VALENTINES & MERLEY 2008

The Youth would like to thank everyone who contributed prizes for the raffle at Valentine Meet from which we raised a total of £104.

We would also like to thank Dave for the generous donation of a bottle of Whisky… and the suggestion of the Whisky draw. After touting the NFDA and some of the Motor Caravanners for business, we had collected £75… and promises of 3 more bottles for future draws. A fantastic idea… Thanks Dave.

All proceeds go toward the travel costs for Youth Meets.

February 2008 - HUISH WOODS, Nr Taunton

February 22nd the Youth Meet was held at Huish Woods near Taunton. Huish Woods is an American style scout camp in a fantastic setting. We have the main field but there are dorms and many “sputnik” fields for mini camps. This year our new R.Y.L.O. (Region Youth Liaison Officer) made a hit by telling us to get the bonfire going on Friday night (he was feeling the cold a bit! Obviously hadn’t been out camping at Valentines in -7°C).

Saturday morning we started the day off with bacon butties, did some exploring and tried out the obstacle course. The more constructive ones made “chairs” and “thrones” from which to observe the bonfire that night. In the afternoon we all piled into the minibuses and off to Taunton for a look around. Some of the lads bought a football and got a game going on their return.

Saturday evening we lit the bonfire again, devoured a fantastic BBQ and enjoyed the music until 11 when we were all safely tucked away for the night. Sunday morning those who got up in time (not Matthew or Marianne) had bacon butties, then pack up and goodbyes. I think I can say with confidence that everyone enjoyed their weekend.

Nikki

February 2008 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - YOUTH REPORT

Wow.. what a year.. or did I say that last year?

8 youths passed their test this year, 7 of which were Dorset Youth. They have grown in maturity beyond recognition over the last 2 years. They have become responsible campers with whom it is a pleasure to go away with to represent Dorset DA..

Cooking on a one ring burner is an art form in itself especially when you may not have many skills in the kitchen. Their main meals ranged from spaghetti bolognaise, egg fried chicken stir fry, hot pot, curry, sweet and sour. I hope they won’t revert to pot noodles again… but I don’t hold out much hope. They also learnt to read a map and how to use a compass. This is very necessary considering some of the obscure locations we have to find when camping, if only to find the nearest pub.

Other trips included:
• The Spring Meet at Huish Woods in March. (11 going again next week)
• The Summer Meet was hosted at Swanage & Wareham Rugby Club by the New Forest in May. (11 attended
• At the Youth National in July (11 attended), which included a trip into nearby Worcester, we were lucky to avoid the floods. We also gave Yorkshire a run for their money with the majority of the South West Region teams consisting of our very own Dorset DA… this year in Durham we WILL stuff their Yorkshire puddings……!!!
• On a trip to Poole Fire Station Lenny and Dennis taught us some invaluable lessons on Fire Safety and we had chance to brush up on our First Aid Skills.
• The ever popular trip to Butlins got them flocking again.. with Stewart taking 16 in the minibus. The luggage wasn’t much company for me in the car though ? Butlins has taken place for at least the last 3 years and it is time for a change, so this year we will be investigating the Somerset Carnivals.

In March, over Easter, 7 of the youth and myself will be jetting off to Lisbon Portugal. There will be trips out to Sintra and Lisbon City. They will get their chance to represent our country in sports and then the opportunity to let their hair down at the disco each evening.

Our thanks go to Stewart, Assistant Youth Leader for getting us to our destination in the minibus and roughing it in a tent. I know he is used to tenting since youth camping does extend the season slightly and can be rather cold at times.

Larry and Julia, RYLOs for the SW Region, have now stepped down after 7 (I think) years. They have done a fantastic job and well respected by the youth and my fellow leaders. Their replacements are Neil and Mandy from Cornwall. All 3 of their children have grown up in the youth under their guidance with Gemma going on to be the Cornwall Youth Leader.

I would like to thank the Committee, parents and DA members for your support. As with caring for all teenagers it is very much a learning curve and nothing can prepare you for some things.

Sometimes, when we are away for the weekend I look at the South West Region group of youth in their hoodies, muddy trousers, girls who haven’t straightened their hair (horror, horror!), all getting over excited and think… I wouldn’t want to meet them down a dark alley. But they are such good company, well meaning, helpful, fun loving and able young people and I have great pleasure in being associated with them. A worthwhile investment of time.

We look forward to seeing you all at Wilksworth Farm, Wimborne, on the 6th June for our fundraiser weekend. The highlight last year was the impromptu dog show… what characters!

Many thanks to everyone

Nikki McGrath
Youth Leader
DORSET DA

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – February 2007 YOUTH REPORT

Last March it was just Marianne and Karina… This year we are expecting to take a full minibus to Huish Woods, near Taunton for the South West Region Spring Meet. At the Summer Meet we had enough to make up our own DA team for the sports and our Youth strongly represented us at the Youth National at St Ives. I have been joined this year by Stewart who has driven the minibus for us to St Ives in Cambridgeshire and Butlins, Minehead. Our numbers have grown again with more of the DA “coming of age”.

I have discovered youth that I didn’t know existed before! When children are young they are fantastic at mixing and I’m sure we’ve all made good friends through our children. But as they get older they are too inhibited to venture outside of the unit and play with someone they don’t know. Having the youth section has brought them out of the woodwork, created a meeting point for them and included them into a new social scene they never knew existed, going to Region Youth Meets and continuing the contact on MSN, texting, etc when they’re not camping.

Some of the other Youth Leaders told me that they enjoy youth meets more than the adult ones… (no offence) but now I see what they mean… since camping and being with the youth so much I have discovered that they have all got such great personalities and they are a joy to be around.

Kylie took her Youth test in September, and passed. She will be the first of this new flush of youth to go to the FICC which is held in a different country each year. This year it is being held at Bratislava in Slovakia and Kylie will be travelling with about 18 of her new found friends from the region.

This year has been a time for “bonding” and finding our feet both as Youth Leader and as a group. We have done a fair amount of cooking and map reading. Most are now kitted out and we have become masters at pitching in the dark. We had a fantastic demonstration by the St Johns Cadets at Kingston Maurward which was very kindly organised by Paul. Having witnessed the test weekend I am now aware of how much preparation is needed. Along with having some fun we will be concentrating on what is required for the test. This year we have some serious work to do with probably about 8 to get through their test.

Some of the most rewarding meets for me were:
• The Spring Meet in March, sat around the bonfire, on what had been a freezing weekend, I watched everyone enjoying themselves and realised why I was there. Then packing up in the rain and the cold and the mud the next morning.
• The Summer Meet which we hosted in May at Dudsbury – started to rain 3pm on Friday afternoon and all through the night. Pitching your tent in the rain gives such a sense of satisfaction and achievement. Saturday was dry for the matches but again on Sunday it tipped it down all day. This was the first time most of our Youth met “The Region”. Dianne and Terry also stayed providing us with food all weekend.
• At Kingston Maurward I only had 2 recruits the first night rising to 4 on the second. We planned a “long” walk, and completed it, eating the fruits of our trip on our return. It rained all weekend until it was time to go home.. typical but it made our weekend.

Finally, I would like to thank all the parents, the Committee and everyone in the DA for their support, both moral and that from your pockets, which has made many of our activities possible.

Nikki McGrath
Youth Leader
DORSET DA

National Youth Rally – St Ives June 2006

No matter how early we left work we still didn’t get on the road early enough but with Stewart’s expert knowledge of the British road system and some advance warning (thanks Sally) we managed to avoid the overturned horse box on the M3.

We arrived at 9.50. Straight into the admin tent for branding and our goodie bags. Lots of other youth were mulling around each bus to see who had arrived and by the time we got to our pitch our numbers had swelled on the bus. Despite the distractions we quickly set our tents up in the dark. Unfortunately we’d missed the disco but they had been reunited with their friends they had made at the region meets and over 300 other youth from all over the country and nothing else mattered.

It was rise and shine at 8, team meeting 8.15, breakfast out of the frying pan, marshals meeting at 8.30 and the sports started at 9. This included netball, volleyball and 5 a side footy. Our teams won a few matches and definitely gave those Yorkshires a run for their money with some lengthy volleys but unfortunately no one could compete against them as they went on to wipe the board. Next year hopefully we will do better and find somewhere more polite to put their puddings!! However our region did invent a new sport which was much more fun for the spectators although a bit rough.. “rugby netball”.

In the afternoon buses were laid on to transport us into Cambridge which was an excellent choice as there was something for everyone… street band, buskers, architecture, universities, punting on the river or McDonalds.

Little did we know but there was a Hawaiian theme to the disco on Saturday evening and some very interesting coconut bikinis were displayed by the lads.

My little darlings had parked themselves outside in their sleeping bags. At 2am Tom suggested pancakes but we decided to leave it till breakfast. He also advised me that the youth would eventually get cold and crawl back into their tents so off I went to bed.

7.45 Larry – “Nik… got your camera handy? Get out ‘ere quick a get a picture of this lot!!!” – last time I listen to Tom!! (unless he’s giving a lesson on Astro-Physics)

Up, kit packed, tents down, egg roll from the burger bar. Fun Sports started at 9.

“Fun” Sports – definition of fun please? “Serious” Sports – when it came to the kit packing race… everything had to be in a line.. exactly. I had always wondered why ¾ of the youth leaders handbook was dedicated to the rules for the “Fun” Sports… the rules ARE taken very seriously indeed.

We managed to come 3rd in the kit packing race thanks to Kylie an Po. Tom represented us in the Primus race. We were disqualified from the tent-erecting race… our peg was over the line… seeing how it had been erected it probably explains why they had opted to sleep outside of their tents last night!!! Again it was almost pointless competing against the Yorkshires but we were there for everyone to take part and to enjoy ourselves, even though we didn’t win anything… it truly was the taking part that mattered. Keri ended up like a drowned rat having been absolutely drenched by some lads from another region.. Happy Birthday Keri for Sunday 2nd July.

Although there was a pretty good burger bar on site, I was proud of our youth who cooked most of their meals themselves.

I think they all enjoyed it.. I know they did. It was a delight to see our Dorset youth integrate well with the region/nation and I look forward to seeing them grow in confidence in the future.

Nikki
Youth Officer

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Carringtons – Youth Meet – 28th May 2006– Bank Holiday

Carringtons was windy... we didn't get blown away.. nearly but our neighbours did!! The wind and rain on Sunday night was really worrying, so much so that both Marianne and I, without knowing that the other was doing so, decided to pack our bags in the early hours just incase of having to make a quick getaway! Monday was windy but warm... beautiful afternoon to sit out and have a barby... Typical, just when we have to go home!!!

Only 1 youth. Disappointing. Oh well got to expect it at the beginning. Anyway we had a good cooking session with the CCJ :)

Lucy and her friend cooked Saturday night and were asking to do it again on Sunday and Monday... their brothers had a go but weren't so enthusiastic!

Marianne did her meat and 2 veg in the form of a curry and stewed apple for dessert. What with doing bacon, sausages and egg for breakfast too she did very well... she's just got to master the washing up tho!!!

Nikki
Dorset DA YOUTH OFFICER

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South West Region Youth Meet, Dudsbury
19-21 May 2006

What a brilliant weekend... a great success..

All together I think we had 28 youth out as a lot were studying for exams etc but 8 of them were Dorsets… enough to make up a team of our own and a bit more!!! What a start!!

Just as I left work at 3pm on Friday afternoon… it started to rain… and rain… and rain. Although putting your tent up and down in the rain does have a certain amount of satisfaction and a fun element to it... honest. Friday evening everyone arrived, pitched tent, had tea and took shelter in the Guide hall.

Despite the forecast we didn't get blown away... having pitched in a sheltered corner of the field although yes, it was a bit wet and where my tent is getting old and very tired now it was leaking into the bedroom... which was quite worrying!!!

On Saturday morning a netball court and a volleyball court were both erected with refs too. We had matches between the different DA's, the trophies going to the “Odds and Sods” team or as Gemma preferred them to be called the “All Stars”. Our netball and volleyball “scouts” were also on the lookout to try and recognize who our best players are in our region for the National. The “fun” sports unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the wet grass and wanting to avoid any broken limbs.

Lunchtime those who were preparing for their test and/or hungry got cooking… Kylie and Vickie prepared my Vegetable Chow Mein, which I highly recommend and David and Will cooked some lunch for Larry. This was closely followed by some map reading too.

We had the use of the guide hall and the facilities there all weekend and had our disco equipment and lights all set up in the hall so the budding DJ's were in their element.

Po and Tom were presented with birthday cakes and cards for their 18th, one that day and one earlier in the week.

It was going to be a make or break weekend for the new ones.. .quite nerve racking... but I was being given monies and bookings for the Youth National in June as people left so I can only assume they enjoyed themselves.

Our thanks go to the team in the kitchen and all the hard work they put in – Dianne, Terry and Ian who kept us well fed all weekend and Sue and Russ the wardens who let us use the facilities and kept us in tuck.

Sunday morning we awoke to … rain. Tents down, pack up and on our way… to dry out!

Nikki
Dorset DA Youth Officer

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FICC at York,
13 - 17 April 2006

Report by Tom

Long journey there, about 6 hours in total, but broken up by frequent stops, so wasn’t too bad.

Arrived on Thursday night. Along with my merry gang of followers I decided to take the short walk to Tesco (took about 6 hours there and back in total). After cooking a fabulous three course meal went off to the disco for the evening.

Friday
Katy’s birthday!! Whoo! Went to Light Water Valley Theme Park, absolutely amazing!! Pretty good weather, really good rides, really over priced and under satisfying food, and a mile and a half long roller coaster!!! It was marvelous! School themed disco in the evening, some very interesting costumes, including Shane’s naughty little schoolgirl outfit with a mini skirt and shaved legs…

Saturday
Day trip to York, loads and loads of shops in York!! It’s huge! Had a good time doing as we pleased and met back in time to get the coach back to the camp site for the Disco in the evening. After which Katy and Eleanor thought it was a brilliant idea to start cooking sausages in the middle of the night (3 in the morning in fact)!

Sunday
Sports! Football and volleyball quite early in the morning for those enthusiastic enough to get out of bed and show some spirit. Exciting football games with two English lads playing, Dan and Russ, but in the end I’m not sure who won.. it was the one with our boys in I think. Then some fun (and of course highly embarrassing) games were taken part in including the love train and aeroplane, in which Gemma (the Youth Leader from Cornwall) had an entire bucket of water thrown over her head and still came out smiling!). Then the Youth Leaders, helpers and volunteers, provided a roast dinner with a choice of meats. Followed by a final and fabulous Disco in the school.

Monday
Packed up in the morning and left by about 12 for the 6 hour journey back, enjoying particularly aggressive snoring on Queron’s behalf. Back at Salisbury we were all picked up by parents at about 6.

All in all, a very enjoyable and fabulously organised trip. ____see you,

Tom.

Pooh Cottage
14th - 17th April 2006

What a difference 2 weeks can make in the weather!

At our first Dorset DA meet with Youth lines we had 6 Dorset youth, borrowed 2 Wiltshires and eventually 1 Devon joined us by the end of the weekend.

The weekend started with an invigorating evening walk to the beach, spearheaded by Stuart, where the youngsters attempted skimming and trying to get sparks off the pebbles.

Stuart wouldn’t let our feet rest for long and got us organised for a walk up to East Budleigh to find the recently erected statue to Sir Walter Raleigh. Many thanks to Stuart for researching the walks and introducing us to our first attempts at map reading and “Geocaching”.

Saturday morning, at the request of the youth, we had a go at cooking some potatoes… nothing complicated… well that was the intention until our budding Jamie Oliver, wanted to make chips! We also hard boiled some eggs for the decorated egg competition later on and then used the water for washing up.

Not many of the youth have cookers as yet so we borrowed what we were able from Bob and Sandra… this gave us a good selection enabling people to learn about the safety aspects of the different types.

Danny, from the New Forest, leant us his volleyball/badminton net complete with racquets and shuttlecocks and on seeing how much use it was getting kindly donated it to us. It packs up really small which is such a bonus for me having to fit everything in the car. It really gave all the youngsters a focus area to play in.

Over the weekend, Marianne and Karina ran “Name the Penguin” which had been given to us by Sandra to raise money towards the Youth funds. Flop now resides with Roy Rogers, alias Mike.

Various other events were also run over the weekend to get the youth funds up and running including, Bottle Top Bongo, Reverse Bongo, Bingo and another round of the ongoing Pop Quiz.

For our first time out I was pleased with how well it went. We enjoyed the beautiful “morning chorus”! and I learnt a few lessons for the future. The youth were all enthusiastic and behaved so there was no need for the tent police…yet!

All the anticipation of our first meet turned to reality and any doubts I might have had were dispelled. We greatly appreciated the support, both moral and that from your pockets too.

We are now looking forward to the Region Summer Youth Meet at Dudsbury on the 19th May, where, hopefully, we will have a strong representation of the Dorsets in the sports activities. So for those of you who have not yet ventured out to a youth meet this is the one to go to… it will give you a whole new reason to camp!!

The Booking Form for the National Youth Meet at St Ives, Cambridgeshire is now on the website’s youth section or in the Dorset Diary. Please phone me for details of where to send it. … one not to be missed. Hopefully if we have enough wanting to go we will hire a minibus.

Another date for your diary is the Region Winter Youth Meet which will be held again at Butlins on the 29th September – 1st October 2006

Nikki


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YOUTH MEET at HUISH WOODS,
Nr TAUNTON
10th –12th March 2006

Friday evening my merry band of Dorset DA Youth that I could muster, Karina and Marianne, set off for Taunton. Well we do insist on making an entrance... drove straight onto the scout field, started wheel spinning and had to be pushed back out again! I remember hearing "I think we should have brought our wellies!"... how right they were!

It was really, really cold and on Friday night and Saturday morning when we were being woken up at 8.30 for breakfast we felt it was more of an endurance test but after a couple of bacon rolls things started to look up.

Saturday morning RYLO Larry gave a lesson on how to cook carrots and potatoes covering all the safety aspects needed for the Youth Test. Later modern day Robin Hoods play volleyball in green tights.

The bonfire was started about 5ish. Larry and Mike prepared the BBQ while we cooked jacket potatoes and toasted marshmallows on the bonfire. Someone got their ghetto blaster out so it was singing (modern version) round the camp fire until 11 o'clock.

We had all just got back to our tents when the rain started... and continued... (would have preferred the snow). I think half of the field went home with us in one form or another, mostly caked onto the bottom of our jeans! I don't think we have ever appreciated a nice hot bath more.

Youth from all over the region had come to meet up with old friends and many new friendships were made this weekend too. Sat around the bonfire watching the camaraderie I realised that, no matter how cold we had been over the weekend, it had all been worth it and everyone is looking forward to the Youth Region Summer meet on our own turf at Dudsbury.


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Notes from Tom who went to Poland with the Youth - 24th – 28th March 2005

Thursday 24th
Woke up and hopped on the minibus to Heathrow. We met the rest of the youth from S.W. Region and madly exchanged our news while waiting to board. After a 2hr flight a coach was waiting to take us from Warsaw Airport to the campsite. We stepped out to snow everywhere but it wasn’t cold! Within 45mins we were pitched and walking to the French supermarket Carrefore, stopping at KFC for food on the way. The organisers had hired out a leisure complex for the duration of the event, consisting of nightclub, bars, bowling, restaurant and a large snake housed with budgies! (But don’t fret the snake wasn’t hungry!) We gathered in the complex from 9-2 every night!

Friday 25th
MacDonald’s for breakfast today, then a guided coach tour around Warsaw. We saw: a mansion and surrounding gardens, a statue of Chopin the composer in a park, the citadel (ancient prison), the old town and then a drive around the inner city. Some of us supped on a sumptuous dinner of BBQ steaks, turkey, pork and rolls (all bought by us in the local supermarket and cooked on a disposable BBQ) in preparation for the evening’s activities – KARAOKE (in a nightclub??).

Saturday 26th
I was woken up in time for a FREEZING shower before we walked (yes we were that close) into Warsaw, which took about an hour. The youth leaders left us to enjoy the sunny day and make our own way back. We found a shopping centre in a subway and ordered Polish veal from a lady that had never heard of English. Unfortunately the highest building with a great view of the city was closed for Easter. We spent the afternoon shopping and walking to the old town, where we spent about 3 hours in a great café. The coffee was so good that by leaving time I could barely stand still! We got a taxi with someone who didn’t speak English at all, but didn’t mind following my pointed finger (lucky it was one straight road to the campsite). We milled around with other Euro campers then headed to the nightclub.

Sunday 27th
I had a long lie in and then ambled over to the sports fields to watch Scotland obliterate Poland in the football finals. For the rest of the afternoon we sat around our campfire, which attracted many spectators. We headed over to the closing ceremony at 7pm, had a game of bowling and then continued to congregate around the fire ‘til 10. Some of us headed to the nightclub for a while, but I returned to the campsite early where I found a pasta party hosted by the Italians in full swing. My bed was calling me at 3am.

Monday 28th
I watched everyone pack away, was hoofed out my tent, and then watched a select few pack away my stuff too! We waited around in the campsite for a few hours in the sun, had a game of bowling and had races in the empty swimming pool. The coach took us to the airport for 5pm, where we had had to wait 3 hours for our plane. The flight to Heathrow took longer as we had to ‘stack’ for 30mins. I got on the minibus back to Mike and Helen’s house (thank you), and mummy arrived at 12.31 at night to drive me home, zzzzzz….

This was a great trip; I thoroughly enjoyed myself, as did all the other youth from the South West Region.

Tom
(Dorset DA Youth)