Scouts Welcome Castle Saunderson Announcement

The Chief Scout of Ireland, Mr. Michael John Schinnick, has welcomed the announcement today by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) of an allocation of €3,052,000 through the European Union's PEACE III Programme, for the CASTLESAUNDERSON PROJECT.

It has been an aspiration of Scouting Ireland to have at least one National Campsite in each of the provinces. The funding announced today will bring us closer to achieving this aspiration. Scouting Ireland is celebrating a 100 years of scouting in Ireland in 2008, and has a considerable track record of being able to manage and maintain their scouting facilities, this year sees the 70^th anniversary of their scout centre at Larch Hill.

The proposed 30 acre site will with modern indoor and camping facilities, and located in such a rural setting, be a big addition to scouting in the Northern Province and to Scouting Ireland in general. It is the aim of Scouting Ireland to provide centres of excellence each providing a unique support to the scouting programme, and with the development of Castle Saunderson, there is an opportunity to enhance and fulfil this aim. When completed and open for use the campsite will provide a neutral space in natural surroundings where young people can meet and engage with each other in an interactive and non threatening environment. The programme of outdoor activities will encourage young people, to know their own abilities, the importance of keeping fit, and to find out about the world in which they live. They will help them develop their creative talents, show initiative, demonstrate resourcefulness and ultimately to show respect for each other. All of the activities will have a strong team building emphasis.

The proposed campsite will be primarily for use by young people in scouting from the eligible area. The main reason why the centre is being developed is to meet the needs of young people in the border area and to this end it is envisaged that the major usage of the facility will be by people from the area. Negotiations are also underway with a number of youth organisations in the region (including Community Games) who are interested in utilising the facility. Cavan County Council has developed links with youth organisations throughout the southern border counties and Northern Ireland. It is envisaged that the Castlesanderson development will enable these groups to meet regularly and to engage in deeper cross border work. The campsite will serve as a centre for cross-community interaction, which will lead to reconciliation, dialogue, mutual understanding and respect. It is envisaged that a small number of national events will be held on the site each year. The purpose of these events will be to raise the profile of the facility and to attract people to the region who would not normally visit a border location.

BACKGROUND

Since the foundation of Scouting, the out-of-doors has provided the setting for the implementation of the totality of Scouting's Programme. In this unique setting, a combination of Fun, Challenge and Adventure is available to both youth, and adult members alike. The very nature of the Out-of Doors ensures that programme activities no matter how often repeated, have a different and refreshing quality about them.

Away from the conveniences of modern living, the Out-of Doors challenges young people's ability to cope with the unexpected in unfamiliar surroundings .In many ways it is the ultimate test in perseverance, determination, and self-reliance.

Young people, long after they have left Scouting, will always remember the fun they had whilst hiking and camping in the great outdoors.

Without the Out-of- Doors, the quality, and uniqueness of Scouting's Programmes would be lost.

Traditionally, Scouting has by and large relied on the goodwill of landowners and farmers to accommodate and facilitate camping on their lands. Indeed some have been very generous to Scouting. Sadly this hospitality is in decline due to various circumstances."

With this in mind Scouting Ireland has taken a proactive approach to campsite investment and management. A strategy has been put in place to develop the existing Scouting Ireland campsites, 31 in total, and to strengthen and expand this network of campsites throughout the 32 counties of Ireland over the next ten years. This network of Campsites will provide facilities of a standard that enables all members participate in programmes that compliment, and support local scouting programme activities.

As a follow on to this proposal a full time professional was appointed to forward the establishment of this network. Currently there are   31 scout campsites/centres operating in Ireland. Of these 4 are classified as National Campsites and are directly managed by the National Management Committee of the association through their appointees. The remaining 27 campsites/centres are classified as County or Group campsites, and are managed by either a scout county or group.

The campsites/centres range in size from Larch Hill an 88 acre site in the Dublin/Wicklow mountains, to Brinny scout centre which is a 1 acre site in Cork.

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