News Archive: 2020
🚨Readiness level: RED – No face to face Scouts activities may take place until further notice.
Posted on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
You will no doubt be aware that the Health Secretary announced this afternoon that the whole of Hampshire will go into Tier 4 on Boxing Day except for the New Forest. As a consequence our readiness level for Southampton is raised to RED (no face-to-face Scouting).
Readiness level: RED
This means: No face to face Scouts activities may take place until further notice.
Mindful that New Forest will still be in Tier 3(AMBER) along with Counties to the West (Dorset and Wiltshire), please see below the advice I provided on Scouting between different Tiers:
Someone who lives in a Tier 4 area but is a leader or Scouts in a Tier 2 one and wants to travel to do that, cannot do so as Scouting is not a legally permitted reason to travel. References for this can be found in both HMG (Tier 4: Stay at Home) and the ‘travel during lockdown’ section (page 5 paragraph 4) of the NYA (Providing Youth Sector Activities During Covi-19 Lockdowns Tier FOUR Red Readiness).
From a Covid-19 safety point of view, if I was a GSL in a Tier 2 area (which now only applies to New Forest only) and know that some of my leaders live in a Tier 4 area, as part of my updated Covid-19 AMBER risk assessment, I would add a new risk:
RISK: Despite it not being legally permitted, some adults from Tier 4 areas might still travel to a Tier 2 area in order to support/deliver face-to-face Scouting but by doing so there is an increased transmission risk of Covid-19. Mitigation: Tell anyone who lives in a Tier 4 area not to come in line with national rules until the Tier systems change. If they turn up, ask them to return home. REVIEW: When Tier level changes.
For more information, please see The Scout Association Website:
Return to Face-to-Face Scouting
Posted on Monday, November 30th, 2020
We can now confirm what face to face Scout activity is allowed when England comes out of lockdown this week.
From the beginning of Wednesday 2 December all tiers in England will be in Amber for youth provision, for those under the age of 18.
The Government and the National Youth Agency have confirmed that youth clubs and activities will be permitted at all three tiers in England, as services such as Scouts are essential to the development and wellbeing of young people, and should continue wherever possible.
As a reminder this means:
You can meet with up to 15 young people (aged under 18), plus 5 adults.
The session can take place outdoors or indoors, but must be socially distanced.
Face coverings should be worn by anyone of Scout-age plus when indoors. Adults delivering an activity to young people aren’t required to wear a face covering.
However, face to face programme activities for members of Scouts who are over 18 is in Red everywhere in England – this means that there can be no face to face section meetings for Network. Other volunteers over the age of 18 can meet in-line with restrictions in your tier for adults meeting together, to carry out essential volunteering tasks like campsite or building maintenance.
Awards for Adults in 2020
Posted on Sunday, November 29th, 2020
Scouting always likes to acknowledge the contribution of our leaders, even if they don’t ask for it. So congratulations to the following who received long service awards, recognition awards and completed their wood-badge training in the past year.
Southampton City District has a new District Youth Commissioner!
Posted on Sunday, November 15th, 2020
Hi, I’m Lloyd Pearson and I am the new District Youth Commissioner for the Southampton City District! I’m sure you have lots of questions so let’s get straight into them:
Q: Who are you?
A: So, for those in the district who don’t know me yet, I am an enthusiastic scout who takes on any challenge that comes my way. I’m currently an Assistant Scout Leader at the 29th Immaculata and an Explorer Leader at Kraken Explorers (Who meet at the 14th). I’m also an active member of the Southampton City Network and have been since I was 18. In the past I’ve also been heavily involved in Southampton SSAGO (Student Scout and Guide Organisation) and even sat on the National SSAGO exec for a year.
Q: What’s a District Youth Commissioner?
A: A district youth commissioner is someone whose role it is to encourage youth involvement in decision making in the scout district. This breaks down into 3 key areas: Youth Shaped Programmes, Developing Young People, and Embedding Young People in Local Decision Making.
Q: So how do you do that?
A: For youth shaped programmes, I will engage section leaders across the district and encourage and help them to run programmes that are shaped by the young people, whether that be beavers giving simple feedback on things they’ve done or want to do, all the way up to scouts holding patrol leader forums or explorers running their own programmes. To develop young people, I and the district, shall ensure that they have the training they need to excel at roles they take on, whether that be as a patrol leader, explorer taking part in a committee, or a network member who’d like to join an exec. Lastly, for embedding young people into local decision making, we want to get young people as involved as possible in actually making the decisions that are made as a district, to do that we’ll be hosting a district youth council where explorers and scouts will be able to attend and make their views heard, we’ll be encouraging group execs to consider bringing more young people onto the team and lastly we’ll be putting together a youth team who will be getting actively involved in making new and exciting things happen, like running new competitions or activities they’d like to see.
Q: Tell me more about that youth team!
A: I’m glad you’re so excited about it, imaginary interviewer, as I certainly am. The district youth team is going to be a really exciting opportunity for Explorers and Network members in the Southampton District. There will be a rep from every Explorer unit (Enterprise, Griffin, Kraken, Phoenix and Young Leaders), a Network Rep and a rep from SSAGO. The Explorer units and Network will also gain a second rep in the year after to make sure that everyone always has someone they can ask for help when they join the team and we’ll rotate the reps every year after. If that sounds a bit confusing here is a diagram to help.
Q: So what exactly will this team do?
A: So, this team will visit the local scout groups and their sections to help the leaders develop their youth shaped programmes. They will hold meetings to discuss things that are raised on the district exec. Plan events to develop their organisation skills. Attend the county youth council and much much more.
Q: When will this team be formed?
A: I’ll be looking to get members elected to this team from the respective units in January and February next year, so if you’re an Explorer or Network Scout in the Southampton City District keep an eye out for news then.
Q: So, exactly how excited should I be right now?
A: Very!
Bear Grylls: Why Scouting Is So Powerful
Posted on Thursday, June 4th, 2020
This is a documentary following Bear Grylls – the public face of the scouts in the UK, and the youngest ever Chief Scout – as he explores the stories of some of the scouting heroes, who demonstrate exactly why Scouting is such a powerful force for good.
⛺️Hampshire ‘Camp at Home’ challenge
Posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2020
The Hampshire Camping challenge has been adapted for camping at home. To get the camping challenge badge with #hscampathome you simply have to ‘camp’ a certain number of nights before the end of the year. Any nights can count from January.
We will also accept ‘camping’ indoors, maybe in a den you have built or a pop up tent. Sleeping in your bed doesn’t count! There will be a prize for the most interesting place.
This challenge is now open to Beavers (min 3 nights), Cubs (min 6 nights), Scouts (min 9 nights), Explorers, Network and Leaders (min 12 nights). Section leaders can complete with their section (I.e. do same number of nights) if they wish.
There are some ideas for extra Scouting challenges that can do done while camping to get the badge, plus some additional ideas for virtual camps:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=10OFb5SdFfgXsgXSVXyrIDiqlCPxQXEOL
Here are ideas on where you can camp:
* Camp in your garden
* Hammock or bivouac
* Under a table or bed
* Set up your tent indoors without pegs* Sleep in the bath tub
* Sleep in the under stairs cupboard
You can sign up as an individual (Explorer, Network & Leaders only) or leaders can sign up a section. Please note that virtual certificates will be presented and badges will be available for purchase for approx £2 for Beavers, Cubs & Scouts via leaders. Explorer, Network and Leaders will be provided by the County team.
Queries: camping@hsawards.org
⁉️What is SSAGO?
Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2020
We’ve just updated our webpage about SSAGO! Thats Southampton Student Scout and Guide Organisation! To find out more, take a logo at our SSAGO page
Wilverley Campsite Closed
Posted on Friday, March 20th, 2020
Wilverley Campsite is now CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE in order to comply with Government and Scout Association guidelines relating to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bookings from May, that have not already been cancelled by the site users, will remain on the availability calendar, but can only happen if the site is re-opened. This will remain under constant review on a rolling month basis. Indications are that the closure is likely to extend well beyond this.
Gone Home: Chris Lade
Posted on March 15th, 2020
Chris Lade was a member and later Scout Leader at the 11th for a number of years and one of the original Leaders at the very first Summit weekend at Yr Hafod in 1972 after also being a leader in 1969 on the Pennine Way, the start of continuous mountaineering in Southampton West District.
Chris emigrated to Canada about 40 years ago where he married and raised his family but always maintained a keen interest in Southampton Scouting. He will be remembered by many of the older members of the District. Chris sadly died on Saturday 14th March after a long illness, he was 72.