Grow your Group News

!st Woodcutts busting at the seams!

Naomi Booth :: Monday 1st April 2019 :: Latest Blog Posts

First Woodcutts has become a victim of its own success, for the first time in our history in the national census this year we have become the 2^nd largest Group in East Dorset, just ponder that for a moment, bigger than Ferndown, West Moors, Verwood , Colehill and even 1st and 2nd Wimborne,  we were only beaten by Corfe Mullen, since our HQ was built member numbers have nearly doubled in size so much so that recently we have had to either put young people onto a waiting list with the possibility that during their wait they may never get into the Group, or suggest that they join another Group but with other Groups being so far away it makes it difficult for transportation, these young people may never get to experience what the Scout movement has to offer, this makes me sad as Scouting has been my life and to use the current sound bite what I have achieved is Skills for Life.

Recently East Dorset District Scout District was chosen to try out a pilot scheme run by the Western Region of the National Scout Association; the title of this scheme was called Grow your Group, myself, three of my other leaders  plus two committee members attended, we found this course to be just what first Woodcutts needed, it has inspired us to be proactive ( It was that brilliant that hope that this course is run out across the country) following on, the senior leadership members took the decision to hold a Grow your Group meeting of our own, this was well attended by existing Leaders and some parents who were occasionally helping out at section meeting, plus the Reverend Canon Richard Hancock , after discussion the decision was taken to try to set up a new Beaver Colony, Cub Scout and Scout section, this will be under the umbrella of the existing First Woodcutts Group and all working alongside each othe,r of course this can only happen if we can expand the existing Leadership Team, I m pleased to report that following that meeting, volunteers have come forward, we now have a new Beaver Colony Leader plus one assistant, plus the promise of  one more assistant, dot the I"s and cross the T"s and this section is ready to go, two adults have come forward and have volunteered to become Cub section Assistant Leaders and one other as a Sectional Assistant, we need two more adults to step up to the plate and then this section will be ready for the off, the Scout section is in the privileged position of already having enough Leaders plus some to spare, It has been agreed that Martin Russell will take over the existing Troop and Rob will become the  Leader of  the new Troop, all that is now needed is to agree which Assistants stay and which ones will move  to the new Troop, again we are ready to roll.

Exciting times ahead, subject to finding two other volunteers prepared to go into uniform with the Cub Pack, the decision has been taken to start the three new sections at the beginning of June, the existing Scout Troop will meet on Monday evenings, the Beaver Colony will continue to meet as they do now on Wednesdays and probably the existing Cub Pack as well, I say probably as we now need to sit down as a Leadership Team to enable us to find space to accommodate the new section meeting nights, watch this space.

You may say what about the Explorer section, Woodcutts Explorers are an East Dorset District responsibility, attached to the Woodcutts Group Family where they rightfully belong and will continue to meet at the Group HQ on Thursdays, the membership remains strong and with the new Scout section up and running, the numbers should soon swell even more.

If there are any of you out in the community who have been in the Scout or Guide movement before. or anyone who would like to join our leadership Team and experience the fun, excitement, fulfilment and camaraderie that we all enjoy in assisting the young people getting their Skills for Life,  if your time is limited and you would like to join our Adult Support Unit, please get in touch with me or members of our Leadership Team.