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User:Horus Kol/Scouting in Royal Berkshire

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thumb|100px|County badge as worn on the uniform of Scouting members in Royal berkshire
File:Scout-uk-map-county-berkshire.gif
Map of the UK highlighting the location of Royal Berkshire

Royal Berkshire is a Scout County and part of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. It is concurrent with the political county of Berkshire, and provides Scouting opportunities for 7,500 young people and adults in the area.

Organisation[edit]

The County is currently divided into eleven Scout Districts. The divisions within the County are reviewed periodically, with the aim of improving the organisation and provision of Scouting in the region. This has sometimes involved the creation or dissolution of Scout Districts, or simple the redrawing of boundaries. For example, the last revision included the dissolution of East Reading and the reassignment of its member groups to neighbouring Loddon and Reading Central.

The Districts combine to provide 120 Scout Groups and Explorer Scout Units, providing Scouting for young people from the age of 6 and up. There is also a Scout Network.

Some aspects of Scouting are run cross-District, for example, Pang Valley and Reading Central have been running a shared Young Leader programme since late 2005, and the Explorer Scout Units have been running joint activities and events, too.

Kennet[edit]

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

  • Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit
  • Pegasus Explorer Scout Unit
  • Gryffon Explorer Scout Unit (Kennet District Young Leaders Unit)

Loddon District[edit]

Loddon District own and maintain a small campsite and hut at Paddick's Patch, just outside of Woodley. This site is also used as the District Headquarters.

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

Maidenhead District[edit]

Maidenhead is the largest Scout District in the Royal County of Berkshire with 11 Scout Groups and 1088 members (as at Jan 2005). Most Groups have Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Scouts. The District also has five Explorer Scout Units, including a Young Leader's Unit. The Scout Fellowship, whose members are usually ex-Scouters or retired Scouters who wish to continue their association with Scouting.

The District covers Bray, Holyport, Furze Platt, Pinkneys Green, Cox Green, central Maidenhead, Woodlands Park, White Waltham, Hurley and Cookham. Many of the Groups use the river and camping facilities at Longridge during the year.

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

Pang Valley District[edit]

Pang Valley covers portions of Reading to the west, and a number of villages in West Berkshire, including Pangbourne, Purley, Burghfield, and Sulhamstead.

The District runs a Scoutlink Unit which provides a Scouting programme for disabled young people across the County.

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

Reading Central District[edit]

This District was formed in 1991 from part of the old District of Thameside.

It currently covers most of the town of Reading and some of its suburbs, including Whitley, Caversham, and parts of Tilehurst. The villages of Shinfield and Spencers Wood are also included to the south.

Scout Groups

The 1st Reading Scout Group is one of the founding troops of 1908.[1]

Explorer Scout Units

Slough District[edit]

Scout Groups

  • 1st Britwell
  • 1st Cippenham
  • 2nd Cippenham
  • 1st Langley
  • 4th Langley
  • 3rd Upton
  • 1st Slough

South Berkshire District[edit]

Scout Groups

Bracknell

Crowthorne

Sandhurst

Explorer Scouts

South-East Berkshire District[edit]

South East Berks covers Ascot, Binfield, Bullbrook, Harmanswater, North Bracknell (Warfield), Priestwood, and Sunningdale. (The other estates in Bracknell - Birch Hill, Easthampstead, Great Hollands and Wildridings are in the South Berks District).

Groups

  • 2nd Bracknell - Bullbrook and Warfield
  • 4th Bracknell - Priestwood
  • 6th Bracknell - Garth
  • 1st Binfield
  • 1st Ascot (All Saints)
  • 1st South Ascot
  • 1st Sunningdale

Taceham Hundred District[edit]

Taceham Hundred District is a Scout District that geographically covers the Thatcham locality, extending northwards to include the downland areas around Compton. Taceham is the historical name for the settlement of Thatcham.

The District's badge features a hot air balloon (the area saw pioneering hot air ballooning), an oak leaf (from the forests at Bucklebury) and an old cross (from a memorial in Thatcham).

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

Windsor and Eton District[edit]

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

  • Windsor & Eton District Explorer Scout Unit
  • Windsor & Eton District Young Leader Unit

Wokingham District[edit]

Scout Groups

Explorer Scout Units

  • Eagle Explorer Scout Unit
  • Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit

County Administration and Facilities[edit]

Some of the Districts within the County maintain small campsites which can be used by any Scout Group or Scout within the Organisation.

Campsites[edit]

There are three campsites within the County. Earleywood is the largest facility, while the other two (Paddicks Patch, based in Loddon District and just outside of the town of Woodley, and the 1st Burghfield Scout HQ, in the town of Burghfield and part of Pang Valley District) offer a single pitch with a fire-circle and a nearby hut.

All three campsites are available to all members of the Scout Association for activities.

Events and Activities[edit]

WINGS[edit]

WINGS is a major event which is open to all Scouts and Guides aged 10 to 25 in all parts of the world, and is normally held every 5 years in the County. It is a collaboration with Royal Berkshire Scouts and Girlguiding Royal Berkshire. Participants camp in Windsor Great Park, where many of the activities also take place. Other nearby sites are also made use of, such as Dorneywood Scout Camp and Longridge Scout Boating Centre in Buckinghamshire.

The next event will take place in 2009 from 1st to 8th August and provides an international experience with seven days of adventure, challenge and fun with opportunities to work with others from across the world and build new and lasting friendships. This a year later than normal due to the World Scout Jamboree taking place in 2007.

Members of Royal Berkshire resting whilst walking in Slovenia

International Expeditions[edit]

The County has a tradition of International Expeditions, where Scouting members from the age of 14 are able to experience and participate in activities outside of the UK.

There was no expedition in 2007, because of the World Scout and Guide Jamboree.

South East Berkshire Gangshow[edit]

The South East Berkshire Scout District began performing their Gang Show in a local school hall in 1970. It grew larger and after a couple of years moved to Camberley Civic Hall where it stayed for many years until moving to its current venue of the Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell. They produce a show every year which takes place in February, their work beginning in September. The Gang consists of around 180 people every year.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The First Troops" (pdf). The Scout Association. August 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-14.

External links[edit]


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