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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 but. in practice, they will be at least 6 years old when they start and 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 18 Beaver Scouts who are supervised by 2 warranted Leaders and an Explorer Scout / Young Leader and 2 Colony Assistants. The Beavers are organised into 4 'lodges' - Pine, Redwood, Maple and Willow - each with 6 Beavers and each supervised by a Leader.
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 also take part in a one-night Sleepover. We have held several Sleepovers, organised on a Colony, Group or District basis.
In a typical year we will attend the following events :
Colony-organised :
- 2-3 Joint meetings with other local Colonies
- Christmas fancy dress party
- Christingle service
- Bonfire Night
- Bagpack at Morrisons
- Kirkham Club Day walk with St. Michael's Church
- Trip to Blackpool Illuminations
- NOGAL Pantomime at Lowther Pavilion, Lytham
- Jamboree-on-the-Trail hike
- Marathon Fun Day
- Sandcastles competition on St. Annes beach
- Visit to Camelot Theme Park, Charnock Richard
- Party and Campfire
- District Quiz competition
- St George's Day Parade
- Fun Day at Waddecar, the County campsite near Beacon Fell
- Conservation Day at Waddecar
Our Badges
As a Beaver Scout, you can earn, subject to the agreement of the Colony Leaders- Moving On Award - gained when you are invested into the Cub Scout Pack
- 6 Challenge Badges
- 12 Activity Badges
- 6 staged-Activity Badges - as you become more proficient / experienced in these activities, the award is progressively upgraded through 5 or 6 levels
- 3 Partnership Awards - completed with other Sections in Scouting or an outside body
- the Chief Scout's Bronze Award - the highest award
These are in addition to
- the World Membership, District, County badges and Group nametape which are awarded when you are invested into the Colony
- Joining In awards presented after 1 year and 2 years from the date you are invested to recognise that you have taken part in a balanced programme over those periods of time
As a Colony we encourage everyone to gain the Chief Scout's Bronze Award. We will also plan for you to achieve the Challenge Badges and some Activity Badges into our balanced programme, leaving you to decide if you wish to work for the optional staged-Activity Badges.
Full details of each badge can be obtained from the ScoutBase UK website - Press here 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 you join the Beaver Scouts, you make the 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.