Following the setting up of a second explorer scout unit in the district, it was clear that each unit needed a proper name rather than referring to ourselves as first and second or by leaders names. We held a joint forum meeting for explorers in October half term to brainstorm.  After weeks of discussion and some very creative and amusing suggestions, we settled on the name Inclined.  Why? because we meet at Foxton where at the neighbouring Locks is the only Inclined Plane boat lift in the country.  It is a dramatic and important local feature and puts our Unit firmly on the map. We often use the Locks and surrounding areas during our sessions.  But more than that, Inclined is a very good description of our attitudes and achievements.  We are Inclined to get things done.

We held our February Unit Forum meeting at the Inclined Plane Museum to officially launch our new name, courtesy of Mike Beech from the Inclined Plane Trust (thanks Mike).  We began the evening with Eric Gamble (District Commissioner) presenting Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards to Monty Dobney and James Gardner and also a Chief Scouts Platinum Award to Monty.  We also had a few drinks and nibbles to aid the party atmosphere.

Then we went outside up to the top of the incline to do pretend free style abseiling - without ropes.  I challenged the explorers to a relay race, running up and down the incline backwards, as though they were abseiling down the incline.  It was completely pitch black and so no-one could see each other, let alone who cheated but it certainly kept us warm!

We finished the evening with our usual review of the programme - the best bits, the worse bits and what to do next.  It was heartening to find there were no worse bits but rather requests for more of the same especially wild camping.

Inclined ESU currently has 34 members, all of whom have enrolled in the DofE Award scheme, although for some this is through school rather than scouts.  Nine of these explorers have already completed one DofE Award through scouts and 7 of them have also completed the extra requirements to reach the appropriate Chief Scouts Award.  This is a fantastic achievement on their part since scouting is not the only call on their time with GCSEs, A Levels and other interests all demanding considerable time and effort.  These achievements so far are just the tip of our “Incline”, with many more explorers about to finish one level and already immersed in the next.

At Inclined ESU we are inclined to move up through the scouting awards.  Just like Bear Grylls explains in February’s Scouting Magazine, he is committed to improving the quality of scouting during his time as Chief Scout and that means “more scouts getting more Chief Scouts Awards.”  He goes on to say that these Awards are worth their weight in the materials that give them their names.  For us at Explorer level that’s platinum, diamond and top of all the Queen’s Scout Award.  There will be scouts from Harborough District invited to St James’s Place possibly by the end of this year.  With Inclined ESU, the only way is up!

Cheers

Debbie Billington ESL Inclined Unit