Mid-Northumberland District Scouts

2 ^nd Rothbury Scout Group was set up in 1989 is made up of three sections: Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. There are around 80 members in total, including Leaders, a group ofextremely dependable parent helpers, and Executive Committee members. Beavers, aged 6-8, meet weekly for one hour and participate in a number of activities including talks by local vets, St John Ambulance, Guide Dogs for the Blind, litter picks, carol singing at the local hospital, as well as finding out about bats, garden insects and visiting Cragside grounds.

The Cub Pack, made up of 30 Cubs aged 8-10.5, meet for 1.5 hours weekly. As well as having opportunities for overnight camps and activity days such as the annual Pack holiday to Powburn Scout Centre. Other activities include District- and County-level sports competitions, badge weekends and a trip to London . Cubs' personal interest in badge work is high, with a large number of individual badges being awarded, and an increasing number of Chief Scout Silver Awards being presented. The Cubs are arranged into five Sixes, each with a Sixer who is the leader of their Six, and a Seconder who is second to the Sixer.

Meeting regularly for two hours a week, the Scout Troop is made up of 24 Scouts aged 10-14, in four Patrols of 6, each with a Patrol Leader (PL) and Assistant PL. Weekly meetings include first aid, climbing, expedition skills, team games and projects, visits to and by local organisations and survival skills such as fire-lighting, to mention a few. All Scouts are able to contribute to and have their say on the programme through the Troop Leadership Forum and Patrol Leaders' Council. Further to regular meetings, Group, District and County activities are offered throughout the year including a recent hike up the Cheviot; three or four camps each year, ranging from overnight bivouacs ('bivis'), staying in camping barns, to large County camps with 850 fellow Scouts. The Troop also get involved with a large variety of community activities. 2008 saw the first member of 2 ^nd Rothbury achieve the highest award in the section, the Chief Scout Gold Award.

The Troop partake in many activities where Beavers, Cubs and Scouts mix, such as an annual activity day each summer, at a local school and has, over the years, become involved with local religious festivals, litter picks, Rothbury Traditional Music Festival, Rothbury Street Fair and Northumberland National Park.

The running of the Group by Section Leaders (Beavers, Cubs and Scouts) is co-ordinated by Group Scout Leader, Helen Malone, and is overseen by the Group Executive Committee. As well as these Warranted Leaders, 2 ^nd Rothbury relies heavily on continued and reliable parental support, which is gratefully received from a number of extremely helpful adults.