and welcome to Linthwaite 17th Scout Group
This site has been
established to
- Help get information to those in the
group.
- To give those wishing to learn about
the group a point of contact.
- To allow everyone to see what the Group
is up to.
The 17th
Linthwaite Scout Group consists of a Beaver Colony, a Cub Pack, and a Scout
Troop. There is also an Explorer Scout Unit partnered with the group.
We are part of Huddersfield
South West District, which consists of 9 Scout groups based around the Colne
Valley in West Yorkshire.
What do we do?
The
Scout Association nationally provides adventurous activities and personal
development opportunities for over 400,000 young people aged 6-25. Personal
development means promoting the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual
well-being of the individual, helping them achieve their full potential. In
Scouting, we believe that young people develop most when they are 'learning by
doing,'.
Scouting is about helping young people
to achieve their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential as
individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national
and international communities. We want them to develop as active members of the
community:
- who are self reliant
- who are caring
- who are responsible
- who show commitment
They do this by:
- taking part in a variety of
activities and new experiences
- exploring the outdoors
- working in teams
- taking responsibility
The
idea is to have fun while learning and developing. Besides the wider activities
organised by the Scout Group (e.g. camps, hikes, outings) we also get involved
in others that are organised by the local Scout district and county. We send
notes home to advise parent when and where activities are being held and seek
consent from parents for their child(ren) to participate in certain activities.
When do we meet?
Normal meetings of all sections of the
Group are at the following times:
|
Beaver
Scouts: |
Thursdays |
|
Cub
Scouts: |
Fridays |
|
Scouts: |
Fridays |
|
Explorers: |
Fridays |
Contact us by e-mail for meeting times
and venues.
For special activities we also meet at
other time and days and may meet at different places, but these will be advised
to parents in advance.
How old do you
have to be?
The ages for each of the sections of
the Scout Group are as follows:
|
Beaver
Scouts: |
6
years – 8 years |
|
Cub
Scouts: |
8
years – 10½-11 years |
|
Scouts: |
10½
years – 14 years |
|
Explorers: |
14
years – 18 years |
How To Join
Numbers are not
restricted with the Explorer Unit and places are generally available. There is
usually a waiting list for the Beaver Colony and sometimes a waiting list for
the Cub Pack and Scout Troop. To check on immediate vacancies in the Cub Pack,
Scout Troop and the Explorer Unit either please e-mail us using the e-mail
addresses on the pages for individual sections.
What
does Scouting cost?
The cost will vary over
time. Beavers, Cubs and Scouts pay £7.50 per month subscriptions. These cover
running costs of weekly meetings (such as badges and room rent) and the annual
membership fee payable to Scout Association headquarters.
We do
not want young people to be prevented from being involved in Scouting because
of cost, so if you have financial difficulties, please speak to Linda Nuttall,
the Group Scout Leader (linda17th[at]hotmail.co.uk) in confidence, as we can
often help.
Scouting is a voluntary organisation
and all the leaders are volunteers. We charge a subscription to cover the cost
of the materials and equipment we use during our meetings and events, for
badges, awards and record books, and for insurance and repairs to equipment. A
proportion of the subscription is passed on to the Scout district, county and
national headquarters - this money is used:
- to provide insurance for members
- to develop the programmes for all of the sections
- to develop the handbooks and information packs used by leaders
- for training of leaders and to provide support and advice to
leaders
From time to time we
run fund raising events. Parents are often involved in this and work together
with the leaders and the Scouts.
One thing that does cost a bit
of money when a youngster first joins the Scout Group is the uniform.
What uniform do I
have to wear?
For normal meetings we expect Beavers, Cubs, Scouts
and Explorers to wear the official uniform top for their section (Scout or
Explorer shirt or Beaver or Cub jersey) and the red & white Group necker.
For formal occasions (such as public parades)
Beavers, Cubs Scouts and Explorers should wear the official uniform top, Group
necker, official Scout trousers or dark school trousers. For special activities
we will advise what (or if) uniform is required and if any particular clothing
is needed (e.g. coats, boots, etc).
Expectation of behaviour
Scouting is fun and we want all our
young people to enjoy themselves at our meetings. Our programmes are designed
to include lots of fun activities and games. To ensure that everyone is safe
and happy we have to have some rules. We will not tolerate bullying. We expect
a reasonable standard of behaviour relative to age and ability. If any young
person persistently disrupts a meeting and the leaders feels that they cannot
proceed effectively with the programme or that the safety or enjoyment of the
others is being spoilt, the leader will contact the parent or guardian and ask
them to take their child home. In extreme cases of disruptive behaviour we may
impose a suspension for one or more meetings.
What is expected of me as a parent?
We understand
that parents lead busy lives, and might not be able to make any commitment to
help. The most important thing you can do as a parent is to be interested in
what your child does at Beavers/Cubs/Scouts/Explorers.
However……………….
One factor that limits the number of
young people we can take and the range of programmes we can offer is the number
of leaders and regular helpers. We have a small core of dedicated leaders; but
we need more. For some meetings we have support from parents - we are looking
for more people who can help. We do not expect anyone to make a commitment
until they have had a chance to see what is involved. If you think you may be
able to help, or you know someone who you think may be suitable, please contact
the Group Scout Leader.
We
sometimes arrange fund raising events and Scouts and parents are invited to
participate, as this is a way of keeping the Group’s membership subscription as
low as possible.
Parents
may sometimes be asked to help with transport to activities and camps, and also
with supplying cakes for camps.
Once a year we hold an Annual General Meeting to
which parents are invited. It is at this
meeting that the Group Executive Committee is elected. A number of parents
serve on the Executive Committee and if you want to do more to support your
child’s Scout Group you can be elected on to this. It meets about four times per year and
helps:
- to look after the Group finances
- to decide how funds should be spent
- to assists in finding leaders and other adult support
- to help organise social activities
We
would like more parents to be involved. If you think you may be able to help
please contact Linda Nuttall, Group Scout Leader at
linda17th[at]hotmail.co.uk.
Copy and paste address into your browser and replace [at] with @.
Anything else?
If you have any further questions, it is worth
speaking with one of the leaders, or e-mail us.
Where Are they Now?
We
would very much like to hear from former members of 17th Linthwaite
Scout Group. Tell us what you are doing now. We would particularly like to hear
from any former members of 17th Linthwaite who have won on the
lottery and would like advice on how best to spend their millions…
From
time to time, photographs are taken of group activities by leaders and
instructors. These images may be displayed or published publicly for Scouting purposes
(without full names), including on the group’s web site (www.17thlinthwaite.org.uk)
and/or in newspapers.