Minutes of District Explorer Scout Leaders Meeting

22^nd September 2009

PRESENT

 Les Davies                                            Martin Freeman                        

Ian Gadsden                                        Michael Nolan

 Steve Allsop                                       Ash Green           

  Mike Nelson                                       Kevin Day

 Mike Phillips                                       Dave White

Richard Charnock                              Pam Tompsett

Margaret Lomas                                  Emma Liversidge

Phil Shotton

APOLOGIES

Jenny Barrett                                                   Cathy Charnock               

Chris Prior                                                         Chris Phillips

Maria Mawtus                                                  Lee Furber           

Mike Bullman                                                   Kurt Gagan      

Introductions

1. Minutes of the last meeting – matters arising

      Following the meeting with Ian Goldstraw the linking at the Gathering seemed to go well, lots of scouts came to the lunchtime meeting.

      The meeting on 18^th November at District HQ. This will allow leaders to meet with the feeder troop leaders.

      LD met with Ste Daniels about linking Explorers with Network. SD is no longer keen to implement the buddy system and instead wants subsidised events for Explorers to attend. Two suggestions were made about possible linking opportunities. One is for Network to run an Explorer night for different units. The other was to invite Explorers to the Alternative drinks on a Sunday night.

•         Leaders will be contacted by County about any of their unit being invited to attend the Young Spokesperson course being run shortly.
•         LD WILL contact County Development team for help with Explorers in our District.

 UNIT UPDATES

• Eclipse – The unit is homeless until possibly Christmas time as the new hut is under construction. Mike Bullman is now going along as an AESL with the unit, as are Kerry ?????, James Speakman and Gemma Wade.  The programme until December is out. Big events coming up are the District Quiz Night on 23^rd September at District HQ and a joint District meeting on Monday 16^th November the exact details to be decided later. RC will need plenty of leaders to help on this night! There will be a mini moonlight on 2^nd December 2009.
• Ferrets – had four Explorers on the Gathering. Low turnout at meetings recently as they have met on different nights over the last few weeks. Programme is sorted til Christmas.
• Yeti – they have nine regular attendees. Over the summer they went to the marine lake in Southport to do kayaking and canoeing. Programme planning is an issue due to a variety of issues. Six Explorers attended the Gathering. Maria Jakulis is helping there for a while.
• Nomads – Dave needs help as he is running the unit single-handedly while Colin is poorly. He particularly needs help with nights when he is required to work late. LD will go down on 30^th to help. Phil Shotton offered to cover 7^th October for him. May do a joint visit to Blackpool lights with Eclipse.  He has nine girls and three boys in his unit. They did a summer camp for thirteen at Low Wray and it was very successful. Five attended the Gathering. Programme is sorted to Christmas.
• Bubbles – no report.
• Spartans – have leadership issues. Simon Dean is working away and can’t do much at present. Had five members at the Gathering. Programme is pencilled in.
• Paladins – Had a summer camp at Moor Crag. They have had a grant from Sport England to teach the Explorers to ski. They are going to Farmaggeddon at Halloween and are planning a night hike.
• Equinox – good leadership team in place there with lots of new ideas. The Green Box challenge worked really well. (Ask Mike P for further info about Tate Gallery visit). Held a parents evening and told parents of plans to do D of E. One consequence of doing D of E was that at the Gathering they were good at cooking for themselves and the menus were sound. The programme up to Christmas is sorted. Five Explorers are close to Network age. They want to stay on until Red Rose 2010. They will be encouraged to apply as staff instead. There is a lack of enthusiasm among the Explorers for Environment weekend and the Crew Challenge.
• Young Leaders – the inaugural meeting will be on Sunday 27^th September 2 – 4 pm at District HQ where they will be doing archery and then having a general discussion about programme planning and what the unit will do plus  any other issues. The unit will meet on the last Sunday in every month; the time will depend on what activity is taking place. All YLs must do Child Protection training and that will be one of the first areas covered. As YLs do not pay subs, funding needs to be sorted out with District Exec.
• ***If any unit is doing mountain biking, please report any injuries to Paul Prescott at LCC Young People’s Service as they are currently undertaking a H and S review of the sport. Contact details are paul.prescott2@lancashire.gov.uk

 Gathering feedback – very positive!

• Had a very good response from the Explorers except for the water activities and there were problems with the kayaks.
• There was a great atmosphere round the fire each evening.
• Behaviour was good and there was no major issue with any camp rules.
• The staff at Bibby Farm were very helpful.
• It was noted that some of the tents could have been put up better than they were.
• A few Explorers did not have uniform with them.

1. Explorer Scout Awards – LD encouraged leaders to try to do more badge work and in particular to try to go beyond the Stage 1 awards. Leaders asked for more help as many awards need to have 1:1 time spent with Explorers to identify what they can do and what they need to cover. Tick charts to put up would be useful. The team will visit units (starting with Ferrets on 12^th October) to help with this.
2. The new website was demonstrated by Mike Nolan and Ash who explained how it is set up and how people can upload information to the site. Two further training sessions will take place. The 1^st will be on 8^th October 7.30pm at 169 Wigan Road Ormskirk (you can park outside on the yellow line after 6pm) This will be geared towards the non technical people who would like standard English to be the main language used. The 2^nd will be on 15^th October, same time and place, for the people fluent in gobbledegook and technese.

           Anyone who wishes to attend either of these should let Ash or Mike N

           know please. You can attend even if you have been to any of those held  previously.

1. D of E report back. 27 Explorers have completed the expedition section of the award, five did silver and the others did bronze. They now need to crack on with the other areas. The videos and reports are ‘work in progress’. Richard thanked Les and said how it was greatly appreciated that he had planned, organised and carried through on this work. It would not have been done without him leading it.
2. Future Events

1. AOB

•         Lifts to County meeting – we need to sort out a District Forum and then we can sort out lifts to County forum meetings.
•         Explorers going to Environment camp will need to have a leader with them.

Date and time of future meeting:

18^th November 7.30 pm at District HQ. All are welcome