11/03/07

We have a Magazine that we publish periodically called The Patrol, and this is the main source of information for people who want to know what we do. the only draw back is most of the articles are about the Scouts, and what they have been doing, this is only because it's produced by them, and the Dyslectic Scout Leader. We are a happy and quite active Group, doing the usual camping, hiking, canoeing, climbing, abseiling, etc, etc. We also take part in a number of local and District events, and like most Groups our membership goes up and down without any particular reason. At the moment we are struggling to keep up with the influx of Cubs, and Beavers, unlike the Scout section which is still trying to recover from the change in the age back in 2004, and the subsequent loss of older Scouts, not forgetting their parents help. As a Group the Scout section has been more active than the other sections, having been on the Television and local radio on a number of occasions, as well as local and regional newspapers and magazines. We hold a Guinness World record, and have won a number of County and Regional Scouting competitions over the past 10 years or so. We are also active within the local community, and try to put ourselves and Scouting forward whenever we can at the local schools, agricultural show, tractor pull, and community events. We also put on a number of things ourselves to encourage local participation and promote Scouting to a wider audience, including discos, shows, displays, and demonstrations. In 2000/1 we decided to improve our facilities for both the Group members, and the local community, and after a number of meetings of the group executive, Leaders, and trustees it was decided the best way to do this was by replacing the building completely with a more permanent and cost effective facility. So not long after plans were drawn and planning permission obtained, to build a new multi purpose building, to accommodate a number of uses and activities. But all this was obviously dependant on help from parents etc, in the organisation of significant fundraising, and the appropriation of grants from various sources. Unfortunately as it is with these things, all the responsibility fell upon a small number of dedicated members, who over the years have dwindled in numbers, due to the ever decreasing circles we fined ourselves in, trying to get funding etc, for a Rural Community project!