From the Chief Commissioner
Hi everyone, hope you are having a great month!
What a month June has been for Scouts Queensland.
We conducted a number of large Scouting Events over the recent School Holidays, LEAP events were held at Baden-Powell Park at Samford and Tarmaroo Campsite in Townsville with over 550 youth members in attendance supported by over 120 leaders. LEAP is a patrol-based camp focused on Leadership, Empowerment, Adventure and Patrol.
We also saw the 73rd consecutive season of the Brisbane Gang Show perform at the Draney Theatre at Marist College Ashgrove. One hundred cast members, supported by one hundred behind the scenes support personnel saw another great show hitting the boards, which was well received by the audiences.
For those of you reading this and who live in Maryborough and surrounds the Gang is heading to Maryborough to perform on Saturday 20 July at the Town Hall. Tickets can be purchased at the link below. For families in that Region this is your chance to catch a great show.
Can I highlight “Future Scout Day” at the Jamboree – scheduled for Saturday 11 January 2025. This day is dedicated to our Cub Scouts and Joey Scouts who wish to visit the Jamboree and take part in the many on-site activities. The Scouts attending the Jamboree on that day will be participating in other activities – which means our Cub Scouts and Joey Scouts will have access to lots of on-site activities. It is a great opportunity particularly for Cub Scouts to get a real feel of the “Scout Section” and lets them see the size and enormity of a Jamboree.
I encourage you to work with your group and mark 11 January 2025 in your diary to head to Maryborough for what will be a wonderful day out for Joey Scouts and Cub Scouts.
I have mentioned previously about the transition of our mandatory training modules – Child Safe Scouting and Workplace Health and Safety migrating to two yearly cycles instead of the current three-year cycles.
This took effect on 18 June 2024. Impacted Leaders will receive correspondence if this change impacts their current expiry date for these modules which brings it forward to the 2024 Calendar year. Another demonstration that supports our focus on Child Safety and Workplace Health and Safety.
This last month we farewelled two of our employees –
Fran Huestis our diligent Finance Manager has been with us for almost 18 months. She is due to be a grandmother soon and will be taking on a part time role to spend more time with her family. Fran has done an amazing job ensuring we continue to have robust finance systems and management practices in place.
Michael Armiger may be well known to many of you. He has been a key member of our IT team in the Branch Support Office since 2017. As our IT Manager, Michael has played a key role keeping us all online and connected, especially through the difficult transition to working from home through COVID. Michael continues to be a committed volunteer Leader at Greenbank Scout Group.
You will have heard the State Government has announced some exciting changes to the Fair Play Voucher Scheme in Queensland. This scheme will now see vouchers valued at $200 and they will be available to all families. This is a great opportunity for current and new members of Scouting to assist in funding fees. This comes into effect from 1 July 2024 for 12 months.
A further reminder about the Leadership Through Adventure Fund – with the next round closing on 15 July 2024.
The Branch Annual General Meeting is to be held on Thursday 25 July at Queensland Scout Centre, 32 Dixon Street Auchenflower at 7.00pm.
I am really excited to advise that the Roadworks Project at Baden-Powell Park is now complete, with asphalt across most of the roads.
I was very honoured to be invited to take part in Kingaroy Scout Groups 100th Anniversary celebrations, which included an activity day at the Scout Den, official opening of the Museum and commercial kitchen, followed by a celebratory dinner in the evening. A wonderful day and a huge BRAVO to all at Kingaroy Scout Group.
Have a great month and good Scouting!