Thinking about joining the adventure? You’re bound to have loads of questions about Scouting – we’ve tried to answer some of the most common ones below, but if you can’t find the answer then please do get in touch!
When do we meet?
There are four specific age ranges in 1st Wanborough Scout Group: Squirrels meets on Thursday, Beavers on Tuesdays, Cubs on Thursdays and Scouts on Wednesdays. To find out more about each section, including meeting times and locations, please get in touch.
The different age ranges are:
- Squirrels (ages 4-6)
- Beavers (ages 6-8)
- Cubs (ages 8-10.5)
- Scouts (ages 10.5-14)
Times of individual weekly meetings may vary due to activity, location, etc. If you want to come along and visit us please get in touch with us first.
As a guide, our terms are generally the same as the school terms, although we continue to run a variety of special events and activities during the holidays.
How much does it cost?
All members pay a membership subscription to the group of £45 per school term (three times per year).
This includes:
- Membership of the Group, District, County and national Scout Association
- Insurance
- Meeting place costs
- Cost of materials and resources for weekly meetings
Camps, trips and some other activities are charged separately. Trips are generally charged “at cost” although we generally get a lower admission rate than the general public!
Is there a Uniform?
All our members wear a uniform, which can be purchased from the Scout Shop or other scout uniform providers.
Will my Child be Safe?
All our regular volunteers undertake DBS checks, and a strict appointments procedure is followed. Our volunteers also undertake training in areas such as safeguarding and safety.
Scouting encourages young people to take sensible risks in a controlled way. Your child will climb trees, light fires and learn to use knives, as well as taking part in a number of adventurous activities. We recognise that minor injuries are an inevitable part of childhood, but follow risk assessment and operating procedures to ensure that all activities are as safe as possible.
What activities do you do?
We do far too many activities to list – the best way to find out what we get up to is to check out our Facebook page.
Can Girls join Scouts?
Yes, certainly! Scouts has been co-educational for many years now. Lots of girls are already enjoying the adventure in 1st Wanborough Scout Group, and we also have a mixed leader team.
How can I help out?
We encourage all family members to get involved. Whether it’s helping out occasionally, supporting trips or camps, or taking on a more regular role as part of our leader team, we are entirely dependent on volunteers to run our meetings. We’ve also got a Trustee Board, which provides our governance, as a charity.
Volunteering for the group is very rewarding and great fun!
Is there a waiting list?
We do try our best to give a space to everyone who wants to join. However, young people sometimes have to wait a little while before a space becomes available.
It is well worth adding your child to our joining list from an early age to increase the chances of a space being available when they reach joining age. We recommend that wherever possible all children join us as Squirrels at age 4, and work up through the group.