Good afternoon,
I hope you’re well.
Here is a summary of the information in the email below:
- Bushcraft Sessions
- 2026 Gang Show- box office now open!
- DofE Gold Award Celebrations 2026
- Gold DofE Expedition
- Youth Forum Camp 2026
- Recognition & Awards Teams
- Martyn’s Law – security for large events
- Apply for Expedition Kit Funding – 16th December deadline
- Nights Away Contingency & Emergency Planning
- District Lead Volunteer Searches
- Dorchester Scout Sailing
- Local Growth Officer Requests
- Neodiversity Support
- Safeguarding Reminder
- Local Pride Events
Bushcraft Sessions
We are in a fortunate position where Mark Aspell is supporting us in Oxfordshire with some Bush Craft sessions for our adult volunteers who would like to explorer the area and learn some new skills.
Here is a little bit about Mark:
I’ve been involved in scouting for over 20 years, since my son joined the organisation as a Cub and I started to help out occasionally. Since then, I’ve been an Assistant Scout Leader, Exec Chair and currently, I’m the District Bushcraft Advisor.
What are my credentials for this role? I have been an Instructor with a bushcraft school for over a decade, and I am a Moderator and Instructor at bushcraft events organised by Bushcraft UK. At both, I teach traditional bushcraft skills – from fire lighting, fire management, cooking with traditional methods and recipes, water purification and leather craft; up to preparing and tanning deer hides and building Paleo shelters. I have also been lucky enough to enhance my bushcraft skills across the globe by learning and sharing skills with the San bushmen in Namibia and the Eban tribesman in Borneo.
Within Scouting, I have helped run survival weekends and courses for scout groups across the Thames Ridge District and in Gloucestershire. The events range from teaching leaders campfire/bushcraft skills and how to enhance outdoor experiences to overnight survival and camps for all sections of scouting groups.
Mark is running a couple of introductory bushcraft sessions in the new year and following these we will look to run further sessions based on the feedback on the following dates:
Monday 26 Jan 2026 and Thursday 19 Feb 2026
Start 7pm for up to 2 hours
Venue to be confirmed in January
If you would like to attend, please email us at info@oxonscouting.org.uk with the date you would like to attend – if there is a particular area you would like the session to cover please let us know.
2026 Gang Show – our box office is OPEN
We’re on our way! Rehearsals are going extremely well and we are seriously impressed with the progress the cast have already made.
It’s time to open the doors and give you all the opportunity to purchase tickets for this amazing Show.
There are discounts for group bookings, accessible seats for people with mobility challenges or wheelchair users and free parking on site.
Performances from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 22 February 2026 and we are returning to what now feels like our home – Radley College!
Let’s fill that place and give this cast of incredible young people the welcome, reaction and applause that it deserves.
Box Office link: https://bit.ly/4q9jEde
Or email info@oxfordshiregangshow.org.uk
We look forward to seeing you there!
DofE Gold Award Celebrations 2026
Next year marks The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s 70th anniversary. This is a major milestone and an opportunity to recognise and thank the amazing network of adults who support young people to get the most out of their DofE journeys. DofE have places available for adults to be thanked at the Gold Award celebrations at Buckingham Palace in May and Holyrood House in July.
If you would like to nominate someone, email DofE@oxonscouting.org.uk – giving a small statement as to why they should be thanked, fitting into one of the below:
- Someone we need to say thank-you to / recognise their work
- Someone who is new to doing DofE as a motivation to get it running
- Someone new in post
- Someone who has got their first cohort of Golds attending
- Someone invited before who could not attend
As always, you can also nominate adults for a Scouts’ Good Service Award via the membership system – details on this are at scouts.org.uk/awards.
Gold DofE Expedition
After receiving many requests, we are building a team to deliver a Gold DofE Expedition open to all in Oxfordshire. Whether you’ve ran DofE Expeditions before, or would like to be involved to learn more, we’ve love to hear from you. We’re looking for a Team Leader and Team Members. Get in touch with DofE@oxonscouting.org.uk if you want to be involved.
Youth Forum Camp 2026
Off the back of our successful camp earlier this year, The County Youth Forum are hosting another camp for explorers & young leaders to share their views on Scouting in Oxfordshire, connect with Explorers from across the county and learn/upskill themselves in a variety of things.
The camp is from Friday 6th March to Sunday 8th March 2026, the cost will be £45 per person. It’s hosted at Youlbury Scout Camp and will be indoors in one of the lodges.
Parents and Carers can sign up their young person via this link: https://forms.office.com/e/Tm9pDHaU7e.
Explorer Leaders and Leaders, please share this with the parent/carers of your explorers and young leaders.
If you have any questions or queries on the camp please email us on: cyc@oxonscouting.org.uk
Recognition & Awards Team
Did you know that each District has a volunteer responsible for supporting the nomination and processing of awards and recognition of adult volunteers in Scouting, recognising achievements and thanking volunteers for their contribution to Scouts. They meet on a regular basis to review and support nominations to ensure that they are submitted to Scout Headquarters in time for deadlines in February, May, August and November with the best possible justification and citation, meeting the right criteria for each award. In 2024, 24 awards for good service were issued to adult volunteers in Oxfordshire.
As well as awards for good service, awards typically used for members who have consistently given service over and above that expected within their role, (The Chief Scout’s Commendation for Good Service, The Award for Merit, The Bar to the Award for Merit, The Silver Acorn, The Bar to the Silver Acorn, The Silver Wolf) there are a number of other awards that the nominee may be eligible for. The Commendation Award, used locally to recognise individuals for their contribution to the Scouts can be awarded to members without having to go before an Awards Advisory Group and so carries no criteria but can be used by a District Lead Volunteer or the County Lead Volunteer where no other Service Award is appropriate. The Meritorious Conduct/Gallantry Award, the Cornwell Scout Badge or the Chief Scout’s Personal Award are for those who have conducted themselves with a high degree of courage, endurance, initiative or dedication to Scouts, often through difficulties, without necessarily involving any element of risk. These award applications can be made direct to Scout Headquarters for the approval of the National Awards Advisory Group. Where practical, the application should be notified to the District / County Lead volunteer and supported by the County Awards Advisory Group who can help with the application to ensure successful result and timely application.
All awards are reviewed and only issued if they meet the criteria for the award and where the justification is in line with the standards of other similar awards issued. Your local Recognition Team can help you to understand what is required.
For more information about all the awards and support please check the Scouts website: https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/, speak with your Group Lead Volunteer for support and guidance in the first instance ahead of nominating a volunteer for an award.
Your local recognition leads are here to help:
King Alfred – Judith Penrose Brown
North Oxfordshire – Suzanne Smith
Oxford Spires – Shaun Kendall
Thames Chiltern – Jeanette Viney
Thames Ridge – Judith Penrose Brown
West Oxfordshire – Sarah Townsend & Hannah Gill
Martyn’s Law – security for large events
Martyn’s Law (The Terrorism [Protection of Premises] Bill) was passed April 2025, which may impact some of our bigger events.
The government are issuing further guidance on what organisations need to do, with a two-year period to implement their recommendations. Scouts are working closely with other agencies and volunteers to share the most effective guidance and training packages to comply with this, so please bear with us.
In the meantime, here’s Scouts current guidance about event and premises security, which includes some practical considerations for keeping your premises safe.
Apply for Expedition Kit Funding
Scouts are looking to obtain funding to spend on equipment for expeditions and would like to ask for a ‘wish list’ of equipment needed. If your Group or Unit could benefit from expedition kit funding please complete this Expedition Kit Wish List form. The form is simple, the first section is about the group/person the form is from, the second section is the number of kit items you would like and the third section is numbers relating to the criteria of the funding. The criteria numbers don’t have to be exact numbers, they can be estimates of how many young people in the group/unit will benefit.
We can’t guarantee the funding will be granted to Scouts but when the decision is made the time for us to get our bid in will be before Christmas so we are asking you to submit your ‘wish lists’ asap which will put us in a strong position when applying and meeting deadlines for applications. With this in mind please submit the form before 16th December 2025.
Nights Away Contingency & Emergency Planning
We have noticed a lot of feedback is being given around contingency plans on NAN forms across the County, here is handy guide form HQ to help you when pulling your event and camp plans together:
District Lead Volunteer Searches
We’re looking for District Lead Volunteers in West Oxfordshire, Oxford Spires (mostly covering the City of Oxford) and King Alfred.
The role (previously called District Commissioner) leads and manages the delivery of Scouting within the District, reporting to the County Lead Volunteer. The DLVs ensure that the District provides good quality Scouting for young people and proactively supports and manages adults within the District. You will manage and support the Scout District to ensure it runs effectively, and that Scouting within the District develops in accordance with the rules and policies of The Scout Association.
To achieve this you’ll be supported by the District Team. The County Team will support the development of this team, and you’ll be part of the the County team helping to deliver Scouting. With the post-Transformation delivery of Scouting, the DLV role can be delivered by a team rather than just a single District Lead.
Application deadline for West Oxfordshire and Oxford Spires has been extended until the 12th December 2025
Please let us know if you are interested in one of the roles, including just having an informal chat about opportunities – David.mould@oxonscouting.org.uk
Dorchester Scout Sailing
We are looking to restart Scout Sailing! However, we need your help! Do you have a passion for sailing? Would you be interested in helping run sailing taster sessions for young people in the evening during the warmer months? We would love to hear from you! If you have Scout sailing permits – great, if not, please do reach out there is support available to help you work towards them. Please email activities@oxonscouting.org.uk to express an interest
Local Growth Officer Requests
Katy is doing an amazing job around the County supporting existing sections and opening new ones to offer scouting to more young people in Oxfordshire. If you have a project that needs support, please register it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSft_JxfGvtdvK7z6cfvCqmgo6wMxyGR1eOPUhMCS2uIYXX-tA/viewform?usp=header
Bridging the Gap: Understanding Neurodiversity in Your Group
Our tailored online workshop, Bridging the Gap, offers a straightforward and practical introduction to the basics of neurodiversity. This term covers conditions like Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia, and understanding it is key to leveraging the unique strengths and perspectives that neurodivergent people bring.
What the Workshop Covers
- Core Concepts: What is neurodiversity and why does it matter?
- Common Conditions: A clear overview of various neurotypes.
- Practical Tips: Simple strategies for effective communication and creating a welcoming space.
- Strengths-Based Approach: Focusing on the talents and benefits of neurodivergence.
Crucially, we tailor the content to directly address the specific needs, challenges, and goals of your group.
Make inclusion a priority. To discuss your group’s needs and book a session, please contact Anne at inclusion@oxonscouting.org.uk
Safeguarding Reminder
A gentle reminder, whilst following the yellow card for reporting safeguarding concerns and updates, Steph our safeguarding lead is also here to support you. Steph can be reached on safeguarding@oxonscouting.org.uk
Local Pride Events
Are you involved in your local town’s Pride event? We would love to hear from you! We are keen to ensure Scouting has a presence at all Pride events. Please let us know if you attend or are involved in your local event by emailing Anne on inclusion@oxonscouting.org.uk
Have a great month!
