members of the District Scout Council have objections to this nomination they should make them known, by email, to the District Commissioner before the 7th April 2020.
Searching For District Team Members There are currently a number of exciting opportunities to join the Wyre District Team:
ADC Scouts: After a perioid of 12 years as ADC Scouts, Alan Campbell completes his term in this role. I would like to thank Alan for his hard work and dedication to the Scout Section during this time. Alan will continue supporting the District in his capacity as Nights Away Advisor. A search process will now take place to find the next ADC Scouts. Click here to find a description of this role.
District Explorer Scout Commissioner: Clare May has informed me that she intends to complete her time in the role of DESC at the end of May. I would like to thank Clare for her hard work as DESC and also supporting other ADCs during this time. Clare will continue to support the District in a future role which we will be discussing in the coming weeks. A search process will now take place to find the next DESC. Click here to find a description of this role.
District Youth Commissioner: The role of District Youth Commissioner has been vacant for some time and, to ensure that our District remains Youth Shaped, I am beginning a search process for a District Youth Commissioner. Click here to find a description of this role.
ADC Events: An exciting new role has been created to lead the organisation of events across the district. Click here to find a description of this role.
ADC Adventurous Activities: Another exciting new role has been created to promote and facilitate adult volunteers accessing the Adventerous Activities Permit Scheme. Click here to find a description of this role.
Interested in a new challenge or know someone who you think would be great in a District Team Role? If so, please take a couple of minutes to complete a short nomination form. Closing date for nominations is the 25th April. If there are any questions about the role please contact jon.minshull@wyrescouts.org.uk. Nominations For District Team Roles: Click Here
Media Team Support Our Wyre District Media Team are here to support you in any way they can, whether this be helping capture events in photos & videos, helping create effective social media content or assisting you in keeping material in line with brand guidelines. The team would be more than happy to help! To request their support simply complete a short form and one of the team will be in touch. Request Media Team Support: Click Here
Supporting the Mental Health of Our Young People We understand that the current Covid-19 pandemic is challenging for all of our members, including the young people in our District. There are a number of organisations who can offer Mental Health Support to our young people which can be found below. These services can be promoted within your groups and sections but don’t forget to follow the guidance described in the Yellow Card if you have any concerns about a Young Person or adult.
Keeping In Touch In Scouting we are keen to hear of the new and interesting ideas you have had to keep in touch with the Young People in our district, the activities you are undertaking so we can share these as widely as possible. In Wyre, we are using Workplace to enable our adult volunteers to work together. Click here to log into Workplace with your Wyre Scouts email address to see what hints and tips you can learn and share.
Our Digital Media Team have also been collating some good ideas that we have seen elsewhere in Scouting, these can be found on the Wyre District Website. Check out https://www.wyrescouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors/for some great ideas.
Dates for Your Diary Have you got your diary handy? Check out some upcoming dates which you should be aware of:
