Avon Scouts

Fundraising News . . .

To: District Commissioners
      Group Scout Leaders
      County Team
      County Executive Members

8th October 2001

Good News from the County Executive . . .

As a result of the positive decisions that were taken by the County Executive Committee at last weeks meeting, I am in a position to write to you to share a number of exciting opportunities that will arise over the next couple of years.

Major Fund-raising Campaign to be launched

The County Executive considered and endorsed a proposal that was put forward by Alisdaire Lockhart our County Fund-raising Advisor. This proposal set out a plan of action to undertake a major fund-raising campaign over the next 2 years with the aim of raising £1.5 million to assist with the development of Scouting in Avon. There is still a lot of work to do before we will be in a position to launch the appeal, but I felt that you would want to be aware of this good news at an early stage.

The overall aim will be to raise funds that will be used to deliver good quality Scouting to as many young people as possible within Avon. At this stage there is still more work to be done to identify the specific areas that the fund will support but it is likely that it will include development of the facilities at Woodhouse Park. This will include widening the activity provision and improving the infrastructure. The fund is also likely to be used to increase the provision of Scouting across the county as a whole in particular in reaching out into communities that we do not as a movement currently support.

The Executive recognise that the County fund-raising efforts should not cut across either Group or District fund raising activities and will be looking to ensure that this is not the case. To that end they will therefore be identifying a number of key donors that we will hopefully be able to work alongside in our fund-raising efforts. Once these are known we will be communicating these details and would ask that no approaches are made to these firms/trusts without checking with the County Office first. This will be important as if we are to be successful in our appeal we will need to project a professional and joined-up approach.

Development at Woodhouse Park

In tanden with this decision the Executive also agreed that a Working Group should be set up to draw up a discussion dosument that sets out how we should develop Woodhouse Park. This team's initial recommendations will be presented to the DC's who will then be asked to canvas views from across their Districts so that everybody both young and old have an opportunity to have their say and shape the final development plan. So watch out for this discussion paper early in the new year.

I am sure you will agree with me that investment in Avon Scouting on the scale proposed is long overdue. I will keep you posted on progress but in the meantime I would welcome your comments either on the appeal or your ideas as to how we should develop Woodhouse Park.

Regards
  Neil
Neil Salter
County Commissioner

  www.avonscouts.org.uk

be prepared . . .

  www.avonscouts.org.uk/fundraising.htm