Guide News - April 2008
Don't forget to look at the County Calendar and Forthcoming Events.
In this issue:
We need you! | Are you ready for 2010? | The Extra Mile | Girlguiding UK: Changing the World | OAC Access Project | Presidents Knitting Challenge | Brownie Handbooks | SGS Loyalty Bonus Scheme
Note from the County Commissioner
It was really great to see so many of you at the annual review in the Cutlers’ Hall. I know the date clashed with a certain football match – I am sure they had a good turnout but we did as well!
It was great to hear Jackie Drayton, last year’s Lord Mayor, be so enthusiastic about Sheffield and particularly our people. As someone born and bred here I have to agree with her. As Lord Mayor she had a unique insight into all aspects of the city so it was particularly pleasing to hear her positive comments about the contribution Girlguiding makes.
We also heard from Jo Taylor about the exciting things planned in the Region for the Centenary, as well as a few reminders about passing on information so everyone can benefit from opportunities organized at Region level.
Congratulations to Julie MacDonald on her Good Service Award which she received at the Annual Review. As a Rainbow Guider, Division Commissioner and the Chair of the OAC management committee, she certainly deserves the award. I hope by now that everyone has heard about the Access project to raise money for a new drive, car park and wet weather shelter in the orchard at OAC. There was a lot of information in the last edition of Guide News and we have a lot of money to raise. The management committee have been applying to many trusts and other sources of funding but we would like every member in Sheffield to fundraise as well if possible. We hope that the work will be carried out in late summer, so we need to the money to come in as soon as possible.
As usual at this time of the year we are anticipating outdoor activities, including the Olympic Camp and the second Brownie Trophy Day, both in June. There will also be many unit, district and division outdoor activities and I look forward to seeing many of you at the OAC in June.
I will be away for an extended holiday in Australia in late April and May but leave the County in the capable hands of Diane Wheeler.
Best wishes
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We Need You!!
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Have you got your Guide/SS Camp or Holiday licence?
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Do you think you could help and support someone through completing the Camp and Holiday Scheme?
I am looking for mentors all over the Sheffield area and I would love to hear from anyone who could help. Please get in touch with Isobel Gowers (details in County Directory) for further information.
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Are you ready for 2010 and beyond?
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Do you want to make the most of residential opportunities offered in the centenary year?
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Would you like to get your camp or holiday licence for your own personal achievement?
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Don’t know where to start?
First talk to your District Commissioner about opportunities to run an event and possible mentors, then get in contact with either Joan Jackson (Rainbows and Brownie Guiders) or Isobel Gowers (Guides and Senior Section Guiders) and your Division Camp or Pack Holiday Advisers to let us know you have started.
Your mentor will be there to help and support you through your preparation for your residential event, she will also sign off each module you have completed and except for overnight licences she will visit you on camp or holiday. Your mentor should be someone who is easy for you to meet up with, approachable and experienced at residential events.
Division Camp and Pack Holiday Advisers will also provide lots of useful information and ideas (and may also be your mentor!).
Any questions please contact Isobel Gowers or Joan Jackson (details in County Directory)
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The
Extra Mile
Girlguiding Sheffield would like to thank everyone involved in Girlguiding Sheffield for going that extra mile
Thanks to everyone who helped with the International Badge Testing weekend. Over 70 girls attended and everyone had a great time.
To all the Commissioners for returning their census so quickly, it really did
make a
life easier in the office.
To the leaders from West Division who ran the BP weekend ( March 14th ), especially the students Nic and Helen who delayed their journey home in order to be there.
To the workers at Woodchip, making a difference at OAC.
To the leaders who are already, with Carole Jones guidance, planning to make the centenary fantastic!
To everyone involved with planning and delivering the Annual review-especially Gillian.
To those who delivered, and those who made the time to attend, the First Response course in February.
To all the unit leaders who gave their girls a good experience on Thinking day.
To all the leaders who supervised and made our Baden Powell weekend a great success. In particular I would like to say thank you to Hannah and Dianne for everything they did and provided for us. We enjoyed the trampoline activity at Pondsforge and also loved all the Easter craft we did. The games on Friday night were fun and the food all weekend was fantastic. Thank you very much, Sarah Johnson (130th Intake Guides)
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Girlguiding UK "Changing the World"
Ever found it difficult to find and organise Community Action projects? Well, here is the answer!
In
September 2008 every Guider will receive a “Change the World” brochure in their
Guiding magazine. This is Girlguiding UK’s Centenary Community Action
initiative.
In the brochure will be details of 19 charities which have linked up with Girlguiding UK to produce specially designed projects, which will enable members to “change the world” – everything from raising money to build a school in Africa to raising awareness about bullying.
One year later, at the launch of our Centenary year in September 2009, Girlguiding UK will announce the results of the work done by its members – about how we have “Changed the World” !
In Girlguiding Sheffield we need a lead volunteer to coordinate this important part of the Centenary celebrations. The role needs someone with administrative skills, and also the ability to enthuse and engage with girls and units. The girls themselves will choose the charity they want to support, and will work in units, or in groups within units. They will register their projects with the lead volunteer, and their results will be reported back through her.
Would you be interested in this important role? Please let Carole Jones know (details in County Directory) by May 16th!
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O.A.C. Access Project 2008
First, the bad news. As expected, our revised plans for the drive (the construction of a footpath and the installation of lighting, for example) have meant a considerable increase in the estimated costs – we now have to raise £100,000!
But now for the good news. To date we have raised £31,000! This includes £10,000 from legacies to the O.A.C., £10,000 from County, £2,500 from the Graves Trust, £2000 from the Diana and Gerard Young Trust, £2000 from the Freshgate Trust and £1000 from the George A Moore Foundation. The rest has come from YOU - a very big thank you to you all!
But, as you can see from the chart below, we still have a long way to go. So PLEASE carry on the fundraising and encourage your girls to do something for the O.A.C.
We are so lucky to have this wonderful facility – please help us to make it even better!
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President's Knitting Challenge
Are you still knitting? I have heard of a few units taking part. If you haven’t finished
(or even started!) there is still time as this is going on to the end of next
term.
We are knitting squares for Oxfam. They will be made into blankets which will be sold at the various music festivals during the summer, the proceeds going to the work of Oxfam.
The squares need to be 6 ins. x 6 ins. (15cms. x 15cms.) Using double knitting wool and size 8 needles, cast on 30 stitches. When the squares are stitched together the blankets should measure 6ft. X 4ft. (182cms. X 122cms. You can leave your finished squares or blankets in the office and I will collect them.
Happy knitting
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The two Brownie handbooks have recently been updated.
There are a number of the recently replaced copies available to those units running on a tight budget.
For more information, please contact Judy Hulley (details in County Directory)
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Loyalty Bonus Scheme
SGS Outdoors launched its Loyalty Bonus Scheme in September 2001. In the 7 years since it was introduced it has returned over £ 70,000 to Scout Groups and Guide Sections and has assisted us in developing our retail sales. The system has proved itself to be of benefit to both customers and us and is now a firm part of the SGS shopping experience but, in order for it to continue, some changes to its operation are now necessary.
Why do we need to change ?
1. Our trading has increased considerably since the scheme was introduced 7 years ago and therefore the number of groups we are recording sales against also has grown. To maintain records for all those groups has doubled the administrative time involved.
2. The recent re-organisation of the Scout movement introduced Explorer Scout Units. Some of these are independent and some are integral parts of existing Scout Groups. It is difficult for us to know which is which and therefore some Units are not receiving the benefits they should.
3. This growth in sales we have achieved has mainly come from outside our local area. This means it is from areas where Group names and numbers are unfamiliar to us and we don’t know the various formats by which a parent may know a Group. As an example, using an actual Sheffield Group, the 36h Sheffield ( St. Johns, Ranmoor) Scout Group meet in their HQ in Benty Lane, Crosspool, Sheffield. Due to lack of parental knowledge this might turn up in our records as 36th Sheffield, 36th Ranmoor, 36th St Johns, St Johns Scouts, Ranmoor Scouts, Benty Lane Scouts or Crosspool Scouts to suggest just 7 connotations. With the parental spend being spread over many names the Group is not getting the benefit it should, In addition we are recording 7 sets of sales instead of one thus increasing still further the administrative work.
4. A further problem occurs with large Groups who have a number of sections. Again, using a local example, Fulwood Brownies could mean the 53rd, 57th or 194th. We have no way of knowing which and cannot correctly allocate the sale.
5. Even when we have groups recorded correctly it can be difficult due to data protection measures for us to locate the leaders of the group concerned and pass on to them the vouchers they have earned.
6. Due to our current method of recording sales within the shop we are having to omit from the scheme all mail order customers who do not have credit accounts with us and all E-Bay customers . These groups and sections are therefore not receiving the benefit they have earned.
7. With the 6 monthly cut off many small groups do not receive any benefit as they do not reach the £ 100 minimum.
In view of this the new schemes will run for a full 12 months each year. I hope that from the above you will appreciate that change is necessary for the benefit of everyone
What will happen in future ?
With effect from the end of the current scheme at 31st March 2008 completing purchase vouchers at the shop counter will cease. From April 1st all purchasers, whether they be over the counter customers in the shop or customers using any of our various forms of mail order purchasing will be issued with two receipts for every purchase. The first receipt will be a normal receipt for the purchaser’s own records. The second receipt, a duplicate of the first, will be attached to a small coloured card. The colour of the card will change each year at April 1st. This card, which will have brief instructions on it, is intended to be handed over to the purchasers Section or Group leader. It is up to each group how they collect their receipts. This could be section by section so each section has its own benefit, or pooled as a group so the volume is maximised.
Whenever a group considers it has enough vouchers it can send or present these to the shop for exchanging into vouchers. They will then be sent vouchers on the same basis as at present ( One £5 voucher for every £ 100 spend plus two bonus vouchers for every £1000 spent ). For administrative purposes it will not be possible to exchange the receipts for vouchers for immediate spending in the shop. The receipts will remain valid for exchange for 12 months but receipts from one year will not be able to be combined with those from another. The issued vouchers will be valid as at present for 18 months from the date of issue.
In future as a bonus to groups from the administrative benefits which we will receive from this change of operation the scheme will include purchases of uniform badges.
We hope that the new scheme will deliver the benefits to all concerned that we plan and enable us to continue to support those Groups and Sections who support us.
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