Welcome to Ripon and District Scouts

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

"The District team would like to wish everyone a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.
A huge thank you for all that you do for our young people week in and week out.
We hope that you have a bit of a break over the festive season and look forward to all the exciting events we have planned in the District for 2020."

Valuable is the work you do
Outstanding is how you always come through
Loyal, Sincere and full of good cheer
Untiring in your Efforts throughout the year
Notable are the contributions you make
Trustworthy in every project you take
Eager to reach your every goal
Effective in the way you do your role
Ready with a smile like a shining star
Special and Wonderful is what you are!

Anon

Getting ready for Census. 

It's coming up to the start of a new year, which can only mean one thing – it's Census time! 

Soon HQ willl share with you any changes that will be made, but for now, here are the key dates to put in your diary so you can get prepared:

Mid-January – Passwords to access the Census site will be sent out 
Tuesday 21 January – Census site opens 
Friday 31 January – The Actual Census date

The County Commissioner will need all District submissions by Monday 17th February.and this means that the Group submission will need to be ready by Monday 10th February at the latest  - Thank you for your cooperation.

NOTE: Saturday 29 February – Census site closes and all data must have been submitted.

FOURTEEN keen and motivated members of the local DAS (District Active Support Unit) met recently at the South Lodge Hotel, Ripon, for a meal and to hold their annual 'planning' meeting.

Their objectives were to look at the 2020 programme that the Scouters had planned for the District for the forthcoming year, and to decide how they could give DAS support to help Leaders to achieve the aims of the DISTRICT PROGRAMME. 

Secondly they took time to plan their own social events for the year (designed to fit round the 'Active Support' of all the Groups and Units in the District).

Social events for DAS that are to be expected for 2020 may include - the Annual DAS Dinner, Bellboating on the River Ure, a Summer Barbecue, a Spring or Summer Walk, a visit to Markenfield Hall, a possible Curry Night, and of course another 'planning' meeting towards the end of 2020.

The Annual DASQUEST for our young people was also talked about and, this coming year, the challenge will be offered to the Beaver Scout Section in the District. It will be on offer to ALL starting 1st April 2020 and finishing on 31st August 2020. More details of this will follow on this website and by email to Beaver Scout Leaders.

The next event for the Local DAS Unit is their Annual Dinner & get together in early January.

Scouting is one of the greatest movements the world has ever known. Scouts have walked on the moon, rowed across oceans, scaled the highest mountains. They have been Prime Ministers and Oscar winners, authors and inventors, World Cup heroes and scientists.

Scouting is for everyone, and there are all kinds of famous people who were once Scouts, some of whom might surprise you. Scouts have been presidents, prime ministers, entrepreneurs and pop stars. They have climbed Everest, stood at the South Pole and walked on the moon. Scouts are also teachers, social workers – the people who make society work. They are all united by common values of integrity, respect, trust cooperation, and their promise to help other people.

Here are just a few examples.

Sir David Attenborough, naturalist
Neil Armstrong, astronaut
Buzz Aldrin, astonaut
David Beckham, footballer
Tony Blair, former prime minister
Russell Brand, comedian
Sir Richard Branson, entrepreneur
Jarvis Cocker, musician
Billy Connolly, comedian
Bill Clinton, former US president
Bill Gates, business magnate
Bear Grylls, survival expert (& Chief Scout)
Richard Hammond, tv presenter
(Note...Richard was once a member of Ripon & District!)
Lucie Jones, singer and actress
John F Kennedy, former US president
John Lennon, singer & songwiter
James Martin, chef
Sir Andrew Murray, tennis player
Sir Paul McCartney, musician
Barack Obama, former US president
Joe Pasquale, comedian
Jeremy Paxman, journalist
Keith Richards, musician
Steven Spielberg, film director
David Walliams, comedian
John Wayne, actor

This, from Anne Collins who is our DAS Manager and also a leader with the 1st Boroughbridge Group who were running and hosting the event:

"We all know Cubs can be helpful, useful, resourceful young people but what do we expect them to learn in their time in Cubs? Boroughbridge Leaders decided to make the District Cub Activity Day an opportunity to acquire or refresh some of these varied skills – hence the invitation to join in with ‘Ten Things Every Cub Should Know’. 

Once the leaders, helpers and DAS members were briefed on the activity they would each be running for the day,79 Cubs were let loose with their escorts to begin their hectic day. With all 10 bases to get round between 11.45 and 4.30 there was no time to waste, so it was off to find where their first activity was sited within Coronation Hall. Woggle making with paracord was a tricky skill to master but wonderful woggles were soon being worn. 

What to pack for camp was a busy base with lots of tips from an experienced leader and international Scouting provided an opportunity to learn more about other countries. ‘What to do in an Emergency’ provided sound training and the chance to resuscitate poor Annie whilst the next base not only taught new fire lighting methods but the chance to cook a smoky S’more as well.
     
Knotting is always associated with Scouting and so a chance to tie knots, not only in rope but also in spaghetti, and to master tying shoelaces - with edible shoelaces of course – was well received. Translating two dimensional maps into 3D sand trays was very popular as was solving various coded messages, something all budding spies enjoy. Scouting is renowned for encouraging people to work together so Team Lego required cooperation to solve the problem of rebuilding the Lego house – with time to make their own creations once the task was complete!
     
In such a busy day, refuelling is essential and the gallant DAS members on catering duty provided hotdogs and a filling lunch as well as regular drink-and-biscuit stops for Cubs and adults alike. Hopefully, by the end of the day, each Cub had learnt something new and a big Thank You was due to all the adults and Young Leaders who had helped.  By 5 o’clock peace reigned once more, the Hall was clean and tidy and all those Cubs had discovered the secret of a good night’s sleep is to have enjoyed a very busy day."

Well done to ALL who took part and ALL who helped to make the event the evident success that it was!

The Annual General Meeting of the Ripon & District Scout Council was held at Thirsk Town Hall on 25th September 2019 and was attended by over 36 leaders, helpers, administrators, honoured guests and friends of Scouting. The Meeting was opened by the County Commissioner, Mark Edwards who is at present also acting as our District Commissioner.

Mark congratulated the District on its 100th Anniversary and told the meeting that the 'Youth' numbers were down in the last Census but 'Leader' numbers were up. He asked everyone to get involvbed with the 'Just One More' campaign in the next 6 months. If every section got one more member there would be a rise of 375 extra members in the County!!

We were gathered to elect an Executive Committee to run the District's affairs, on behalf of the District Scout Council, until the same time next year and business was conducted under the watchful eye of our Honoured Guests, the Deputy Mayor & Mayoress of Ripon and our County Secretary, Mr David Forster.

Mark Edwards first job was to nominate John Lockwood as District Chairman and hand the meeting over to him. The previous minutes were then agreed, apologies given, the District Annual report circulated, and the accounts were received and considered. 

The Officers were then duly elected and approved and are: Honorary District Secretary: Mrs. Toni Vauvert - Honorary District Treasurer: Mr Peter Bardon - and Honorary District Badge Secretary: Mrs. Cath McMorland.

The next item was to nominate/elect a 'working' District Executive which consisted of the above Officers and the following members: Mike Collins, Anne Collins, Ian Bardon, John Goom, Joe Hart, Tessa Danby and David Day. ALL were approved by the meeting. Adam Dickson was then nominated and approved as the Youth Commissioner to the Executive.

Those present also approved Claire Newcombe as Honorary Auditor for another year, John McGrath as District President for a 3 year term, and Iris De Wet as the District's representative on the County Scout Council for the year.

In 'Awards and Presentations' the acting DC mentioned several long Service Awards which would be presented shortly in 'Group' settings. 

The David Burnett Community Award Silver Salver had been presented at the start of the meeting (due to his young age) to Isaac from the 6th Ripon Group for his extensive pro-social behaviour. Isaac was a Beaver Scout when nominated but has now moved up into Cub Scouts.

The evening ended with a brilliant talk (with power point show) by Jonathan Bennington and Eilis Fitzgerald, two Explorer Scouts who had recently returned from the 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, USA, after travelling there as part of the UK's 4,000 strong Contingent to a total Jamboree of 40,000 Scouts!

Finally, thanks were give to the local 'District Active Support Unit' for providing tea/coffee and biscuits and it is worth mentioning there were 15 members of DAS present in one guise or another!

Have you found the "Find your Group here" words on the front page of this website? You can click it to go to the map. You can also access the Map via the District Information Tab.

This Map shows where ALL NINE of our Scout Groups and BOTH of our Explorer Scout Units meet.

Click on one of the blue Icons and find the address of the meeting place and on which days they meet.

It also gives a 'contact' number for members and non-members to be able to find out more about the Groups!