1st Montrose Scout Group.
Minutes of the Annual
General Meeting 9 May 2012.
Present: Wendy Milne, John Richardson, Frances Walker, Clare Skea,
Alison O’Hara, Peter Robertson, Anna Robertson, Fiona Sword, Naomi Shakespeare,
Maureen Thomson, Stephen Johansen, Alison Johansen, Audrey Lamont, Ian Lamont,
Chris Paton, Liz Thomas, Gregor Thomas, Andrew Watt, Alison Muir, Susan
Richardson, Julian Foley, Claire Paton, Louisa Duncan, Scott Strathearn, Colin
Christie, Emma Christie, David Ashby, Samantha Ashby, Gary Donald, Elizabeth
Forbes.
Apologies: Bobby Sword, Melissa Kramer, Audrey McGeogh, Gordon
Provan.
Previous Minutes: Proposed: John Richardson. Seconded: Alison O’Hara
CHAIRPERSONS REPORT:
Good evening and welcome to our family night and AGM.
Scouting is like a family and I would like to thank everyone
(parents and leaders) for the part they have played during the year.
It is easy to complain and moan about the things we would like for
the group – more leaders, more help at meetings, more help with the committee.
And yes, these are things we strive for but let us not forget what has been
achieved throughout the year.
Meetings have been run throughout the year, outings and camps have
been attended, funds have been raised and the Hall has been looked after.
Our leaders have relished the challenges, have watched our young
people develop, enjoyed the camaraderie within the movement and had a few
laughs along the way.
Our young people have been given many experiences, have taken steps
to more independence, have enjoyed the company if their friends and made new
friends and have had the opportunity to be part of the wider scouting
community.
Our parents have had fun joining in or helping in the background and
hopefully appreciating the benefits of the Scouting movement ¬– both to
themselves and to their children.
It is after all what we all make of it. There are roles for everyone
who wants to take part – big or small, regular or irregular. Please take a
moment to consider your own involvement – and the possible adventure, fun and
challenges you could tap into.
On a personal note I would appreciate some help with the committee.
In order to comply with the constitution of the Scout Group we must have a
parents committee in place. This needs a minimum of 6 people.
Food for thought.
I would now like to ask our Treasurer, Mr John Richardson, for his
report.
TREASURERS REPORT:
I want to start my first Treasurer’s Report by offering a few words
of thanks – to my predecessor David Duthie for all his help in showing me the
ropes and to the member of Committee and leaders for their helpful advice and
general patience as I have slowly got to grips with how we function.
The accounts are I think relatively straightforward in their terms
although the message is not an entirely happy one. A large drop in Group income
principally centred around donations and a deficit of £847 is matter of
principal note. This compares with a surplus of £208 last year but it is very
relevant to make the point for y/e 2010 we had Subs at £1,338, donations at
£450, no income for fund raising and a deficit there of £1,257. What we learn
from this is that Group finances can be fickle and liable to wide changes in
fortune. Without the hard work of the committee, parents and leaders in what we
do to raise additional funds the position would be much worse and it would be
remiss at this point not to publicly recognise and thanks all those who have
worked so hard over the year in helping to raise funds through a variety of
methods.
Clear to me that the Group itself is healthy in terms of numbers and
demands for expenditure are going to continue and probably increase much as
many of our ongoing costs are. Fundraising and donations are very welcome but
history shows us they are not a reliable source of funding on which we can make
plans for the future. Bearing this in mind and also that subs are at the level
they were in 2008 I intend at the next Parent/Leader Committee meeting to raise
the prospect of a modest increase in subs. I thought however that floating this
idea at this meeting would be a good way to obtain some reaction from those who
pay as to whether this is appropriate or not. Roughly speaking every £1 in Subs
will translate in to £400 of annual income to the group. I would very much
welcome any comments from parents on this either here or if more convenient
following our meeting.
I am of course happy for any general questions on matters financial
and will attempt to deal with these as best I can.
(Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2012 were made available).
LEADERS REPORTS:
BEAVERS REPORT
Frances Walker, Beaver Leader
We currently have 13 Beavers with 3 more starting next week. There are 2 more children on the waiting list
who are too young to join.
We have had another fairly busy year with many of our activities
based around completing 25 challenges set us by the Scottish Commissioner, in
order to celebrate 25 years of having a Beaver movement.
Once again I pay tribute to Alison and Audrey for their continued
support. Their many talents and good
humour have once again made leading the colony an easier undertaking. I also
take this opportunity to say a big thank you to our Parent helpers. I would however appeal to Parents to put your
names down on the rota so we know we have assistance, rather than me having to
ask for extra help for individual activities.
While completing our 25 challenges we managed to fit in achieving
Friendship and Fitness Challenge badges – the latter being presented to Beavers
at the top of the slide in the playpark at Hillside. We visited Rosemount Estate, the House of
Dun, the Funday at Keptie in Arbroath and we nearly managed a visit to the
Beach but for torrential rain! Despite
the lack of snow this winter we managed to build a pretty impressive Snowman
with the photographic evidence being featured in the Beaver Section of the
Scouts Scotland website. In September
last year 5 of our older Beavers took part in the first ever Arbroath &
Montrose District Beaver Sleepover at the Jock Neish Camping Centre just
outside Forfar.
As always we aim to provide an exciting and challenging programme of
activities for all children and I hope you will agree that once again we have
succeeded in doing just that.
In terms of looking to the future, my busy schedule is still very
busy and I would be very grateful if someone out there would consider coming
forward to take over the leadership of this section. I know I’ve said this year on year, and as
you can see to no avail, but this is a genuine appeal, we need new and fresh
ideas and new leaders to ensure that our young people continue to be offered,
and indeed reap the benefits of the unique opportunities that only the Scout
Association can deliver.
In the pretty immediate future I would draw your attention to the
Angus-wide Diamond Jubilee celebration to be held on Sunday 20th May at Glamis
Castle. This massive event will showcase
many voluntary groups from all of the burghs in Angus with each town having
marquee space, stages erected for entertainment and displays and I’m pleased to
say that the Districts in our region will be well represented in our ‘own’
marquees. The day is programmed to run
from 11am until 6pm. Arbroath and
Montrose District will be providing craft activities and scout skill challenges
in the marquee throughout the day and will be taking part in a Parade of youth
groups at 1pm. While there is free transport provided from Montrose (the bus
leaves at 10.30am and departs Glamis at 4.30pm) I personally feel it is a very
long day, especially for Beavers, and as I am running the craft activities I
will not be in a position to escort Beavers on their own. It is hoped that Parents can bring their
children through to soak up the atmosphere, allow the children to take part in
the parade, visit our marquee and take part in our ‘campfire’ entertainment,
and then when they’ve tried everything and seen everything and get restless you
can whisk them home without having to wait until 4.30 for a bus........ I’ll be sending out a note to clarify any
points but please feel free to ask any question later tonight.
That concludes the Beaver report for 2011/2012.
CUB REPORT
Gordon Provan. Cub Leader.
Read/delivered by Clare Skea.
Good evening. The past year has been another busy year for the cubs.
Cubs have taken part in the district cub camp at Ladenford in June,
an away day to Dundee to the swimming pool and Sensations in September along
with our usual weekly meetings in the hall and out around Montrose.
Cubs have continued to work on their challenge and activity badges
with 2 cubs gaining their chief scouts silver awards and others gaining there
fitness, global and outdoor challenge badges along with astronomy, first aid,
air activities, nights away & swimming activity badges.
Cub numbers have remained steady at around 15 over the past year,
partly due to us not actively looking to increase the numbers due to reduced
leader numbers.
At the end of last year Louise join the leadership team as a section
assistant and has brought new ideas and enthusiasm with her. I would like to
thank Clare for her continued support to me and more importantly to the cubs
over the past year. I would also like to thank their partners for the support
they have given aswell.
As always I would like to thank the regular team of parent helpers,
who have helped us deliver the program and ensure we have enough adult support
at our meetings.
This is my last cub report as leader.
After 10 years as a cub leader I have decided to take a step back
from my weekly scout commitment.
I will continue to support the scout group with activities, trips
and camps.
I would like to thank all my fellow leaders, the committee and the
parents for their support and guidance during my time as Cub Scout leader.
SCOUT REPORT
Alison O’Hara, Scout Leader, Explorer Scout Leader and Group Scout
Leader
Thanks to the other sections for their reports, now on to the Scout
Troop.
I have been running the Troop again for the past 18 months or so as
you know, having given up some time previously as I believe that younger folk
running this section with more energy & new ideas would be better, however,
having had the Troop re-started but the leaders moving on I felt I had to keep
it going. The past several years it has been a very small group of lads, but
since last October it has more than doubled in size – this is due mainly to a
couple of cubs moving up then asking if their friends from school could come
along too. They are the nicest group of scouts I've had in a long time and very
lively and enthusiastic, learning what Scouting is all about on a weekly basis!
We have camped a few times this year – starting with the District
Frosties camp in January, where they made a bivvi and stayed in it overnight,
then a camp at Leysmill along with 2nd Montrose & Leysmill Scouts at the
start of March in hike tents and then participating in “A Camp Without an
Inspection” at the Jock Neish Scout Centre by Tannadice later in March. We are
now moving up to learning about canvas patrol tents and 6 of our Scouts will be
representing us at the Angus Flag camping competition along with 16 other
patrols from the County. It is somewhat unfortunate however, that this clashes
with the Glamis Jubilee celebration on Sunday 20th, the Chief Scout himself,
Bear Grylls, is expected to drop in on the camp on Sunday morning so I'm sure
that will make up for those 6 scouts missing the Glamis parade!
Due to all this camping & activity several of the Troop are
about to complete the Outdoor Challenge & Creative Challenge badges.
Group Scout Leader's Report.
I am also the GSL of 1st Montrose which some of you may not be aware
of - the job description is “to manage & support the Scout Group and its
Leaders to ensure it runs effectively and that Scouting within the Group
develops in accordance with the rules & policies of The Scout Association.”
I do my best to fulfil this role, but as you will appreciate, running the Troop
as well does make it more difficult to carry out both jobs well. (I am also an
Explorer Scout Leader in Montrose!)
As part of my role as GSL I am expected to ensure that the Group thrives
and has the best systems in place to support adult volunteers and develop our
group, including the Executive Committee & Leadership teams – so here we
are, at the part of the meeting where I would not only like to sincerely thank
the uniformed leadership team – Frances, Gordon, Clare & our latest recruit
– Louise, as well as those who help on a regular basis, such as Audrey, Alison,
Gary & Audrey and all the parents who fill slots on the rota, but I'm also
looking for new volunteers to be on our Group committee, it's not a difficult
task, we meet every couple of months and perhaps come up with new fundraising
ideas for the group or discuss maintenance of this building and so on. So
please, seriously consider helping us out in this small way by coming forward,
it will be greatly appreciated by our Scout Group.
Election of Committee:
POST
Chairperson
Treasurer
Secretary
|
PERSON
Wendy Milne
John Richardson
Elizabeth Forbes
|
PROPOSED
John Richardson
Wendy Milne
Alison O’Hara
|
SECONDED
Elizabeth Forbes
Alison O’Hara
John Richardson
|
Committee Members
|
S Johansen
Julian Foley
Peter Robertson
Bobby Sword
|
Alison O’Hara
Wendy Milne
Wendy Milne
Fiona Sword
|
John Richardson
Elizabeth Forbes
Alison O’Hara
David Ashby
|
AOCB:
Peter Robertson presented and gave an overview of a blog he has
created for the Scouts.
This can be seen here
http://1stmontrosescouts.blogspot.co.uk/
Its main aim it to get Scouts and parents to access information as
opposed to handing out notes.
The blog also has an email address for the Scouts, this is
1stmontrosescouts@gmail.com
The blog also features a quiz to attract visitors.
This has been created at no cost and the service is free.
(From notes taken at the meeting).
DATE OF NEXT AGM: May 2012
The evening finished off with a fun quiz, refreshments and home
baking, all of which was thoroughly enjoyable.
