Petworth & Pulborough Scout District

Petworth & Pulborough Scout District is always trying to do the best for its members and we currently have a need for volunteers in the following Teams:

Programme Team Members: The District Programme Team helps every section in the District run a safe, enjoyable and quality programme. To help do this, they bring Section Team volunteers together with activity experts.

Support Team Members: The District Support Team gives tools and resources to help Scouts run smoothly.

Volunteer Development Team: The District Volunteering Development Team makes sure all volunteers in their District have a positive and enjoyable volunteering experience. They make it easy for people to join and learn new skills.

District Youth Lead:  Youth Leads are important local roles for 18-25-year-olds helping to support and champion youth shaped locally. There are now over 600 Youth Leads doing amazing things across the UK.  

14-24 Team Lead: The 14–24 Team helps all volunteers in Explorer, Young Leader, and Scout Network Section Teams. They help Section Teams plan and deliver great programmes for young people.

If you are interested and want to know more, please contact us

Here are some of the areas that the District works for:

• Programme Support for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts
• Explorer Scouts (age 14-18)
• Network (age 18-25)
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Young Leader Training Units
• Scout Active Support Unit (all ages) offering help to units and groups for larger events and when a wider range of skills are needed
• Paddlesport Team offering support to get on the water and build skills
• District Stores with equipment that you may need once in a while such as larger Marquees, extra tables, benches and toilets or activity equipment
• District Minibus for events and activities
• The Trustee Board to help us all operate within the rules of the Scout Association and make sure we all stay safe
• Chief Scouts Awards recognition and presentations to help the young people feel even more special
• Diversity and Additional Needs Support for the times when leaders need a little more support adapting the programme or helping young people and adults to get the best from their Scouting
• District Events to allow us to participate in being part of the wider Scouting world, to share ideas and put on activities that might not be so successful with smaller groups

Ifold and Wisborough Green Scout Groups are holding an open day on Saturday 1st February 2-4pm.

Volunteering is easier than you think. Whether you can spare an hour a month or a day a year, we have opportunities both behind the scenes and directly supporting young people. With full support and training, you can volunteer on a flexible basis.

To find out more and to register your place email info@pandpscouts.org.uk

The Halloween Hike (established in 1995) is an event for teams of Guides, Scouts, Explorers and Rangers.  The hike is to encourage teams to work together, to put their map reading skills into practice and to take part in various challenges along the way; most importantly we want them to have fun!  The route for Guides and Scouts is approx. 5-6 miles; the route for Explorers and Rangers is approx. 8 miles.  The challenges take place at checkpoints manned by Scouting and Guiding adults.

The hike is day and night event wrapping up at midnight; start times are based on which class a team enters (see below).  The hike takes place on a weekend close to Halloween each year. 

Event Categories (revised in 2022):

Class 1:                 Any age of team (Scouts or Guides, no visiting Cubs or Brownies please) who will walk accompanied by a leader or unit assistant.  This is a training group so please make sure your adult is suitable to teach map reading as they go.  These teams will all walk mostly in daylight.

Class 2:                 Any age of team (Scouts and Guides) who will walk unaccompanied. These teams will start in daylight but most likely finish in the dark.  We will reserve earlier start times (i.e. less night walking) for younger/less experienced teams.

Class 3:                 Age 12+ (Scouts, Guides, Explorers or Rangers) who will walk unaccompanied. These teams will start in the late afternoon and walk predominantly in the dark with the last team in by midnight.  These are expected to be older, more experienced teams.

Trophies are awarded for classes 2 & 3 based on points scored on activity checkpoints around the route.  There is a 3rd trophy for the fastest team in Class 3.

Along the route there will be a number of check points with activities for the guides to take part in; the guides can score points for completing the activity.  Activities at checkpoints are designed to test team work and to be fun.  One checkpoint that needs a little planning is cooking.  The idea is to make a quick, simple and filling meal; everyone should be involved and points will be awarded for teamwork, quality, effort and edibility.  Ideas for the meal could be macaroni cheese, quesadillas, corn beef hash, stir fry, the list goes on.

The hike is a lot of fun and many young people take part year on year, we mix the activities up every year and the route is never the same twice.  The weather also plays its part, it’s been warm, dry, wet, cold, foggy, frosty and in 2023 we had to move the whole event 6 hours earlier to avoid a yellow weather warning! (just after the last team came in, the lightning started).

For more information you can contact the organisers here

Roll of honour

Learn all about the P&P Duke of Edinburgh's Award Unit here

Petworth & Pulborough District Scouts held their annual AGM on Sunday 8 September 2024 and celebrated another year of successful Scouting.

The event was held in Petworth in recognition of the Group’s achievement of being the first in the District to open a Squirrel Dray; Squirrels are the new youngest section of Scouting aimed at those aged 4-6.

The District Chair, Kath Bridger; District Lead Volunteer, Matt Pike and County Lead Volunteer, Tom Dalton all joined in marking the highpoints of the year.  These included over 35 Bronze, 30 Silver and 15 Gold Awards presented to Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. 

The District relaunched their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Unit with members tackling Bronze and Silver Expeditions in the near future. The Explorers (14-18 years old) had trips to the International Scout Centre at Kandersteg in Switzerland and a canoeing expedition to the Wye.  The Beavers held their first joint Christmas Party with the Rainbows from Petworth Division Guides which saw nearly 150 young people enjoying entertainment, a party tea and silent disco.  The Cubs held their annual survival camp near Loxwood, although surviving the weather was an achievement in itself!  The Scouts joined with the Guides for their annual Halloween Hike and Petworth Park Camp which was made even more special with a visit from astronaut and Scouting Ambassador Tim Peake; all of this plus a weekly programme of activities, trips, nights away, hikes and fundraising across the sections across the District.

Kath thanked outgoing trustees Hazel Barkworth and Pat Homer who have taken up roles as Vice-Presidents alongside Dave Grimwood.  Several certificates for service and completion of training were awarded, most notably Dave and Mavis Topper who each collected 40 years giving them a fantastic 80 years of service to local Scouting between them.

A real treat was the John Hickman Trophy (named for our late Chair and President) which is awarded to an individual (adult or member) who has shown themselves to be a dedicated Scout.  This year it went to Fittleworth Scout Connie Levett who has really lived up to the ideals of Scouting over the past 12 months.

Scouting is thriving locally due to our dedicated members and adult volunteers.  We are always looking for volunteers to join the adventure and if you would like to know more about scouting locally or to volunteer yourself please contact us at info@pandpscouts.org.uk or www.pandpscouts.org.uk

Chris Evans

Programme Team Lead

Petworth & Pulborough Scouts