Scouting for boys?

[Finless]

During Country File on Sunday there was an article about the Scouts and mention was made of the easily misunderstood title of the Scouting for Boys handbook. I don't doubt many a shirt lifting paedophile has been greatly disappointed when the post arrived!

Naturally, this (the item about scouting ) brought back fond memories of my few years in the Scouts which I don't actually remember leaving which is a bit disconcerting. Why did I stop going? Even ending up with 5 stitches in my lip and a large scald on my inner forearm after one camp did not dull my enthusiasm.

Anyway, if you were asked were you in the Cubs, Scouts, Brownies or the Girl Guides what would you say? I would say - no, yes, it's illegal at that age and 'I wish'. Sadly for me 'girls' and 'in' didn't occur until I was 17 or 18.

Apparently, girls are now allowed to be Scouts so does that mean the Girl Guides movement is finished.

Anyway, it was a marvellous institution, great fun and I still have my old Scouts' knife although, sadly, my woggle is long gone!

[IanD]

I join then Cubs when I was eight and went through the lot Scouts, Venture Scouts, and then became a leader. I finally packed it in when I was 24, but I'm know looking forward to getting involved again when my son is old enough to join the beavers 5 I think it is.
Watching Mountain last night really made me get itchy feet, we used to go to all those places, my favourite was Crib Goch the ridge leading to Snowdon.

[abucksdiver]

Finless,
The Girl Guides are still going strong (my daughter is a Guide), but it is true that girls can now join the scouts.

(Hmm, interesting, under equality regulations, could the Girl Guides refuse to accept a boy, should one want to join?)

Andrew

[B]

I was in the Girl Guides for several years but never really enjoyed it.. too much of a wimp those days ....

B x

[Finless]

Originally Posted by IanD

I join then Cubs when I was eight and went through the lot Scouts, Venture Scouts, and then became a leader. I finally packed it in when I was 24, but I'm know looking forward to getting involved again when my son is old enough to join the beavers 5 I think it is.
Watching Mountain last night really made me get itchy feet, we used to go to all those places, my favourite was Crib Goch the ridge leading to Snowdon.

Isn't 5 a bit young to be getting into Beavers? Still, 'good on 'im', you must be very proud, which is more than he'll be at 5 years old, I suspect?

Seriously, I have not heard of the Beavers before.

[IanD]

Originally Posted by Finless

Isn't 5 a bit young to be getting into Beavers? Still, 'good on 'im', you must be very proud, which is more than he'll be at 5 years old, I suspect?

Seriously, I have not heard of the Beavers before.

They have recently changed the aged groupings, it used to be Beavers 5 -8, Cubs 8 - 11, Scouts 11 - 16, Ventures 16 - 20. One of the main reasons for changing it was so that you don't have under 18's in the same group as over 18,s. Somthing about underage drinking, spoil sports.
It's now The Scout Association : Official UK Website » Home

[CatB]

Your Poll doesn't allow me to have been in Brownies, Guides and Scouts!

I joined brownies and went from there to guides but I was never a very girly girl and I think the evening that we had a cake icing competition was the final straw! I left and joined a scout group instead where I got to make things out of wood, set light to stuff and run around fields in the dark.

To be honest that didn't last all that long either because there were only 2 girls in the pack and we always won any of the 'british bulldog' type games because at the age of 13/14 the boys were to scared to touch us! We also couldn't go on any of the camping of overnight trips because there wasn't a female group leader to go with us.

The whole thing wasn't fantastic in my view but I think that was more to do with the specific groups I was involved with than the movement as a whole.

[Finless]

Originally Posted by WannabeMermaid

Your Poll doesn't allow me to have been in Brownies, Guides and Scouts!

Well, when I was in the Scouts and the world was run properly girls weren't allowed!

To be honest that didn't last all that long either because there were only 2 girls in the pack and we always won any of the 'british bulldog' type games because at the age of 13/14 the boys were to scared to touch us!

And still are, well, this one, anyway. I mean, if you lot changed colour or waved a flag (that we could understand) when it is OK to touch.

The whole thing wasn't fantastic in my view but I think that was more to do with the specific groups I was involved with than the movement as a whole.

I imagine it's the same for everyone. You have the common interest, you meet some people and then you enjoy yourself. Perhaps the answer to most of the disaffected youth problem is to be found with a lack of interests?

Do girls have a woggle too or is it just the boys?

[Pigpen]

Was in the cubs briefly, then went to boarding schools that had CCF instead. So whilst my mates at home were learning how to tie knots and stuff, I was running around fields with a .303 in hand!!

[Woz]

Originally Posted by Finless

Seriously, I have not heard of the Beavers before.

Scouting for Beavers. Now there's a book that could be misconstrued.