As we reach the end of 2024, it is time to reflect on our tremendous achievements in 2024 and look ahead to 2025. This newsletter covers from October – December.

Group Update

Census – Each year, Scouts carry out an annual census to create a detailed picture of the young people and adults that make up our membership. As part of this, we share with them details about members:

  • Gender
  • Ethnicity
  • Religion
  • Disabilities

Most members have already completed this; however, a few outstanding members haven’t. Keep an eye on your emails in case this applies to you.

New Beaver Colony – We are opening a second Beaver Colony starting in February 2025 because our current one is full. This will run parallel with our existing one. The Colony will begin with an open event on Wednesday 5th February, followed by a number of taster sessions.

Membership Fees – Every year, we pay Scouts HQ a fee for each young person. This fee covers services such as safeguarding and insurance for members. This year, we have seen an increase of £5 on this fee, totalling £53. As a trustee board, we are committed to not passing this cost on to parents. Instead, through fundraising, we hope to bridge this gap.

Current Vacancies – Volunteering can be a brilliant way to boost your mental wellbeing. It’s a great feeling knowing you’re helping young people get skills for life, and you might even learn a lot about yourself along the way. Below, you can see some of our vacancies:

Welcome to our Team – Please join me in welcoming the following volunteers to our team.

Deborah – Squirrels Team Member

Katie – Beaver Team Member

Sam – Beaver Team Member

Rachel – Beaver Team Member

Diana – Fundraising Team Member

Ange – Fundraising Team Member

Building Development Project

Behind the scenes, we are making excellent progress in generating funds and obtaining grants to turn our building into an active community hub in the centre of Winshill. Since September this year, we have raised an astonishing £48,000. We are thrilled to create new opportunities for our Scout Group and the local community.

While most of our projects are nearing completion, we still have a few outstanding projects for which we haven’t raised funds. If you know of any funding or grant opportunities that might help our project, we would be delighted to hear from you! Your suggestions could have a significant impact if you have connections to nearby companies, trusts, or other financial sources.

What’s Planned:

  • Step-Free Access – Ensuring everyone can easily use the building regardless of mobility.
  • Upgraded Fire Doors – Improving safety and peace of mind for all users.
  • Modern Downstairs Toilets – Adding convenience for visitors and community groups.
  • A New Upstairs Meeting Room – Creating more space for events and activities.
  • Enhanced Kitchen Facilities – Perfect for community gatherings and celebrations
  • New Cloakroom – Adding functionality and comfort.
  • Restored Original Parquet Flooring – Preserving the building’s character while maintaining its appearance.
  • Additional Ground Floor Storage – Supporting the needs of all users.
  • Cosmetic Improvements – Giving the building a fresh, welcoming feel throughout.

Why This Matters to Our Community:

This project is expected to cost more than £60,000 and is a significant investment in Winshill’s future. We’ve raised £40,000 since April 2024, which allows us to begin the essential tasks. When finished, the renovated structure will be a priceless tool for everyone, offering:

  • A central space for community groups to meet and grow.
  • Opportunities for new activities like fitness classes, clubs, and educational workshops.
  • A venue for special occasions, including children’s birthday parties and family celebrations.
  • A safe, accessible, and welcoming environment for all ages and abilities.

The Coming Months

The downstairs projects are expected to be completed this week, meaning our section meetings can return to the Scout Hut starting on 6th January. We will be in touch to confirm this in case of any hiccups.

The main hall parquet flooring will be restored during the February half-term, so there will be no disruption.

On Saturday 15th March 2025 we will be hosting our building relaunch. We will be inviting old and current members, the local community and organisations that have granted us funds to come and see the building as we celebrate its new lease of life. We hope you can join us for this event.

Scout Achievements

Squirrels – I am pleased that our Squirrels Drey is off to a flying start with nine members aged 4 – 6 years. Over the last term, they have started working towards their badges, including Be Active, Exciting Experiments, and All About Me. We still have space for more young people, so be sure to tell your friends about it.

Halloween Disco – Thank you to everyone who joined us for a fang-tastic evening. We danced the night away with scary dances and games. We managed to raise £85.84

Winshill in Bloom – We are pleased to share that our Cub Pack has achieved Gold with their Planter, based on the junction of North Street/ Hawfeild Lane. Back in June, they planted the foundations for their success. Our Scout troop also entered the competition alongside our Cub Pack and won a Silver award.

Remembrance Parade – A huge well done to all of our young people who attended our Remembrance Parade at St Mark’s Church. This was also our Squirrels first parade, it was great to have them out and about in the community!

Clip’ N Climb – Our Cubs visited Meadow Side Leisure Centre this term and reached new heights by climbing a series of climbing walls.

Christmas Bingo—We raised a total of £521 at our Christmas Bingo, which will go towards the group’s running costs. We’d like to thank St Mark’s Church for allowing us to host our event at their venue.

Magical Christmas – All the sections joined together for our last meeting of the term for a magic show hosted by Magical Mayhem. This was our first social event where all the sections came together simultaneously. What a great way to wrap up a busy term!

Christmas Tree Festival – Over the month of December, our Young People made Christmas trees and wreaths to put on display at St. Mark’s Church for their Christmas Tree Festival. Have you seen any of the decorations?

Recruitment

Young People (6-14 years): Do you know someone looking for adventure? We have spaces for new members to join the Winshill Adventure as we embark on another exciting year of Scouting activities. – Join Now

Young Leaders (14-18): Join our team of young leaders and gain valuable leadership skills. The program covers a range of subjects, including a balanced program, Child Protection, First Aid, and leadership skills. – Join Now

Adult Volunteers: Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast, can make cups of tea, or fancy trying something new, we’re looking for volunteers who can spare an hour a week to join our team. Your help will impact our Young People, enabling them to learn Skills for Life. – Join Now

Dates For Your Diary

Valentine’s Bingo – Friday 14th February 2025

Pancake Party – Tuesday 4th March 2025

Building Grand Reopening – Saturday 15th March 2025

Chocolate Bingo – Friday 4th April 2025

Group Camp – Friday 6th June – Sunday 8th June

Stay Connected & Follow Our Adventures!

At Winshill Scouts, we take pride in our vibrant scout community and love sharing our adventures with the local community. To stay up-to-date with all our exciting activities and events, make sure to connect with us:

Facebook: Join us on Facebook to get a front-row seat to our scout group’s adventures. Follow our page and be the first to know about upcoming events, achievements, and memorable moments. Don’t forget to like, comment, and share our posts to spread the scouting spirit!

Website: Visit our website for comprehensive information about our scout group. You’ll find details about our programs, leadership, upcoming events, etc. Our website is your go-to resource for everything related to our group.

WhatsApp: Our primary method remains emails through OnlineScoutManager. Always check your junk folder; as we know, emails sometimes end up there. The point of the WhatsApp group is to make secondary announcements to parents. Messages will start with the section name (Squirrels | Beavers | Cubs | Scouts) or Group for all sections, so you know who they are targeted at.

Reflection

It has been an amazing few months of Scouting, and while this newsletter only covers the last few months, we have made some incredible achievements this year. In 2025, we have so much to look forward to with our building reservations, our 65-year anniversary, and so many more exciting activities.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the incredible team of adult volunteers, both past and present. They are the backbone of our group’s success. Not only do we have our section teams, whom you see weekly, but we also have heroes behind the scenes who ensure our admin tasks are carried out and fix things around the building when they break.

Finally, we thank our parents, guardians, and supporters for bearing with us occasionally and lending a hand when needed. We are proud of every young person in our group, and it is incredible to see them conquer their challenges and earn their badges!

I’d like to wish everyone a Happy and healthy New Year and look forward to our events in 2025.

Yours in Scouting,

Jordan Mann

Lead Group Volunteer

E: jordan@winshillscouts.org.uk