6th Plympton Scout Troop

What is Scouts

The Scout Section is for young people, usually aged between 10½ and 14 years. A young person can come in to the Troop at 10 and may stay until they are 15 years old. The Scout Troop is the third and final Section in the Scout Group.
Scouts are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme. "Participation" rather than meeting set standards is the key approach and for the Scout who wants to be recognised for his or her achievements there are a number of Challenges Awards and Activity Badges. Scouts take part in a balanced programme that helps them to find out about the world in which they live, encourages them to know their own abilities and the importance of keeping fit and helps develop their creative talents. It also provides opportunities to explore their own values and personal attitudes
Being outdoors is important and half the Programme is given over to taking part in both the traditional Scouting skills, such as camping, survival and cooking as well as the wide range of adventurous activities, anything from abseiling to gliding

The Scout Promise is:

On My Honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law

The Scout Law is:

A Scout is to be trusted.
A Scout is loyal.
A Scout is friendly and considerate.
A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouts.
A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
A Scout makes good use of time and is careful of possessions and property.
A Scout has self-respect and respect for others.

The Scouts are run by a Scout Leader : Rick Wiles
Scouts assistant leader: Jon Finnerty
Scouts also have the regular help of : James Kiltie

If you would like more information about Scouts either click the link for email or phone mobile 07811 287724

For part of an IT Badge one of our Scouts has built his own website. This site is full of games for young people to play, though every one will enjoy playing them. Please click on the link to be transfer it his site. Mad Monkey Games

This year Scouts have done:

Please Note some Scouts are not permitted to have their picture on the website.

This year has been a busy year for the Scouts and Leaders with a lot going to celebrate the 100 years of Scouting. Here a just a few of the things the Scouts have done so far.

On Sunday 22nd April Plympton and South Brent groups meet at South Brent for a special St Georges Day Celebration. We marched around South Brent Town and finished at the church. Once the service had finished we formed up and then marched to the sports ground where we all enjoyed some games and BBQ. All the young people and adults enjoyed themselves.

On the May Bank holiday the Cubs and Scouts spent the weekend at Huishwoods camp site with the cubs sleeping in the hall and the Scouts sleeping under canvas. This was our celebration camp and for the first time we were joined by the Beavers on Sunday, which finished with some skits and songs around the camp fire. During this weekend some Leaders and Scouts took their 2 star test in Canoeing. All the Scouts, Cubs and Beavers agreed that this was an excellent camp and should be repeated again.

The Campsite that was home for 3 days and Nights

On of Scouts doing a Superman impression on the zip wire

Another Scout enjoying the flying feeling

Some of the Scouts that attended the Camp.

One of the Scouts capsizing as part of the 2 star test, lucky the water isn't as cold as you might think

Now its time to be rescued, this isn't as easy as it looks and it is very hard work, but fun to watch from the bank

Some of the leaders providing a laugh at the end of the day.

One eveing the Scouts went out to a good location on Dartmoor to learn some mirco map reading with prizes for those that found items. This involved them having to find bronze age settelments at a given map reference.The Scouts had to work out the compass bearing and distance from the location that they are starting from and walk to that location then look for a card.

Checking the distance and bearing on the map.

Lots of Scouts in the distance searching.

Another Scout checks the map when it is his turn

Scouts searching a location for some hidden cards.

In July we ran an expedition camp for some of the older Scouts to allow them to get their Expedition Challenge Badge, Two Scouts who were tryng to get this badge were joined by two Scouts who already had the badge to make numbers up. This is one of the hardest Badges that a Scout can do. We started by hiking to are first campsite for the weekend on dartmoor where we put up tents for the night. The Scouts put together a route card for the next days hike. Once it was dark the scouts then went on a short night hike to practice their map reading in the dark. After a good nights sleep the Scouts set off on a 10 mile hike to Dewerstone camp site for there 2nd night. Along the route the Scouts had to pass 3 bases, Car Maintance, DIY, and to find the exact location of some food cards. Below are some of the fantastic views the Scouts had on their hike.

Scouts passed Ditsworthy Warren House on their way to the campsite

Also passed on the way to the campsite a Stone Row which maybe older than Bronze Age.

Morning at the first campsite as 2 Scouts eat their brealfast

After packing all their gear and making sure that no litter has been left the Scouts depart on their hike

A few of some pillow mounds, these were rabbit farms from around the medieval times

A view of Hen tor from the track at Ditsworthy Warren

Scouts Check their maps to confirm that they are going on the correct route.

At Dewerstone for the 2nd night the Scouts made a bivi from ground sheet to sleep under.

Last day after taking the camp down the Scouts depart on their final hike to the finish

Cross the river at Shaugh Prior end in sight

Last year the Scouts did:

Every year Beavers, Cubs and Scouts take part in the St Georges Day Parade. This year was no different. St George faced his troubles no matter what they were, even a dragon. This how all Scouts should face their troubles. All Scouts know the story of St George and the dragon and once year we join together to renew our promise to God and the Queen.

In May we took the Scouts back to Huish woods Campsite for a 3 night camp, even though a small number went due to SAT's a good time was had by all. This camp has a lot to offer both Scouts and Cubs with Shooting, Climbing, Achery, Woodcraft, Aerial Runway to name a few. The Scouts also did Canoeing at Langport. This was a big hit and too our amazement no one went over. Saturday night all the groups joined together for a big bonefire along with songs and stories. The Scouts also learnt how to use a penknive safely.

In June the some of the Scouts went gliding again at Dartmoor Gliding Society. This year we were lucky with the weather and all the Scouts that went had some long flights. The gliders are launching the air by a winch. Once the Scouts were launch by a winch and airborne there was time for all the Scouts to take control and fly the gliders.

One Scout runs through the cockpit checks before takeoff

One of the gliding club members explaning what the controls do

Click the picture to see a short film of a Scout being launch into the air

One Saturday some of the Scouts meet at Cann Wood to build some emergancy shelters. Below are some pictures of the Scouts buliding a shelter and of the shelters when finished. One of the shelters is a fallen tree shelter, while the other is a beam shelter. I did visit the site the next day after a night of rain and was very pleased to see that the ground was still dry in the bivvy's. Should we plan a night hike these could be used to sleep in with the knowledge that there will keep you dry and warm.

One Tuesday evening a group of young people were heard splashing around in the river from Coypool to Plymbridge. This did attract a lot of attention from on lookers. The Scout were doing a river walk with the aim that all the clothes in their rucksacks were still dry by the time we arrived at are location. Surprisingly most achieved this, Even the Scout who went swimming with his rucksack on. You would have thought that most of the Scouts would have had enough of the Water by the time we had finished. WRONG some still went swimming!!!