Scouting in South West England facts for kids

Scouting is a fun and exciting adventure for young people all over the world! In South West England, many young people and adults are part of Scouting groups. Most of these groups belong to the the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. There are also some other Scouting groups, like the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association. The Scout Association divides South West England into 7 areas called "Scout Counties." These counties are like big teams that help all the local Scout groups. There are also student Scout and Guide groups at universities in the region.

Scout Counties in South West England

Scouting in South West England is organized into different "counties." Each county helps local Scout groups and leaders, and they often have special events and activities for all their members.

Avon Scout County

The badge worn by Scouts in Avon County.

Avon Scout County covers areas like Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. In 2018, Avon had over 11,500 young Scouts (aged 6 to 18) and nearly 4,000 adult volunteers! The county's main office is at Woodhouse Park Activity Centre.

Avon is split into nine smaller areas called "districts":

• Axe (around Weston-super-Mare)
• Bath (around the city of Bath)
• Bristol South (south of Bristol)
• Brunel (north-east Bristol)
• Cabot (north-west Bristol)
• Cotswold Edge (north of Bristol)
• Gordano (in North Somerset)
• Kingswood (South Gloucestershire and north-east Bristol)
• Wansdyke (parts of North East Somerset)

A very special Scout group in Avon is at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. It started in 2001 and offers activities for children staying in the hospital, even their brothers and sisters! Scouts in Avon wear a badge with a "Sea Stag" on it. This is a creature with a stag's head and a fish's body, and it's on the old local council's coat of arms.

Avon Scout Radio

Avon Scouts also have their own radio station called Avon Scout Radio! It's run by volunteers and broadcasts live from Bristol. They even run JOTI Radio, which is the official radio station for the biggest worldwide Scouting event.

Cornwall Scout County

The badge worn by Scouts in Cornwall County.

Cornwall Scout County covers all of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It's led by a team of volunteers. Cornwall has a special "Trust for Scouting" that helps raise money for projects across the county.

Cornwall is divided into seven districts:

• East Cornwall
• Falmouth
• Mid Cornwall
• North Cornwall
• Penwith and Isles of Scilly (including Penzance, St Ives, and St Just)
• Stenek Ha'n Mor (including Redruth, Helston, Hayle, and Camborne)
• Truro

Scouts in Cornwall wear a badge with the "arms of the Duchy of Cornwall." This shows fifteen gold circles on a black shield, with a crown and the motto 'One and All' underneath.

Devon Scout County

The badge of Devon Scout County.

Devon Scout County covers all of Devon. It's led by a team of about twenty volunteers.

Devon is divided into thirteen districts:

• East Devon
• Exeter
• Exmouth & Budleigh Salterton
• Mid Devon
• North Devon
• Plymouth
• Plym (covering Plympton and Plymstock)
• South Hams
• Teignbridge
• Tiverton
• Torbay
• Torridge
• West Devon

Scouts in Devon wear a badge with a red lion on a silver shield, topped with a crown and a ship. The lion is linked to a 13th-century duke, and the ship reminds everyone of the sea and famous explorers like Francis Drake.

Dorset Scout County

The badge worn by Scouts in Dorset County.

Dorset Scout County covers Dorset. Its main office is at the Buddens Scout Centre. Dorset is known for its long history in Scouting because the very first experimental Scout camp happened on Brownsea Island in 1907!

Dorset is divided into 8 districts:

• Bournemouth
• Christchurch
• Dorchester & West Dorset
• East Dorset
• North Dorset
• Poole
• Wareham and Isle of Purbeck
• Weymouth and Portland

Dorset Scouts also go on international trips, work on the Queen's Scout and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and hold big county events like the Jurassic Jamboree. Scouts in Dorset wear a badge showing the coat of arms of the former Dorset County Council.

Gloucestershire Scout County

The badge of Gloucester Scout County.

Gloucestershire Scout County covers Gloucestershire. Its main office is at Cranham Scout Centre. The county is led by a team of volunteers, including a Youth Commissioner who makes sure young people's voices are heard!

Gloucestershire is divided into 8 districts:

• Cheltenham (15 Scout groups)
• Cotswold (including Cirencester and Fairford, 6 groups)
• Cotswold Vale (including Berkeley and Dursley, 7 groups)
• Forest of Dean (west of Gloucester, 10 groups)
• Gloucester (17 Scout groups)
• North Cotswold (including Chipping Campden and Moreton-in-Marsh, 6 groups)
• Stroud and Tetbury (15 groups)
• Tewkesbury (6 groups)

Scouts in Gloucestershire wear a badge with a sheep fleece, which represents the area's history with the wool trade.

Strategy and Evolution

Gloucestershire Scouts run two big yearly events called Strategy and Evolution. These events started in 2015.

• Strategy is for Scouts and Guides (ages 10-14). Teams complete challenges over a huge area, learning teamwork and strategic thinking. From 2021, it will also include Explorer Scouts and Rangers (up to age 18) with harder challenges.
• Evolution used to be for older Scouts and Guides, focusing on longer hikes. From 2021, it will be for Cub Scouts and Brownie Guides, with a similar challenge format to Strategy.

These events have grown a lot, with over 3,500 young people taking part in 2019!

Somerset Scout County

An older version of the badge worn by Scouts in Somerset County.

Somerset Scout County covers the southern parts of Somerset. It helps over 4,000 young people and 1,000 adult volunteers. The county office is at Tangier Scout and Guide Centre.

Somerset is divided into three districts:

• Blackdown (named after the Blackdown Hills)
• East Somerset (including areas around Frome, Shepton Mallet, and Yeovil)
• Moors and Coastal (including Sedgemoor and West Somerset, with coastal communities and parts of Exmoor)

Scouts in Somerset wear a badge showing a red dragon on a yellow background. This dragon is also on the Flag of Somerset!

Wiltshire Scout County

Wiltshire Scout County covers Wiltshire. It's led by a County Commissioner and a team of managers and advisors. The county runs the Wiltshire Scout Centre in Potterne, which is also where their office is.

Wiltshire is divided into seven districts:

• Mid Wiltshire (covering Devizes and Calne, 11 groups)
• North East Wiltshire (a rural area including Marlborough, 9 groups)
• Salisbury and South Wilts (the largest district, covering Salisbury, Amesbury, and Wilton, 20 groups)
• Swindon North (northern Swindon, Cricklade, and Highworth, 13 groups)
• Swindon Ridgeway (southern Swindon, Wroughton, and Royal Wootton Bassett, 11 groups)
• Wiltshire North (including Ashton Keynes, Chippenham, and Malmesbury, 10 groups)
• Wiltshire West (covering Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster, and Westbury, 13 groups)

Scouts in Wiltshire wear a badge showing a white horse galloping on a dark green background. This white horse is a famous symbol of the county.

Baden-Powell Scouts' Association

The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association also has several Scout groups in the South West England region.

Student Scout and Guide Organisation

There are six active student groups for Scouts and Guides at universities in the region. These groups are part of the Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO). They include:

• Scouts and Guides at the University of Bath (BUGS)
• University of Bristol (UOBGAS)
• Penryn Campus (for University of Exeter and Falmouth University students, called Kernow SSAGO)
• University of Exeter (SAGE)
• Plymouth University (PLUGS)

Campsites

South West England has many great campsites and activity centres where Scouts can have adventures!

Avon Campsites

Mafeking Hall, a Scout activity centre.

Avon has eight campsites or activity centres. The biggest is Woodhouse Park, which is also the main office for Avon Scouts.

• Centenary Wood is a campsite near Bath, created for Scouting's 100th birthday in 2007.
• Glenny Wood has a camping field and lodge in Portishead.
• Chelwood is a campsite and barn owned by the 1st Keynsham Scout Group.
• Cleeve Hill is a 3-acre campsite and building for the City of Bath Scout District.
• Eastwinds is an activity centre in Brislington, near Bristol, with a small campsite and indoor facilities.
• Mafeking Hall is near Coalpit Heath, with camping fields for Scouts and Guides.

Benjamin Perry Boathouse

The Benjamin Perry Boathouse, or BP Boathouse, is a water activity and training centre in Bristol. It's used by both Scouts and Girlguiding for activities like canoeing and boating.

Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park is a large activity centre owned by Avon Scouts in South Gloucestershire. It has five big camping fields and two buildings for sleeping or training. Activities include Abseiling, Climbing, Archery, and Air Rifles. You can also go Sailing, Kayaking, and Caving nearby.

Cornwall Campsites

The entrance to Nine Ashes Activity Centre.

The largest campsite in Cornwall is Nine Ashes Activity Centre. It has 25 acres of woodland and 5 acres of camping fields, plus a bunkhouse and activity barn. You can do climbing, zip-lining, assault courses, caving, and archery here.

Other smaller campsites include:

• Hooe Lake Campsite in Mount Edgcumbe Country Park.
• Drummers Lodge Campsite near St Austell.
• Tomperrow Campsite near Truro.
• Trencrom near Lelant, with high ropes, crate stacking, and archery.
• Lansallos Scout Camp run by the National Trust.

Devon Campsites

Caddihoe Scout Campsite.

Devon has seven main campsites for Scouts.

• Blindman's Wood is an indoor Scout centre in Plymouth.
• Caddihoe Campsite near Ashclyst Forest has camping fields and barns for indoor activities.
• Callisham Cross in Yelverton has camping fields with easy access to Dartmoor National Park.
• Foxcove Campsite near Wembury has simple camping and an indoor building.

Scouts can also use Taw Bottom near Okehampton, which is run by Girlguiding Devon.

Collard Bridge

Collard Bridge is an activity centre near Barnstaple, run by North Devon Scouts. It has camping areas, indoor activity buildings, and an activity barn. You can try climbing, abseiling, archery, tomahawk throwing, rifle shooting, an assault course, and a tunnel complex.

Watcombe

The Torbay District Scout Campsite at Watcombe is near Torbay. It has two camping fields and two indoor buildings. Activities include rifle shooting, archery, pioneering, caving, crate stacking, axe throwing, and grass sledging.

Dorset Campsites

Dorset has many campsites, partly because of its beautiful landscape and its closeness to Brownsea Island Scout camp, where Scouting began!

• Dorset Scouts own Buddens Scout Adventures near Wareham.
• Bragger's Wood is run by Christchurch Scout district.
• Butcher's Coppice is run by Bournemouth Scout district.
• Brownjohn's Copse is a wooded site near Poole Harbour.
• Scoutland campsite in Beaminster is a small camping site with access to the Jurassic Coast.

Braggers Wood

Braggers Wood Scout Centre in Bransgore, Christchurch, has many campsites and activities like climbing, rifle shooting, high ropes, and a zip-wire. It also has two lodges for indoor sleeping and activities.

Brownsea Island

The monument celebrating the first Scout camp on Brownsea Island.

Brownsea Island Scout camp is on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. This is a very special place because it's where the very first experimental Scout camp happened in 1907! Baden-Powell led 22 boys here, and what they learned helped him write Scouting for Boys.

In 2007, for Scouting's 100th birthday, many events were held on Brownsea Island. On August 1, 2007, 28 million Scouts worldwide renewed their Scout Promise at 8 AM local time as part of the "Sunrise Ceremony," with Brownsea Island being a main focus.

Buddens

Camping at Buddens Scout Adventures.

Buddens Scout Adventures is a large Scout adventure centre in Wareham, Dorset. It has huge camping fields, a tented village, a three-level tunnelling complex, and an 8.5-acre lake for water activities. It also has a 15-meter climbing and high ropes tower.

Butcher's Coppice

Butcher's Coppice in Bournemouth has camping areas and three indoor accommodation centres that can sleep 96 people. You can do adventurous activities here like high ropes, archery, air rifle shooting, tomahawk throwing, fencing, an artificial caving bus, and a climbing wall.

Gloucestershire Campsites

The Scout Centre at Cranham.

The main activity centre in Gloucestershire is the county-run Cranham Scout Centre.

• Penn Wood Activity Centre has camping, a bunkhouse, and an indoor activity lodge.
• St. Swithun's Hall acts as a district headquarters with camping and an indoor hall.
• Deer Park Campsite near Lydney offers basic camping.
• Beaver Lodge near Parkend has camping and indoor activity space.
• A large campsite and activity barn are also on May Hill.

Cranham

Cranham Scout Centre is in a Cotswold valley. It's owned by Gloucestershire Scout County and is their main office. It opened in 1947 and has camping sites and indoor sleeping areas. It's next to over 1,200 acres of woodland, great for nature trails and orienteering. Activities include archery, rifle shooting, a climbing wall, a caving complex, and a challenge course.

Somerset Campsites

The main activity centre for Somerset is at Huish Woods.

• Tedbury Campsite near Frome offers basic camping in ancient woodland.
• Horner Wood Campsite near Porlock has camping fields by a river.

Huish Woods

Huish Woods Scout Campsite in the Blackdown Hills near Taunton has 40 acres of woodland for camping, plus a large camping field and 18 smaller woodland sites. It also has indoor accommodation for up to 62 people. You can do adventurous activities like climbing, caving, zip-lining, bouldering, archery, and rifle shooting.

Wiltshire Campsites

Wiltshire Scout County owns and runs the Wiltshire Scout Centre near Potterne. It has a large building for indoor accommodation, six camping areas, and meeting rooms for training.

West Wiltshire District also has Jubilee Wood Scout Camp near West Ashton. This 14-acre site was bought in 2012 and is being planted with trees to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Scouts in Wiltshire can also use Oxenwood Outdoor Education Centre in Marlborough, which has accommodation and activities.

Gang Shows

A "Gang Show" is a special type of theatre show put on by Scouts and Guides. It's full of singing, dancing, and comedy sketches! Many areas in South West England have their own Gang Shows:

• The Bath and District Gang Show started in 1997. It usually has about 60 Scouts and Guides in the cast and performs every year at the Kingswood School Theatre.
• The Bristol Gang Show started in its current form in 1971. It used to be called Avon County Gang Show and is now known as Avon Scouts on Stage. It's open to all Scouting members in the county.
• Exeter Gang Show, also known as Exeter and District Scout and Guide Gang Show, has been performed almost every year since 1983 at the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter.
• Gloucester Gang Show is an annual show held at the Bacon Theatre in Cheltenham.
• North Devon Gang Show in Barnstaple started in 1980.
• Plymouth Gang Show started in 1984.
• Swindon Gang Show has been running since 1976.
• Taunton Gang Show has been held every year since 1989.