It’s been a challenging time over the last year, we’ve went from lockdown through a number of different sets of restrictions to getting back to being allowed to camp and meet face to face..  While some leaders in Scouting are still very wary of being back Face to Face, our youth members rely on us to give them stimulation and give them something close to normality out with School and home life.

While there was concern in January at the drop of number when our annual census was taken, we were very similar to the national average but on the recent headcount exercise numbers have bounced back to close to pre pandemic levels.  This shows the requirement for Scouting and the huge impact every one of you have to our young members and society as a whole.

Looking at some of the specifics:

Summer of play funding allowed us to support over 469 members in getting them back camping and this resulted in over 1200 nights away from home.  What an achievement for all, the Government in providing the funding, the Regional team in administrating the applications and also the adult leaders in taking the younger members out camping.

ScotJam on tour, two days of activities at Templars park run by Scouts Scotland but supported by the Region

Training has continued online throughout the year and the First Response training has changed dramatically but has stepped up to start getting the backlog decreased.  Well done to all who have volunteered to become First Response trainers.

Snow photo competition with such a diverse and wonderful set of photos of snow sculptures of animals, igloos and people of all different sizes and shapes.  What a creating group we are involved with.

Adult awards, congratulations to all who have received any award during the year, all are deserving and there are more adults out there who need to complete their training to receive good service awards.  Especial congratulations to a very special couple, Anne and Bruce McLaren on their Silver Wolf Awards.

Youth awards, it’s especially pleasing to hear about or present so many young people with top awards for their section.  This has been really difficult to achieve in the last 12 months with the restrictions we have been operating under, congratulations to all of the recipients and of course, the leaders and parents in supporting them.

Permits have continued to be awarded for adults throughout the year.  A few have been more challenging than other but we need to keep these progressing to allow Scouting to continue to offer this unique program to our young people.

We’ve also appointed a new District Commissioner in Kincardineshire and we hope to announce a new DC in Deeside in January, welcome to the Regional team.

Looking forward, who knows what will be in front of us but at present, we hope to continue to be able to offer Face to Face Scouting to all our young members, keep camping, get back to planning international trips and of course select our representatives for the World Scout Jamboree.  Not to mention the wonderful Jamborette at Blair Atholl in 2022.

We’ve hosted our first District Recovery workshop which was ran by Scouts Scotland and one more to be held in January for the remaining districts.  This is the first step in supporting the Districts to allow them to in turn support the Groups in identifying and prioritising the actions that need to be taken through the next couple of years.

As long as we continue to work together, be considerate to others and listen to their opinions and ideas we can continue to thrive as a movement and provide a wonderful start in life for our young people.  We really do ‘prepare young people with skills for life’

Finally, thankyous, I’ll never be able to thank everyone I should but a BIG THANKYOU to the Regional team, all the adult volunteers in the Districts and Groups, all our youth members and of course the parents and guardians of these wonderful young people.

Dougie Simmers

Regional Commissioner

N.B Photo taken prior to 2020 for a different award.

Bear Grylls honours brave North East young person as an Unsung Hero 2021

• Theo Harvey, was chosen from over 330 nominations from across the UK by Bear Grylls personally to be one of 20 “Bear Gryll’s Unsung Heroes 2021” The award scheme, created by Grylls honours specifically young people that have shown exceptional kindness, courage and resilience over the past year
• In late 2016, Theo was diagnosed with a brain tumour, despite his ongoing challenges, he has raised £8,500 for Guide Dogs for the blind and hopes to be placed with a dog of his own in time to increase his independence alongside his commitment to Scouts.
• Theo, a Scout from 1st Alford Scout Group was recently honoured with a Cornwell Scout Badge. An award in respect of pre-eminently high character and devotion to duty, together with great courage and endurance.

Theo Harvey, a young person from 1^st Alford Scout Group was honoured as one of Bear Grylls Unsung Heroes for 2021,  young people from across the UK, were chosen from hundreds of nominations, put forward by local volunteers, on the basis of their story. Bear Grylls, Chief Scout for the movement, personally picked twenty young people in Scouts who’ve shown Scouts values, kindness, courage and the Scout’s ‘never give up’ spirit.

‘You guys are the pinnacle; the elite,’ Bear Grylls told the Unsung Heroes. ‘We’re all part of the same Scout family, but each of us have different skills, talents. That’s what makes us strong.’

The Unsung Heroes’ achievements were as varied as they were impressive. Some huge sums for good causes, drew pictures or told jokes for charity. One Scout, Max Woosey, camped out for over 550 days, and raised over half a million pounds for his local hospice. (And he’s still camping now).

Others cycled, climbed and travelled hundreds of miles for charity, all going the extra mile to do something amazing. Some achieved their awards despite facing serious ill ness or losing a close family member, while others were recognised for the calmness and presence of mind dealing with emergencies. 

Theo’s parents David and Wendy added “Theo now lives with complex health issues and has many hospital admissions, but keenly attends scouts . Scouting gives Theo a chance to have adventure and challenge just the same as everyone else despite his sight loss. made possible by his local scout group leader. Theo has enduring strength and a spirit to never get discouraged we are very proud of him."

Grylls recognised the efforts of 14 year old Theo, who went through a incredibly difficult life changing events but keep on going and fundraised an exceptional £8,500 for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Theo was diagnosed with a brain tumour mid-2016 and had to undergo extensive surgery to reduce the tumour where he irretrievably lost his sight.

Theo kept up with local Scouting. He has been able to engage in adventurous activities and camps over the years alongside fundraising for Guide Dogs for the Blind through craft fayres, sponsored cycling and other events, raising over £8,500. Hearing personally about Theo’s

On getting the award, Theo said “Thank you for the Award I`m so pleased to receive it, and for being chosen from so many. I am just doing what I enjoy, I don`t see myself as a Hero just an ordinary boy and a Scout, who is looking to help others  because that's what Scouts do for other people."

Dougie Simmers, Regional Commissioner for North East Scotland Scouts commented: “To be recognised by our Chief Scout Bear Grylls is a fantastic achievement for Theo, he has gone to great lengths to show that never give up spirit in his daily life. Theo is a shining example of how we give young people not only the skills for life but the personal qualities and values that employers, colleges, universities and society need more than ever right now.”

Bear Grylls commented on those who received awards “What an example they are to so many of us. How we conduct ourselves in tough times really matters. Keep people close to you, keep positive, keep kind, and keep that never give up spirit.’

Scouts is the largest co-educational youth movement in the country. You can join today by visiting https://nescouts.scot/Groups/. If you would like to donate towards Guide Dogs for the Blind, see https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-harvey30

Looking back on our Summer of Play Success

• As part of the Summer of Play scheme, the Scottish Government provided an initial £5000 to Scout Groups across the North East of Scotland with three-hundred and eighty young people from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray across twenty-two Scout Groups benefitted from the scheme.
• North East Scotland Scouts agreed to provide a further £4555 funding to support all applications, including 89 volunteers to attend, however the Scottish Government increased the funding by another £5000 last month with another round of applications.
• 1^st Kingswell Scout Group are one of the beneficials of this funding and the fund allowed 22 young people to return to the outdoors at a greatly reduced cost, helping their wellbeing, letting them make memories and learn skills for life.
• The Association suspended all face-to-face activities in March 2020 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but volunteers delivered an online programme to help their young people cope with the restrictions and not seeing their friends and gave them a wellbeing lifeline.

After eighteen months hibernation due to the lockdown restrictions, 1^st Kingswell Scouts returned to Templars Park Aberdeen last month, for an exciting action packed adventurous programme with everything from pioneering, crate stacking, team building tasks to backwards cooking. The young people were ecstatic to return to activities they missed throughout the lockdown period, with a number of young people telling leading volunteers how much they missed their friends, the time outdoors and how the financial injection made a big difference.

On top of reconnecting with the outdoors and learning new skills, the Scouts took part in everything from pioneering with large poles, crate stacking where the young person uses two crates and a team to help them climb as far as possible, team building tasks like problem solving challenges and , backwoods cooking, spoke with Scouts from New Zealand as a group using zoom and a projector and the greatly missed all-important campfire and marshmallows to celebrate their hard work over the weekend.

Another big take-away from the weekend was how the young people felt an improvement in their physical and in particular mental wellbeing, through reconnecting with their friends. The positive health and wellbeing aspects of a Scout camp are myriad: whether it's being outdoors in the fresh air for the weekend, working together with peers on exciting and challenging new activities, learning new skills, or just having fun and relaxing round the campfire with friends, it's a hugely positive experience for young people and volunteers. In a study by the University of Edinburgh, individuals are 15% less likely to suffer from anxiety if they’ve been a Scout or Guide, as organisations that support resilience and social mobility through developing the potential for continued progressive self-education.

Cameron, age 11, a young person with the group said “Getting back to camp with my friends was great and has helped me feel better. I got to learn new things like setting the camp up from scratch, including putting up the dining marquee, and I got to learn how to use knives, axes and saws safely to prepare firewood”

Fran Scorgie, lead volunteer with the group added “The lockdown has had a significant impact on the wellbeing of young people, the young people and leaders in 1st Kingswells were ecstatic to get back to the outdoors for the first time in eighteen months. They camped with their friends while learning new skills for life and it is down to the tireless hard work of our volunteers. Volunteering with the Scouts really does make a difference to young people’s lives, it’s good for your wellbeing, good for your health and good for your CV when you are going for the new job or promotion, it is simply good for you”

Ken Bruce, Chair for North East Scotland Scouts commented “The funding received from the Scottish Government has made an incredible difference to young people across the North East of Scotland. With the funding, all applications across our region were supported, meaning even more young people could get out this summer, spend time outdoors, make memories with their friends, improve their wellbeing and learn skills for life.”

In line with Scottish Government and Youthlink guidance, Scouts is now returning to face to face activities, you can enrol a young person or join as a volunteer today by visiting https://nescouts.scot and filling out an application form.

It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Andrew Sharkey, Vice President and former Chief Commissioner of Scotland, has gone home.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Siobhan, his sons Andrew and Benjamin and his sister Ann Marie at this sad time.

Barry Donald Hewitt

Chief Volunteer of Scotland