COVID-19 News Bulletin #6 - 1st May 2020

Thank you for your continued support. We have a selection of useful information for you this week. At the present time we have no idea when Scouting in Suffolk will return to normal but we do all need to pull together in groups and districts to ensure that we are ready when we get the green light to resume Scouting in whatever form that takes.

Please remember that the key communications over the coming months will be the regular email newsletter and our website https://www.suffolkscouts.org.uk/coronovirus.  All content we post will be based on UK Government and The Scout Association guidelines. Our Facebook and Twitter pages will be updated with pictures and videos of what our young people are up to regarding Scouting – there is lots going on! 

Finance and Grants

We have news this week of several new potential sources of funding. The National Lottery Community Fund has been given an additional £300 m of additional funding from the government. You can access more information here.  The Youth Investment Fund is related to The National Lottery Fund but has another £100m of funding to bid for. There is a separate website for this.

Sport England has been given £195m to help sport and physical activity through this crisis and to support the long-term impact of the current situation. You can find out how to submit a bid here.

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#Adventure Continues - Challenge 3 - International

For #AdventureContinues Challenge 3, let’s celebrate Suffolk Scouts partnership with Mafeking, North West Province, South Africa, by giving these challenges a try. Have a go with as many as you like – and there is no reason why you can’t try one that is listed under a different section! 

Have fun, and remember to let us know how you get on! - Click on the link - Challenges

Thoughts and Thank You From The County Commissioner – Renewal Of Promise

Hello Suffolk Scouting,

When I started 2020, little did I think then in January, that many of the initiatives that were kicked off or about to be launched would hit at such as challenging a time that was to emerge in March. As the situation with the pandemic worsened, our lives and livelihoods became more uncertain and Scouting in Suffolk could have stopped and we could have duly waited until the crisis had passed. But as true Scouts, everyone has not only kept Scouting moving, we have proved that we are prepared and prepared to do more not less for our young people and the communities around us in these times.

As Scouts, we believe in preparing young people with skills for life. We bring communities together and contribute to society. Above all, we aim to build better futures. In the last couple of months we have truly lived our values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Cooperation and Belief.

Taking each let’s celebrate what we have all done:

Care: We support others and take care of the world in which we live.

As Suffolk Scouters, we reached out to volunteer colleagues and young people to make sure they were ok. We offered our services to other organisations who needed our help such as East of England Ambulance Service and Age UK Suffolk, and of course supported The Big Night In fundraiser with scouts across the country.

Respect: We have self-respect and respect for others.

We have no doubt all felt uncomfortable, frightened, relieved and positive at different times and the same time! We shared our Scouting experiences through Facebook and Instagram, which has inspired us all to keep going, learned new things such as Scouting at home and video conferencing. To see Facebook pages filled with photos and videos of our young people actively camping outside in their gardens, making dens inside, undertaking science experiments and baking shows how Scouting and you as leaders are working hard to still inspire our young people. Don’t forget to look at programme ideas on the Suffolk Website #Adventure Continues.

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COVID-19 News Bulletin #5 - 24th April 2020

Thank you for continuing to support scouting. We recognise that some leaders and volunteers within Suffolk Scouts may well be experiencing turmoil and challenging times within their own lives and families, so we ask you to support each other where you can. We appreciate that not everyone has the time and energy to devote to these new ways of scouting, some of you may be Key Workers or taking on additional volunteer roles within your communities. If you do need additional support, the family of Scouting is alive and well in Suffolk.

If you feel you need extra support, there is a 24-hour First Response service in Suffolk and Norfolk run by the NHS for Mental Health. You can access the details of this service here.

Please remember that the key communications over the coming months will be the weekly email newsletter and our website https://www.suffolkscouts.org.uk/coronovirus.  All content we post will be based on UK Government and The Scout Association guidelines. Our Facebook and Twitter pages will be updated with pictures and videos of what our young people are up to regarding Scouting – there is lots going on! 

Finance and Grants

Please ensure that your executive committees have reviewed your costs and incomes during this period. If you are concerned about finance in your group, please flag this up with you District Commissioner and District Treasurer.

At least one Council District (Babergh and Mid Suffolk) has set up an Emerging Needs Grant targeted at Community Groups. This can be up to £2,500 and may help with fixed costs. It would be prudent for groups to watch out carefully for grants such as these particularly as it could be quite some time before we get back to normal. Other business rates grants of up to £10,000 maybe available; please check your District Council here for information:-

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Roll of Honour 2020

The 2020 Roll of Honour recipients within Suffolk have been announced (awarded between 01-Jan-2019 and 01-Jan-2020).

Our heartiest congratulations and thanks go to the following for the recognition of their services to Scouting for this year's 'St George's Day Awards' 

The full HQ document (and previous versions) can be found at Roll of Honour - Awards.

 

Chief Scout's Commendation for Meritorious Conduct  

 

Andrew Waller

Wally Shave

 

 

Silver Acorn

 

Ann Robertson

 

 

Award for Merit

Andrew Carr       Diane Hart

Marcus Burch (for services in Brighton & Hove)

 

 

 

Chief Scouts Commendation for Good Service

David Adams     Sarah Adams     Graham Betts

Mark Green        Hayley Habel      Kate Butcher (Brandon – SW Norfolk)

Paul Etheridge (The Scout Association)         

 

COVID-19 News Bulletin #4 - 17th April 2020

Thank you for your continued support. Can I ask that you check in with volunteers who may be more vulnerable at this time and find out if they require assistance. A Scout is friendly and considerate.

Please remember that the key communications over the coming months will be the weekly email newsletter and our website https://www.suffolkscouts.org.uk/coronovirus.  All content we post will be based on UK Government and The Scout Association guidelines. Our Facebook and Twitter pages will be updated with pictures and videos of what our young people are up to regarding Scouting – there is lots going on! 

Finance and Grants

Please ensure that your executive committees have reviewed your costs and incomes during this period. If you are concerned about finance in your group, please flag this up with your District Commissioner and District Treasurer.

About half of groups in Suffolk are not actively participating in the Government Gift Aid Scheme. You can also backdate the amount claimed for the previous 4 years.  https://www.gov.uk/claim-gift-aid

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#Adventure Continues - Challenge 2

The 2nd Challenge for the sections have now been added to the #AdventureContinues pages....

Good Luck & have fun with this next step!