Before reading the information below, please ensure that you are up to date with guidance available at scouts.org.uk/coronavirus and gov.uk/coronavirus.
Surrey Scouts is guided by advice from HQ and Public Health England. All leaders are expected to adhere to the advice given regarding Scouting functions. If we can help Groups and Districts in any way, please do contact us via the County Office.
Scouting is all about the programme and, even in these difficult times, there are ways for Scouting to continue. Headquarters have created a range of support ideas and you can view them here: The Great Indoors There are lots of ideas circulating online in Facebook groups but please do share in the Surrey Scouts Leaders’ Discussion Group on Facebook.
Please check the Scouts’ UK website for latest news HERE Before any meetings may take place, the appropriate Risk Assessments must be completed in accordance with policy set out by HQ found HERE. To assist, the documents below are samples and have been provided for you: Surrey Scouts COVID-19 Staged Risk Assessment v2.3 Esher covid-19-restart-RA template v2 Esher Scouts COVID Response Policy v5 20200710 1st Charlton HQ COVID Return to Activities Red to Amber Assessment 20200711 1st Charlton Returning Safely – How – Briefing Pack HQ has provided a mix of digital and socially distanced ideas for meetings, activities, and adventures that are now online for each section and they may be found here: It is possible that we may move up and down the readiness levels and leaders may be required to adapt practices. District Commissioners will ensure that leaders in their Districts are familiar with what is expected. If in doubt, please check with your District Commissioner.
The NCVO has published some useful guidance to help Executive Committees consider how they can best support Scouts locally during this time. Any charity that needs an extension to their annual return deadline can contact the Charity Commission to ask for one. Please see their guidance here. We have approved an amendment to the standard constitutions in POR which allows meetings to be held remotely. It also allows decisions to be made electronically. This is valid immediately and will be updated in the next update to POR, in early April. The wording is as follows: Annual General Meetings As long as you as a trustee body are satisfied that the decision to not go ahead is in the best interests of the trustees, membership and beneficiaries the Commission will support you in this.
The County Office team are operating remotely – if you attempt to contact us via phone, your call may not be answered. Please contact us via email.
Bentley Copse is now open for day visitors or for families to camp. We thank you for your understanding and if you have any questions or wish to book, please contact the team.
Following the advice to suspend all face-to-face meetings, activities and events, it’s important to consider any events you may have scheduled locally, including St George’s Day. Events organised by Surrey Scouts are currently under review; as soon as decisions have been made, they will be listed here. The World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) have announced a special edition of Jamboree on the Internet, to take place April 3-5. Details can be found on their website. The following National events have been cancelled: The following Surrey events have been cancelled or postponed: All face to face training has been cancelled. Please check with the course leader to see if they have arranged any video training. HQ have been working with our disclosure partners across the Nations (Access NI, Disclosure Scotland and the Disclosure and Barring Service) to restart disclosure checking from 6 July 2020. View more information on this and the temporary guidance on how to process ID checks safely. All reminder emails from Compass related to disclosures must now be acted on. The team at HQ have created guidance which can be found here.
Programme
Meetings - Getting everyone back together safely
Programme Ideas
Governance
We’ve received the following advice from the Charity Commission:
“If you feel that in the best interests of your charity and to follow the governments public health guidance it is necessary to cancel or postpone your charity’s AGM (or any other key meeting) that will be fine. You should record the decision you have made to show good governance.
The County Office
Bentley Copse Activity Centre
Events
Training
Safeguarding
Appointments Committee