REUNIONEXPRESS 2014Issue 3 | Saturday 6th September

scouts.org.uk/reunion

Today Sophie Barker of Ryedale District, North Yorkshire, has been presented with her wood beads by her DC Tony Oates. Welcome to the 1st Gilwell Scout Group Sophie. Sophie is one of a number of people presented with their wood beads this

year accross the UK, and there will be many more to come thanks to all the new adults that have been recruited into new and exisiting groups.

Did anyone else get their woodbeads this weekend? Let us know!

@reunionexpressfacebook.com/reunionexpress 07553 107 551 reunion.express@scouts.org.uk

This weekend in Ontario, at Blue Springs Scout Reserve and all Gilwellians are invited to attend. Blue Springs Scout Reserve which is located just west of the town of Acton for the 63rd Reunion The first

Ontario reunion of Gilwellians was held at Blue Springs in 1952 in Ebor Park. The Gilwell weekend has grown annually in attendance and currently has almost 1200 participants.

Congratulations Sophie!

AnnouncementsHave you seen our axe? Could whoever borrowed the axe from the Meridian on the Quick last night please return it. Thank you.

Cornish ServiceThere will be a Cornish Service on Sunday at 11am by the Cornish Gates.

Congratulations! Joan and Athen Sims – Celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary at Giwell today.

50 years in ScoutingCarol Sayers of Bognor Regis is celebrating 50 Years of Scouting this year. Congratulations!

Even more reunion first timersRob Kirk – South Yorkshires newest Virgin, hope you have a great time. Welcome Frankie to your first reunion from Carole, Vic, Debbie and Mick.

Welcome to Teresa LoughbroughLTM Icknield, Bedfordshire has been in Scouting many years but is attending reunion for the first time and is loving it so far.

Big hello to Pete Marsh, GSL 1st Inkersall Scout Group. 32 years in scouting and this is his first Gillwell reunion.

It’s the first visit to Gilwell Reunion for the Beaver, Cub & Scout leaders of 5th Tyldesley and the Explorer leaders of Spartan ESU. We’re all having a great time in our subtle orange hoodies.

Glen Brooks from our own Reunion Express team is at Reunion for the first also, welcome Glen.

Andy and Steve who are newly appointed DC and Deputy DC of Romford District.

Welcome to Freddie Smith from 6th Selby (Brayton) Scout Group.

From the Car Park Team!!!

Reunion Everywhere.

Sunday Kit runs will be available from 10am. Please note that there will be no kits runs from Essex Chase, The Quick and Mallinsons from 2pm to 3.30pm whilst the Scouts own is taking place. Once your kit is ready please send one of your group to the mess tent in Branchet Field, where a simple queuing system will be in operation. Please, please do not try and ‘pinch’ the gator drivers as they pass as they have been instructed to return to the mess tent after each run. Your co-operation and patience is much appreciated.

The clock tower in the Camp Square is named after Alfred Macintosh who was Camp Warden from 1945-1958. Mac as he was fondly known, was a great Campfire Leader. He was keen to have a clock, high enough, it could be seen from across the Camping Field. Fundraising got underway and helped by the Bermondsey Scouts enough was raised for the Clock Tower and called Big Mac. If you are a campfire leader and know where Big Mac should have gone, text your answer to 07553 107 551

Where’s my Big Mac?

The Isle Of White may need extra room if the Scouts keep up their Growth Figures. Speaking to a Mr Malcolm Cox today, who is the Media Development Manager for the Isle of White, he was proud to tell us of his amazing growth results and rightly so.With Malcolm Cox, or “Mac” to his friends, along with his team,

Isle of Wight is Too Small!

The Rod Squad are at Gilwell!Welcome to the 44th Swansea, Sketty Leaders, Richard, Julian, Nicky and Jeremy, stars of the Rod Gilbert Work Experience T.V. show. Anyone wanting an autograph, they are at the left hand side of the Essex Chase wood pile. All welcome. (Bring badges to swap)!

leading the way, the Isle of White has grown from 1000 members to just over 1500 members in just 7 years. They have also achieved the highest percentage of growth for the South East Region in 5 of the last 7 years AND……they have the highest percent in girls with 26% against the rest of the Country. Mac also featured in the Express last night. Did anybody spot him.? Well, he is on the picture caption competition featuring Princess Ann. It was taken at the opening of the 1st phase re-build of the Corf Camp site on the Isle of White. Well done Team MAC, keep on Scouting.

Please note that first aid provision for Gilwell Reunion has moved to the Pack Holiday Centre. Be prepared...make sure you know where this is!

FirstAid.

Mini Mc Tries Finger Spelling.

REUNION EXPRESS 2014Issue 3 | Saturday 6th September

@reunionexpressfacebook.com/reunionexpress 07553 107 551 reunion.express@scouts.org.uk

I can hear you all asking “what is that”?, well lucky for us, the Reunion Express is here to find out. The Life Friends are a select group, mainly BSA but are also international. Speaking with a Mr Roger Schrimp, the International Commissioner for BSA, he told us about some of the work that the Life friends do. Roger said that the life friends is a commitment, as well as a contribution in time and work. This, of course, is at various levels and mainly covers volunteer work as well as projects. One of those projects will be taking place later on this week. That project

will be the rebuilding of the small campfire circle with some of the other international Volunteers.Also here with Roger is the Director of the International Division Janine Halverson who has been a volunteer with BSA since 1980. She told us of some of the small differences between here and home. Back home at Philemon near Cimarron New Mexico. It’s a tiny place like Gilwell, a mere 450000 acres of land in the back country and, just over the road from there is their training centre. They hold a training event there every two years and Janine is responsible for

making that happen. Janine, along with Roger, John Davis who joins us from Kansas, have all come to Reunion fresh from the World Scout conference which was held just recently in Slovenia. They will be here with us for Reunion, and then once the campfire circle is rebuilt, they will be off to Dallas for a similar meeting. The Life Friends are certainly globe trotters and we are all very happy to have them here with us. For more information on the Life Friends, please contact Carol Ward Fundraising Manager at Gilwell Park.

Life Friends of Scouting are at Reunion. ... at Reunion.Last night outside of the Ceilidh, a 5 year love story reached its peak. Mr Neil Blake, proposed Marriage to a Miss Emma Blackmore and she said YES!This love story began five years ago here at Reunion. Whilst visiting Reunion 2009, they shared their first kiss, but

didn’t start dating. That came two years later, also at Reunion, where Neil plucked up the courage and asked Emma out on a Reunion date. Then, finally, three years later……last night in fact, once again here at Reunion, Neil and Emma became engaged. The loving couple showed their commitment

to Gilwell and Reunion, by marking the occasion with matching tattoos.So, a heart-warming congratulations to both Neil and Emma and we wish you both all the best of Scouting Luck on your future adventure in love and life together.

Love is in the air...

Explorer Zoe Rogers writes book as part of Jamboree Unit 2 Fundraising.Zoe is on site this weekend and happy to sign copies of her new book HERBERT MINE STALKER! Buy a copy on site and it’s only £6, or buy in bulk you can get a discount to help you with your own fundraising.Zoe is by the International/Jamboree stands on the Training Ground http://www.herbertminestalker.com/

A literal approach to fundraising!

I learnt all about COMPASS, got all clued up about British Scouting Overseas and am very excited about the plans being made for the centenary of Cub Scouting in 2015

and 16.Henna and Encaustic Art, and The Queens Scout Working Party not to mention seeing Bear speaking on the Training Ground. I really am not too sure

The update from David’s Desk...about the onesie though it fits ok but is it really me I wonder. Suited Wayne though! So to this evening and a huge range of things to do The Traditional Reunion Campfire, The Beavers with the sounds of the 80’s and Live music with Joe Brown in the “Queen’s Squiffy Woggle Pub” not to mention the Reunion Quiz and the 80’s Classic

Ghost Busters film.So then to keep you occupied in the wee small hours here see how you get on with this little quiz: What is the next number in this series ?

3, 7, 13, 36.

Enjoy your Evening,David

James finds love thanks to Reunion Express!Thanks to the advert we placed in issue 2 of the Express, we are pleased to say James has found a match! The Express spotted James Varney earlier today, a Scout Leader from York. Now, the Express must be honest……it was the Hair style of James which caught our attention. When the Express asked James “why the pig tails”.? James kindly answered “Well, it’s more comfortable when sleeping at night”. As well as sporting great hair styling tips for camp, James Varney successfully opened a second Troop of Scouts just last year at St Chads Greys in York. Here at the Express we say BRAVO JAMES and Thank you for the tips on hair care.

Graeme Hamilton, Deputy UK Commissioner for Programme, asks ALL Cub Scouts “ARE YOU READY”?Ready for what? Well Graeme has a fun packed programme set for 2015. Its full of adventure for Cubs with a build up to the Cubs Centenary in 2016 and of course……CUB JAM!Cubs are the little green things, that are slightly bigger than the little blue things, who both get in the way of the big Khaki things of Scouting. So CUBS……..be ready for ADVENTURE!

CUBS! Are you ready?

Did you know?The campfire blanket used tonight by our very own Campfire Chief, David Walsh, belonged to ‘Rikki’ aka Mrs Melville Smith. Her name is forever associated with ‘Rikki’s Store’ on the camp square, officially opened at Reunion in 1960.