If your child would like to join…
7th Bristol Scout Group welcomes boys and girls to begin their scouting adventure in Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.
Simply complete our Waiting List Form using Online Scout Manager (OSM). You will receive an email containing further details which you must then complete.
FAQs
When can my child join Scouting?
The starting age for Beavers is usually 6, subject to waiting list. Looking ahead, children can join Cubs from around the age of 8 and Scouts from 10 and a half to 14. Following on from Scouts, 14 year olds can become Explorer Scouts up to the age of 18. However, 7th Bristol Scout Group does not currently operate an Explorer Scout section.
How often do we meet?
The three sections – Beavers, Cubs and Scouts – meet separately at Pavey House Scout ‘hut’ one evening a week during school term times:
- Beavers – Tuesdays from 6:00pm to 7:00pm
- Cubs – Thursdays from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
- Scouts – Mondays from 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Occasionally we organise additional trips, events and camps which run outside these times.
How much does it cost?
Subscription fees are currently £35 per child per school term, payable at the beginning of each term. In addition to the subscription fee we may organise events, trips and camps which incur additional fees. All our leaders and helpers are unpaid volunteers.
The only other cost is uniform which is around £40.
Is there a waiting list?
Due to a shortage of volunteers there are currently many young people in our area waiting to join Beavers and Cubs. It is very difficult to offer guidance on the length of wait as it varies greatly. If your child is offered a Beavers or Cubs place at another Group we would urge you accept it rather than your child miss out on this valuable experience.
We would ideally love to establish a second Beaver Colony and Cub Pack but due to a lack of volunteers (and strict limits on the ratio of children to Leaders) we are currently unable to do so. If you would be interested in volunteering to become a Leader please get in touch.
Could you help out?
We are able to accelerate the waiting list times for children of parents who volunteer. Whatever your skills and availability, there will be some way you can contribute, meaning more young people get to experience the adventure of Scouting sooner.
Do you offer GirlGuiding?
GirlGuiding is a separate youth organisation. The 1st Clifton Rainbows, 54th Bristol Brownies and 54th Bristol Guides use our scout hut – Pavey House – as their home. They meet on Wednesday evenings. If you are interested in guiding please contact them via their website.
Become a volunteer…
We are ALWAYS keen to hear from anyone who can volunteer some time to help 7th Bristol. Without the support of our (unpaid) volunteers of leaders, assistant leaders, parent helpers and committee members we simply would not be able to run the Group. You do not need to have a child to volunteer! Some examples of how YOU could really help 7th Bristol:
- Join-in the children’s fun and learning at section meetings as a Parent Helper
- Enable more children to join and shorten waiting lists by becoming a Leader. It’s not as difficult (or time consuming) as you might imagine.
- Join the Executive Committee as a Parent Representative
- Help with maintenance and upkeep of our amazing facilities
- Use your skills and expertise to help run and manage the Group’s activities, financials and meetings
It’s not just a young person who benefits from taking part in Scouting; parents and carers can also reap the rewards.
In an independent survey of over 2,000 parents of Scouts, nine out of ten parents said Scouting is worthwhile and nine in ten said their children find Scouting enjoyable.
‘I don’t normally let Thomas carry dinner plates through – he can be clumsy…but when he cooked me a meal from scratch, I was so proud’
As your child progresses through Scouts you should be able to see signs of the impact their Scouting adventure has on them.
Parents tell us Scouting gives their children more confidence, responsibility and a broader set of friends. Scouting can help develop your child’s social skills and encourage self-sufficiency, and gives them access to activities and opportunities that may have been otherwise unavailable to them.
A huge number of parents agreed that since their child joined Scouting family life was easier and they were ‘nicer children to live with’.
‘I think I probably wouldn’t let Ella do as much as she does, but when I see her at Cubs, doing things for herself and her friends, I’m so impressed. It helps you step back and let them get on with it.’