PW_4_2018

Article

International Youth Gathering Sean Hannigan Section UK VP Section UK hosted this year’s International Youth Gathering at Walesby Forest Scout Centre, Nottingham. We welcomed 45 young people from over 25 countries, with two team leaders travelling from Canada and Russia.

T he young people were met at the airport and transported to the wonderful land of Robin Hood County. Harvey Whittam was responsible for the transport organisation of the large group from five different airports. After successfully navigating their way to Nottinghamshire, a wonderful adventure began where cultures and languages began to live with each other and learn from each other to become One IYG. The specially made IYG 2018 Banner travelled everywhere IYG went including Oxford, Trent Bridge, Halstead Abbey and Fox Road. Keeping young people active and interested was one purpose of IYG and we found building a raft was just as useful as building relationships through a common language. Luckily all the rafts were robust enough to sail into the sunset. Eating out UK style and eating in were important factors of the IYG. The youngsters had already started to bond and appreciate each other’s cultures, backgrounds and taste in cuisine. Sharing different foods and being able to chat was a regular feature of IYG Life.

Without the help of IPA members from across the UK the IYG would not have been the success it was. The award of a certificate of recognition at World Congress was testament to the hard work members put in. Well done to everyone and a big thank you from me for a fabulous IYG. Thanks go to Bill Lloyd, Henryk Kowalczuk, Tom Chisholm, Gary Campbell, Stewart Leask, Edwin Cook, Tony Granger, Andre Bak, Terry (John) Barnett, Simon Crane, Gary Carroll, Yvonne McGregor, Phil Gilliver, Dax Byrne-Turner, Wes Marchant, Ian Hague, Derek Langtree, Owen Rumbold, Alan Coltman, Paul Devlin, Nigel Heywood, Steve Gale, Grace Whittam, Rob Stenhouse, Steve Bretherton, Jean LeBlanc, Irina Konobeevskaia, Lucy Stenhouse and Harvey Whittam.

Visits to places of historic and cultural interest were arranged such as Stratford upon Avon, Oxford and the well-known Stately home where Byron lived, Halstead Abbey. We experienced a real slice of Old England through the centuries. In Oxford the Chief Constable even sent down four Police Officers to meet and greet IYG 2018. Hats and helmets were tried on and many selfie pictures were taken. No visit to the UK would be complete without going to the Home of the IPA at Fox Road and meeting members of Section UK and the International Administration Centre. We were delighted to be met and hosted by Clive Wood. At IYG we also wanted to ensure that some practical skills could be taken away by everyone, so we arranged specialist trainers to come in and teach medical aid and defensive tactics under the guidance of Rob Stenhouse. One of the most challenging but enjoyable sessions was a Drama Workshop which really tested the Cultural Professional and Social side of the IYG participants. This was a great success and run by the Actress Sarah Crofts, stepdaughter of our own Andy Gregory.

Next Year IYG takes place in Croatia August 03 to 19 so look out for the advert and booking forms.

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POLICE WORLD Vol 63 No. 4, 2018