January 2026 – Happy New Year!
Hello from Hotliner
We’re bringing back an old name, used by Clwyd Scouts for decades for it’s newsletter, for a new regular email which will hopefully keep as many of the volunteers in the Area as possible up to date with what’s happening.
Hotliner will be a mix of useful information from the Area Leadership Team, plus stories of what’s going on at grass roots – which you can send us via our website.
As well as going out via email it’ll be available via our website and we’ll share it via our private Clwyd Area Scouts Members Facebook group.
Welcome Montgomeryshire
Hello to all those reading in Montgomeryshire!
Last December, Montgomeryshire District joined Flintshire, Llangollen, Vale of Clwyd and Wrexham as one of the five Districts of Clwyd Area Scouts.
For those who don’t know, Montgomeryshire stretches from Llanrhaedr-ym-Mochnant in the North to Llanidloes in the South, Machynlleth in the West to Welshpool in the East. It will keep its strong identity, retaining its current Area badge which will become the District badge, sitting alongside the Clwyd Area badge.
Has your Section been doing something you’d like to share with the rest of the Area, and maybe even the world?
Area plan
We’ve created a plan in consultation with the whole Area Leadership Team, Trustee Boards and others, to take Clwyd Area forward over the next few years.
The plan consists of 5 pillars:
Safe Scouting
14-24
Programme
Communications
Awards
You can read the cut down version of the plan by clicking the link below, and you can also listed to Kevin explain it in the video below.
First Response dates
We provide training so that all volunteers who look after young people can take the first steps in dealing with medical emergencies and accidents. This is to keep young people and volunteers safe, and to give you confidence to do your role.
Training can be done in several ways. Face to face, online, and a blend of the two.
These are the latest courses and practical assessments in Clwyd:
Click here for the latest online First Response courses (you must have completed the e-learning before attending the online course)
Saturday 24th January
Full course – Bishop’s Own Scout HQ, Wrexham 09:30-16:30
Saturday 24th January
Practical assessment following online learning – Bishop’s Own Scout HQ, Wrexham 10:00-12:00
Sunday 22nd February
Full course – Mynydd Isa Scout HQ, Mold 09:30-16:30
Sunday 22nd February
Practical assessment following online learning – Mynydd Isa Scout HQ, Mold 10:00-12:00
Sunday 15th March
Full course – Bishop’s Own Scout HQ, Wrexham 09:30-16:30
Sunday 15th March
Practical assessment following online learning – Bishop’s Own Scout HQ, Wrexham10:00-12:00
Saturday 18th April
Full course – Mynydd Isa Scout HQ, Mold 09:30-16:30
Saturday 18th April
Practical assessment following online learning – Mynydd Isa Scout HQ, Mold 10:00-12:00
We are also putting together the calendar for Branching Out modules for those that wish to complete their Wood Badge. These will be added to our website in the coming days.
We need your photos so we can share the magic of Scouts
Clwyd at the World Jamboree
19 young people and 2 leaders from Clwyd have welcomed the new year with great excitement as they begin their journey to the World Scout Jamboree in Poland!
Each has been selected by Scouts Cymru to represent Wales with the UK Contingent at the global event in the summer of 2027, where they will gather with 40,000 of their counterparts from the worldwide Scouting family from over 150 different countries.
Click here to find out about the experiences of some of those that are representing the Area.
Is volunteering any easier now?
Thanks to those that took time at the back end of last year to share their thoughts on the Volunteering Experience changes that have been made over the last 12 months.
We had a very low response sadly, but if you’d like to read what people told us click here.
Key points were:
Very low awareness of the Volunteering Opportunities system – this needs promoting as we are all short of volunteers!
Team Leaders think that sharing tasks equally between themselves and their Team is correct, when it would be better if they delegated all tasks and concentrated on planning and support
Learning was well received
Thanks for reading, and thanks for all you do!
