We’d like to welcome you and your family to the Scout Group. 1st Holgate is the largest Scout Group in North Yorkshire and has over 300 members. We offer an exciting and adventurous brand of Scouting to our young people from ages 6 up to 18.
None of this would be possible without our team of talented and committed volunteer leaders. They work hard to offer new and challenging activities for our young people every week. Many of them began their association with the Group as parents of Beavers, much like yourselves. They are ordinary people, with jobs, families and all the trappings of modern life; but working together they achieve incredible things for our young people. We encourage all parents of new members to help us by taking turns on our parent rotas; you get to spend quality time with your Beaver, find out what they do and get to know the leaders.
Beavers are our youngest members, and they enjoy all that Scouting has to offer; being introduced to outdoor activities, having the opportunity to be creative, explore their local community and experience the excitement of a Beaver Scout Sleepovers and Camps with their friends.
Structure
A Beaver Colony is organised into smaller groups called Lodges. Lodges can be used in a number of ways to facilitate the organisation of the Beaver Scout Colony. They may provide a ‘home’ area for Beaver Scouts to gather at points at the start, during or at the end of the Colony meeting.
Activities
During their time in the Colony, Beaver Scouts will get a chance to try a wide range of different activities as well as going on trips, days out, and on sleepovers. Participation, rather than meeting set standards, is the key approach, and there are a range of badges and challenge awards that Beaver Scouts can gain to recognise their achievements.
Further kit may be needed such as a sleeping bag, waterproofs, and walking shoes. We will tell you what kit is needed for activities before they take place.
First meetings
Your child doesn’t need to wear uniform to the first few meetings; we’d prefer that you know they’re enjoying themselves before buying it for them.
Once they’re settled, usually after a month or so, they are invested as a Beaver Scout (at a simple ceremony where they make their promise), you will be told in advance. They will need to wear their uniform at that meeting and you will be invited to watch. They will be given their Group Necker and woggle at that meeting together with some badges. You can take photographs too.
Church Parades
Most of our sections meet at Holgate Methodist Church on Acomb Road, an association that has lasted over 40 years. As part of our relationship with the church, we attend church parades around six times a year. This is a way for us to support the work of the church and is a way to thank them for letting the Group use their building.
These take place during term time on the first Sunday of the month 10:15 – 11:30am. These services are family friendly and we encourage Beavers to attend.
The Beaver Scout Promise
The Scout Association in the United Kingdom is an open association. This means we are made up of Members of different faiths, including those with no faith, and identify ourselves with no one faith exclusively.
Membership is open to all those individuals who share our fundamental values, and are willing to make a commitment to them, expressed by the Promise and Law.
There are a number of variations of the Beaver Scout Promise to reflect the range of faiths, beliefs and attitudes, and nationalities, in the UK within Scouting.
View the promise variations here. Please let your child’s leader know if they would like to make an alternative version of the promise.
Online Scout Manager
We use a system called Online Scout Manager (OSM) to maintain all our records. Part of the system, Parent Portal, is provided so parents can maintain their child’s personal details, view their progress and book and pay for events using direct debit. For more information click here.
Parents Guides
How we keep your child safe in Scouting.
Scouting offers fun, challenge and adventure to nearly 400,000 young people in the UK. We know that young people thrive in safe surroundings so we are committed to making sure that Scouting is enjoyable and safe for everyone who takes part.
As a parent or carer, you will have questions about how we do this, and we hope to provide the answers in our ‘Safe and Sound’ leaflet.
If you have a concern or question regarding safeguarding in Scouting or have a concern regarding a young person or volunteer please speak to our Group Scout Leader. Alternatively, you can call the information centre on 0345 300 1818 or email info.centre@scouts.org.uk, whereby your call can be directed to our dedicated Safeguarding Team.
