Scouts
Scouting? It’s just shorts, knots and ‘dib, dib, dib’ isn’t it?
No! Watch this for an introduction to scouting in the twenty-first century.
Scouting in Desford is thriving. Over the past six years, the number of children (and adult volunteers) involved in scouting in our community has grown massively. The village beaver group has doubled in size and we have started up new cub and scout groups, meaning there are now nearly 90 children involved, both boys and girls.
For a great introduction to what scouting can do for your child, see what our chief scout Bear Grylls and outdoor-enthusiast Steve Backshaw have to say by watching this scouting video.
Beavers, cubs and scouts meet weekly to take part in fun, educational and adventurous activities as well as taking part in extra sleepovers, camps, trips and events at weekends. Scouting offers the perfect antidote to the inactive, indoor lifestyle dominated by screens that most of us fear is the alternative for our young people today. Scouting also encourages children to try new things, make new friends and become a thoughtful member of our community. What better way to build self-esteem, confidence, an adventurous spirit and team skills than through scouting?
There are three different age group ‘sections’ currently meeting in Desford, every week during term time, at our HQ at Sport in Desford:
Beaver Scouts (Click to expand)
Beavers are boys and girls aged 6-8 years old. The ‘colony’ meets on Wednesday evenings from 5.45 to 7.00pm. During the spring and summer weeks, we try to organise as many outdoor activities as possible, often meeting at places such as Bradgate Park and Thornton Reservoir. Weekly activities include team games, crafts, sports, cooking, drama, cycling, charity events to name but a few.
Beavers are encouraged to learn about important cultural events on our calendar and to be aware of their community and how they might be able to help others and look after their village and countryside. Beavers often spend their first ever night away from their parents at one of our sleepovers or camps. We have four leaders, named after woodland creatures in the tradition of the Beaver Scouts; Hare, Hedgehog, Otter and Owl.
If you are interested on behalf of your child, we encourage parents to add their child to the waiting list early, before their child turns six, as the colony is very popular and there are usually fewer places available than children wishing to join For more information or to place a child on the waiting list, please contact the Group Scout Leader, Sue Sharpe at DesfordGSL@gmail.com
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Cub Scouts (Click to expand)
Cubs are boys and girls aged 8-10 years old. The ‘pack’ meets on Thursday evenings from 6.30-8pm. During the spring and summer weeks, the cubs tend to be out and about as often as possible, taking part in wide games, woodland activities, walks and challenges. Weekly activities include team games, crafts, sports, cooking, fundraising as well as visits from organisations such as the police, fire service, local sports experts, to name but a few. Cubs are encouraged to celebrate our key cultural events and to become thoughtful participants in community activities.
Respect for others, our villages, nature and the countryside are important themes for cubs. There are several organised camps and sleepovers per year at which cubs can participate in exciting activities such as karting, climbing, archery, rifle-shooting, mountain-biking and canoeing. These are also the times when cubs learn traditional scouting skills such as camp-fire cooking and shelter-building, map reading and orienteering. Cubs from across the country also meet on national trips to places such as RAF Hendon and the science museum, London. We have five leaders, named after characters from The Jungle Book, in the tradition of the cub scouts; Akela, Baloo, Rocky, Hathi and Bagheera.
If you are interested on behalf of your child, we encourage parents to add their child to the waiting list early, before they turn eight, as the pack is very popular and there are usually fewer places available than children wishing to join. Priority is given to children who have already been beaver scouts but we do make every effort to offer places to as many children as safety ratios allow. For more information or to place a child on the waiting list, please contact the Group Scout Leader, Sue Sharpe at DesfordGSL@gmail.com
Scouts (Click to expand)
“Scouts are boys and girls aged 10.5-14.5 years old. The ‘troop’ meets on Tuesday evenings from 7-9pm. As the oldest scouters meeting in the village, our young people are encouraged to help plan their own programme, working towards reward badges of their own choosing which reflect their individual interests. However, there are also many organised activities designed to build life skills as well as a healthy love of adventure. These include learning about camping, safe use of a knife or axe, fire-building, outdoor cooking, pioneering, hiking, orienteering and first aid.
There is a big emphasis on physical activity and personal challenge with regular opportunities to pursue things like kayaking, climbing/abseiling, tobogganing, swimming, shooting/archery, pot-holing, mountain biking, amongst many others. Scouts are also encouraged to become considerate and helpful members of the community and can regularly be seen helping at village events, fundraising for charity and caring for their surroundings with events such as litter-picks. Respect for their village, its inhabitants, nature and countryside are at the heart of scouting.
Scouts spend many nights away on camps, night hikes and expeditions where they are able to practise their skills with increasing independence. Being a scout gives young people the perfect platform from which to launch themselves into adult life with confidence in their own worth and capabilities. We have three leaders, James, Emily-Jane and Claire. If you are interested on behalf of your child, we encourage parents to add their child to the waiting list early, before they turn ten, as the troop is very popular and there are usually fewer places available than young people wishing to join. Priority is given to children who have been cubs but we do make every effort to accommodate as many scouts as safety ratios allow. For more information or to place your child on the waiting list, please contact the Group Scout Leader,Sue Sharpe at DesfordGSL@gmail.com
Explorers
Beyond Scouts… If your son or daughter is 14 or older, they may wish to become an Explorer Scout. The most local Explorer troop meets i here at Sport in Desford. Please go to the district website for more information:
http://acds.org.uk Or email:
desfordexplorers@gmail.com
Desford Young People Need You!
Impressed by what scouting can offer to our young people? Keen to allow these opportunities to reach more children in our community? Please join our team!
The number of children we can accommodate in each section is directly related to the number of adult volunteers we have as uniformed leaders.
Currently, we do not have enough places for the number of children wishing to join beavers, cubs and scouts. It is sad to have to turn children away or keep them waiting for months after they have reached the right joining age for each section.
With more adult leaders, many more children in the Desford parish of villages could benefit from all the opportunities scouting has to offer.
If you’re even a little bit tempted, watch this and you will be convinced!
The Scout Association offers a full training programme free of charge, so you don’t have to be proficient in outdoor practical skills to be a leader – most of us have learnt these skills since volunteering. We can be flexible if your other commitments make volunteering tricky, and we can accommodate you with which ever age group you feel most confident. We have a friendly, positive and sociable team of adults involved already in Desford and you would be made very welcome.
