Well, what a busy 3 months it has been!

We’ve been up to a lot over the last 3 months, so let’s summarise! We started with the planning meeting and county bowling (now seem a very long time a go!) in late September.

Onto the beginning of October and all efforts were put to organise AMUSING, a county Network camp, which was very successful and we now have the foundations to build on into the future - so look out for AMUSING in 2009! We went onto cover a very exciting and varied programme from photo trails, to toffee scoff, to hardcore scouting and more…

We also introduced our coveted ‘MSN Network Badge Scheme’ made up of Cub badges and a few others… So many of us have earned at least one if not more badges!!

Of course, we can’t forget Snowball, a chance to don our tuxes and dresses and socialise with hundreds of other Network members… as well as the chance to eat to your own heart attack the morning after!

Our penultimate event was the Network Christmas meal – done in MSN Network style at Pizza Express in town. This was the event with the highest attendance and it was great to see everyone together and enjoying themselves!

Finally, we reach the last event of the term – a visit to 5th Ave last night. This was a chance for us to let our hair down after a busy semester and celebrate a very successful 3 months of Network! (as a personal note 3 hours sleep is not enough after a night out! - so don’t do it!)

On to other general Network information…

This semester has seen Manchester South Network really stand on its own two feet and start walking! Most of the hard behind-the-scenes work in setting the Network up is now out of the way and we can concentrate on providing the best programme we possibly can!

We’ll hold a planning meeting again sometime in January, so keep checking your emails over the next few weeks for further information. We’ll also be looking at how the Network is run, and what we could do better…

The swimming gala planning is well underway, but we’ll be diving (like the pun?!) back into the organisation of this come January (after exams!).

In the mean time keep active on the forum, (http://www.mansouthnetwork.org.uk/forum)!! There is lots going on and lots to talk about. We have an article in the Network supplement of Scouting magazine to write, this is being drafted now and we would like everyone’s input into this, so please do post your thoughts on the forum… There is also discussion about programme ideas for next term – so if you have any ideas please post them on the forums.

Over the last semester we have increased in membership substantially – which is fantastic news and long may it continue!

Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish you a very merry Christmas and New Year. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday and I look forward to seeing everyone in January!

Much love,

The one and only Princess!

P.S: The hoodies should arrive sometime in the New Year, so those that have ordered them will get a nice present when you return! (I may even wrap them up in wrapping paper to make it even more exciting!)