You may have noticed that there has been no activity on this blog for over a year. This is not because the Scout Troop has not been active. We have continued to be active, as much as we can, eg participation in the bivi weekend and survival skills camps held at Causey Park last year. Unfortunately, there was no District or County Camp and the Water Skills weekend at Kielder did not go ahead.
Further to this, we have had huge problems with the District. As most of you already know, the District claimed that Nick had been verbally abusive to Beaver Scouts and had taken them out into the pitch black woods without another adult. He is very grateful to all those Beaver Scout parents who have shown their support and have stated that they do not believe the claims. The District is unwilling or unable to provide any evidence! Either Joanne or Neil have been with Nick on any such occasion. The District has not sought any information from anyone who works with Nick in scouting!
The District has also claimed that Nick was running camps without the appropriate qualification to do so, despite the fact that Nick has never run a scout camp (being the Assistant Scout Leader and not the Scout Leader!) and at such camps has given alcohol to the scouts.
When we have been at camp we have ensured that there has always been a Nights Away Permit holder. The NAP holder, according to scouting rules, should check up on us during the camp, but this has only ever happened when our delegated NAP holder has been from outside the District. In other words, the District is prepared to turn a blind eye to the behaviour of certain personalities within the District but fabricates evidence against those that it does not approve of! It transpired that an explorer scout was supposed to have said at school that he had been drinking alcohol. However, the explorer scout in question has denied this via email to District, stating that it must have been a misunderstanding since, with his mother's knowledge and permission, he had a drink at a new year's part at Nick's house.
The District is unwilling to investigate the matter. The Acting District Commissioner, Gwyn Mackenzie, who is also county commissioner, is not prepared to do anything about the situation. The Scouting Association at higher levels has also closed ranks and obviously hopes that the whole matter will go away.
Peter Coates, District Chairman, has stated to scout parents that Nick is unfit to be left in the presence of children! Nick is a teacher! He is also very popular with the scouts.
All we can assume is that Nick has been targeted, and used as a scapegoat, since he is always happy to say his piece regarding areas that need to be improved within North Northumberland District ie communication, training, inter-group support etc.
As a result, some parents have refused to let their children have anything to do with the Scouting Association and those of us that are left are disgusted with the whole organisation.
The whole group, who have had anything much to do with Nick, are behind him. He has been instrumental in getting the group back on its feet ever since taking over the running of beavers, which has led to greater numbers in cubs, and with Joanne taking scouts to being 'the most active troop in the District' (according to Paul Marshall, in charge of District training).
Without question, the new year will see major changes to Ford and Etal Scouts. We will post more information soon.
If you wish to support and fight for Nick we would be very grateful. The following email addresses should be useful:
Peter Coates, District Chairman - coatespeterkay@talktalk.net
Gwyn Mckenzie, Acting District Commissioner/County Commissioner - cc@northumberlandscouts.org.uk
Northumberland County Scouts HQ - info@northumberlandscouts.org.uk
Scouting Association HQ - info.centre@scout.org.uk
We suggest that all of the above are contacted. If you wish to contact Ford and Etal Scouts via email, our address is fordandetalscouts@hotmail.co.uk
Friday, 8 January 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
