Scouts are usually aged between 10½ and 14 years old. We run two Troops which meet once a week on either Wednesdays 7.45-9.15pm or Thursdays 7.15-8.45pm at Cholsey Scout Hut. We have a programme packed full of adventurous activities to challenge and inspire our young people, including cooking on fires, pioneering, orienteering, biking, rafting, hiking, tents and tarps. We try to run at least two camps a year, hikes and expeditions, making memories of a lifetime.

Scouts is where the fun and adventure really begins. Being part of the Troop means getting a head start towards becoming independent, learning to make the most of what you have, where you are, who you want to become. We’ll help you make a difference, show you that the things you do can effect change, and help you further develop valuable life skills that will stay with you forever.

Badges

Our programme is based around all our young people achieving their Scout Challenge Awards. We aim to support all our Scouts to achieve their Chief Scout Gold Award before they move up to Explorers so each session plus the camps and events will cover different elements of the badge framework. There is also a selection of Staged Badges they can work on from home – for example if they go to swimming or music lessons, these can count towards earning some more badges.

Troops and Patrols

Each of our Scout Troops are divided into smaller groups called Patrols, each headed up by an older Scout called a Patrol Leader, and often with an Assistant Patrol Leader. Scouts will work together in their Patrols during a session, helping each other out and working as a team.

Uniform

Scouting is a uniformed organisation and our Scouts are identified by their dark green shirts and the 1st Cholsey Scout Group red and navy blue necker. We provide the group necker and the dark green branded shirt can be sourced second hand or new from uniform shops or online retailers. They do not need the full uniform for their first session – usually by their fourth session, if they are happy to stay with us. If they have come up from Cubs, they can wear their Cubs uniform until they are invested about 4 weeks in. We provide all their badges.

Moving on

Young people can join Scouts after they have had their tenth birthday and before their eleventh. They usually move on to the next section, Explorers, between 13½ and 14½ years old. It may sometimes be appropriate to extend this flexibility for young people with additional needs.

For more information

If you would like to know more about Scouts then do not hesitate to reach out to our Scout Leaders, whose details can be found on our Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.