New Members Information
Click to download the Welcome Pack as a PDF file (37 Kb)
What’s Scouting all about?
The Aim of Scouting is to promote the development of young people. We try to do this by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of activities guided by adult leadership. 4 TH Eastcote is open to both boys and girls.
What are the Sections and age groups?
The Sections and age ranges at 4 TH Eastcote are:
Beavers (Monday or Wednesday) 6 – 8 years old
Cubs (Tuesday or Thursday) 8 – 10½ years old
Scouts (Friday) 10½ – 14 years old
Explorer Scouts 14 - 18 years old
In some areas there will be a Scout Network for 18 –25 year olds.
How does it work?
The Scout Group is led by a Group Scout Leader (GSL) and managed by a Group Executive Committee. The different Sections are run by Uniformed Leaders. All are unpaid volunteers who have been checked to ensure they are suitable to work with young people and who have available the support and training they need from the Scout Association to ensure everyone involved enjoys Scouting in a safe manner without risk to health, so far as is reasonably practicable.
The Group Executive Committee is chaired by the Group Chairman and manages the business affairs of the Group. They are responsible for the maintenance of property; raising funds, administration of Group finance, insurance, property and equipment. Members of the Group Executive Committee are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout Group which is an educational charity.
Beaver Scouts
Beaver Scouts are aged between 6 – 8 years old. They wear turquoise sweatshirts, long trousers and our Group scarf, Beaver Scouts play games, do various activities and go on visits. They meet together once a week during term time in a Beaver Scout Colony. You can find out more about their activities by visiting the Beaver pages on our website.
Cub Scouts
Cubs are aged between 8 – 10½. There are loads of fun things that you can do as a Cub Scout. You will get a chance to try lots of different activities like camping, exploring , swimming, computing and collecting. If you do them properly you will get a badge which you can wear on your uniform. You can find out more about their activities by visiting the Cub pages on our website. Our Cubs gain a lot of badges!
Scouts
The Scout Section is for young people, usually aged between 10½ and 14½ years. Scouts take part in a wide range of activities. Scouts spend a lot of time outdoors camping, and experiencing a wide range of adventurous activities, anything from abseiling to yachting.
Explorer Scouts
Explorer Scouts are young people, usually aged between 14 and 18 years old. Explorer Scouts have the opportunity to become involved in a wider variety of activities and have a greater say in how these are planned and run. They can choose to support the other sections as young leaders, work towards their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, become involved in Scout Campsite service crews as well as taking part in their own adventurous activities.
Parents & Guardians
We encourage parents and guardians to become involved in the Scout Group, in fact without them we cannot continue to provide a wide range of activities. All of our Leaders have, or used to have, children in Beavers, Cubs or Scouts. The amount of time involved could be as little as a couple of hours a week as an Assistant Leader or more if you have the time and like to become involved in the weekend activities.
St Lawrence Church
The 4 TH Eastcote is an open Church Sponsored Scout Group. This means the Scout Group and the Church support each other in achieving their aims. Whilst we encourage you to be part of our Church community you don’t have to worship at St Lawrence’s to be a member of 4 TH Eastcote. This maybe because you choose to worship elsewhere or have a different faith or beliefs. Church Parades are held roughly once each month, unless you are worshipping somewhere else you are asked to attend; football or cricket practice are not really good enough reasons for not going!
Where to find us
Please email for details
Who to contact
Please use the contact form on the menu
Uniform
Each of the different Sections wears a uniform, you will find out what you need from your Leader once you have joined, don’t go rushing off spending money until you know what to buy.
When do we meet
Monday Beavers
Tuesday Cubs (The Comets)
Wednesday Beavers
Thursday Cubs (The Meteors)
Friday Scouts
Explorer Unit TBA
Other Activities
Beavers normally hold one or two special outdoor events each year.
Cubs usually have an annual Pack Holiday or Camp, as well as other outings during the year.
Scouts normally have a week long Troop Camp as well as weekend camps and other outdoor activities.
The Explorer Unit Programme will include a wide variety of differnet activities.
Every year we hold one really big Group event, either a Family camp or Parent & Scout Camp, which involves everyone, there are other activities at weekends organised by the different Sections.
Money Matters
When paying subscriptions or for activities, cash or cheques should be placed in an envelope with details of what the payment is for and who it is from.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are collected at the beginning of term in January, April and September.
The amount to be paid is currently:
Beavers: £19.00
Cubs: £22.00
Scouts: £22.00
This money is used to pay:
- annual fees to District, County and National headquarters for insurance, leader training
- to the Group to cover the cost of running our headquarters
- the cost of badges and books etc.
- to subsidise some activities
The cost for a weekend camp is usually between £30 and £45 depending on the distance and the activities being organised. The amount charged for camps includes camp site fees, food and most activities. There may be a fee for some activities, this depends on the cost of providing the activity.
Financial Help
We appreciate that that money can sometimes be tight. If you need a bit of help with the cost of subs or activities etc. please have a quiet chat with one of the leaders. We try to make sure cost doesn’t prevent a young person being involved in Scouting
Gift Aid
Some time ago the rules on donations to charities were changed and under the Gift Aid Scheme, we are now able to reclaim the tax element of subscriptions paid by members. Please help us reclaim this money by completing the enclosed declaration and returning it to me via your child’s section leader. You must pay an amount of income tax or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax we reclaim on the payments (currently 28p for every £1 you give). You can cancel this declaration at any time by notifying the Scout Group. We also need to know if you change your name or address.
Communication
Information is sent home via email as well as by letter. Please make sure we have your up to date contact details. In common with many other organisations The Scout Association has to maintain a record of its members.
Child Protection
As part of our procedures to ensure the safety of the young people in our Scout Group all adults who could have unsupervised access to young people must be checked with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). This applies to all adults attending camping activities. You will be offered the opportunity to complete a free CRB form. Individuals may choose not to be checked, however this will mean they may not be able to attend some Scouting events. In some cases this could also preclude young people from taking part in the Scouting activity.
Special Needs and Health Information
Please inform us if any one attending a Scouting event has any special needs or health issues which might affect their safe enjoyment of Scouting. Subject to the safety and enjoyment of others attending the event and our Leader resources we will do all we can to ensure these needs are catered for.
Data Storage
The Data Protection Act covers the protection and processing of personal data. It covers paper based (as well as computer based) information. The 4 TH Eastcote Scout Group currently holds information about all of its members. To help us contact you, manage our Scouting activities safely and effectively, and to comply with the Act we need to ensure our records are up to date. With this in mind it is important you advise us of any subsequent changes to the information provided.
Parental Support
This Scout Group depends on Parental support to continue to provide quality Scouting to the 120 or so young people in the Group. All the adults involved are volunteers and give their time freely. Although there are around 15 Leaders, Assistant Leaders and regular Helpers, new parents to volunteer and help with the Group.
Anyone interested in becoming a leader or a helper on a regular or occasional basis, please contact Mark Winn. No previous experience is necessary, as training will be provided. There is no payment for being a leader, but you can expect lots of fun and adventure and to make many friends.
For further information please email us