From The Editor 
SCOUTING EAST
No.216 The Journal of East Belfast Scouting DECEMBER 2000
From The Editor
It’s now mid November, the nights are drawing in and the Christmas Season is only weeks away and yet it seems such a short time since we were celebrating the start of the New Millennium back in January. As I write, the outcome of the US Presidential Election is still uncertain: the only thing that is clear is that the result is so close that every single person’s vote will undoubtedly count. Ironically, I found that this was also true closer to home at the County Alexander Swimming Competition this weekend. Of course, there were the same familiar faces who I never doubted would be there and the same parents to support and encourage; but in a competition such as the Alexander Trophy, each width of the pool swum by each member of the Cub Pack counts towards the final score and the decision of a few not to turn up and join the team effort can have a big impact on the final outcome. Thankfully the appointment of our new DC and his Deputy has run much more smoothly than the drama unfolding in Florida. Ian and Alan have already been ‘sworn in’ and have hit the ground running. They are starting to make appointments to their new look District Team and there has been a series of encouraging meetings with GSLs and Section Leaders. Ian has lots of plans and the future looks bright for East. At a time of uncertainty regarding changes to uniform, age limits etc., it does seem a pity that more of us do not make the effort to attend these meetings, especially when we have a new DC keen to keep everyone informed, to listen to our views and to let us all have our say in any decisions to be taken. As in the Alexander Trophy and other Cub Competitions, it seems to be the same old reliable faces who turn up every time at District Meetings. Our contribution is just as important as that of the Cub swimmer or the American voter: if we don’t register out vote, we can’t complain afterwards if we don’t like the outcome. Worth thinking about, is it not?
I would like to end my last editorial of 2000 by thanking all my contributors this year, and also Violet at HQ for preparing the magazine for distribution. A very Merry Christmas and peaceful and prosperous New Year to you all.
David
From the District Commissioner
My thanks to all our Scouters who recently attended our District Scouters’ Meeting at 7th Group HQ. What about a few new faces attending? Our next District Scouters’ Get Together will be on Monday 22nd January 2001, 7.30pm at 99th Group HQ, Belmont. Can we have at least one representative from every Group in East? Deputy DC, Alan Campbell, and I hope to meet as many Scouters/Sections/Groups as possible over the next few months as well as meeting with the District GSLs, so beware, we’ll be looking for YOU!
I am gradually putting together our new District Team and a few new District appointments will be made in due course. The District Team to date is:
District Commissioner: Ian Diamond (10th)
Deputy District Commissioner: Alan Campbell (27th)
ADC [Venture Scouts] John Ashenhurst (33rd)
ADC [Scouts] Harry Kissock
ADC [Scouts] Stephen Anderson (73rd)
ADC [Scouts] to be appointed
ADC [Cub Scouts] Suzi Jeffries (33rd)
ADC [Cub Scouts] John Corry (10th)
ADC [Cub Scouts] to be appointed
ADC [Beaver Scouts] Deirdre Kissock
ADC [Beaver Scouts] Stephen Hand (7th)
ADC [Beaver Scouts] Elizabeth Whitley (10th)
ADC [Adult Training] to be appointed
ADC [Development] to be appointed
ADC [Activities] to be appointed
ADC [Fellowship] to be appointed
My thanks are due to all of our District Scouters, Team and Executive for their continuing effort and commitment and for working so hard all year to bring good quality Scouting to the young people of East Belfast. Well done one and all!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Ian Diamond, District Commissioner
Updating of District Records
At the recent GSLs meeting, Ian asked for the help of all of the Groups in updating the records held by himself, by Ann Anderson, the Appointments Secretary, and by NI HQ at Ardnavalley. Could all Groups please send Ian an accurate, complete and up-to-date list of all currently active warranted Leaders, Adult Instructors, and young Leaders (16-18 years) as soon as possible. This should contain details of name, address, telephone number (and Email address if you have one). It would be helpful if information could also be provided (if available) about the date of first appointment, extent of any training undertaken and any awards held (Medal of Merit etc.) for each person included on the list. Lists can be given to Ian (or emailed via the Editor).
Unwarranted Adult Instructors must be registered with the District- forms available from Ann on request (Tel. 02890 653226). The warrants of those who are no longer serving as Leaders should be cancelled as soon as possible- again appropriate forms are available from Ann. Any Leaders who possess warrants that have expired must have these renewed- if in doubt check with Ann.
Jamie and I hope to update the District website over the next few weeks, so again I would ask for suitable information about your Groups for inclusion.
David
East Beaver Leader in ‘Lock her up and throw
away the key’ drama
Having run the ‘10th BSL visits Knock Fire-Station’ story regularly in previous issues, your Editor decided in his wisdom that Liz had received sufficient publicity (and ribbing) and that by all accounts this was now such a frequent occurrence that it was no longer newsworthy! And so, I decided to start pestering another BSL in East for copy instead. We had hoped to have a report from 9th BSL, Pat Gordon, about her recent trip to Strandtown RUC Station for this month’s issue (we assume that the 9th Beavers were with her on this occasion??!!). Pat is currently unavailable for comment. Official sources (Ann and Roly) have informed me that Pat is on holiday in England. Unofficially, we have learnt to our dismay that Pat may still be at Strandtown RUC Station, apparently in custody in the cells. As this dramatic story continues to unfold, we eagerly await developments. We cannot be sure if Pat is still there because neither Ann nor Roly have offered to put up the bail money on account of some unmentionable crime or because one of the 9th Beavers has locked her in and run off with the key to the cell door… we look forward to a full written denial of this rumour from Pat herself next month!
News from 30th Group
30th Pack had their traditional half-term party on the last Thursday in October. There was the usual mix of ample amounts of syrup, apples, nuts, instant whip and flour ensuring a messy and fun-filled night of team games. What made this year particularly memorable though was the inclusion of food colourings in the gunge to produce mixtures resembling blood, vomit etc. This was particularly effective- of course there always has to be one Cub who gets a little carried away and plunges his whole head in! Another addition was our ‘sand mine’ game – this was suggested to us by a Leader in Bangor during the Cub Challenge at Crawfordsburn a few weeks ago. Teams of Cubs armed with just teaspoons and torches raced against each other to transport sand through tunnels constructed from blankets, tables and chairs to be the first to fill a bucket at the mouth of the tunnel. By the end of the game when we switched the lights back on the Hall floor looked like Helen’s Bay beach but the Cubs did seem to have enjoyed themselves!
At the start of November, we decided to ‘try a new sport or hobby’ for the Adventure Award and were joined for the evening by Keith Farrell from the Northern Ireland Twae Kwon Do Association. This was a superb activity and all the Cubs enjoyed practising the ‘war cries’ and ‘moves’ as well as trying out the punching gloves and watching Keith breaking wood with his head and feet! If anyone else would like to invite Keith to their Pack night, we would be happy to supply details.
The Cubs are also working on their Health and Fitness Badge and our thanks go to Michael Thompson (Optician), Paul and Hillary Blundell (Dentists) and Bob Taylor (Consultant Paediatrician) who all recently spent some time at 30th HQ helping out with this. The Leaders were very amused by the sight of the Cubs trying on the various pairs of glasses and donning disposable gloves and surgical masks to extract teeth with plyers from a dummy’s mouth.
David, CSL 30th
News from 10th Group
Well done to all at 10th Group on a well organised event to mark the official opening of the new Keown Hall Extension on 21st October. Your editor, hot-footing it from the Gilnahirk Autumn Fair, arrived late and made a dramatic Hollywood –style entrance during Lord Alderdice’s speech. Hopefully, Ian and the gang at Oakland Avenue have forgiven me by now…?!! The photo below appeared in the Belfast News shortly after the event.
Another GSL in the news……….!
At a recent meeting at Ardnavalley a dummy (?) was to be found in Ken Gillespie’s office. To protect the modesty of the said dummy someone had thoughtfully draped a towel over it. According to my sources, a certain GSL at 7th was very red-faced when she was caught in the act of peering behind the towel??? Can anyone enlighten us??
The following were recommended for Leader Appointments at the
District Appointments Sub-Committee Meeting held at 9th HQ
[Sydenham Methodist] on 3rd November, 2000:
Robert McKinnon (BSL 3rd), Peter Dorman (ABSL 33rd), Paul John Riley (ACSL 73rd) & Fiona Thompson (ACSL 30th )
It was a pleasure to interview some new Leaders for each of these Groups- a fine bunch of people- welcome, all of you! The next District Appointments Sub-committee meeting is due in January (venue: 9th HQ) so applications please, in good time, to Ann Anderson.
Philip Holland, Sub-Committee Chairman
(Several of the new Leaders have since commented that the Committee made them feel very welcome and at ease on the night and that the interviews were conducted in an informal and relaxed way - so well done to Ann, Phil and Ian too –Ed)
Venture Scouting
33rd Venture Scouts would like to thank all the Units who turned up on 11th October to listen to Gerry talk about Habitat for Humanity. This was the first meeting of all the Units in East and everyone had a good time. We hope other Units get the same support for their events. (Ian McLachlan)
The District Team are working towards implementing a plan to establish and sustain 5 viable Venture Scout Units:
Gilnahirk VSU: 27th and 30th Groups
Belmont VSU: 99th and 111th Groups
McMordie VSU: 10th, 9th, 3rd, 73rd Groups
Stormont VSU: 33rd and 7th Groups
Knock VSU: 24th, 64th and 4th Groups
If your Troop has any PLs about to reach pension age, or for that matter, you know of any teenage girls in your congregation or local community please encourage them to join their nearest Unit.
Cairn Again !
Remember this: We went, we saw, we concreted! (January Scouting East)
I was back at the 'Burn on a dry Saturday in October to visit a Troop from West Belfast at their weekend camp. And guess what? Our Cairn so lovingly carried and mixed and installed was apparently buried under tonnes of muck or else totally scraped in the Crawfordsburn Refurbishment Programme. I was devastated; but also wrong. Our Cairn, No.2 on the site, had been rescued from the bulldozers by the wardens, carried off to a safe house and reinstalled when the builders weren't looking. Hurrah! for the wardens, I hear you yell. Hurrah in deed for there is now no need for the intrepid four to go back to the 'Burn......unless that is, you don't let John or Suzi have your ideas for the programme for the Cairn. Then, no doubt the intrepid four will again find themselves down at the 'Burn on yet another wet Saturday!!
Brian Laffin, 4th CSL
Why don't people listen?
I attended the last Cub Leaders meeting (30th October 2000) at Stormont Youth Centre, and after I left that question haunted me. The meeting was held for Cub Leaders as an opportunity to look ahead at the forthcoming events and plan for our future. In all 6 packs were represented. (There are 13 packs in East District). We discussed all this year's events with a view to change, abandonment or additions. Everyone had a chance to speak and all had an opinion to air. This was our chance to speak, our chance to be heard. We the great unwashed the Leaders, had an opportunity to make a difference and we missed out. Why? Simple, because we were not all there. I have asked folk in the past why they don't go to meetings. Their response often is, "Sure no one listens to me". Hardly surprising if you are not there.
Changes happen in our movement. Some are for the good. Many are for change sake and some are totally contrary to our wishes. We have to be heard otherwise we have no redress when age limits change, caps are abolished, girls can join the Cubs, uniforms takes a hammering, capitation fees increase. It can be hard to listen to someone if they are not there to speak. Make an effort to attend. People will listen and together we can be strong enough to make ourselves heard and make changes to suit us.
A Cub Scout Leader
(who was at the meeting)
News in Brief…
Congratulations to Pauline (ACSL, 27th) on her forthcoming marriage to Aidan Cosgrove. Best wishes for the future to you both from all your friends in East.
Events in December
1st: East Belfast District Cub Scout Swimming Gala
Contact: John or Suzi
2nd: Belfast Heats of NI Slot-car competition (Cubs)
Contact: Sinclair Trotter
Contact: John or Suzi
3rd: Belfast Heats of NI Slot-car competition (Scouts)
Contact: Sinclair Trotter
10th: District Beaver and Cub Scout Christingle Service, St.Donard's Church (73rd HQ)
Contact: Deirdre or Stephen
News & Views, Letters & Comments, Reports & Announcements to the Editor:
e.mail: d.bell@qub.ac.uk or eastbelfast@yahoo.com
not later than 1st December for the January Issue please!
