The New Year began with a bang.  With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics ahead, it’s set to be filled with excitement and celebration.  As you can see from the linked pages there are plenty of ways to get involved through Scouting.  I know from what I’ve heard around the County that Districts and Groups will be playing their own part in these special events that bring our communities and country together.  No doubt you’ll find creative ways to use the opportunities to make Scouting more visible and to promote Scouting to potential new volunteers.  Community Scout Week also provides a focus for this as well as emphasising what we can do to help others – at the heart of our values as Scouts.  There are loads of great ideas on the special web pages dedicated to this initiative and I encourage you to look at them and to share your plans.

You would have had to have been on the moon not to have heard or seen the coverage of the story about the Duchess of Cambridge volunteering for Scouting.  This was a great opportunity to get the message across about flexible volunteering – a concept we must continue to embrace and extend if we are to engage even more volunteers.  Our ability to reach those who want to take part in Scouting will depend significantly on our ability to involve volunteers in new and flexible ways and to promote this to prospective volunteers. With flexible volunteering there are a great many advantages and benefits and also some challenges to our traditional thinking and ways of operating.  I know we’ll all work hard on how we can embrace this challenge and remain relevant and connected to modern society.

I was also impressed recently to see that Scouting is developing its own i-Phone game app – also a sign of the times.  What I like about this is that it meets young people on their own terms, where they’re at and tries to excite them in a way they understand and appreciate about what Scouting can offer and what our unique adventure is about.  I think we can learn a thing or two from how technology companies think about user interface and applications.  If you think about it, Scouting has a core with lots of different ‘applications’ which we need to present with different ‘interfaces’ for different users.  The smarter we get about targeting what we do to the needs of different people, the more successful we will be in our mission. I’m keen to hear what young people think about the app when it goes live.  Whilst we’re on the subject of all things technological, you may like to know that Scouting is supporting the safer internet day to encourage responsible and safe internet use; a range of resources are available.

Of course, we make the adventure in this app real every day of the week.  One forthcoming example is the Rickard Shield which is a night time navigation competition over 11 miles open to teams of 4-6 Explorer Scouts.  The event has a great pedigree and is bound to be enormous fun again this year.   Don’t forget to sign up, Explorer Scouts! And, well done to the dedicated and inspirational team of volunteers that make it happen every year in memory of a loved and inspirational friend and colleague.

During the first month of the year I have visited hundreds of Scouts across the County in different sections and groups and I have continued to be inspired by what you do.  It is exceptional that this year we have nearly 30 new Queen’s Scouts.  They’ll be taking part in our very special joint presentation with Gloucestershire Scouts at Berkeley Castle.  I have also been delighted to be able to present a large number of special good service and meritorious conduct awards to some very special volunteers. Their enormous dedication never ceases to wow me.  Like so many of our volunteers – they’re unsung heroes who make a massive difference in young people’s lives.  This was reinforced for me only last night when I joined the 133^rd Cubs, Scouts, Explorer Scouts and Network members.  What a great team of leaders making Scouting very special and accessible for young people with special needs and disabilities!  I am truly grateful for their important and inspiring work. 

Earlier in the month I met with the District team and some Explorer Scouts in Gordano District at their Glenny Wood Campsite.  The team were working to develop several practical ways of brining our vision to life in their District in the coming months and years.  I particularly liked their “open doors” day idea where they’ll be opening their Scouting facilities and welcoming the public taster sessions and to find out about Scouting.  They’re also developing some exciting ways to involve young people in shaping Scouting. There’s already lots of outstanding Scouting happening in Gordano.  Well done to Phil (District Commissioner) and the so many others involved and congratulations to the Explorer Scouts who have a great presentation on their World Jamboree experiences.

I also met with hundreds of Scouts and Leaders in Axe District for their annual awards event to celebrate and recognise the achievements and successes of Scouts and volunteers.  Not only were the things achieved a testament to great Scouting at its best – full of fun and adventure – but everybody including friends, family, special guests, Scouts and leaders, couldn’t have failed to be impressed and enthused by the special effort to share and celebrate these achievements.  This is about how we value people and I’d like to see far more celebration of success throughout Scouting.  You all have so much to shout about.  Well done to Michaela (District Commissioner) and everybody who was involved.  The Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare was ablaze – but thankfully this time with pride.

There’s so many fantastic things to tell you about what’s being going on as I’ve been out and about across the County – and no doubt countless more you could tell me about.  These are thousands of reasons to continue to enjoy Scouting and to remember the great impact you’re making.  So much work goes on behind the scenes to support this by Executive Committees, supporters, parents and others – remember to thank them too for the valuable and important contribution they give to making Scouting a success.  Whilst the census results are still being finalised, I hope we have another bumper year of growth.  Your efforts in taking Scouting to many more will be richly rewarded for many years to come.