Friday 30 May 2014

May 2014 News

Cubs reopen in Welwyn after two years away!


In June cub pack meetings will restart in Welwyn at New Church House, where the beavers already meet. Initial plans are to hold the meeting from 6 30/45 to 8pm, Steve Long will be Cub Leader, Mike Gray Assistant Cub Leader, and Tony Worsley as a helper.

All three are very experienced leaders and plan an exciting new programme for boys and girls of cub age, 8-11years, so let me know on 07580942319 if you have young people who want to join.


HQ refit


I am pleased to say the HQ refit is progressing well and the asbestos roof should go in two weeks time, to be replaced by a highly insulated steel roof and new gutters

Our penetrating damp problems of the last few years were due to gutters so solid with debris that water ran straight off onto the 6" of leaves and soil banked up against the HQ wal.

Volunteers helped shift the soil and leaves, and also cut down the trees and bushes from which much of the rubbish had come.

After the roof is complete, the external walls will be fitted with thick insulation and rendered after which, externally, the HQ will look brand new.

Work will then move inside, to provision of new toilets, including disabled facilities, a rewire and ready for complete

Due to funds raised to date being fully committed on the main refit project, we will carry out the redecoration work ourselves, so dust off your paint brushes for late July/August!


Fundraising


We will be at Welwyn Festival Street Market (21st June), FunDay (28th June) and Roman Day at Sherrardswood School/Roman Baths (29th June), selling virtual "bricks" to raise funds to complete other refit work and to buy new camping and storeage equipment, as well as selling ducks for the duck race which finishes off Fun Day.

Also we are holding a '60's Rock Band Night on the evening of the 4th October, to coincide with our celebration of the HQ refit completion (see below) More details of prices, etc in the next newsletter

Celebration of the refit completing and the opening of the Derek Nash 1st Welwyn Scout HQ


On the 4th October we will be holding a celebration and ribbon cutting for the refitted HQ, starting at 11am at the Civic Centre, and 12 30pm at the HQ in Lockleys Drive Welwyn.

Please all come along if you can, the HQ will be named the Derek Nash HQ, after my predecessor who dedicated 57 years of his life to scouting, including 25 years in Welwyn, Codicote and WGC, as well as Scout HQ in London, and built 1st Welwyn up to 180 young people in the '90s, at that time the largest Group in WGC District

He died some years ago, but his grandson, a beaver, we hope will cut the ribbon, possibly assisted by Derek's widow Kath, if she is able to make it, and other members of Derek's family.

So things are moving on, and we expect in the next 12/18 months to restore the Group to it's former strength and vibrancy.

More Newsletters will follow over the summer, and hopefully we will see many of you during Welwyn Festival Week, 20-29th June.

Andy Trotter 
Chairman and Group Scout leader 
1st Welwyn Scouts