Dear parents,

Welcome to the latest edition of the 1st Oxted Scout newsletter, dated 5 September 2007.

There are a number of things to cover - please read all the boxes. This newsletter is designed to be read as an email or directly off the web. It should print OK but the boxes will not be in colour, and it may not print right in some browsers.

Try it.

Please let me know if there is anything that you think could be done better on this newsletter page.

This term we hope to offer some archery and perhaps target shooting at the hut. Also, a lot of badge work and traditional Scouting training during the darker nights. The Scouts have let us know what they want to do, and we have - to an extent - to make this happen. I say "to an extent" deliberately, as all the Scouts we asked would like to do "paintballing". I must inform you that this activity is not permitted by the Scout Association.

Also we will attempt to organise some more exciting events, including some nights away and a day trip, possibly to either the RAF Museum at Hendon, or the motoring and aviation musuem at Brooklands, maybe to HMS Belfast, a bonfire evening and a Film Night with the 1st Tatsfield near Christmas.

The normal events of the year will take place, including Night hikes, Remembrance Sunday, the Annual District Swimming Gala and the Colditz Night Hike. In 2008 Scouts can look forward to a "Scout-about" camp at Whit in 2008, and we will take the Scouts and Cubs to a joint summer camp in July 2008.

British Legion, 10.40a.m, Sunday 12th November

Remembrance Sunday (and St Georges Day) are the two important ceremonial events in the Scout calendar. All Scouts serious about going to camp and doing other exciting activities will be willing and able to come along on these two Sundays.

SCOUT UNIFORM

Scout Uniform consists of the following:

Scout shirt

Scout trousers or shorts (dependent on season)

Scarf with woggle (provided by Group)

Scarves and woggles are provided free to all uniformed and invested members of the Troop...once.

Subsequent loss of these items will incur a small charge for replacement (£1 for a leather woggle, £2 for a Scarf) which I suggest is docked from the Scout's pocket money - not for full cost recovery, but to encourage Scouts to look after their property. I am sure you will agree with this policy.

Uniform can be obtained from the Scout Shop at one of the following places:

1)Scout shop at the Lagham Scout HQ on Lagham Road at South Godstone, from 10-12 on a Saturday morning

2) Off the web at www.scouting.outdoors.ltd.uk/acatalog/Scouts.htm

3) from outdoor clothing shops in Croydon and elsewhere.

East Surrey District will hold its annual Swimming Gala at the leisure centre at Edenbridge on Saturday 17th November in the evening.

Last year 1st Oxted Cubs and Scouts took part and covered themselves in glory. This year we plan to do the same and put the 1st Oxted right at the top of the leader board - where we belong!

HQ news

Kitchen and lavatories

The kitchen and the lavatories at the Stafford Hut should be refitted this Christmas time. For safety reasons there may be a longer than usual break from Scouts at that time - we can't safely have Scouts meeting in the middle of a building site.

Grass area

The railway company have made good the areas they used for their works by grassing them over. This grass is still growing. We need to keep all persons off this grass until it is fully grown. Please assist us with this by telling Scouts and younger siblings to keep off this area, which is roped off.

Parent Rota and help

For a Troop of nearly thirty children to function properly, parental assistance is required. We operate a ROTA of parents who give up one Monday once or twice per term. As all three of us cannot make every single meeting owing to work or family commitments, this is essential.

We will set up a rota as before and approach all new parents to ask them to join the rota. It will be necessary to fill out some CRB Check forms to do this; this is a legal requirement today.

Any parent who feels that he or she has something to offer the Troop or the Group, please come forwards. The Group needs all the volunteer assistance it can get, and would be particularly interested in hearing from anyone who could be a QUARTERMASTER.

We also need to create a rota for the CLEANING of all parts of the Stafford Hut, not only the kitchen and the loos, but also the main hall itself. This rota will be shared with the parents of the Cubs and the Beavers, and will be organised by Mrs Pat Leveridge, tel. 01883 714494

Last September we held a bike sale, and made over £600 clear profit for Group funds. We held another Bike Sale on Saturday 12 May and made a similar amount of money.

We will be holding a third this coming SEPTEMBER 22nd (Saturday). This is to establish in Oxted and surrounding district that it is the 1st Oxted Scouts are the people that do Bike Sales - it is not intended to hold bi-annual sales hereafter!

We really do need parental help from a few people for a little time, and from one or two people for longer. We need at least TWENTY persons in addition to the uniformed leadership and the members of the Executive committee, to help to make the sale work. Last year it was great. This year it can be better. We will need up to half a dozen brave folks around 7a.m to put up gazebos and prepare the site, and to ensure we are ready for opening. Then we need a good number - well over a dozen - able to help with stewarding, selling bikes, generally being around to ensure things go ok.

It is not necessary to help for the entire time - if you can do an hour here, an hour there, that is welcome. We expect to be clear by a little after noon; nobody is being asked to help for six hours, though if you want to, you are most welcome.

The bike sale should go well with your assistance, and make a good profit. When combined with the funds paid by the railway company for the use of our land, it adds up to sufficient money to refit the lavatories and the kitchen at the Stafford Hut, which you will agree is a worthwhile objective.

Please email me or speak to me with contributions of assistance, or turn up on the day. Any of the Scouts assisting for the morning will take away points contributing to the Community Challenge badge.

Contact telephone numbers (in case of problems:)

Chairman of the 1st Oxted Scout Group

Malcolm Kirk, 01883 713195

Scout Leader scoutleader@1stoxtedscouts.com

Nick Hough, 01883 371935 and 07851 001940