Scouting in North West England facts for kids

Scouting in North West England is all about the exciting world of Scouting in the North West part of England. This area is home to many young people and adults who are part of the adventure! Most of the Scouting here is run by The Scout Association, which is the main Scouting group in the UK. There are also some other traditional Scouting groups like the British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association and the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association.

The Scout Association has different sections for young people of different ages: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorer Scouts, and Network. Each section has a special leader called a national commissioner. The main leader for all of Scouting in the UK is called the Chief Commissioner.

In North West England, The Scout Association is organized into 8 special areas called Scout Counties. These counties help manage all the Scouting activities and groups in their areas.

Many universities in North West England also have their own Scouting and Guiding groups for students. These groups are part of the Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO). For example, students from Lancaster University, University of Liverpool, and the University of Manchester can join these groups.

Scouting's Beginnings in the North West

Scouting has a long history in North West England! Some of the very first Scout groups in the region started way back in 1908. One of these early groups was the 1st Marple Group.

Scout Counties in North West England

The Scout Association divides North West England into 8 special areas called Scout Counties. Each county helps organize and support all the Scout groups in its area. Let's explore some of them!

Cumbria Scout County

Cumbria Scout County covers the beautiful area of Cumbria, which includes the famous English Lake District. It offers lots of Scouting fun for young people and adults in places like Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle.

Cumbria is split into six smaller areas called Scout Districts:

• Eden District (covers Keswick, Penrith, and the North Lakes)
• Kentdale District (covers Kendal and the South Lakes)
• North Fells (covers Workington, Maryport, and the Solway Coast)
• Reivers District (covers Carlisle and nearby villages)
• South West Lakes (covers Barrow, Ulverston, and south-west Cumbria)
• Western Lakes District (covers Whitehaven and the Western Lake District)

Exciting Events in Cumbria

• Rawnsley Shield: This is a yearly competition for Scouts in the Reivers District. It started in the 1920s! The challenges change every year, keeping it fresh and exciting.
• Dragnet: This is a big activity for Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members. It's like a huge scavenger hunt across the Cumbrian Fells, testing their outdoor skills.

Cheshire Scout County

Cheshire Scout County covers the areas of Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Warrington, and Halton.

This county has nine Scout Districts:

• Alderley and Knutsford District
• Chester and District
• Ellesmere Port and Neston District
• Macclesfield And Congleton District
• Mid Cheshire District
• Mersey Weaver District
• South West Cheshire District
• Warrington East District
• Warrington West District

Alderley Scout Band

The Alderley Scout Band started in 1963 with just one bugle and drum! Based in Wilmslow, Cheshire, they are a marching and display band. They have won over 500 trophies in competitions!

The band has performed for important people, including Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle in 1984 and 1994. They've also been on TV and toured in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2007, for Scouting's 100th birthday, they performed at the National Scout St George's Day Parade at Windsor Castle again. In 2008, they became National Champions!

East Lancashire Scout County

East Lancashire Scout County covers the towns in East Lancashire.

It has 6 Scout Districts:

• Blackburn District
• Burnley & Pendle District
• Clitheroe District
• Darwen District
• Hyndburn District
• Rossendale District

Greater Manchester East Scout County

Map of England highlighting the location of Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester East Scout County is one of three Scout Counties in Greater Manchester. It includes the city of Manchester itself, Stockport, Tameside, and even parts of Derbyshire like New Mills and Glossop because they are so close.

This county has nine Scout Districts:

• North Manchester and Medvale
• Manchester South
• Cheadle
• Stockport
• Ladybrook Valley
• Glossop
• North Tameside
• Tameside South Scout District (Denton & Hyde)
• Tame Valley

Greater Manchester North Scout County

Greater Manchester North is another of the three Scout Counties in Greater Manchester. It provides Scouting to towns like Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, and others. The main office for this county is in Middleton.

This county has 6 Scout Districts:

• Bolton Moorland
• Bolton South and Farnworth
• Bury & Ramsbottom
• Oldham Borough
• Prestwich, Whitefield and Radcliffe

Greater Manchester West Scout County

Greater Manchester West is the third Scout County in Greater Manchester. It offers Scouting to areas like Salford, Trafford, and Wigan.

Some of the very first Scout groups founded in 1908 are in this county:

• 1st Worsley
• 1st Flixton
• 1st Stretford

The county is divided into eight Districts:

• Altrincham and District
• Ellesmere District
• Lilford District Scouts
• Lowry District (named after the famous artist L.S. Lowry)
• Sale and District
• Stretford District
• Urmston and District
• Wigan and District

Merseyside Scout County

Merseyside Scout County covers five areas: Knowsley, St. Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the City of Liverpool.

It has eleven Scout Districts:

• Altside
• Bebington
• Birkenhead
• Crosby
• Liverpool North
• Liverpool South
• Sefton North
• St Helens
• Wallasey
• West Wirral

The Crosby district is home to the Crosby Scout and Guide Marina Club. This club teaches young people how to sail dinghies and kayaks at the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre. They have many different types of boats and welcome young people aged 10 to 20.

West Lancashire Scout County

West Lancashire Scout County covers half of Lancashire, with the other half covered by East Lancashire Scout County. These two counties are roughly separated by the M6.

In 2006, this county had 9,347 members in 154 Scout Groups!

Districts in West Lancashire

• Blackpool
• Chorley
• Fylde
• Lonsdale
• Ormskirk
• Preston
• South Ribble
• Wyre

This Scout County is also home to Be Prepared: The Story of Scouting, which is the first special Scout museum in the UK!

Mountaineering Adventures

West Lancashire Scouts love adventure! They often go on trips, including training weekends in Scotland around the Cairngorms mountains and even ski trips to the Alps.

They are also famous for their amazing trips to Greenland. In 2004 and 2007, they explored and even climbed mountains that had never been climbed before! These trips also included sea kayaking and scientific studies.

International Scouting

Beyond mountaineering, the county has also run trips to Uganda to help build a multi-purpose building for health clinics. They have taken part in big international events like the Jamboree and EuroJam, and have visited Austria, Belgium, and Canada. They also attend the Menin Gate memorials in November.

Scout Campsites in North West England

North West England has many fantastic campsites and activity centres where Scouts can have adventures, learn new skills, and make memories!

Ashworth Valley Camp Site

Ashworth Valley is located between Bury and Rochdale. It was bought by Scout groups in 1944. It's a well-known place for Cub Scouts to go camping!

Bispham Hall Scout Camp

Bispham Hall is a huge 60-acre Activity Centre. It's located almost halfway between Manchester and Liverpool, near the village of Billinge.

Bowley Scout Camp and Activity Centre

Bowley Scout Camp and Activity Centre was set up in 1968. It's managed by the East Lancashire Scout County. This 47-acre site used to be farmland and has amazing views of Pendle Hill and even the distant Lake District mountains. It offers camping and indoor places to stay. Activities include climbing walls, archery, rifle shooting, and grass sledges. They are even building a new eco-friendly building made of straw bales!

Dunham Park Scout Camp

Dunham Park is a 15-acre woodland campsite. It's located at Dunham Massey, near Altrincham, about 8 miles south of Manchester.

Tatton Park Campsite

This campsite is inside the secure parkland of a National Trust property. It's perfect for water activities because it has its own private jetty to Tatton Mere. The campsite has large grassy areas for tents and smaller woodland spots. You can have campfires using special fire pits.

While there's no overnight indoor sleeping, there's a building with a professional kitchen and space for about 50 people to eat. Toilets and showers are also available.

Forest Camp Activity Centre

This large wooded camp can host over 1000 people! It has different types of sites, from big open fields to small clearings. The toilet blocks have hot water and showers, and are set up for people with special needs.

There are two buildings you can rent, each sleeping 24 people. The 'George Begg' building has central heating and a modern kitchen. The 'Lakeview' building also has heating and a kitchen. Both kitchens have plates and cutlery for 50 people.

Barnswood Campsite

Barnswood Scout Camp is 63 acres of mixed woodland. It's located in the Staffordshire Moorlands, just outside Cheshire. It's open to all Scouting, Guiding, and youth groups for camps of all sizes. It has 22 open grassy camping sites and several buildings.

Milldale Scout Camp

Milldale is the campsite for South West Cheshire District Scouts. It's 28 acres of quiet countryside near Crewe. It's open to all Scouts and Guides. With a stream, woodland, and a large camping field, it's great for traditional troop camping. It also has a toilet block and a big barn.

Queens Charlotte's Wood

This campsite has nine acres of hilly woodland with sheltered grassy spots perfect for group or patrol camping. It's a great base for walking the Sandstone Trail or exploring Delamere Forest.

Ennerdale Scout Centre

Ennerdale Scout Centre is owned by Cumbria Scout County. It's located on the River Ehen near Ennerdale Water. The site is about 6 acres and offers camping pitches and indoor accommodation for up to 60 people.

Great Tower Activity Centre

Great Tower Activity Centre is on the eastern shore of Windermere in the Lake District National Park. It's now owned and managed by The Scout Association as part of their National Activity Centres. This huge site covers 250 acres!

Greater Manchester North Scout Association Camp sites

• Dog Hill Scout and Community Camp Site in Shaw, Oldham.
• Bibby's Farm Scout Camp and Activity Centre near Chorley.
• Giants Seat camp site run by Radcliffe District.

These sites are open to Scouts, Guides, and other youth groups.

Linnet Clough Scout Camp

Linnet Clough Scout Camp is in Greater Manchester near Marple and Stockport. It used to be a dairy farm! Now, it's an all-year-round Scout activity centre and campsite with many outdoor activities.

It has 17.25 acres of camping fields surrounded by woods for shelter. There's also a large "Storm Hut" for bad weather.

Middlewood Scout Camp

Middlewood Scout Camp was located near Worsley, by the Bridgewater Canal. It had many different sized camping pitches, from large areas for big events to small spots for patrol camping. It also had a modern toilet block with hot water and showers.

Two buildings, Cunliffe Lodge and the Cub Hut, were available. Cunliffe Lodge had a full kitchen and sleeping rooms. The Cub Hut had a small kitchen and lounge.

One of Middlewood's best features was its large boating lake, used for canoeing, kayaking, rafting, and fishing. The site also had a rifle range and pioneering poles. Campfires with songs were held on Saturday evenings. Note: This site closed in 2016 to make way for a garden. A new site called Hollinwood opened nearby in 2017.

Moor Crag Water Activity Centre

Moor Crag Activity Centre is on the eastern shore of Windermere, close to Great Tower. It's a great place for water activities! You can stay in a residential building or camp at Great Tower.

The centre has 68 meters of waterfront on Windermere, with two jetties and a boathouse. They have canoes, kayaks, and sailing boats available to use.

Ratlingate International Camping Centre

Ratlingate International Camping Centre is about 4 miles south of Carlisle. It has 4 acres of camping field and 20 acres of mixed woodland. It has a building with kitchens, toilets, and dormitories. Many camps take place here, including large Centenary Camps. Its woods are great for activities like backwoods cooking and orienteering.

Tawd Vale Adventure Centre

Tawd Vale Adventure Centre is a campsite of the Merseyside Scout County. It's named after the River Tawd, which flows through the camp. This 80-acre site in West Lancashire is always being improved, with recent updates to the toilet and shower blocks.

Tawd Vale has indoor accommodation, including two ten-person cabins and a commercial kitchen. The Delph, an old flooded quarry, is now used for water sports like canoeing and rafting.

Activities available at Tawd Vale include: Climbing, Abseiling, Bouldering, Crate Stacking, High Ropes, Rifle Shooting, Archery, Tomahawk Throwing, Kayaking, Canoeing, Rafting, and Pioneering.

Waddecar Scout Activity Centre

The River Brock, just to the north of Waddecar

Waddecar Scout Activity Centre is located in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire. It has many woodland pitches and fields, big enough for almost a thousand Scouts to camp! There are also buildings for indoor accommodation.

Waddecar has buildings like Helme Lodge and Jubilee Base that can be rented. It also has large areas for tents, like the Training Field. Activities include abseiling, climbing, an obstacle course, archery, bike hire, and an air rifle shooting range.

The site also has a special Scouting Museum!

West Lancashire Scout Association District Campsites

Besides the big county centres, smaller centres are run by individual Scout Districts:

• Mowbreck Campsite (Blackpool District)
• Activity Barn (Fylde District HQ)
• T.W. Helme Memorial Activity Centre and SilverHelme Activity Centre (Lonsdale District)

Gang Shows

Gang Shows are special musical performances put on by Scouts and Guides. They are a lot of fun and show off the talents of young people and leaders!

Chorley Capers Scouts and Guides Gang Show

The Chorley Capers is a Gang Show held in Chorley, West Lancashire. Scouts, Guides, and leaders perform on stage in a musical style. This show happens every year in the springtime.

Chester Gang Show

The Chester Gang Show first started in 1954.

Blackpool Gang Show

The Blackpool Gang Show began in 1961. It has been performed in many famous theatres in Blackpool. The founder of Gang Shows, Ralph Reader, even visited this show! It has a cast of over 100 members from all parts of Scouting and Girlguiding.

Crewe Gang Show

The Crewe Gang Show started way back in 1938! It has been performed at the New Theatre in Crewe since 1949. In 1964, the Crewe Gang Show was given the special privilege of using the famous Red Necker, a sign of excellence. Ralph Reader visited in 1980 and said it was "one of the finest Gang Shows I have ever seen"! The 2006 show had 23 Cub Scouts and 62 Scouts and Leaders performing.

Warrington Gang Show

The Warrington Gang Show began in 1951. In 2008, it celebrated its 50th show, which was also Scouting's 100th birthday! Since 1991, the show has been performed at Warrington's Parr Hall.

Other Great Gang Shows

• Birkenhead Gang Show: Started in 1961. They even brought their show to London for their 50th anniversary!
• Barrow Gang Show: A newer Gang Show, starting in 1995.
• Congleton Gang Show: Started in 1972 and happens every two years.
• Knutsford Gang Show: Started in 1986.
• Marple Gang Show: The 1st Marple Scout Group and Marple Guides put on this show at the Carver Theatre. It has been running for over 40 years and is nationally recognized with the Red Necker.
• Sale Gang Show: Performs every year at the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse since 1963.
• Mid Cheshire Gang Show: One of the newest Gang Shows, starting in 2007. It covers towns like Northwich, Winsford, and Middlewich. In 2011, it was awarded the special Red Necker.
• St. Helens Gang Show: Held its first show in 1964 at the Theatre Royal, St. Helens. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014 and continues to perform there with over 100 Scouts and Guides in the cast.
• West Wirral Gang Show: Started in 1990.