About the 7th West Wickham Scout Group

The 7th West Wickham Scout group was founded 75 years ago at St Francis Church in West Wickham. Today, as St Francis is a sister church with St Mary’s Church in the Avenue the 7th West Wickham Scout Group run sections at both churches.

We have 100+ members comprising of 2 beaver colonies (ages 6yr to 8yr), 1 cub pack (ages 8yr to 10 1/2yr), 1 scout troop (10 1/2 yr to 14yr) and 1 explorer unit (14yr to 18yr). We also have a Network unit (age 18yr to 25yr) but this is run by the district.

Several years ago the scout hut at St Mary’s was rather dilapidated, so several leaders and scout parents got together a committee and refurbished the building with a lot of help from the then explorers (now networkers).

Once the refurbishment was complete the explorers were able to move out of the nursery room at St Francis and run meetings at St Mary’s where there is more room for them.

We were then able to open the first beaver colony of 7th West Wickham with the help of Dave Willis and Duncan Tarrant. Beavers has become so popular that with Dave’s great leader recruiting skills we were able to open a 2nd colony.

Each section provides great programmes for their members including trips out and about. Members have opportunities to learn different skills and try different activities that they might not otherwise be able. Each section have badges that can be earned and have top awards like the Chief scout awards - Bronze (beavers), silver (cubs), Gold (scouts) and for explorers diamond and platinum awards and Queens scout award.

Scouting is well known for camping and our group certainly include camping in our programmes. We introduce camping gradually throughout the sections with the beavers staying away for one night in a building. The cubs camping under canvas for a weekend. The scouts camping under canvas for a week and the explorers also camping for a week under canvas but they have to do a lot more for themselves.

In our group we also run a young leader scheme and DofE. This is for children aged 14 and above and very popular, again learning new skills and gaining confidence in their own abilities.

If you or your child would like to join our Scout Group then please email us - don’t hold back, just go for it!!!

We are attached to St Francis Church and St Mary's Church in West Wickham.