The weather has been alternating between wet and cold with snow this week but I had noticed Pussy Willow trees were starting to come out which is something I've always looked forward to.
A harbinger of Spring.
One thing that you can do is to take the branches off of the tree, tidy them up and make a decoration suitable for a vase.
Today's entry looks around one of three main focus's of this blog, Scouting Today fully supporting it's role for today's children and young people.
There can be little denying the current conditions which everything including Scouting is having to run under are challenging in ways that few of us could honestly of expected and so it is having to re-invent ways of doing it.
Part of the success of being able to do just that is having the right people at the top of the Scouting Association to provide knowledge and leadership and with that in mind two announcements were recently made.
The first is the appointment of a new UK Chief Commissioner one of a team that provide leadership and support across the UK.
Carl Hankinson has over thirty years experience volunteering with Scouts such as being County Commissioner and Chair apart from lots of experience in being involved in program roles within Scouts, Explorer Scouts and Scouts Network.
His focus will be on supporting the many volunteers in delivering an exciting program for scouts and in getting the most out of their roles.
It was also announced that Jennie Price will be joining the Board of Trustees which shapes the decisions the Scout Association makes and monitors them which having done this kind of work for other organizations, I know is very important.
Her previous experience at Sports England as a Chief Executive and in being a a Board of Trustees member for the Youth United Foundation no doubt will come in most handy.
They will come into role in September 2021.
A lot of work is going on around developing badge schemes that can be done with a combination of at home and online zoom work.
Zoom is being used to deliver virtual pack meetings keeping connections going, undertaking activities that can be done at home and shared and in the imaginative use of Home Packs that can be completed under instruction at home that tie into the program activities.
People rightly are concerned about the amount of screen activity children and young people are having as school work, social connections and things like Scouting during this pandemic so a lot of thought is being given to keeping as much non screen, ideally out of doors activities such as trails and scavenger hunts going as possible.
Also ways of 'checking in' on how pack members are feeling are being developed as children like many of us are likely to be showing signs of struggling mentally with the pandemic.
Another trend has been seeing more young leaders taking the initiative more in suggesting and organizing activities.
On Tuesday I got very upfront and personal with a crow while out staying still long enough to see clearly his features not least the beady eye and a super fast grey squirrel that darted across grassland just like a rocket on a couple of warmer days.
I am increasingly hearing birdsong earlier in the morning and often while in the woods where they are nested in the tree canopies.
I think it's about values ultimately backed by deeds.
On Monday I did something that I didn't have to.
Mum had received like a good number of others a telephone message to arrange an appointment for the Covid vaccination, part of NHS England's program to help get us out of the restrictions we are in and to reduce the number of people who have been taken seriously ill with Covid.
When I found out about it and that she had a booking I offered to to go with her to assist as she has difficulties in walking and hearing apart from being very nervous so she would able to attend without having to be asked.
That's because I understand it to be a part of our standards.
It's not a 'chore' it is an extra thing that makes a difference seeing something that needed to be done and doing it.
That kind of thing from a youngster helping a elderly neighbour onwards is a big part of what it is about because we grow when we take on responsibilities and take our place within the community.
It's another chilly day following this weekends cold spot as I was out exercising in the woods well wrapped up with thick socks and gloves on watching the wild life, enjoying the enduring ways of nature.
Games do certainly have a part Cubs and indeed from the earliest days of the Wolf Cubs the details were compiled from packs that found they held youngsters interests to the point you could say some have become a part of the traditions that are handed down.
Songs too can form a part of it too either acapella or to say a guitar or piano that are fun to sing, may have nonsense words in them with actions members can do too. Toss in a campfire and you've got some great memories I'm sure.
Songs also come into the great tradition of the Gang Show that apart from being fun to be involved in can form a part of a path towards an interest in drama and performing.
For good measure it shows a majestic sunset toward the rear of the wood they are exploring.
It's a personal favourite of mine.
After that bit good news it also was the case the weather improved here making it easier to get about on foot so I was able to go for a good walk crossing roads that had been rather like skating rinks just days before.
Just standing their, blending in with the surroundings watching wildlife fascinates me.
Friday was the last day for donations to Race Around The World, the Scouting Association intuitive to raise funds for over 500 Scout Groups at risk of closure due to fund shortages arising from Covid-19's impact on scouting.
More than 130,000 miles were travelled raising £350,000, breaking the set target by local groups such as the 1st Forres Scouts pictured, donations plus an amazing single donation of £300,000 meant that £650,000 was raised with match funding on top taking us to £1.3million.
This means the Scouting Association is now able to make available funds on an application basis for those groups at risk to keep scouting going in areas where it can be a struggle to raise funds and where those children and young people who are disadvantaged have a greater need for all this movement has to offer.
Naturally guidance will be given to aid the process to at risk groups.
Thanks everyone who took part in any capacity to keep scouting going.
It's been a funny old week in some respects because outside of you know what it has been been one of the coldest Winters I can recall for a good while so snow from a week back is still here and where it has melted and frozen over ice remains which is a problem for a person with my kind of physical disabilities being very unstable on my feet.
That said I did find parts I could with care get around to explore which yesterday saw me spending time watching over six grey squirrels playing in a pocket of woodland running up and down trees, leaping from branch to branch and the dashing across the grass with acorns!
I also staying very still was ale to observe a few members of the Tit family close up apart from the every present blackbirds
As yet there has been no announcement as to how this will effect Scouting officially but given the trends within education, it seems likely we will be resorting to more online pack meetings and activities outside of those that can done from home and scout leaders and others will step up to keep scouting running until the restrictions can be lifted.
The spirit and practice of scouting does lend itself to changes within how you engage with it and the transmission of skills and across the wider scouting movement we have seen more imaginative use of online formats not just in scouts but also in GirlGuiding and virtual activities.
The spirit of adventure is everywhere even in the toughest of times and scouting helps getting you through the challenges ahead.
On what is a cold very icy morning here where unfortunately I'll need to be indoors as it's no good under my feet, I thought we'd look at the past.
Today is of course New Years Day and it seems fitting to devote an entry to two people who have done a lot over their years to foster the Scouting Movement.
He was awarded a MBE in this years New Years Honours.
For him the satisfaction though comes from seeing the older Scout at the age of 23 or 24 in the street seeing how well they had done in the time from when they joined Scouts, growing as people.
In what as been a difficult year for scouting when many scouts have helped in their communities to provide much need relief and assistance it is fitting that two people who devoted time, effort and dedication to enabling scouting to made a difference are rightly honoured.
We salute them.
