Lisburn and District Scout Council 2024 Annual General Meeting Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church Hall Wednesday 28th August 2024 at 7.30pm
District Lead Volunteer Report
District Membership:
The membership of Lisburn District Scout Council for 2024 census was recorded as follows: Squirrels -109
Beavers-175 Cubs-193 Scouts-239 Explorers (including young leaders) - 76 Network-19
Total youth members - 777, decrease of 62 from previous year Total adult members - 249, decrease of 30 from previous year
We are continually receiving enquiries for membership through the Scout NI website & local social media platforms and hopefully our numbers will increase for the 2025 census. In some sections we have waiting list for joining which will be addressed.
All our youth members are continually achieving top awards in their sections which deserves great credit to the youth & their leaders.
With regard to recruiting, Scout Headquarters held a recruitment roadshow last September, this was a great opportunity for us to sell ourselves to the public & young people. I would like to thank Finn who is our District Youth Lead Volunteer for the effort he is putting in trying to recruit more members & also helping organize youth training events.
Mandatory Training:
Our noncompliance level for mandatory Access NI, Safeguarding & Safety is continually monitored, our outstanding training at the start of August was as follows:
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Safety - 3No
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Safe Guarding - 3No
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First Aid - 19No
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Suspensions due to no Access NI -3No
Ballinderry Scout Group (New Group)
Most of you are probably aware that a Ballinderry Scout Group has been formed. An open day/ promotional event was held in March which proved very successful. The event had a BBQ & activity bases organized by district leaders & Explorer scouts.
The group has been registered with HQ and at the last count the total number of new members joining at present is 7No leaders & approx. 46 children. They will be split into Squirrels, Beavers & Cubs.
This is a great addits'on to our district and I would ask my ADCS to provide as much help and support as they can Distrlct Events: We have had numerous district events throughout the year for eath ofthe sections which will be detsiled in my ADC reports to follow. This would be a good time to thank all my ADCS, without them the various district events would not have happened. Squirrels- Sat 27th April -Experiments fun day at Hillhall Presbyterian ChurclL thanks to Rachel for organising Beavers - Adam Duff appointed into vacant rolc of ADC Beavers and in the process of organising events for the start of the new scouting year Cubs -Northern Ireland Cub quiz- I st Hillsborough 3rd and I st Ballymawh 4th District Flag competition-Friday 1st March at Hillhall Football comp¢tition- l Oth May at Football Factory Moira Road District Camp - Lisburn Woodlands on the l 2 June Hillslx)rough, Derriaghy Lambeg Ballymacash and Hilden attended Well done Gordy ADC Cubs for his organising Young Leaders Trnining weekend - 8th -10th March at Ardnavalley - organised by Hillsborough Young Leaders & supported by Finn our Youth Commissioner. Young Leaders 1° R¢sponse being held on Saturday 18 May, thank you to Finn & Andrew Stacey for organising trainers. Scouts - District Krypton Factor NighL District Quiz & District 5-a-side. Thanks to John ADC Scouts for organising Explorer Scouts - District Survival night at our woodlands with the h¢Jp of the anny Thanks to Phil ADC Explorers Some events wer¢ better attended than others, I would &sk that all section leaders please at least inforn] the event ADCS if you can or cannot attend. St Georges Oay Parade and Service Hosted by I st Bal1yma&h at St Marks Church on Sunday 28th April. The parade went well. good weather helps, attendance could have been better, 2N0 groups had no representation, this is a subject that needs to be looked at next year! ! ! Lisburn Council Half MaratboDI FUD Run Lisburn district as usual helFtd out at the event by Manni the various watcring points along the route. This is another great advert for scouting in the Lisburn district
Woodlands We had the pleasure of hosting our Mayor, his wife & children at the woodland in early summer. I would have to say all were very impressed, they are a Boys Brigade type family but I think we nTay hav¢ new Lx)nverts! ! Our Woodlands continue to be used more & more rcgularly by all sectlons within the districL many using it for their weekly meeting weather perniitting. The woodlands are continually Ing developed by our woodland team, we have recently got an NIE supply, created a new clearing for an air soft range & archery* made additional clearing for camp sites etc. Leaders Long Service Pregentstion8: Throughout the year many long service awards were presented as well as wood beads & 1 No Medals of Merit. Thankyous: As District Commissionerl Lead Volunteer I wish to thank all leaders in the District for their time, effort and dedication to Scouting in Lisbum District without leaders we don't have scouting. Also thanks to the Len our now retired County Commissioner for his support throughout the year, members of all committees: Appointments Committee, Training and Nights Away Advisors, Bothy Committee, Woodland Team . Executive Committee & my ADC Team. l also wish to thank my top table Harold, Len & Les they keep me hopefully in the right direction wrth their much valued advice. A couple of other special thanks go to Audrey with her help as past DC and to Janet who has been on the team now for about 12 months and now starts'ng to understand slightly about the "in & outs" of scouting, we do have some good conversations over the phone. Colin Hewitt, DCI Lead Volunteer Audrey Morrow, District Secretsry