Information for new explorers and their parents

Introduction

The Explorer Scout unit provides young people with the opportunities to develop their physical and personal abilities through a structured programme of activities. This programme follows the national King’s Scout and Duke of Edinburgh award schemes. It also includes activities in the three scouting challenge areas which are International, Community and Values.

The Explorer Scout unit actively encourages everyone in the unit to achieve the King’s Scout and Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Their requirements are similar and can be achieved at the same time. The awards require a camping expedition at each of the three levels of the awards.

The activities of the unit are in three main areas:-

• Regular meetings on Thursday nights which provide opportunities to experience a wide range of activities and have fun.

• Award scheme meetings and expeditions. These are held as required to support those completing these awards, planning their expeditions and providing appropriate expedition training.

• Adventurous activities at weekends including hill walking, mountain biking, survival training and camping. There is usually a one week summer expedition.

The Explorer Scouts can take part in any or all of these activities, there is no need to attend every meeting. Explorers must be a member of the Explorer Scout unit (and pay their subs) to take part in any of these activities. All the activities will be advertised to all members (by email, text, Facebook, via www.VESU.org.uk or the notice board in the HQ) whether they attend Thursday evening meetings or not.

We meet at our HQ off Rees Crescent, behind St. Margaret's R.C. Church. Access is either down the drive from Rees Crescent or from the rear of the church.

Explorer Scouts are managed at a district level rather than being attached to a particular Scout Group. So although we meet in Holmes Chapel we are independent from Holmes Chapel Scout Group. The Viking Explorer Scout Unit is part of Alderley and Knutsford District. There are currently 5 Explorer Scout Units in the District and a Young Leader Unit (which does not meet on a regular basis but delivers the training modules and facilitates communication between Young Leaders and the different sections).

Meetings at the HQ are on Thursday evenings starting at 7pm and finishing about 9pm. Details of events away from HQ and all Thursday meetings are posted on the unit’s website (www.vesu.org.uk). Meetings away from the HQ often need parents to help with transport.

Any last minute changes to the programme will be advised by email to each explorer so please check. We have a closed Facebook group where we post information and photos. If you want to be added to this group please search for VESU and join the group.

Young Leaders Scheme

There is an opportunity to become a Young Leader with the younger sections in Scouting, please speak to an explorer leader if you are interested. This can be the volunteering element of the training schemes but is also a scheme in its own right.

Leaders

The Unit is run by the Explorer Scout Leader who is assisted by other Leaders and Assistants, all of whom are checked through the Disclosure and Barring Service (previously the CRB). All Leaders, Assistant Leaders and Adult Helpers are unpaid volunteers. They all give up their time for the benefit of the Explorer Scouts.

The Unit leaders are Eileen Buglass and Vince Haynes. (Contact at ‘vikingexplorers8@gmail.com’)

Kris Swinnerton is the District Explorer Scout Commissioner and helps the Unit on a regular basis.

Adventurous Activities

The Explorer Scouts will be involved in many adventurous activities including canoeing, climbing, hill walking, mountain biking and lightweight camping. All of these activities are run in accordance with the Scout Association rules for such activities. In many cases these require additional training and assessment for the Leaders. All such activities are run by suitably qualified and experienced Leaders who carry out a risk assessment for each activity.

Financing the Unit

The Explorer Scout unit needs funds to pay for resources for meetings, the running costs and maintenance of their HQ, the purchase and insurance of its headquarters, camping, canoeing and climbing equipment. The unit also pays an annual fee (more than £50) for each Explorer Scout to the National, County and District Scout Associations for their Leader training support, liability insurance and training scheme.

Unit funds are raised from a membership subscription, fund-raising, gift aid receipts and grants

The membership subscription is payable in the first week of each term. The current subscription is £30 per member per term. Additional payments may be required for attendance at activities such as climbing, canoeing, and camping. Fees for these will be notified with the details of the event.

Fees are also payable for the Queen Scout/ DofE award scheme, A Dof E application fee (presently £27 for bronze and silver and £34 for gold) payable to Cheshire Scouts with the application form (from Leaders). There is also a fee for each expedition to cover the costs (mainly fuel) of the supervisors and assessors of the expeditions. At bronze the fee is £10 per Explorer and at silver £15. This fee covers both practice and qualifying expeditions. At gold level the expedition normally takes place in wild country e.g. North Wales or Cumbria, and the actual costs will be charged, likely to be about £250 per team. For comparison, a bronze expedition by an outside provider is about £280 (per person), £360 for silver and £510 for gold.

Payments can be made using cash, (in an envelope with Explorer’s name please), cheques payable to “Viking Explorer Scout Unit” direct payment to the “Viking Explorer Scout Unit” bank account - sort code 08-92-99, Account Number 67325540 (Your Explorer Scout’s full name as reference please). Cash and cheques must be handed to a Leader.

Occasional fund raising events are organized to supplement the Unit's income. Fund-raising activities are organised by Leaders and adult supporters. Explorers and their parents are encouraged to help whenever possible. We are always looking for new fund-raising ideas and would welcome suggestions from Explorers and their parents at any time. It is particularly helpful if parents work for companies who offer £4£ support to charities, or indeed any other grant scheme. If you do, please let the Leaders know.

We would like everyone who currently pays UK Income Tax to complete a Gift Aid Form. This enables the Unit to claim back tax on your subscription fees and helps us to keep subs as low as possible. The unit has reclaimed more than £1500 in the last few years.

Uniforms

As our meetings are often outdoors, muddy or wet we generally wear our activity hoody with a necker when appropriate. The hoody can be obtained through the unit, it costs £25 and a purchase form is attached below. The unit Neckerchiefs are issued free when the Explorer Scout is invested.

We expect Each Explorer Scout to buy the official uniform shirt for use during parades and when working with other sections of Scouting. School trousers are acceptable with the uniform.