Carnoustie Scout Group Report 2018/19

I am extremely pleased to report that this has been another hugely successful year for Carnoustie Scout Group. Our numbers have increased again since last year and we currently have a record number of 144 young people enjoying Scouting in Carnoustie on a weekly basis which is 17% up from the previous year. This is not down to chance but as a result of the excellent team of great leaders we have in the Group. Each leader has their own unique quality which they bring to the Group when combined gives an amazing force to which I am immensely proud. The Scout Group currently comprises the 2 Beaver Colonies on a Monday and Friday, 3 Cub Packs meeting on a Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, Scout Troop on a Friday and Explorer Unit also on a Friday. Numbers in the Beavers have increased towards the end of the year, Cubs have remained steady but our biggest growth has been in the Scouts where we are retaining the young people more than ever. Numbers in the Explorer Unit have remained constant although we have sadly lost some of our older members through work and study commitments. We continue to look for new members for all sections of the Group.

I have had many highlights over the past year including the national beaver picnic at Meggernie in Glen Lyon and finding trolls. We have had numerous camps but Barrwood has been my personal favorite. The Blair Atholl Satellite Camp is also a firm favorite and the excitement of the scouts trading with others from different nations. We were lucky to have 3 members of the group taking part in the Dundee Scout Gang Show. The Group brought the District swimming gala trophy back to Carnoustie. I accompanied the scout band to Falkirk to a poignant ANZAC celebration.

Without doubt every section of Carnoustie Scout Group continues to offer a high quality, varied and exciting programme to the members over the course of the year. This is only possible thanks go to our team of dedicated and committed volunteer leaders, section assistants and helpers for continuing to provide an interesting and stimulating programme on a weekly basis covering such a diverse range of activities. This is testament to the great number of Chief Scout Challenge badges which will be presented to our members this evening. We currently have the following warranted leaders – 4 Beaver Scout Leaders, 5 Cub Scout Leaders, 4 Scout Leaders and 2 Explorer Scout Leaders plus a further 12 section assistants. We continue to have great support from parents willing to help out on occasion. As always, we are continually on the lookout for anyone able and willing to help in whatever way.

Thanks goes to Simon Laird in his inaugural year as chairperson of the efficient Parent’s Executive. Special thanks goes to our hard working volunteer secretary (Adrienne Ross) and treasurer (Carrie Higgins) who both stand down this year after a great number of years’ service. Thanks to our social convener Mel Anderson for all her hard work and keeping on track of the various emails. Thanks also go to Lindsay Ross and Natalie Mackland and the Christmas Post sub committee for once again efficiently and professionally organising our biggest fundraiser. Our donations for the post remain the main fundraising income for the Group. We continued working with neighboring Scout Groups in Arbroath, Monifieth and Broughty Ferry. Thanks to Sandy Smith for all his work as quartermaster (equipment manager) for the group.

All the sections have taken part in events both at district level in South Angus, regional events in the East of Scotland as well as National events across Scotland. In the summer we held our stall and float at Carnoustie Gala Day and thanks to the members of the Parent’s Committee who helped at this event. In November we were well represented and smart at the Carnoustie Remembrance Day parade.

We have embraced the new scouting #skillsforlife hashtag and this is none so more apparent than on our regular camps. Camping and the outdoors have been fundamental in the core values and witness to this is the number of zodiac awards being presented this evening. We have had over way over 1000 nights away cumulative at the Group over the past year. We have a diverse group of skilled individuals in the group from our band instructors and Makaton teachers to our skiing instructors and gorge walking leaders. We are very proud of the musicians in our Group with the Beavers winning their category at the Arbroath Music Festival. The Scout String Group and the Scout Wind Band all won first place in their categories.

The year has been tinged with sadness with the untimely passing of Dean Morrison who had been a section assistant at Scouts and progressing to become a leader. We remain supportive to the family and in due course will organise a camp in Dean’s memory.

We have building on our relationship with Monifieth Scout Group and this has increased over the past year or so but more so since December 2018 with mutual use of leader’s talents. We have also continued to have a strong relationship with our friends in the Falkirk area Scout Groups.

Summer 2019 will see over 30 members of the Group attend the international Jamborette in Paisley, USA. This grew from meeting the leaders at Blair Atholl and hearing about the activities at the Jamborette. This will be a trip of a lifetime for the fortunate scouts and explorers attending this event.

Scouting in Carnoustie continues to be varied and strong. We have a committed, talented and dedicated team of leaders suitably complimented by a hard working parent’s executive. This combination ensures that Carnoustie Scout Group can offer a varied programme to the 150 or so regular members every week. The future growth remains steady with a busy programme scheduled by all sections for the year ahead.

Kenny Lee, Group Scout Leader