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May 2018 May 2018

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Friday 22 June 7pm PURBECK VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Saturday 23 of June at 4pm please note the matinee is later this time
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Readers will be aware that each year, Parish Councils are asked to nominate
individuals to receive this annual award. Here is the citation for this year’s
Talk “ Walking in Mays Wood” by Linda Lamon will be on awardee.
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Friday 22 June 10.30
This is a wonderful opportunity to see some fantastic photography from the Wood Bere Regis Nominee -- Philip Ventham, Volunteer Scout
and learn more about it everyone is welcome tea and coffee available. Leader in Bere Regis
Philip Ventham has been involved in the Scouting Movement most of his life.
Joining Cubs aged 8 in 1953, he progressed to Scouts and Senior Sea Scouts as a
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teenager. He achieved Scouting’s highest award, then as now, The Queen’s
Alison Bennett Team Leader 01929 472023 Scout Award, in 1963.
When his eldest son, Mark, became a Cub Scout in Bere Regis Scout Group in
1980, Phil very soon became involved in Scouting again, and helped the reformed
Group grow and develop. Soon there were four sections operating from the
Beaver section at 6 to Cubs who started at 8, Scouts at 11, and very soon a
Venture Scout unit of teenagers as well.
Phil was one of the many leaders, parents and helpers who helped acquire two
old pre-fab schoolrooms in 1988 and re-built them on a site leased from PDC near
the Bere Stream in the village, opening in 1989.
As well as organising and running a multitude
of UK and European camps and weekends
away for the Venture Scouts and Explorer
Scouts over the years, including sail training
voyages, canal boat trips, and numerous
hiking and cycling expeditions, Phil has also
been instrumental in organising several major
overseas expeditions which have benefitted
hundreds of young people both from Bere
Regis and the surrounding area as well as
the young people in the countries
visited. These expeditions have included a
youth trip to Latvia in 1993, a month-long
expedition to Kenya in 2000, Nepal 2013 and
a return trip to Kenya in 2017.
In 1992, the village organised an aid trip to Latvia, which was just emerging from
Soviet rule. That trip inspired a further aid trip with more than 20 young people,
mostly Bere Regis Scouts, which Phil led in 1993. Much needed aid was distributed
and a Scout Camp was run with Latvian Scouts and a party of orphans from Riga.

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