County First Response courses

September was a busy month across Lincolnshire Scouts, with a wide range of events and activities showcasing both youth engagement and the strong commitment of our volunteers. The month began with our Annual General Meeting, which gave us the chance to reflect on progress, celebrate achievements, and set our priorities for the year ahead. I was grateful to Tom Morton for chairing the meeting, and delighted to welcome both Liz Henderson (Chief Volunteer, England) and Paula Evans (East Midlands Lead Volunteer). The AGM took place as part of LincsFest, our large county event that brought together more than 200 adult volunteers for a day of celebration, skills activities, workshops, and socialising. We were pleased to welcome Sarah Baumber and Jess Duffield to the Trustee Board. Our young people have also been busy making the most of Scouting opportunities. SplashLincs in Stamford gave members the chance to enjoy water-based adventure at Whitewater Reservoir, while Lincub brought together almost 400 Cubs for camp. Alongside this, nearly 170 Squirrels and Beavers took part in Little Lincs, a brand new event which we look forward to running again. Lincub was thoroughly enjoyed by those attended and we were particularly pleased to receive some excellent feedback. I have also enjoyed visiting district AGMs and presenting awards and hearing about all the great activities that have taken place locally. Looking ahead, the Young Person Selection Event for the World Scout Jamboree will take place soon at Sudbrooke Park. This is a very exciting opportunity to identify the young people who will represent Lincolnshire at the Jamboree. And in October, our ever-popular Rabbit Run returned, offering a fun and inclusive challenge for Scouts – helping to build teamwork, resilience and confidence. Together, these events highlight the strength and energy of Scouting in Lincolnshire, as well as the dedication of our volunteers in delivering such a diverse programme of opportunities for young people. I’m grateful to everyone who has given their time, energy and encouragement to make these opportunities happen – we simply couldn’t do it without you. Howard County Lead Volunteer

6th Skegness Sea Scouts were honoured to attend BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Make a Difference awards ceremony, as a finalist in the community group award category. With over 500 nominations across the categories they made it to the final 4 and got a Highly Commended award which will take pride of place at their Scout Hall. A huge congratulations to them and all the finalists and winners on the night.

Preparing for the 2026 Census The 2026 Census will run from December 2025 to February 2026. This annual process provides a detailed record of youth and adult membership across the movement. For 2026, adult data will be drawn directly from My Membership, removing the requirement for local teams to collect and input this information. Youth and governance data will continue to be collected and entered manually through the Census system. In preparation, local teams are encouraged to: Ensure Group and Section data in My Membership is accurate, including any recent openings or closures. Review and update youth data in local records. Encourage volunteers to complete their My Membership profiles, ensuring that roles are accurate and diversity data is submitted. Further details, including updated online guidance, will be issued over the coming months to support a smooth Census process.

 As volunteers, we often need to share information quickly and easily – and email is one of the most common ways we do this. However, it’s important that we handle people’s personal information carefully and follow good data protection practice. One key point to remember is never to include personal email addresses in the “To” or “Cc” fields when sending group emails . Doing so means that every recipient can see everyone else’s contact details, which is a breach of data protection. Instead, always use the “Bcc” (Blind Carbon Copy) field when emailing multiple people. This hides recipients’ email addresses from each other and helps to keep their information safe. By making this small change, we protect people’s privacy, comply with data protection rules, and show respect for the trust others place in us when they share their contact details. Thank you for helping to keep Scouting safe, secure, and professional in everything we do.

Future Leaders Programme (FLP) 2025/26 – East Midlands Region What is FLP? The Future Leaders Programme is designed to support volunteers aspiring to step into senior volunteer management roles. Through FLP, you'll develop key leadership skills and gain the confidence to lead impactful projects and teams across the East Midlands region. What’s it like to be an FLP participant? “I signed up for FLP after my volunteer manager recommended it as a way to grow my skills in managing and supporting others. Over the year, I learned from experienced presenters, collaborated with peers on a project, and had guidance from a dedicated mentor. I gained insights into managing change, building culture, and strengthening emotional intelligence. FLP built my confidence and gave me the tools I needed to apply for the DLV role when the opportunity arose. Now in post, I see just how invaluable FLP has been in preparing me—and I still feel supported by my cohort, who’ve become a lasting network across the East Midlands.” Alisdair Rolt, DLV Daventry & District | FLP, 2019/20 Cohort What’s the time commitment? FLP includes: 1 briefing day 4 in-person weekends Online update calls between sessions for ongoing project support Participants typically spend a couple of hours per week working on their project—whether meeting with sponsors or progressing tasks independently or with stakeholders. Your schedule is flexible and can be tailored around your availability. The more you invest, the more you'll gain—with the support of an inspiring regional volunteer network. Thinking about applying but feeling unsure? Speak with your CLV (Howard) or reach out to the FLP team. We’re here to help you explore whether the programme is the right fit. It’s a rewarding opportunity, but it’s okay if it’s not the right time for you. Many past participants started out unsure, but finished with the confidence and skills to enhance their volunteer roles—and beyond. Ready to take the next step? Contact Howard or Michael You’ll be asked: How do you meet the personal considerations outlined in the application pack? What are your greatest achievements as an adult volunteer? Why would you like to join the Future Leaders Programme? Who is your Scouting Line Manager? (Please include their email address.) Once submitted, we’ll contact your County Lead and confirm your spot on the briefing day. Got questions? Reach out by email to Howard or Michael

Take part in a new leadership opportunity at Scouts! UK Scouts are inviting volunteers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to join a mentoring pilot, launching in the autumn. You’ll connect with a UK Scouts Volunteer for 6 months to share your perspective of Scouts, strengthen leadership skills and discover more about UK Scouts Volunteering. 'I'm so inspired by the energy and commitment behind this mentoring pilot. It's a brilliant way for our incredible volunteers to support each other and help our movement continue to thrive.’ - Dwayne Fields, Chief Scout As this is a pilot, numbers are limited. Find out more and express your interest by Friday, 10th October. https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteer/uk-scouts-volunteering/scouts-mentoring-pilot

Lincoln District Shooting Tournament Save the Date - 4th and 5th July 2026 The Lincoln District shooting tournament is returning to Sudbrooke Park Scout campsite on 4th and 5th July 2026 This is open to both youth and adult members across the county. More information will be shared as soon as it is available and will also be on the Lincoln District and county Programme team's Facebook pages.

Progfest is a day's event where we want leaders to find out ways to inspire their young people to achieve more. The original date just wasn't feasible and we have re-arranged it for Sunday 1st March 2026 at Stanhope Hall in Horncastle. Everyone is welcome but do look out for personalised invites for newer members of your volunteer teams with the hope that we can inspire them to reach for the stars with an adventurous and exhilarating programme for your youth members. We hope that newer members will bring along some old hands who just might find out something new too.

Lincolnshire county scouts are trying to ensure that they have an up-to-date list of all volunteers who hold qualifications which allow them to lead shooting activities for our young people. Rifle shooting (including air rifles) is not currently a permitted activity and is covered by external qualifications.  In order for us to direct any of the queries which we receive about rifle shooting activities or the need for extra leaders to support an activity, we would like to hold up to date details of those with qualifications. Please follow the link and complete the short form about your qualifications for our reference. All information will be stored in accordance with scouting GDPR regulations. https://forms.office.com/e/fUXETPeQqh