Spring review
It has been another vibrant and memorable term at 24th Dorking Scouts, and we are incredibly proud to be the only Group in Dorking offering Scouting for every age from 4 to 18. Across Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers, our young people have been embracing challenges, discovering new skills and enjoying the friendship and adventure that Scouting brings.
Our youngest members, the Squirrels, have had a particularly exciting term as they celebrated their first full year since the drey was formed. They worked hard on their All About Me and All Around Us award challenges, explored science through their Exciting Experiments badge and, more recently, have had great fun earning their Brilliant Builder badge. A woodland den‑building session proved especially popular. Their standout moment, though, was a visit to the North Holmwood Fire Station, where they met the crew, climbed aboard the fire engine and even had the chance to try out the hose!
The Beavers also had a lively term, beginning with a special guest, who shared stories and photographs from Scout camps of the 1950s. The young people had loads of questions and thoroughly enjoyed learning about Scouting’s history. They also threw themselves into a messy and fun evening making bird feeders with help from their Young Leaders, as well as sessions of pancake cooking, seed planting and creating thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts. Another highlight was meeting the therapy dogs, who were just as delighted by the visit as the Beavers were. Excitement is already building for their upcoming farm visit and Olympic themed sleepover.
Meanwhile, the Cubs have been busier than ever. Early in the term they took a trip to Waitrose to shop for the local food bank, followed by a memorable bus ride home—which, for many Cubs, was their first-ever journey by bus. They have also been working with Dorking Museum for their Local Knowledge badge, completed their Astronomer badge, and, in traditional Cub style, ended up covered in glue while making Mother’s Day presents. They round off their term with a taster ski session and the chance to earn their Snow Sports Level 1 badge.
The Scouts have focused much of their time on badgework, taking advantage of the dark evenings to work indoors on their Creative Challenge. They have designed social media posts to promote Scouting, created imaginative models out of recycled materials and re‑invented some of their favourite games to be more inclusive. As the evenings get lighter, they are looking forward to ending the term with a night hike and a life‑size game of Cluedo. Without doubt, though, the highlight of their term has been “Traitors Camp,” where eighteen Scouts completed tasks to build a prize pot while trying to uncover the traitors lurking among them. The round‑table discussions became increasingly tense as they edged closer to the final reveal!
The Explorers, our oldest section, kicked off their term with a high‑spirited Mario Kart Grand Prix, showing plenty of competitive flair. They have since brushed up on their navigation skills—practising bearings and route planning—before turning their attention to pioneering. With piles of poles and lengths of rope, they worked out how to construct something impressive (and stable!). A session on knife skills allowed them to learn safe tool use while trying their hand at whittling, and they ended the term with an international night, sharing stories and learning about cultures from around the world.
Across every section, it has been a term filled with enthusiasm, learning and fun. We are so proud of our young people and grateful to the volunteers who make this programme possible. We are always looking for extra hands, so if you think you might enjoy friendship, fun and adventure too, why not contact the Group Lead, Alex Fairbrother, at gsl24dorking@gmail.com to find out how you can support our success?
