Minutes of Loddon District Explorer
Leaders Meeting Thu 29th Oct 2008 at Twyford Scout HQ
Apologies
Mark
& Anne-Marie (E), Claire,
Attending
Colin (DESC), Lynda
(DESA), Bill (Mountaineering+Leader), Hazel (Hill Walking+Leader), Stu
(Assistant Leader), Dan (Instructor), Rob (Leader), Grace
(Explorer)
Review of Minutes (http://www.loddonexplorers.co.uk/Leader_Meeting_1May08.html )
Matters arising
Correction: Subs fees for Groups adjusted to £50
Subscriptions
& Membership
It was agreed at the last meeting that we would
increase Subs to
Explorers: £8 per month, £32 per term, £96 per
year.
Young Leaders: £50 per year (if attending Explorer Meetings as well)
and Groups £45.
Re-revised Subscription forms will be out on the web
site
It was agreed that a letter needs to be sent to all parents, and paper
copies handed to all Explorers
at the next few meetings, to have full details
of all who attend.
Need to Census Friday and Monday and Young
Leaders
Action: Colin to send Lynda the Master Forms
Action:
Registration Forms to be handed out at every meeting to re-establish the
register.
Leaders
Discussion
took place on the appropriate age for Explorer leaders. It was agreed that all
Explorer Leaders should be over 19 years old to allow for a ‘year out’ from
being explorer scouts. The DESC should be over 25 according to
POR.
All our
leaders and helpers are CRB checked and most are warranted. Stuart and Dan have
warrants in different sections of scouting and Rob had applied for a warrant for
explorers but not received one. This should be expedited as soon as possible as
Rob should not be in charge of a meeting without a warrant.
It was noted that Scott was sorting out
Virtual Accounts and finances generally and that he was now away at University
with little time to do this. It was considered he should not have this
responsibility and that as Lynda (as Administrator) had already offered to take
back this role, she should be responsible for the groups finances and virtual
account in future. All financial receipts and claims should now be sent to
Lynda.
Action: Colin to organise this with Scott
who is now at University. (Note: No
discussion took place on the website which Scott has kindly set up and runs – do
we need a new webmaster now he is at
University?)
Programme
Grace needs support to manage and
run the program; as an Explorer within the unit, she doesn't obviously have the
"authority" needed.
It was agreed that more "adult thought" needs to go into
the overall program planning, with items "outside their comfort zone" being
added at a later stage.
Anne-Marie E has volunteered to do Program Admin and
make sure Leaders are alerted well in advance of their scheduled activity
"slot".
It was agreed that we would take up Anne-Marie's kind offer to
help schedule and remind the Adults to prepare and run "their"
evening.
The programme up to December was
discussed and leaders organised for each event. A further meeting in December
would discuss next years programme.(See below for programme).
Lack of Explorer scouts/
Linking
There were concerns that numbers of
explorer scouts had dropped considerably on Monday nights. There are also a
number of explorers who are about to turn 18 and we therefore need to attract
more younger people and those leaving scouts.
Hazel agreed to find out when the
next contingent of scouts is due to leave the Twyford group so that we can
organise some linking activities.
It was agreed we needed to do
more Linking with Friday base, Dan said he had a contact and would look into
it.
Tent and Storage in General
Mark has done the costings for
the new Pod, delivery has to wait until all the quotes are "in" and the total
claim now made.
Bill suggested using the HQ Pod, while it will fill it up,
this may be necessary, but taking the HQ Pod out of use yet further depletes our
limited resources and will continue to push downwards the numbers attending. Stu
wondered if the 15ft poles would in fact fit in!
Colin suggested we look at
hiring a lockup, same as county do, but it would need to be a long one (15ft
min!).
No one offered to follow up this action point, so no date was set and
this will be reviewed if there is no progress at another
meeting.
Role of fund raising in the unit
programme
Bill
felt we had too much emphasis on fund-raising and too little on the explorers
themselves, expedition planning and meeting content.
Colin said he could
easily organise reducing the amount we raise if that was what everyone wanted to
do.
It was agreed to stick to just the principal Fund raisers, Stonor etc,
and drop all the rest.
Action: It was agree Colin would reduce all
fund-raising down to minimal levels for Unit direct cost needs
only.
Explorer Fund-raising Plans and bookings so far for 2008 (Colin)
Carnival, Stonor Craft Fair, 2 x Stonor Concerts,
Virtual
Accounts
Discussion took place on the agreed
system of Virtual Accounts. As was always the case it was agreed that there
no-one should be able to spend more than was in their
account
Action: It was agreed Lynda would manage the
Virtual Accounts, but ensure we have actual money to support
them
.
Relationship of the unit to Paddicks Patch.
The Unit is
not the Service Crew, although some of the Service Crew are Explorers and
ex-Explorers
However, the Unit has the only supply of youngsters of a
suitable age to help and work around Paddicks.
Clarification of Best
Practices ref mixed accommodation and PSE
Colin reminded the team that
the latest guidelines were published and seemed to agree with our previously
agreed "local" guidelines.
Wings Contingent
Need to book places
asap. Suggest we start to get numbers on PSE night.
Action: Lynda to
do a letter.
Alternative Camp/Expedition
Bill suggested we run
one the week before or after Wings. Suggestions are Dartmoor,
Action: Bill
to start a plan.
Canada 2010
Still seems very popular, no
actions suggested.
Programme
3rd Nov Swimming (Publicity)
(Colin, Hazel,
9th Nov Remembrance Sunday: Twyford. Full Uniform
10th Nov
Gary Stanton PSE.
17th Nov Night Hike (Bill)
24th Nov Indoor Pioneering.
(Dan Lead, Lynda, Hazel)
1st Dec Quiz (B&H General Knowledge, Geography,
Lynda)
5th Dec Twyford Street Xmas Fayre (Bill wants the new 20x10, this was
agreed as long as we can have an advert on it)
6th Dec? Woodley Winter
Extravaganza
8th Dec Cooking Biscuits and Pizzas, (Lead Grace, Carolyn, Lynda
to supply the cookers)
15th Dec LazerQuest
19th Dec (Fri) Snowflake
Ball
22nd Dec Twyford Carol Concert
AOB
Next
Meeting: Wed 17th December, 7.30 for 8pm Twyford HQ.