ABOUT THE TROOP
Meet: 6:30-8:30pm, Mondays
Location: Good Shepherd Church Hall, Mansel Way
Membership Fee: £22.50 per term

From September 2008, the 18th Cambridge Scout Group will be opening a Scout Troop for young people aged 10½-14 years of age.

Our main aim will be to provide activities which are fun and challenging to the 10½-14 year age range, allowing them to try new things, learn life and practical skills, take part in adventurous activities, learn about themselves, others and the world around them, play games, take responsibility and gain leadership skills.

As a leader, we will encourage the scouts to reach their physical, mental, social and spiritual potential. To do this we intend to be out and about as much as possible, in all weather conditions.

The 18th will aim to hold at least 2 camping experiences a year and mix with other local scout troops to broaden the range of activities we can offer. There will be a new challenge every term and it will be up to the scouts to decide what activities they would like to do in order to complete that challenge. The programme, in effect, becomes what they want it to be.

As well as our usual weekly meetings we'll take the opportunity to attend numerous District and County activities where Scouts from across Cambridgeshire come together for big scouting events, such as the District Swimming Gala, CUSAGC's Forward Incident Hike, County Camp and the County Challenge Weekend at Mepal.

The cost of Scouts at the 18th will be £22.50 per term. This covers the cost of the Scout Association membership and insurance, as well as weekly activity costs. As the 18th is a sponsored group, the Church of the Good Shepherd allow us to use their facilities for free, providing we attend special services twice a term.

Scouts, like all scouting sections, is a uniformed movement which means a member must wear the correct uniform to meetings. The cost of the uniform is around £20 and includes the teal shirt, necker, woggle, membership badges and investiture certificate. These can be purchased from the Group, online at scoutshops.com or from the Scout Shop at 195 Perne Road (6:45-8:30pm - Mondays & Wednesdays).

In order for a child to become a Scout, they are expected to wear uniform, attend at least 4 'starter meetings', learn about the basic history of scouting and be able to accept and recite the Scout Promise and Law:

SCOUT PROMISE
On my honour,
I Promise that I will do my best,
To do my duty to God,
And to the Queen,
To help other people,
And to keep the Scout Law.

SCOUT LAW
1) A Scout is to be trusted
2) A Scout is loyal
3) A Scout is friendly and considerate
4) A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouts
5) A Scout has courage in all difficulties
6) A Scout makes good use of time and if careful of possessions and property
7) A Scout has self respect and respect for others

On completing all of these objectives, the child will partake in a small investiture ceremony where they'll officially become members of the group and the worldwide scout movement. If moving on from Cubs, they will also receive their 'Moving On' Award.

SCOUT TROOP ACTIVITIES
Below are just a few of the typical Troop activities that the 18th will feature in their programme:

BEYOND THE 18TH
The 18th Cambridge Scout Troop will be Pro-District, which means it will always attend and help set up district events. District events allow scouts from all over the Cambridge area to come together and share in a common scouting activity.

THE LEADERS
There will be no dedicated Scout Leadership Team to start with. However, the following leaders will assist with the Troop and oversee its programme:

Administrator and helper: Simon K Gates
Supervisor: Charles Brown
Supervisor: Chris Gawthrop-Bleet
Supervisor: Mark Brown

WANT TO JOIN?
If you would like to join the 18th Cambridge Scouts, either as a Scout or a helper/leader, please contact Simon Gates by calling: (01223) 690322 or by emailing:
scouts@18th-cambridge.org.uk