A Happy New Year to all readers!
November was, as usual, a busy month with our annual fireworks night at the Scout HQ and Remembrance Sunday parade at Taverham Church. Both were well attended and the fireworks night was a great success raising £6000 for Scouting in Taverham.
As many of you will have seen or heard, this year’s display was not without incident as a tree uprooted during the early part of the evening as the crowds were building. Although there were a few minor injuries, the excellent work of the St. John Ambulance, helpers and paramedics ensured that all were able to continue their evening at the event which, although delayed, concluded in full. The Group has been at the premises for nearly 50 years and for 2-3 hours a year we have our firework night. The odds of a tree to fall in that ‘slot’ makes you wonder if I should have brought a lottery ticket that night.
Members of the public present also helped in managing the situation and on behalf of the Group can I thank those involved and also to those people who send kind messages of support and thanks on how the incident was dealt with.
The AGM was held in November during which AV presentations were made by leaders showing the amazing time had by the children during the year, ranging from camps and climbing to rafting and shooting. We welcome parents Anthony Bayliss and Andrew Savage to the Group Committee and thank Angela Butler and Martin Jeffs who will now form part of the Active Support Unit we are forming.
During the meeting, Treasurer John Wilson was presented with the Chief Scout’s 10 year service award and Ian Colman with 30 years’ service award with 1st Taverham.
Sadly, although the leaders and committee members new and old witnessed the presentations made by the section leaders, despite having 100 children in the Group, no other parents turned up.
We can only assume that we must hold the event at an inconvenient time so we will need to review this for next year.
Taverham Active Support Unit
There is just one thing holding back Scouting, not just in Taverham but across the country. We have children wanting to join but we cannot take them. Why? Because we need more adults to help run sections, manage the HQ building and the Grounds and help raise funds. Scouting is provided by volunteers from a wide range of experiences and ages.
We need more people.
The Active Support Unit is part of this. Adults belong as members of the Taverham Scout Group. There is no regular commitment but a willingness to support the Group how they can: Fundraising events, Camps, some section meetings such as night hikes, HQ maintenance, Grounds maintenance and so on. We get no funding other than from subs or fundraising or sub-letting our HQ. Without volunteers we cannot do the work nor raise the funds which means increasing membership subs. If you are interested in supporting Taverham Scout Group as a member of the Active Support Unit then please get in touch.
Vacancy – Minutes Secretary
Having completed more than 11 years in the role, Maria Taylor has retired from the role as Group Secretary and joined the ‘back benches’ of the Group Committee. We need to appoint someone who is prepared to attend 5 meetings a year, take and produce the minutes. There is also occasional correspondence but most of this is done directly by individuals. If you would like to join the Group Committee and take the role as Secretary then please get in touch NOW!!!
Finally:
Taverham Scout Group would like to record the sad passing of Bob Tyler, a stalwart of the Taverham Community. Bob was the founder Group Scout Leader of 1st Taverham back in 1965, a role also held over nearly 50 years by Ken Adcock, Dan Gentle, Ian Colman, Linda Blackwell, David Cousins and Pam Sizer. Our thoughts and best wishes go to Judy and family and as we approach the Group’s 50th anniversary in 2015, it is clear the foundations set by Bob many years ago still hold firm today and with the 100’s of children that have been part of Scouting in Taverham.
Ian Colman – Chairman
First Taverham Scouts 