Our Group
Introduction
Thank you for showing an interest in 1st Kesgrave Scout Group.
It is our aim to provide relevant and exciting Scouting for the young people of Kesgrave. We are a strong, active Group providing camps, activities and events, as well as regular weekly meetings at our Scout Hall during term time.
There are three sections (Beavers, Cubs and Scouts) within the Group which cover all ages from 6 to 14 and each section has its own programme of activities suitable for its age group. Approximately 200 young people in total excluding Explorer Scouts.
It is also associated with a District Explorer Unit - Raedwald Explorers which meets in our Hall as well.
The Group was formed in 1927 and moved into its present headquarters in 2004.
The Group comprises:
- Two Beaver Colonies
- Three Cub Packs
- Two Scout Troops
The Group belongs to the Deben District, which covers the area from Kesgrave to Leiston.
Leaders
All our leaders put in a lot of effort to run their sections. It is not just an hour a week. There is preparation for weekly meetings, activities to organise and attend at weekends and Group management meetings.
The leaders are all volunteers and are NOT PAID for the time they give. They are using their spare time to provide activities and opportunities for members of the Group and often need help and support from parents.
How do we communicate with you?
The predominant method of communication with our members is via email and Online Scout Manager (OSM).
We use OSM to store personal contact and health details, manage events, collect payments (membership and event fees) and track badge work.
Please ensure you keep your personal details on OSM up to date, as OSM will be used to contact you in an emergency and ensures that we are aware of any medical/health issues you have that need to be taken account of. The link below takes you to the login page of OSM.
We also use this wesbite to provide a useful source of information plus there is an online photo archive.
How you can help
Without adults we are unable to create and run our exciting programme of activities and events for our young people.
Being an adult in scouting is a fun and rewarding contribution to the local community. Please click the link below for further information if you are interested in helping:
Disclosure checks (DBS)
All roles for adults in scouting require a disclosure check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) and an internal confidential enquiry. Please click the link below for further information:
Photographs
We often take photographs at camps and other events to publicise our group.
We assume that most parents are quite happy for these pictures to be used in Scout publicity, the website and other publications and the young people are not usually individually named. Please let your section leader know if you have any objections to photographs being taken and used.
There is also an option in the personal details section of OSM to consent or not consent to photographs being taken.
Complaints Procedure
We hope our young people enjoy their time with us but if you have any cause for concern please discuss it with your Section Leader in the first instance.
If this does not resolve the matter please contact the Group Scout Leader.
The Scout Association does have a complaints procedure which can be viewed at:
Cycling
We have many young people who cycle to their weekly meetings.
We would like to remind you that cycles should be parked in the car park at the rear of the hall and we strongly recommend that they are locked up. Additionally, during dark evenings, working lights are a necessity.
Also anybody who is cycling on a Scout activity has to wear a cycle helmet and whilst we cannot enforce this for children cycling to and from meetings we would like to encourage the wearing of helmets at all times.
Scout Hall
The Scout Group moved into its new Headquarters in January 2004. The land is leased from Tesco on a 125-year lease and we have paid for the building. This has cost around £400,000 and we have raised this money from the charity shop, donations and fund raising events. We did not get any help from the Lottery.
R G Carter built the shell of the building and we spent 15 months fitting it out. Contractors did some of the work and some was done by parents. We are particularly grateful to Paul Brown, Gary Marsh and Roger Waters who gave their expertise freely to help with the building and to the small team of regular volunteers who could be found at the hall nearly every weekend painting, cleaning and putting up fittings. Details of the project can be found by clicking the link below:
The Hall gives us a much wider range of facilities and is used by the Group every night of the week but we do hire out the halls for birthday parties, other community groups, meetings etc and if you require further information then please click the link below.
We are now using the new hall to its full potential and it is helping scouting to expand in Kesgrave.