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Beaver Scouts
Our Beaver Scout Colony
Who We Are
Beaver Scouts are the youngest members of the Scout Movement and collectively they form a 'Colony' - just as Cubs form a 'Pack', Scouts a 'Troop' and Explorer Scouts a 'Unit'. They are normally aged between six and eight years old. We have the flexibility to admit them at 5 years and 9 months and to keep them until they are 8 years and 6 months. In practice, they will be just over 8 when they move up to the Cub Scout Pack. We automatically phase them into the Pack as soon as a place becomes available.We, like all Colonies, have a waiting list of boys wishing to join. It is advisable to put their names down as soon as possible. Some people even register their boys at birth (our record is 6 hours old!) to ensure that they will get into the Colony when they get to Beaver age and it also helps Leaders to plan their Colony.
Our Colony started in June 1987 and we currently have 24 Beaver Scouts who are supervised by 4 warranted Leaders and an Explorer Scout / Young Leader. The Beavers are organised into 4 'lodges' - Pine, Redwood, Maple and Willow - each with 6 Beavers and each supervised by a designated Leader - Blue Beaver, Red Beaver, Yellow Beaver and Green Beaver respectively.
Their uniform is very distinctive - a turquoise sweatshirt, dark red necker and long, dark blue activity trousers.
What We Do
We meet once a week in our own Group Scout Hut for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The Beavers enjoy a very wide range of activities - crafts, games, songs, stories, visits, visitors, ceremonies - organised by the Colony Leaders. We also provide some additional activities at a weekend. In addition we take part in activities run by the Group, District and County. We try to cover activities which they do not do in school.Beaver Scouts can take part in a one-night, indoor Sleepover. We have had a lot of Sleepovers, organised on a Group or District basis, and we are now planning on 2-3 per year.
In a typical year we will attend the following events :
Colony-organised :
- 3-4 Joint meetings with other local Colonies and the local Brownies
- Trip to Blackpool Illuminations
- Christmas fancy dress party
- Christingle service
- NOGAL Pantomime at Lowther Pavilion, Lytham
- Bonfire Night
- Bagpack at Safeway/Morrisons
- Kirkham Club Day walk with St. Michael's Church
- Ten-pin Bowling in Blackpool
- Jamboree-on-the-Trail hike
- Sandcastles competition on St. Annes beach
- Visit to Camelot Theme Park, Charnock Richard
- Party and Campfire
- District Quiz competition
- St. George's Day Parade
- Country Capers (Conservation Day) at Waddecar
Our Badges
The new national programmes for the Scout Movement which were launched in 2002 expanded the number of badges that a Beaver Scout can earn. He can now potentially earn, subject to the agreement of himself, the Colony Leaders and the Group Leaders- Moving On Award - gained if he has linked with the Cub Scout Pack. The Beaver Scout Leader presents the Moving-On Award, normally during a Swimming Up Ceremony where the Beaver joins the Pack. It can be worn on the Cub Scout uniform
- 3 Challenge Badges - the Outdoor Challenge, Discovery Challenge and Friendship Challenge
- the Chief Scout's Bronze Award - the highest award, given after completing the Outdoor Challenge, the Discovery or Friendship Challenge plus a Personal Challenge
- 12 Activity Badges - the Adventure, Air Activities, Animal Friend, Creative, Experiment, Explore, Faith, Health and Fitness, Healthy Eating, Hobbies, Imagination, Safety badges
- 6 staged-Activity Badges - Emergency Aid, Hikes Away, Information Technology, Musician, Nights Away and Swimming. As he becomes more proficient / experienced in these activities, his award is progressively upgraded through a series of levels
- Group Awards - International Friendship, Environment and Faith Awards
These are in addition to
- the World Membership, District, County badges and Group nametape which are awarded when he is invested into the Colony
- Joining In awards presented after 1 year and 2 years from the date he is invested to recognise that he has taken part in a balanced programme over those periods of time
As a Colony we have encouraged everyone to gain the Chief Scout's Bronze Award (or its previous equivalent award). We will also programme achievement of the Challenge Badges and Activity Badges into our balanced programme, leaving the Beaver Scout to decide if he wishes to work for the optional staged-Activity Badges.
Full details of the requirements of each badge can be obtained from the ScoutBase UK website - Press here to access for more details and to find out where to place the badges on the Beaver uniform.
The Beaver Scout Promise
As a member of the Scout Movement, when a Beaver Scout joins, he makes a Beaver Scout Promise :
I promise to do my best
To be kind and helpful
And to love God.
We all regularly renew this promise, especially when new members join and at the annual District St. George's Day service.