Help for Section Leaders
You may not be aware of two useful sources of help with meetings and programme – and with assistance on Scouting questions in general, and in an emergency.
Firstly, there is the Scout Information Centre, run from Gilwell – If you’re looking for Scouting advice, support and guidance contact the scout information centre team by email or phone, 8am-7pm weekdays, 9am-12noon Saturdays. 0845 300 1818 / info.centre@scouts.org.uk or use the website – http://www.scouts.org.uk/contactus (If you need to contact the out of hours duty officer in an emergency, please call 07977 539 630)
Secondly, there is a Facebook resource – Scouting Leader Help For Cubs Beavers Scouts Pack Meetings – which is an online forum where leaders, stuck for a progamme idea or how to make something work, can ask other leaders for help. And it works, too – this post is as a result of GLN leaders mentioning it to me, and how useful it it.
Both sites worth bookmarking.
Writing for Scouting?
If you write anything for Scouting, from notices to websites and press releases, you should read the style guide for written communication in Scouting
The style guide for The Scout Association has been updated to provide a more comprehensive guide, to include updates to ensure it stays relevant and to keep communication clear for the newest of members. The style guide exists with the intention of promoting accuracy and consistency throughout The Association’s written communications, not just from HQ but locally too. It aims to encourage a recognisable family style, and establish standard good practice. The style guide should be regarded as a set of guidelines; it is not intended to ‘cramp your style’.
Anything with a publication date of 1 January 2012 onwards will reflect the new style guide while existing books and resources will be updated when they are being reviewed.
Please share the guide with members of your team who regularly write communications for Scouting in your area. For queries, questions or clarifications contact styleguide@scouts.org.uk.
Please remember that any communications with the press must be done in conjunction with the County Media Development Manager, Stephen Way – communications@gln-scouts.org.uk
Record Crowds for Enfield District Fireworks
On November 5th the annual fireworks organised by Enfield District in Enfield Town Park attracted over 13,000 people, filling the park. The event is run by a team of Scout Leaders with professional display qualifications, and the park is marshalled by Leaders, Network Scouts and Explorer Scouts. There were many appreciative comments from the crowd afterwards, both to leaders and in social media like You Tube and Facebook, all saying what a fantastic and enjoyable display it was.
The event went off smoothly, with no trouble or injuries, and was a great advertisement for Scouting – with the ‘Think you know Scouting? Think again!’ video being shown on big screens before the display and Explorer Scouts marshalling along the front of the display arena.
The event was supported by an online media campaign using a website for ticketing, Facebook and Google Ads and London listings websites.
Congratulations to Enfield Scouts for a great event and a great show of Scouting.
Videos and photos can be accessed via the event Facebook page
Are you running a Scout post scheme this Christmas?
At this time of year The Scout Association media team receives lots of requests from media outlets about Scout post schemes running around the UK. As with lots of media work, the requests often need to be turned around very quickly, so the team are trying to find out about as many as they can as early as possible.
If anyone in GLN is running such a sevice, please contact the County Media Development Manager (that’s Stephen Way) at communications@gln-scouts.org.uk
Thanks
A message from your Communications Team
The last couple of weeks have been hectic for the comms team, with the Jamboree and various other expeditions in full swing. We’ve managed to get press coverage in Haringey and Enfield, for both the Jamboree Unit and the Southgate Hatters Nambia trip, and the County Comms Manager (that’s me) spent two days up at Gilwell working with the national media team pitching Jamboree stories to the press, local and national, and to broadcast and web media – it was great training and great fun. Together, the Gilwell team got over 600 different pieces of Jamboree press coverage around the country, including local radio and National TV.
Great training for me, but now I need your help. You are all away doing great things – we all want to know about them. Please let me have photos and reports of your trips at communications@gln-scouts.org.uk and I will publish them on the website – if you have your own website or Facebook page, and it’s not linked on the County page – let me know. The three news stories were all written by me, with photos by me – each district really needs someone whose only Scouting role is to cover events in the District and do similar media work, with me. We have some great volunteers who have come forward, but this media lark is a full-time Scouting job, these days – one that’s suited to someone who perhaps cannot manage a meeting every week or is looking for something after Explorers or University but doesn’t want to take a Leaders role yet.
So, please look at all the stories online, it’s the easiest way to get information. If you have not yet looked at, and clicked ‘like’ on, the County Facebook page – you are missing all sorts of interesting and useful tid-bits that don’t make it onto North Circular.
And if you’re still wondering what Twitter is, and how it can possibly be interesting – take a look at the twitterfeed for the Jamboree Unit, where you can see reports from lots of other Units at the Jamboree and what they are doing.
County Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Greater.London.North.Scouts
Jamboree Unit: Twitterfeed and Tweets
News stories:
Enfield Independent (Jamboree) Haringey Independent (Jamboree) Enfield Independent (Hatters go to Namibia)
Pascal from the Hatters on BBC Breakfast (YouTube clip)
Let’s work together to get more people to Join the Adventure!
Epic media day for UK Scouting.
This was when we told the world about how Scouting continues to grow, with huge numbers of teenagers and adults joining the adventure.
The Chief Commissioner for UK Scouts, Wayne Bulpitt spearheaded the media coverage and he was ably assisted by two dynamic Enfield based Explorer Scouts, Grace Denny, aged 16, and Alex Thomas, aged 15. They had only recently been trained up as Grade “A” Young Spokespeople.
Early on Sunday afternoon, Grace and Alex were dispatched to Gilwell Park by their Explorer Scout Leader after a weekend’s camp at Frith Grange. Their weekend featured taking part in the annual Monopoly Run on the Saturday. Once they had arrived, they were met by the Gilwell Media Team and thrown into putting the final touches for several of the Monday’s national newspaper stories including The Times, Telegraph, Mail, Express and Metro. They also did some pre-recorded Sky Radio.
Bright and early on the Monday morning they commenced a long day’s work by starring on a variety of regional and local radio news opportunities. They were so good on LBC that the show’s producer asked them to return later in the week. At lunchtime, they were whisked off to Central London, to Portland Place, the BBC HQ, for a live TV piece on BBC London.
Then it was back to Gilwell, and back to the “studio” (the converted Chief Scout’s Office) to cover off a load more radio requests. These included two national heavyweights, Five Live Drive and Radio 4’2 The World Tonight, who between them command several million listeners.
In fact, it was a top day’s work for Grace and Alex.
Fozzy
