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Media
Latest press releases from Clwyd Scouts are below - media outlets are welcome to use them. We can give interviews if needed, including making Young Spokespeople available for interview, in English and Welsh. Please contact us if needed.
For media enquiries, or to send your news and photos in, contact David Morris on 07779272340 or email communications@clwydscouts.org.uk.
Click here for clippings from newspaper articles about Clwyd Scouts hosted on our Flickr page. |
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Atlas Explorer Scout Unit, based in Coedpoeth in Wrexham, are receiving a new award from Wrexham County Borough Council at an event this Friday. The award has unlocked a grant which the group will be using to provide more activities for young people.
The Wrexham Award for Excellence is part of a trial kite-marking scheme developed by AVOW on behalf of Wrexham CYP Framework Partnership.
The scheme has been developed to ensure that youth groups are meeting required standards including safety, child protection, recognising achievement, supporting volunteers and involving young people in decision making.
Achieving the award gave the group access to a grant of £2,500 that has allowed them to buy expedition equipment, and fund leader training in first aid and mountain leadership, which will enable Explorer Scouts to undertake more adventurous activities.
Explorer Scout Elliot Jones, 15, said: ''It's going to help us a lot, and enable us to have our equipment so we don't have to rely on borrowing things from other Scout Groups. The award makes us feel really proud knowing what we're doing is right. Our Leaders are really supportive and help us getting through the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.''
The Explorer Scout Unit, which offers a huge range of activities for young men and women aged 14 to 18 years, has only been up and running for 18 months. The group started with 7 members and has gone from strength to strength with number now at 19.
Those interested in joining the Scouts can visit www.scouts.org.uk/join or call 0845 300 1818.
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Added on 25/02/2010
The Scouts are raising money for ShelterBox, the UK-based charity who send out boxes that provide an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless.
Scout Leader David Morris said, ''As soon as I heard of the massive destruction in Haiti I thought there must be a way we could help. The Scouts have a partnership with ShelterBox and I realised this was just what those who'd lost everything in the quake would need.''
This Friday night the Scouts, girls and boys aged between 10 and 14, will be building makeshift shelters and spending the night out in the open. Luckily they're used to sleeping in unusual conditions as they recently camped out in the snow at the Scouts' national Winter Camp.
Each ShelterBox includes a ten-person tent, drawing books & crayons for kids, blankets, tools, a stove, water containers and cooking pots and utensils. The Scouts hope to raise £490 - the cost to supply one box and get it to the disaster zone. Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/rhosnesniscouts or by sending a cheque made payable to 1st Rhosnesni Scouts to David Morris, 55 Bradley Road, Wrexham, LL13 7TG.
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Added on 19/01/2010
15 Scouts from 1st Rhosnesni Scouts in Wrexham are joining 2,500 others from across the UK this weekend to welcome a new year of adventure. The Scouts were attending The Scout Association's annual Winter Camp, braving sub zero temperatures to camp at Gilwell Park in Chingford, the home of Scouting and outdoor adventure.
Winter Camp takes place every January and provides the opportunity for all Scouts to take part in over 70 adventurous and fun activities ranging from abseiling to zorbing. Over 1,800 boys and girls aged between 10-18 along with over 600 adult Leaders will enjoy the experience of sleeping in tents for two nights, cooking on open fires and enjoying a packed programme led by a team of 200 adult volunteers.
Chief Scout Bear Grylls who is well known for his adventures around the world, said ''Every young person deserves an adventure. It's great to see so many young people from Wrexham are getting stuck into adventurous activities like climbing, abseiling, quad biking and having a go on the high ropes, all in the coldest month of the year.''
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- Photos, plus quotes from Scouts and Leaders will be available on Monday
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Wrexham Scouts on BBC Radio 5 Live from the camp Added on 05/01/2010
A selection weekend was held at Gwernyfed High School near Brecon in November after 158 young people applied for just 129 available places. During the weekend the Scouts aged 12 to 16 were put in mixed teams of ten and took part in various team building challenges while being assessed to see how they got on with their peers.
Chloe Lloyd, a 13 year old Scout with the 1st Mynydd Isa got her letter this morning, and it was good news. Chloe said: ''I was really happy when I got the news. I wasn't expecting to get through as I was in a really good group and there was lots of competition. I'm so looking forward to meeting new people from across the world at the Jamboree.''
Four units of young people and volunteer Leaders will be representing Wales as part of the United Kingdom contingent. World Scout Jamborees occur once every four years and are attended by Scouts from over 200 countries as diverse as India, New Zealand, Brazil and Uganda. During the 12 day camp the youngsters will take part in a packed programme including adventurous activities, learning new skills and finding out about each other's cultures.
Simon Fairless from Scouts Wales said, ''The selection weekend was completely hectic. However, a lot of fun was had by all and Wales will definitely benefit from having a fantastic group of motivated, keen individuals, thrilled to be attending such a prestigious event.''
Those Scouts who are chosen will now face the challenge of raising money to pay for their trip of a lifetime.
Added on 16/12/2009
Last year, through Operation Christmas Child, over 1.2 million shoeboxes packed full of gifts and goodies were wrapped, packed and sent to children in disadvantaged situations by children and adults in the UK. The Scouts were checking and packing boxes that were destined for children in crisis-hit Zimbabwe.
Leah Ritchie, a 16 year old Explorer Scout from Wrexham, said: ''I'm really touched by this. I think it's so amazing that these shoeboxes are going all the way to Zimbabwe.''
Explorer Scout Leader David Morris said: ''I'm really proud of our Explorers who've really pulled out the stops for this project. Last night we were inundated with gifts, wrapping paper and shoeboxes, now we've got a great turnout here to help send them on their way to Africa.''
Operation Christmas Child depends on volunteers and donations. Those interested can call 0870 011 2002 to find out how to help.
Results
Added on 25/11/2009
Scout Leader David Morris said: ''I volunteer regularly, running meetings every week, but understand that lots of people just don't have the time to give this much commitment. Having someone to help out just once in a while though would really help Leaders like me.''
The Scouts have been using some modern methods to publicise the new format. Messages have been sent to people via the social networking site Facebook, and already quite a number of people have expressed an interest.
Christian Edwards from Wrexham was a member of the Scouts when he was younger and is now getting back involved with Scout Active Support. He said: ''I can't commit lots of time as I'm a father of three and that keeps me pretty busy, but this is flexible enough for me to help out when I've got time.''
''I'm a keen mountain biker and have been told that I could help by assessing Explorer Scouts who are doing the sport for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. It's an easy way for me to help out, and it's great to be encouraging young people to take up a sport that I love.''
Members would also be able to get something out of it themselves, whether by taking part in activities with other members, such as going walking in Snowdonia, to enjoying social activities, camps and even international travel.
One of the Scouts' recent recruits is TV adventurer, and Chief Scout, Bear Grylls. He said: ''Our biggest challenge in Scouting is getting enough adults to share their time and talents. Scout Active Support is a brilliant way for adults of all ages to volunteer on a flexible basis.''
''It's the best of both worlds - it fits around people's commitments, helps them to use their individual talents and volunteer with their friends. Not everyone can contribute every week - but this way, people can still make a great contribution to Scouting.''
Those who are interested in getting involved can phone Moz on 07779 272340 or visit www.facebook.com/WASPSactivesupport
Higher quality images available on request Added on 19/11/2009
The 37 Cub Scouts from 1st Moss and 6th Wrexham travelled down to London by coach on Friday night, spending the night at a Scout hut in the west of the city, before heading into the centre for a day of sightseeing.
During their visit Chris Hitchcock and Struan Nisbet were invested as Young Leaders on the step of Number 10 Downing Street. Young Leaders are Explorer Scouts aged 14 to 18 who help out with the younger sections of Scouting.
Struan, 14 from Wrexham, said: ''It was an honour to be allowed into Downing Street to be invested. I was really excited and it was the highlight of my trip.''
The main reason for the visit took place on the Sunday morning as the Scouts joined dignitaries from the City of Westminster, the armed forces and other VIPs at the service of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.
Scout Sion Davies said: ''We really enjoyed London. The journey was fun, the Science Museum was scientrific, St. Paul's Cathedral was amazing, Downing Street impressive, pizzas were yummy but most important of all we paid our respects at Westminster Abbey. We remembered.''
High quality photos available on request Added on 18/11/2009
Huw's dad Peter volunteers as a Leader at the 1st Esclusham Cub Scouts and arranged the sponsored event. Peter said: ''The Cubs did really well during the ride which took almost five hours. They raised almost £300 but we're still after people to sponsor them.''
Both Huw and Josh are members of the Scouts and local cycling clubs. They have been members of 1st Esclusham since the age of six, and are members of the Alf Jones Cycle club.
1st Esclusham Cubs, based on Spring Road in Rhostyllen, currently have room for new members aged eight to ten and a half. Boys and girls are welcome to make new friends and join the fun and adventure. Contact Peter on 01978 753900 to join the Cubs or to sponsor Huw and Josh.
More photos available on request Added on 03/11/2009
To assist the groups that took part, Keep Wales Tidy produced 1000 free clean-up kits. Sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government, the kits contained posters, promotional items, and tabards.
Speaking about the week long campain, Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy commented: ''We hear constant complaints in the press and on TV about the state of our streets, beaches and rivers. The truth is that resolving many of the problems highlighted lies in our own hands. People create litter and with a little bit of effort we could make a massive dent in the annual £50 million it costs to remove our rubbish and waste.''
Cub Scout Leader John Bebbington said, ''Luckily the sun shone and the tide wasn't too far out. As well as Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, lots of Mums, Dads, brothers and sisters turned out to help. We started at the Nova and went along the promenade towards the Ffrith and came back on the beach.''
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High quality images available on request. Added on 05/10/2009
The Scout Association is delighted that The Government has announced today it is going to intervene to stop Ofwat's Rain Tax and introduce a sensible social water charging regime.
This announcement today will be welcomed by all community groups across England and Wales who have been frustrated by Ofwat's failure to understand the damage and financial hardship their policies were causing to the clubs and groups that we the Scout Association, The Football Association, Lawn Tennis Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Rugby Football Union and the Church of England represent.
We are therefore delighted that The Government has worked with us collectively to resolve this matter and we will be seeking assurances from all of the main political parties for wide ranging cross party support to make sure these measures become law in the Floods and Water Bill to rotect community and voluntary groups which are the life blood of many communities.
18 year Scout Leader Nancy Ibrahim said: 'It's great news to find out that the Minister has kept his promise to Scouting to stop the rain tax. We were really worried about where we were going to find the money to pay these charges and the cuts this would mean for our activities as a result.'
Chris Lilley, Treasurer of Penrith Rugby Club said: 'We fully welcome the news that DEFRA have recognised the contribution that sports clubs make to both their local communities and the health of all participants in porting activities through this announcement which will remove'
General Synod Member Martin Dales said: 'With over 16,000 places of worship, Church of England parishes and cathedrals were facing an annual bill of several million pounds. Today's announcement is very good news for them. We look forward to the early implementation of what has been promised.' Added on 28/09/2009
The five Explorer Scouts, Gavin Scott, George Jones, James Cragg, Suzie Gregory and Sam Dodd, were paddling from Glasbury in Powys to Hoarwithy in Herefordshire as part of a three day expedition. The aim of their expedition was to visit campsites along the route to evaluate them for future Scout activities.
On reaching Whitney-on-Wye the Scouts saw a group in locally hired boats who were in obvious distress. One of their canoes was stuck against the pillar of a bridge due to a strong current. The boat had tipped over throwing one paddler into the river and leaving the other, a young pregnant woman, standing terrified in the sinking canoe.
Three of the quick thinking Explorer Scouts went to the aid of the party, one going after the person in the water and the others rescuing the woman from the boat. River levels were reasonably high, about 2 feet higher than normal and flowing fast following recent rain.
Gavin Scott said, ''Once I'd assessed the person in the water was OK, I paddled upstream against the strong current towards the lady in the sinking canoe which was pinned against the bridge. Me and James shouted to her to reassure her and told her to jump in the water where we'd catch her, but she was scared and didn't want to, stating that she was pregnant. Eventually, with George's help we managed to get a boat alongside her and she managed to get in so we could take her to the side where she was looked after by Sam and Suzie while we recovered their battered boat.''
All five of the Scouts are experienced paddlers and spend hours learning how to rescue people, but this was the toughest challenge they'd had to face.
Leader Joanne Gregory said, ''I am really proud of the way the Explorers worked together as a team to manage the situation. They quickly assessed that the other members of the other party didn't have the ability or equipment to manage the situation, and directed them to safety while they managed the rescue, ensured their own safety by assessing the river conditions, and acted quickly for fear that the stranded canoe would buckle under pressure causing injury to the woman.''
Despite the drama, the group completed the expedition covering 51 miles in the 3 days, and are on course to gain their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Awards and the Chief Scout's Diamond Award.
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High quality images available on request Added on 08/09/2009 |
