Minutes of Loddon District Explorer Leaders Meeting Thu 6th March 2008 at Twyford
Scout HQ
In attendance Dan, Rob, Mark L, Hazel,
Bill, Stu, Colin, Mark E, Anne-Marie E, Lynda
Review
of Minutes (http://www.loddonexplorers.co.uk/Leader_Meeting_17Jan08.html)
Matters
arising
None
Correspondence
Letter
from Peter Sutherland with Donation of £20 (Colin to write thank-you note and
confirm using the BIG Marquee for Peter)
Marquee
Tent donated by Sonning Scout Group.
Stores
Need
to make space if taking new Marquee!
Need
to sort stores and tidy up, maybe we need to dispose of some stuff, or do we
need any new kit? 1 in 1 out?
Andrew Warby has agreed to be Store QM
Tent
Hire
Rent Peter Sutherland the 20x40 for 4 - 6 weeks.
Reports
DofE
Report (Clair) not present
Young
Leader Section Report (Clair) not present
Monday
Section Report (Colin)
All running smoothly with active camping (sleeping in hall, mainly!) and activities, mostly outdoors.
No current discipline issues, but Subs and harvesting the names and addresses of members essential!
Friday
Section Report (Nigel) not present
Finance!
Fund-raising
update and Bank Accounts
Subscriptions
It was agreed that since we hadn't raised the Subs for several years, we should increase our fees.
This would be in-line with most Groups in the District, and other Explorer Units.
Currently we charge:
Explorers pay £5 per month, £20 per term, £60 per year.
Young Leaders pay £25 per year (if attending Explorer Meetings as well) and Groups £35.
It was agreed that we would increase Subs to
Explorers: £8 per month, £32 per term, £96 per year.
Young Leaders: £36 per year (if attending Explorer Meetings as well) and Groups £60.
A
revised Subscription form will be put out on the web site, and a letter
sent to all parents, and paper copies handed to all Explorers at
meetings over the next few weeks.
Bag-packing:
Action:
Volunteer needed to ask Waitrose and to
enquire about Scouts National scheme with Sainsburys, which involves a "training
day" as well.
Car
Wash:
Mark
suggested that Car Washing is profitable especially in the Spring at Garden
Centers
Action
Morgan
& Mark to ask new Garden Centre at Hare Hatch, (aka old Farm Shop).
Gift
Aid (Lynda)
Update
us on progress of £628 for 2006 + update on 2007 Gift Aid
Lynda
promised that by end of Feb 2006 & 2007 will be done.
(Although
when Tax man pays up is another matter)
Insurance
Renewal
We are
now PROPERLY insured for everything we do. At last!
ATV
(aka Quad)
Approx
annual cost for maintenance and servicing: £50
Adults
only on the quad during any Scout meeting or camp, due to insurance considerations and safety.
Colin toinvestigate legal and insurance side of the Quad/ATV to see if we can afford to allow Scouts to use it.
Agreed.
Chain
Saw:
Action:
Stu to
source cheap loan of chain saw.
Explorer
Fund-raising Plans and bookings so far for 2008 (Colin)
Carnival
Gate
Carnival
have offered us the job of "Runners" taking tickets, cash and other
items from Gates to HQ and back.
Action:
Lead
Explorer: Scott
Leader:
Anne-Marie
Need
to chase with Carnival Committee and confirm we DO have that role.
VW
Rally
Sunday 1
June 2008
VW
Owners' Rally
Action:
Colin
has confirmed with Steve Pool that we have the concession.
This needs to be used as a training for those able to attend Stonor Craft Fair in Aug.
(Colin, Bill, Hazel, Mark are all away at the County Expedition in Switzerland).
General
Otherwise
our usual regular confirmed bookings forecasting £5000
Marquee
Maintenance & Cleaning
They
need cleaning and stitching. We MUST put aside money for upkeep and replacement
of canvas this year.
We are
very naughty about our long term depreciation budget (ie we don't keep a Tent
Contingency/Renewal Fund!)
Training
Action:
Climbing
Authorisations
Update:
Course now running on Tuesday at Earlywood for all interested.
Shooting
Authorisations
Contact
Paul Norris if interested. Will be paid from training budget.
Stonor
IETF Craft Fair
Almost
the entire Leader team is away, we need to train up another team for this year, at the VW Rally!!
Rob,
Dan, Stu, Claire? Tim & Anne-Marie, Rob J, Morgan, Dan, Dobby, Andrew
Warby, Josh, Owen,
Paddicks
Paddicks
Fund-raising Plans and bookings so far for 2008 (Colin)
Woodley
Carnival Week: Childrens Fun Day
Sat
7th June Woodley Town Centre WTCMI, Childrens Fun Day, Climbing wall. Outside
Dentists &
Chinese.
Actions:
Stu
investigate another climbing wall.
Action:
Need someone to try and book Bulmershe wall....
Rob
& Morgan to book Bouncy Castle from Parkers
Action:
Need confirmation.
Book
County Display Kit
Action:
Colin has booked the kit with County.
Colin:
General Admin
Paddicks
Patch Open Day and Party in the Park Sat 19th April
2
tickets sold so far...We need to HEAVILY promote both these events, the Fun Day
to recruit adult leaders, the Party as a fund-raiser.
Please
print off and distribute the flyers as widely as possible for Fun Day and to
all Scout Halls for the Party.
Paddicks
Family Fun Day 19 Apr
Paddicks
Party in the Park 19 Apr
Please
send eTicket for Party in the Park
St
Georges Day Event Sunday 27th April
Colin
has booked the Memorial Ground and Coronation Hall (for electric
supply, toilets & as venue backup in case of rain).
Program
TBD, so all wacky suggestions welcome at this meeting.
Colin:
Space ships (cardboard boxes & tubes) and give them water
pistols and hoses to try and make other ships disintegrate....
Paddicks
Costs Over-run
Zero
spend continues, Explorers picking up the tab, will re-charge back when new
budget is agreed at AGM and in April
Paddicks
Electric Bills
Paddicks
is now running at £1500 a year on electric bills. Last bill alone was £800,
probably estimated.
Action: Stu
to ask questions about timers, etc, arc lights and reduce our consumption.
Action: Colin
to confirm meter readings are actual not estimated.
Action:
Donald and Colin to investigate alternative Energy suppliers
with cheaper costs and Direct Debit.
Explorers
are at least in part responsible, heaters left on in Pod, and hall, Arc Lamp
left on overnight during camps.
Action:
Should we set a 15 min time switch on the Arc lamp, maybe the same
on the Hall heaters?
The
Exec was convinced (by Colin) that the switch from Electric cooking to gas
cooking should save a lot of money.
Bottom
line: We need to be MUCH more energy conscious on Mondays and on our Camps at
Paddicks.
Paddicks
Patch Activities Update.
High
Ropes & crate stacking.
Action:
Stu to ask Brewery for crates.
Climbing
Wall
Can we
use 2nd hand climbing blocks?
Action:
Stu to follow up.
Robs
Chainsaw Certificate
Rob
now has a chain saw license,anyone need a tree felling? :-).
Program Planning:
Fixing Unit diary dates, meeting plans and allocating Leaders
to activities.
Monday
Program Review (Colin):
(In progress with the Unit Council)....
Camps
Survival Camp (Easter) move date & venue to Stonor?
MTB Camp Wales (Morgan Mark E)
Stonker 2008: (New Venue! Fet agreed to Organise)
County Explorers: "Run a Joint Meeting":
Update: (Lynda) Suggest use one of ours!
Summer Expedition to French "Alps 08": Update.
(Nigel, Dan, Mark E, Bill & Hazel & now Colin invited)
Activities (Evening or Weekend)
Quad Biking (Hire Quad bikes): Dan H. Dobby.
Day Trip to London (Monopoly Run) Colin Grace &
Laura.
Ice Skating (Monday's must be Slough) Colin .... Laura.
Trampoline (Bulmurshe) Anne-Marie
& Dobby
Snow Tubing (Bracknell w/e only) Tractor Tyre at Stonker
(tarp)
High Ropes (Not Lookout. Another one. Stu, Mark E)
Sky Diving Milton Keynes (Colin)
Caving (Hugh, Colin).
Kayaking (Wokingham Waterside Center or Eyot Scott -
Wayne)
Day Trip to Belgium (Anyone? Minibus?) Colin + minibus.
Meetings
Army Eve (Stuart to bring an Army person)
Sumo evening (whenever)
Backwoods Cooking evening (Keith Colin eat local plants)
Survival and basic backwoods camping Skills (Keith &
Rob)
Chav Hunting (Large version) Colin Rob
Fire Fighting and Fire Safety (Paul Stu, knows someone,
fire brigade etc)
Beer Brewing (Wine, Lager, Cider, WKD, Vodka, Brewing)
Rob Scott
Circus Skills (Bezerka) Colin
Rave Night (Morgan, Mark L)
Hot Air Balloons Night (Colin and Andy)
Shooting (Paul Norris 3rd March, booked)
Friday
Program Review (Nigel):
(Not present)
Meeting ended at 22:20