Just joined
The Information you need
Your Action list:
Your child has recently joined the 5th Whitley Bay, here's what to do next:
Read through the information on this page
Complete the Young Person Information Sheet
Arrange your child's Uniform
Pay your child's membership fees
Sign a Gift Aid form
Keep in touch - join our Facebook Group
Volunteer to help - even in a little way
Support the Group's Fundraising
Leaders
Our Leadership Team is headed up by our GSL (Group Scout Leader) - Caroline.
Each of the Sections have a dedicated team of Leaders working to provide an exciting, fun filled programme of activities for the young people.
Check out the team.
Meeting Times
Beaver Scouts - Thursday 6.15pm to 7.15pm
Cub Scouts - Wednesday 6.45pm to 8.15pm
Scouts - Tuesday Troop - Tuesday 7.15pm to 9.00pm
Scouts - Thursday Troop - Thursday 7.30pm to 9.00pm
Young person Information
It is important that our Leaders have the correct information about your child. Please complete and return a Child Information Form straight away:
Print and Complete
VO Young Person Form Jan2019_Final.pdfEdit and Print
VO Young Person Form Jan2019_Final_editable v2.pdfUniform
Young people attend meetings in uniform, after a few weeks becoming a custom to a section a young person normally arranges their uniform. Our group uniform policy is:
Beavers - Jumper
Cubs - Jumper and Trousers
Scouts - Shirt, Trousers and belt
All young people were our light blue necker and appropriate woggle these are available from the Leaders.
Uniform is important - if you feel you can't afford a uniform please let us know and we will see how we can assist.
Uniform will be required for your child's investiture, this is a ceremony where your child will be invested into their section and make the Scout Promise. This ceremony normally occurs about four weeks after starting in the section. The Leaders will invite you to attend to see your child invested.
Where to buy uniform
Our own 'Scout' online shops return profits to Scouting, these may not always be the cheapest retailers.
Online
In Person
Membership Fees
Membership fees are collected for each young person, the Group charges £110 annually or £10 monthly or £40 per school term. Subs can be paid direct into our bank account saving time and effort, download the Standing Order Form and return to one of the Leadership team. If paying subs termly they are due at the start of each term.
Standing order form 2024.pdfGift Aid
The Scout Group is registered for Gift Aid, this means if you are a tax payer we can claim tax back on the membership fees you pay. This is an important income to the Group and we strongly request that you complete the forms to allow us to claim this money from HMRC. Please down load the Gift Aid form and return to one of the Leadership Team.
Gift Aid Declaration Form 2024.pdfWhat do Membership Fees Cover?
The Scout Association Membership Fee - this includes insurances and programme support
County and District Membership Fees
Group running costs including HQ
Badges
Regular weekly meetings
What else may need to be paid for?
Other optional activities - camps, visits etc
What if I can't afford the fees?
Please contact our Group Scout Leader and we will see what can be done to help.
Keep up to date
We run a closed Facebook group where we publish a news feed of information about what's going on, this allows our volunteer leaders to quickly post and circulate. Membership is closed so we keep information only to those who need to know - family and friends etc. Search us out on Facebook and request membership.
10 Ways you can help
Never stop encouraging your child - keep in touch with what's going on at your child's meetings, keep checking they are making good progress with their badges - sometimes things can be done at home. Make sure those badges are timely added to uniform.
Become a leader, you can be flexible and it's not necessary to be at every meeting. It's great fun and you'd be joining a friendly successful team.
Join the Executive at the AGM and become a Trustee, give a new perspective to our management.
Help out with some jobs around the HQ, we always need an extra pair of hands. Consider taking on a task - it could be as simple as making sure there's a supply of juice at the HQ or tidying the cupboards.
Bring your skill to a meeting - often parents have hobbies, interests and skills that can help provide engaging activities. Offer to run a session or two - could be as simple as joinery - making bird boxes, cycle maintenance or instructing craft.
Offer to help with catering or provision shopping for camp - a great way to take some of the strain away from leaders.
Help us with our fundraising - we're always looking for new ideas and help - keeping the money flowing allows the leaders to focus on the activities for the young people.
Check if your employer offers any charitable support or donations, many organisations like to support charities their employees are engaged with. Schemes such as match funding or goods-in-kind can be a real bonus to us - please let us know.
Help with the van - when we go and comeback from camp offer an hour to help load or unload and sort the gear our - takes a great weight from what are normally tired leaders.
Don't forget to come to the AGM - the Annual General Meeting is an important meeting for all of our parents.