Upon the appointment of a new Scout Adventurer

 

Pix credit: Jo Sarsby

It was announced Tuesday November 24 that Sal Montgomery, the kayaker and adventurer would be joining the Scout Adventurer team.

Sal's first experiences of canoeing growing up in Nottingham in the East Midlands, was through Scouts Camp and indeed openly acknowledges what she learnt from being a Scout in terms of bring people together, having fun while learning new skills and opening up your eyes  to possibilities that you might not of considered in your life.

Her family were not particularly adventure minded but her time spent in scouts did show that was very much her and presented possibilities that otherwise might not of come her way.

Scout Adventurers are in many ways beacons of the movement, people who have and are having a great time having adventures around the world in the outdoors that they love who help inspire young people to get out there to.

The last days of November

 

As we make away in a few days time into December and all that will bring, the last remnants of the carpet of leaves is gone so here is a remind of just as it was with no 'staging' ready for the cycle to repeat itself next year.

This week I have seen a good number of Grey Squirrels about and a number of birds.

This, the Eurasian Blue Tit is one species I have seen apart from the Grey Tits and House Sparrow, aided by having much local woodland here even if the trend to take up front garden's may not help.

White horses

 

Horses were a passion I shared with my older brother who I helped with things such as some of his scouting activities as much as he helped me with things.

It's not so surprising then that I may go around parts here where I know I can find horses just to spend time with them and their owners, sometimes taking pictures, learning more about both owner and the breeds.

It's important when you do to respect the horses diets if you do feed them which I generally don't without permission, indeed on farm I know does put a prominent but polite not to feed the horses which if they are being treated for certain conditions may be very important.

If, as happened to me several years ago somehow a horse managed to grab and pull my camera bag into his field, to contact and work with the landowner rather than risk a confrontation with a horse.

The impact from a horses hooves is very severe.

Keeping safe

 Although no one wishes to bring such topics as we'd soon all just get along, for a variety of reasons Scouts, like most organizations has rules for people decide to join it and there very clear cut procedures for Adults who help in any way if their questions regarding their conduct not least directly in connexion with children and young people.

It goes without saying anyone with regular unsupervised contact with children and young people are DBS checked and is the responsibility of each Scout Group to cause that to happen before appointing them. 

This is an example of such a policy and how it ties into The Scout Promise and Scout law.

There always was a discipline policy within Scouting for Children and Young people even it it and society may have changed over time not just for being disrespectful of Scouts, Leaders and Helpers, spoiling the session but for such matters as bullying and messing around.

Messing around it needs to be remembered can easily lead into serious accidents although Level Two matters are the most serious such as those that may put at risk your or other members safety by defying clear instructions, violence, bullying and the like.

No one likes to be a killjoy but ultimately the Group is responsible if anything happens and so anyone departing from careful consideration of how to protect everyone's welfare and safety must be dealt with.

The onset of Winter

 As the Winter begins to approach us, it's time to look back upon this Autumn

Canopies in woodland has always fascinated me as the branches of the individual trees mingle into one structure not least when have the orangey sun reflecting brilliantly upon them.

Even the suburban hedgerow, beloved by the nations gardeners takes on a most colourful appearance in this time of year, which in a year so changed in ways non of us would of anticipated helps in staying alert and mentally resilient as hard as it has been for many.

Contrasts

 Although it has been rather wet in the last few days although I was able to dodge heavy showers to explore, it has also been quite sunny too.

The impact of this season can be easily seen in this district and here is a good example of how the deciduous trees just lose their leaf covering across autumn ready for winter where their neighbouring trees which are not maintain full leaf coverage contrasting perfectly.

You can always tell when their are Oak Trees about and here we have a fair number of them which are popular with our grey squirrels at this time of year having seen his nutkins this Sunday morning going off with his acorns.

Fun working in the Great Outdoors

 Moving towards the countdown for Advent

I dare say in this weather the fire would prove the most popular spot for many a cub having noticed it in the last few days exploring but these two most certainly have a job to do although they will as ever be supported in learning how to it well.

It's that I feel most in my element doing, working beyond those difficulties I have to master new skills.

Here's to Scouting

As we conclude a week while different for Scouts in how we engage in the act of Remembrance, explore what it means and why it matters it's important to remember beyond the ceremony where in normal times they are seen, there is more to it than that.

I am sure many Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have taken part in the activities arranged to mark this event in the times we are living but learning while having fun is always a part of it be it having fun cooking out and camping, exploring and so on.

Scouting is about what we do, the one to one engagement with children and young people rather less than bricks and mortar so the decisions around how to restructure the finances as monies are urgent raised to keep scouting alive by communicated to UK Chief Commissioner, Tim Kidd and put to the Trustees to me make sense.

Armistice Day

Today is Armistice Day, the day when the agreement that ended WW1 was signed and this day is usually marked  here in the UK.

Well, like Remembrance Sunday that cannot go ahead as it normally would and Scouts do take part in it so this year we are asked to stand out at the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh day to remember those who lost their lives.

That's an example of what some local authorities have put out to remind people.

That poem sums up for me what this is all about.

Remembrance and activities

 

This year it was very different for all of us who take part in Remembrance Sunday and no doubt many Scouts stood outside to pay our respects on Sunday at Eleven am as I did.

This year with the changed circumstances the Scouting Association amongst others have been doing things to engage with members such as Sowing a Poppy, Sowing Poppy Wreath from felt or making a Paracord poppy which is one way to show your craft skills while marking Remembrance together.

There are also opportunities to learn about The Unknown Soldier who plays a big part in how we mark Remembrance, test your Semaphore skills and hold a Remembrance reflection, thinking about it means.

Like V.E. Day which I wrote about there is also an opportunity to guess the WW2 era Scout Badges exploring how Scouts used their skills to help communities during the second world war.

These can be done online, indoors or outdoors with social distancing indicated and necessary to keep everybody safe.

 

For Remembrance Sunday

We don't publish at the weekend so this is the nearest to the day.

In normal times a highlight for many of us is the service usually held in a church for Remembrance Day

Members of the wider Scouting Family are in attendance such as Scouts and Brownies usually near the representatives of the Royal British Legion, local government representatives such as Councillors and Clerks and the Scouts lay a wreath with those others at the Cenotaph itself in a preset order. 

It is an honour to attend.

Normally there is a parade before the service and you may parade to the actual cenotaph which is often in a prominent spot in your town or village and Scouts and Brownies join in with he parade with service and ex service men and women.

These Scouts are from Crewe, Cheshire including on the left the Sea Cadets

The names of the dead in your area are read, the horn sounded and our representative lays the wreath 

We may not be able to be there doing it this year but we can and will mark it because Remembrance  matters on Sunday the Eighth of November.

Remembrance in Scouting.

This week we will be marking Armistice day and Remembrance Sunday although as with most things this year it will be done differently.

Image credits: Scout.org
There are many reasons to remember, the sacrifice that was made to defend this country such as during WW2 which my former Headmaster was apart of, in the Falklands in 1982 and so on, the impact of those conflicts and wars not least on my own family both the dead and the living, some who lived and died with the scars from it.

We remember because Scouts played an important part in it from spotting aeroplanes, taking messages, helping the injured, need, giving assistance to our communities as boys and that many scouts enlisted to serve our country under our then King.

That's why whenever I have been able I have always attended the Remembrance Sunday service.

There have always been different ways to get involved directly such as selling the Royal British Legion poppies as these cubs and scouts are doing outside a supermarket.

I've done door to door sales myself for over a ten year period enjoying the experience and helping the cause.

This year of course this will not be happening, indeed in some way beyond the remit of this blog the Royal British Legion has had to heavily reduce the act of remembrance to meet the Social Distancing guidelines and this does mean far fewer people will be at the Cenotaph's across our nation even laying wreaths and observing it in the way we normally do.

 
This year scouts will be wearing the 2020 Scouts Poppy on their uniforms or scarves to support the RBL and a range of activities that can be carried out either in meetings or at home is being planned.

The Magnificence of Trees

As we make our way into November I think it's a good idea to mark the Magnificence of trees with some pictures I took while out scouting.

The textbook sight of many an English field at this time of your in it's rich colourful glory before the leaves die back for Winter, for me that is so unmissable.

It is interesting to observe just how different leaves on branches turn to a more coppery complexion at different times and that makes for interesting effects.

Perfection, the glory of sunlight coppery leaves taken very much into the light in their magnificence sums up just what is magical at this time of year.