Death Of A District

[Eamonn 61]

Some little time back I posted that the Scout Group that I had been in as a youth and as Scoutmaster in (Scoutmaster for 11 years - So much for term limits!!) Had folded. This was back home in the UK. Things are set up a little differently.I am a trustee of the building that was our Scout Headquarters. It is worth a great deal of money. When the group folded due to lack of youth members and no leadership. The District said it would use the building for district activities. They would maintain the building and take care of the day to day stuff. To help pay for this the building was rented out to a company that provides a Day Care service.

I received word now that the District is going to fold. In fact a very dear and close friend has the very unenviable task of making a report to the County Commissioner about realigning all the districts in Greater London Central.

Due to the unbelievable cost of housing in the area the youth population has dwindled. I don't know how many Scouts and Cub Scouts we had in my day. I know that there was 12 Scout Groups all with a pack and a troop and 5 Venture Units. At one time the Th. Fulham (Pioneers) Our Troop had 89 Scouts and about 60 Cub Scouts. My friend tells me now that the District now has a total membership in double figures. He said that there was a meeting about what to do and that I would have felt right at home as it was still the same old faces. In fact the Chap who was my Cubmaster was there, sad to say that is about all that was there. The District has more money then it knows what to do with and is doing all that it can to protect it. I fail to see why?

I can't help thinking of the Monty Python, dead parrot sketch. It is dead, it is no more.

If the District goes or when the district goes our Scout Headquarters will be sold and the money will go to the National Association. While it would have been great to see the building last for ever full of youth enjoying a great program, I would hope that the money it brings in will do much the same thing.

Some of the District Members are saying things like "Over my dead body". I feel sure that as time goes by they will try and drag me into all of this and they will be most unhappy with where I'm coming from. Still 3,500 miles is a safe distance.

Eamonn

[dsteele 20]

Eamonn:

 

Sorry to hear about the death of your old district. Can we turn this unfortunate happening into a teachable moment? I'm curious myself and would like to hear/read your thoughts. What is the role of Scouting professionals in England? I've heard that it is very different than here in the good old BS of A.

 

DS

[frank10 12]

Eamonn,

Way back when, in my days as an engineering student we learned that a structure could only be truly called successful after it has outlived it's reason for being and has been dismantled. Only then can it be said that it has not and will not fail.

Your troop and district can both pass this test. It is so much better to hear that the leadership and funding surpassed the needs of the youth than the other way around.

To this end I would like to raise a mug to success. and to offer my congratulations and thanks to all who made it possible. Take a bow for a job well done.

 

[Bob White 20]

Soory Eamonn, It's tough to see parts of you past disappear. I hope your memories are happy ones. Your experiences there have made you a terrific scouter here.

[Eamonn 61]

Thanks for the kind words.

My time as both a youth and an adult in the Th and Fulham district have a lot to do with who I am today and what I am today.

I keep in contact with many of the Lads that were in the troop and a few of the adults that were around in my time.

Sad thing is that when a troop folds there is no fanfare, no nice words, mainly because if there were people around to say them they might do something to save it.

Still much as I now think that it is dead and ought to rest in peace. I can't help thinking about all the hard work that the good people put into it. The hours of fund raising. How at times they gave me a hard time when I wanted to spend some of the money. They never said no but they made sure that I knew that money didn't grow on trees. Equipping the patrol camp boxes and buying tents for a large troop was hard the boys never raised funds for camp only for the unit. The Committee took care of us they were great.

Eamonn