Charlie Coakley - Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Engineering ...

OUR DC!
The darks nights are now up on us, meaning winter is just around the corner. This shouldn’t mean that you
are confined to your HQ’s but should be getting out and about. Just remember to keep safe, let your GSL
know all your plans, appoint a leader in charge, ensure you have a home contact system in place, that risk
assessments have been done and that parents have all the details.
Its been a busy month, with lots going on. Bagpacking at the being of October raised £352 for the Mayoress
Charity. Thanks to Fellowship Helen Broady, Pat Sewell, Sue Cropper, to Jim Aldridge, Liz and Madeleine
Roberts, Jackie Gosson, Paul Britton, Ian Goldstraw, Hugh Miller and the Bubblefactor Explorers who all
turned out to pack.
I know some of you took part in County Splash and Dash. We had Scout Backwoods Cooking at Rufford
organised by Alan Martland. District Orienteering was organised by Peter and Norman Hall, won by 9thA
Scouts, 29 th C Cubs and 53 rd B Beaver. Well done to you all, results can be found later in the newsletter,
thanks to Peter and Norman for organising the event for us.
The District Ball at Briars Hall had 105 all dressed in their finery. Thanks to Paul and Chris for organising that
for us. Some of you also supported the Mayoress Charity at the Aughton Male Voice Choir concert which
was a lovely night, then the following day we ran the Halloween Spooky Walk at Windmill Farm. Thanks
again to Liz and Madeleine Roberts for the horrible base they ran, to Margaret Fearn and daughter for Bob
Apples, Betty Knowles and Pam Hall for refreshments, Peter Hall for his big witches nose and spiders web
and Karen from 58 th who was dressed as a green witch and helped set up and made bats. We had a brilliant
day, thanks to Windmill Farm for looking after us so well.
Thoughts and prayers please for Ian Biggin who is just recovering from an operation, Ann & Eric whose son
Andrew is very poorly, to the family of a little Beaver from Halsall who lost his battle with cancer and anyone
else we know who may be suffering at this time.
Remembrance Sunday Nov 11 th
Its important that Scout groups support our service men and
women. There are parades throughout the District for all to
attend, with the main parade in Ormskirk, Burscough and
Skelmersdale. The Ormskirk parade will assemble at 9.30
outside St Anne’s church and finish at Civic Hall for
refreshments at 12.
Safety
All meetings, events and activities must have a leader in
charge who has responsibility for co-ordinating all adults and
young people.
Recent experience has shown that accidents can happen
when there isn't a leader clearly designated as being in
charge overall, or when that person makes an assumption
that other people are looking after safety issues. Responses
to accidents are also impaired in such circumstances.
The leader in charge is, simply put, the adult present at an
evening meeting, event or activity who has the role of co-ordinating the work of all adults towards delivering
the Programme in a safe manner. Scouting safely is not just about ensuring that risk assessments and safety
checks are conducted; all adults need to be clear on what they need to do and young people should be given
clear instructions, guidance or rules.
The leader in charge does not have to personally fill in every risk assessment; this can be done by someone
else in discussion with other adults. Nor do they have to give rules or guidance to either young people or
adults personally. Being the leader in charge is about being the person with an overview of safety in the
given situation.
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