1st Witham Scout Group is open to all boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 14. You don't have to live in Witham to be a member.

Serving the community of Witham since 1910. The group currently operates during term time, three age groups at our own hall in the centre of town.

Beavers 6 to 8 year olds; Fridays 1800 to 1930hrs

Cubs 8 to 10 1/2 years old; Wednesdays 1800 to 1930hrs

Scouts 10 1/2 to 14 year olds; Thursdays 1900 to 2030hrs

Older Scouts at 14 year olds have the option to move on to Explorer Scouts, locally or else where in the district.

At 14 years old members can also become Young Leaders assisting the section leaders at Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts. Many of these young leaders do this to gain experience and achievement towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award.

All the sections plan their programs and activities along side the Scout Associations balances program criteria. Your young person will have a varied and exciting time joining the movement.

Your young person may experience any of the following while progressing through Beavers, Cubs and Scouts; camping, fire lighting, knot tying, cooking, problem solving, tent pitching, ball games, archery, climbing, community volunteering, swimming gala, kayaking, pioneering, axe saw and knife training, fire station visit, zip line, sweet making, remembrance parade, blind sandwich making, orienteering, home help skills, shelter building, survival skills, dementia awareness, backwards cooking, caving, circus skills, craft, team sports, games, surfing, DIY skills, fundraising, hiking, map reading and navigation, communication skills, international friendship, sleep overs, and day trips.

All young people have the opportunity to work towards and gain awards and activity badges inside and outside of the section meetings.

A subscription per person is payable. Please discuss this with your child's section leader.

All leaders and helpers are volunteers, have Disclosure Barring Service checks, and all leaders have first aid qualifications. Leaders including young leaders undergo training though the Scout Association training program.

The group only survives through charitable donations, grants, and fundraising, help from parents and the young people at fundraising events is crucial to the survival of the group. The Executive volunteer committee assist the group by ensuring funds are available for equipment, building maintenance, and that the grounds and building are clean and safe for the young people. Help from more parents is always desired. Please contact 1st@withamscouts.org.uk to volunteer your professional or general support and time.

We welcome any person over the age of 14*, with or without a background in Scouting. Join us to gain skills for life. Camping, bowling, hammock sleeping, self defense, community volunteering, world travel, climbing, t-shirt printing, game bird preparation, pizza eating, fire lighting, axe throwing, shelter building, first aid, video gaming, cycling, town planning, clay pigeon shooting, presentation skills, nan bread making, yoga, computer building, map reading, animation creation, kayaking, and pantomime production are some of the experiences Explorers have had since we opened in 2011.

Our Explorers have travelled to Holland, Poland, Estonia, Sweden, Australia, America, and Japan.

Explorers have gone onto become bar tenders, an IT analyst, a Banker, a Social media executive, Shop assistant, an Electrician, a Doctor, RN Seaman, pizza creator, Accounts assistant, a ground worker, bachelor of science, artist, Teacher, Office Manager, Composer, and Mechanic. A diverse group of people all sharing Explorer Scouts at the heart it.

The unit is run by volunteer leaders with professional backgrounds in construction, IT and train driving. The unit isn't a stereotype of Scouting, please come along for a couple of our Explorer taster sessions to see for yourself.

Meeting on Monday evenings during term time, the unit enjoys the luxury of using both local Scout halls and Prances Activity Centre in Wickham Bishops for the weekly meeting nights with weekend and summer camp activities held locally and further afield.

Currently the cost of being an Explorer Scout is less than £14 a month. With weekend and special activities where additional cost involved is regularly subsidised.

All we ask is that your willing to get stuck in and learn new skills, have new experiences and make new friends. Apart from being over 14* there are no other prerequisites for being an Explorer Scout.

Contact us by emailing explorers@withamscouts.org.uk to find out more

Scout volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, backgrounds, professions and faiths. So does their level of commitment.

You don't need to have children involved in Scouts to volunteer your time or skills.

Some volunteers choose to give regular hours like the 20 or so section leaders that make up the Witham Scouts leadership team.

Committee members giving regular but no fixed hours. Parent helpers who attend section meetings to assist the leaders in implementing the program.

Others offer adhoc hours for things like fundraising, maintenance and helping at camps.

Witham Scouts always need additional adult volunteer support in any form.

Two more volunteer leaders will allow another beaver colony to open in the town, giving 20 young people the access to Scouting and parents access to affordable out of school activities.

Examples of parent help; parent who is a carpenter showing and helping cubs to make bird boxes.

Parent who's an accountant auditing the group of section finances.

Parent writing a grant application and collating the evidence required.

Parents driving group equipment to a camp.

Sweeping the hall floor after a section meeting.

Group of parents/grandparents/older siblings/neighbours clearing the overgrown garden at one of the halls.

Group of parents running a Tombola at a community event.

Attending beavers to make drinks, or assisting an individual with their craft.

Your help however small goes along way to ensuring the continued success of Witham Scouts. Please get in touch with the individual group to offer your assistance or speak to your child's section leader.