Lisvane Link contributions JUNE 2020 I can’t believe how busy I have been with Scouting activities since the start of lockdown. There are many activities that I have to undertake as a Group Scout Leader. One of these is looking after the Scout Halls. The Scout halls are all shut up, the 2 in Llanishen and Lisvane Scout Hall. Luckily I have great Leaders and committee members who have been checking the halls. The Scouts planted 12 trees in March at the Court Field in Llanishen. They are small twigs at the moment but as the ground is very dry they will not survive without a good dose of water. We have also been cutting back brambles and weeds from the Scout halls and from the hedge we planted last year. I have been encouraging our Leaders, who are fantastic and have been working hard to provide Scouting during the lockdown. However some have issues with working from home, home schooling their children and trying to survive. I am trying to reassure them and keep connected to them via Facebook and WhatsApp groups. Without good Leaders, we don’t have a Scout Group. If you would like to help out with your local Scout Group, get in touch. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS PROVIDING SCOUTING FOR OUR MEMBERS We are providing weekly Zoom meetings for our Beavers, Cubs and Scouts which most young people have attended at some time although most are with us every week. Preparing for these meetings is difficult as it challenges us to “think outside the box”. The meetings are usually 45-60 minutes long and provide activities, games, craft, chat and socialising. The children are just pleased to see each other. There are so many suggestions for activities online from the Scout Association, Facebook Groups and other sources that I am sometimes quite overwhelmed with ideas. Some things work better than others, making a mug cake was very popular. Making origami birds was less successful! Besides the weekly Zoom meetings, we have dedicated Facebook pages where we post suggestions for activities and doing badges at home. The Parents have been posting the activities, which is great to see. The activities that the young people have been doing are amazing, cooking, gardening, helping at home, photography, keeping fit, nature, cycling etc. It gives me great joy to see them when I am out on my walks. There have also been Group events that we have been involved in. St George is the patron saint of Scouting so this is an important day when normally there are parades happening all over the UK. The St Georges Day celebrations by Scouts Cymru, featured our Cubs and Scouts saying the Promise. Later that day there was a St Georges Day event which involved Scouts from around the world. This was wonderful and shows what a far reaching organisation we are involved in. We took part in “Camp at Home”, organised by a Scout Group in Northumberland, which involved camping in the garden or in a “den” in the house, during April. There were over 100K people took part in this worldwide on the last day, 30th April (including me in my tent). We have also “Walked to the Moon”, organised by the Scout Association to raise money for the NHS and other charities. There are several online campfires happening too so a chance to sing along and learn new songs. Normal Scouting, camps, trips, hiking and campfires have been cancelled. However, we hope our members will remember this as an amazing time for Scouting delivered in a different way. SEPTEMBER 2019 UPGRADE OF LIVSEY SCOUT HALL This process, that started approx. 13 months ago, with external wall insulation being applied to the outside of the Scout hall in Llanishen, is nearly finished. We have undertaken a big list of renovations, including a new heating system, extra wiring, moving storage cupboards, new roof ladder, sanding and varnishing floor and full decoration of all areas. Photos next month when fully completed. There is also a list of things we wish to complete in the near future, which includes a patio, porch over front door, new disabled entrance, new drainage on the driveway, shower and sound system. With the new hot tub, we will be able to let it as a luxury pad on Airbnb (joking!). Huge thanks to those Leaders and Parents who have given their time up to make this happen. It has been a difficult time, trying to fit the upgrade around running our sections, fundraising and taking into account when the hall is being used. GRAND OPENING OF LIVSEY HALL AND SUMMER RAFFLE This fabulous and fun event happened Saturday 29th June, when the Scout Hall was nearly completed. The weather was good, the BBQ was tasty, the raffle prizes were never ending, the music was good, (provided by The Nobodies) and the drinks were cold. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Thanks to John Lancaster, who was a Scout in the Group for many years and is now a Councillor in Llanishen, who officially cut the ribbon, shook the champagne and opened Livsey Hall. We discovered that the date chosen was the 60th anniversary of the original official opening of Livsey Scout Hall in 1959. CAN YOU HELP? We are in need of new Leaders for Thursday Scouts, Tuesday Cubs and Wednesday Cubs at Lisvane. To continue as a large and thriving Scout Group, we need new people with new ideas. Come and give us a try with a 4 week trial. It will change your life!! Roles available @ Livsey Hall, Station Rd, Llanishen Scout Leader or Section Assistant, Thu 7-9pm. Scouts are 10-14 years Cub Scout Leader or Section Assistant, Tue 6.15-7.45pm. Cubs are 8-10 years @ Lisvane Scout Hall, Heol y Delyn, Lisvane Cub Scout Leader or Section Assistant, Wed 6.45-8.15pm. Cubs are 8-10 years We also require an extra volunteer to join the Lisvane Hall Committee (meetings about 4 times a year). Get in touch if you can help with any of these roles.