On Sunday 9th September I drove up from West Sussex to Sherwood
Forest in Nottinghamshire for Day 231 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk.
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| The famous Major Oak in Sherwood Forest |
Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest that is famous through its historical
association with the legend of Robin Hood. Sherwood Forest is now a National
Nature Reserve surrounding the village of Edwinstone. The forest is a remnant
of an older and much larger royal hunting forest, which derived its name from
its status as the “shire” or “sher” wood of Nottinghamshire, which use to
extend into several neighbouring counties (shires).
Sherwood Forest is home to the famous Major Oak, which, according to local folklore,
was Robin Hood's principal hideout. The oak tree is between 800 and 1,000 years
old and, since the Victorian era, its massive limbs have been partially
supported by an elaborate system of scaffolding.
The Sherwood Forest Visitor’s Centre http://www.sherwoodforest.org.uk/
has a great deal for young people to enjoy and the woodland walks are
beautiful. Robin Hood is a focal point in the celebrations of their
Sherwood Forest history.
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| The Robin Hood Statue in Nottingham |
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw
in English folklore. A highly skilled archer
and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and
giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his
"Merry Men."Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes. The origin of the legend is
claimed by some to have stemmed from actual outlaws, or from ballads or tales
of outlaws.
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| Kevin Costner playing Robin Hood in the blockbuster "Robin Hood-Prince of Thieves" |
Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the medieval period continuing through to modern
literature, films and television. In the earliest sources, Robin Hood is a yeoman,
but he was often later portrayed as an aristocrat wrongfully dispossessed of his lands
and made into an outlaw by an unscrupulous sheriff.
In popular culture, Robin Hood and his band of "merry men" are
usually portrayed as living in Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire, where much of the action in the
early ballads takes place. So does the very first recorded Robin
Hood rhyme, four lines from the early 15th century, beginning: "Robyn hode
in scherewode stod." However, the overall picture from the surviving early
ballads and other early references suggest that Robin Hood may have been based
in what is now South Yorkshire (which borders
Nottinghamshire).
A tradition dating back at least to the end of the 16th century gives his
birthplace as Loxley, Sheffield
in South Yorkshire, while the site of Robin Hood's Well in Skellow, South Yorkshire,
has been associated with Robin Hood since at least 1422. Records show a man
named Robin Hood lived in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in the 13th and 14th
centuries.
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| Russell Crowe playing Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's film adaptation "Robin Hood" |
The first clear reference to "rhymes of Robin Hood" is from the
late-14th-century poem Piers Plowman, but the earliest
surviving copies of the narrative ballads that tell his story date to the 15th
century, or the first decade of the 16th century.
In popular culture, Robin Hood is typically seen as a contemporary and
supporter of the late-12th-century king Richard the Lionheart, Robin being driven to
outlawry during the misrule of Richard's brother John while Richard was away at the Third Crusade. This view first gained currency in the
16th century. It is not supported by the earliest ballads. The early
compilation, A Gest of Robyn Hode,
names the king as "Edward", and while it does show Robin Hood as
accepting the King's pardon he later repudiates it and returns to the
greenwood.
I was joined at Sherwood Forest by Air Cadets, Army Cadets and the 1st
Ollerton and Boughton Scouts, the 2nd Mansfield Scouts and the NOMADS; a Scout
Association Network unit. I’m sincerely grateful to Keith Morris, District
Commissioner of Mansfield Scouts for assisting with the coordination of the day
and for the opportunity to meet so many Scouts and Explorers.
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| Tremendous support from Cadets and the UK Scouting Association on Day 231 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk |
I have met hundreds of Beavers,
Cubs, Scouts and Explorers during my BRIT 2012 mile walk through the counties
of England, Scotland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
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| With members of the Air Training Corps Cadets on Day 231 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk |
My knowledge
and understanding of the UK Scouting Association is growing and I remain
wholeheartedly supportive of their forward thinking strategy of diversity.
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| With UK Scouting Association Cubs Scouts Explorers on Day 231 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk |
I have written before that The
Scout Association have recognised that it has been proven that by valuing
diversity, organisations bring benefits to the people they work with, their
local communities, as well as to themselves.
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| HRH The Prince of Wales |
Mosaic http://www.mosaicnetwork.co.uk/en_gb/portal
, a charitable organisation founded by HRH The Prince of Wales to address
Muslim community-based interests, believes that the best way to promote higher
levels of civic engagement is by encouraging people to become Scout volunteers.
There are currently 29 UK Scout groups that have predominantly Muslim
membership. Mosaic is the first Muslim-led organisation to promote Muslim
communities' involvement in Scouting and is also one of the charity partners of
BRIT. The CEO of Mosaic, Jonathan Freeman, is a BRIT Advisor.
There are 1 in 5 adults and 1 in
20 young people that have a disability, 1 in 4 people are under the age of 16
and there are 1 in 8 under 16s from black or ethnic minority backgrounds, so I
am keen to learn more about, from and how an organisation with such a large
footprint throughout the United Kingdom embraces diversity to ensure we are
respectful of each other and we look after each other, no matter what our
background is.
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| With Army Cadets on Day 231 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk |
There are many definitions of a
“diverse organisation.” One of the more useful and relevant that the Scout
Association have embraced is the one used by The National Centre for
Volunteering:
“A diverse organisation is one
which values difference. It is one which recognises that people with different
backgrounds, skills, attitudes and experiences bring fresh ideas and
perceptions. Diverse organisations encourage and harness these differences to
make their services relevant and approachable. A diverse organisation draws
upon the widest possible range of views and experiences, so it can listen to,
and meet, the changing needs of its users, staff, volunteers, partners and
supporters.”
What excited and enthuses me
about the Scout Association is that they see diversity being more than just
being politically correct or having an equal opportunities policy. In my
opinion this is fundamental as embracing diversity can only work in the purest
form if everyone in the organisation understands the principles and applies the
principles no matter what age or position within the organisation.
The Scout Association understands
that embracing diversity means embedding diversity into their culture. The
Scout Association takes positive advantage of the differences between
individuals and works against prejudice. This year I am beginning to spend
a lot more time with the Scout Association and am visiting all ages of the
Scout Association from Beavers to Cubs and from Scouts to Explorers.
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| Bear Grylls-Chief of the UK Scouting Association |
As I am sure you know, the
Beavers are the youngest members of the Scout Association and belong to
Colonies. Cubs are next and they belong to Packs. Scouts belong to Troops
and finally, Explorers belong to Units. The diagram below shows how widespread
the Scout Association is throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
I will continue to write about
and champion the UK Scouting Association as I hope that readers of my blog will
see the value of the Scout Association and the opportunities they provide to
young people. I also hope that some of the stigmas sometimes attached to Scout
Association, due to lack of understanding, are changed to a more positive
appreciation so that the Scout Association is seen for what it is; a champion
of diversity. This is also a tremendous opportunity for adult volunteers to
join the organisation to support young people and for more young people to
“give it a go”, no matter what their background.
I enjoyed a thoroughly enjoyable
day walking with and taking to all the Cadets, Scouts, Explorers and Adult
Volunteers.
For more information on the Army
Cadets, please click here; http://armycadets.com/
for the UK Scouting Association, please click here; http://scouts.org.uk/ and for
the Air Training Corps Cadets, please click here; http://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/
I finished the day with 527 miles
to go.
The Mission of the University is;
At The University of Nottingham we are committed
to providing a truly international education, inspiring our students, producing
world-leading research and benefitting the communities around our campuses in
the UK, China and Malaysia. Our purpose is to improve life for individuals and
societies worldwide. By bold innovation and excellence in all that we do, we
make both knowledge and discoveries matter.
The vision of the University is to be widely recognised as the first choice
of;
· Students who want a top
quality, international education
· Researchers who want the
best opportunity to make a significant global impact
· Businesses that want
innovative partners who give them an edge on their competition
By attracting ambitious and talented students, staff, and business
partners, they have stated they will firmly establish themselves among the top
10 UK universities by 2015 and both of their campuses in Asia will be
recognised as leading higher education providers within their regions.
Their vision is to be recognised around the world for their signature
contributions, especially in global food security, energy and sustainability,
and health.
The facilities are superb. Their Lakeside Arts centre plays a key role
in Nottingham’s cultural life. The University also has important community
partnerships and two student theatre companies. I was shown around their
first-class sports facilities and was introduced to the opportunities for those
who want to play sport at any level. The University Library learning facilities
are among the most technically advanced in Europe and the University’s health
centre includes a dental practice, occupational health and pharmacy. It
is a stunning campus.
My thanks to Barney Cornick, who is the Director of Karnival; http://www.karni.co.uk/ Europe's largest student run
charity fund raising organisation, for coordinating my visit and to all the
Student Body Presidents and Representatives who hosted me throughout the day.
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| With the Barney Cornick Director of Karnival and Presidents of the Student Union and Groups within Nottingham University |
I thoroughly enjoyed a day
talking to Barney and the many University Presidents and Representatives who
made me feel very welcome and who are keen to assist with the BRIT Social Media
campaign launching later this year.
I very much look forward to
returning and to grow the relationship between the University and BRIT. The
hospitality shown to me was extraordinarily kind.
I ended Day 232 with 520 miles to
go.
Last night I had the pleasure of staying at The Washingborough Hall hotel http://www.washingboroughhall.com/
in Lincoln.
Washingborough Hall is a Lincolnshire Country House, Hotel,
Restaurant & Conference Venue owned and run by Lincolnshire couple, Edward
and Lucy Herring. It was an absolute pleasure to meet Edward and Lucy and their
three daughters last night and I am sincerely grateful for their kindness and
generosity to not only gift my accommodation, but also to treat me to supper.
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| Edward and Lucy Herring, owner of Washingborough Hall who kindly gifted my accomodation and supper on Day 232 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk |
They pride themselves on their
hands-on approach and run the Washingborough Hall as well as juggling the needs
of their three gorgeous daughters. The atmosphere was very warm and inviting
and the staff are one big family who looked after me with a great deal of
understanding and sincerity.
It was a delight for me to spend
time with the family and their gifted support makes a huge difference to ensure
that the BRIT 2012 mile walk expenses are kept as low as possible.
Day 233 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk
was hosted by The Priory Academy LSST in Lincoln. The Prior Academy LSST is
part of The Priory Federation of Academies Trust http://www.prioryacademies.co.uk/page/default.asp?title=Home&pid=1
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| With Year 6 students at The Priory Academy on Day 233 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk |
The Academy Ethos has a Trust
Charter which describes their relationship with The Trust and sets out both
their responsibilities to ensuring the success of the Trust and their
responsibilities to ensuring the success of their Academy. There are eleven
elements to each – some are practical and some are more philosophical.
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| With 6th form students on Day 233 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk at The Priory Academy in Lincoln |
The Trust Goal describes a Priory
Student: a citizen of the world.
The purpose of the Trust is to
help create students who will go on to make positive and lasting contributions
to society. They have attempted to articulate what it means to be a Priory
student in the lines:
A Priory student appreciates:
the excitement of learning; the rewards of personal challenge; the importance
of responsibility to others; and so becomes a true citizen of the world.
I am learning a great deal from
what I see from the differing Special Schools, Schools, Colleges and
Universities that I visit. The Priory Academy LSST is a highly successful
Academy with academic results that make them one of the top performing schools
in the country. Their OFSTED report gave a judgment of Outstanding.
In addition to academic studies,
they offer an exciting range of extracurricular activities. They have their own
Combined Cadet Force and they offer Duke of Edinburgh http://dofe.org/ to Gold, and both Sport and The Arts
feature heavily in our extensive programme of activities.
We have excellent facilities and
place significant emphasis on creating a stimulating environment in which to
learn – artwork and sculpture feature heavily in the quads, gardens and
corridors.
It was a pleasure to speak to the
6th Form students this morning and answer their questions and then
walk my six miles with younger students from the school that came out year by
year to walk with me during their sports lessons.
I was fascinated to learn about
the pledges they take. Many of the students I met were heavily involved in
volunteering and it was humbling to hear how sincere the students were of their
passion to help others.
This is their student pledge;
The Priory Academy LSST
Student Pledge
As a student I pledge to...
1. Have the highest possible
expectations for what I can achieve at The Priory and beyond
2. Behave well in class, in
school, to and from school and whilst on school activities
3. Wear my uniform smartly and in
accordance with the uniform code
4. Achieve a high attendance
record - anything below 96% could be a cause for concern
5. Focus on learning - make every
lesson count
6. Complete my homework
thoroughly and on time - try to work independently
7. Set myself challenging targets
and devise appropriate plans to achieve them
8. Commit to extra-curricular
activities
9. Participate positively in Form
time and House activities
10. Contribute to the community
11. If I am concerned about
anything or anyone, I will let a member of staff know
I am sincerely grateful to Mr Jones, the Headmaster, and to all the staff
and students who made my Day 233 of the BRIT 2012 mile walk an absolute
pleasure.
Finally, my thanks to the Firefighters from Lincoln Station, Lincolnshire
Fire & Rescue Service http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/LFR/ who kindly came
out to support, walk with me and take time to talk to the students. I was
honoured to be presented with their shield and to have such a great time
talking to the Firefighters.
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| Being presented with the Lincolnshire Fire Rescue shield by Firefighters at The Priory Academy in Lincoln |
I am ending the day with 514
miles to go.
Best wishes,
Phil