3rd Newbury Scout group in Shaw appeals for more volunteers

A Newbury Scout group has appealed for more volunteers to join as it currently has a shortage of adults to help run its sections.

3rd Newbury Scouts, located at Poplar Place in Shaw, has lost several leaders since the beginning of the pandemic and has had no success in replacing them.

The Scout group currently helps enrich the lives of more than 120 young people with its programme of activities that build and develop skills for life.

Group Scout leader Amanda Batehup said: “We really would like to appeal to adults to come forward and volunteer to help our Scout group to continue to run a fantastic programme for young people aged from six to 14.

“Volunteers can decide how much or little time they give to Scouting and they don't have to have any previous Scouting experience.

“We have a great induction programme and will assist and provide volunteers with all the help and assistance required for volunteers to become a member of 3rd Newbury's Scouting family.”

3rd Newbury Scouts currently has two Beaver colonies, two Cub packs and it used to have two Scout troops.

The two Scout troops were merged into one at the start of this year due to the volunteer shortages.

Mrs Batehup stated that this is currently a viable solution, but soon the intake of Cubs moving up to the Scouts will mean there will be far too many Scouts for one troop.

She added: “3rd Newbury sincerely wishes to continue to offer the young people in the district the opportunity to enjoy Scouting but we are unable to do this without adult volunteers giving up some of their free time to help us out.”

As well as this, the Beaver and Cub sections are being run on a “skeleton volunteer basis” with leaders having to juggle, “their own family lives, their own jobs/businesses and then coming in two or three times a week to run or assist in running a Beaver, Cub or Scout meeting, just to keep the group going”.

The group is currently looking to recruit a leader and assistant leader on Monday nights for a Beaver colony, a leader and two assistant leaders for its Monday night Scout troop, an assistant leader for its Tuesday night Cub pack, and two assistant leaders for a Cub pack on a Wednesday night.

Those interested in volunteering should contact Mrs Batehup via her email keeo.gsl@3rdnewburyscouts.org.uk or call her on 07952 739087.