7th Whitburn Scout Group

End Of Term Arrangements 2025

The Scout Group has a busy few weeks ahead leading up to the summer holidays. Please find outlined below arrangements for the various events taking place as well as a few other items of information:

1 GALA WEEK UNIFORMED ORGANISATION’S QUIZ – THURSDAY 19 JUNE

A team from the Cub Scouts will be taking part in the Junior Round of the Gala Week Quiz at 6.15 pm and a Scouts/Explorer Scout team will be involved with the Senior Round at 7.30 pm.

If your child is taking part, please encourage them to come along and represent the Group and, if possible, please come along yourself and support your child, the Scout Group and the event itself.

2 CIVIC WEEK PARADE AND SERVICE – SUNDAY 22 JUNE

Assembling in Whitburn Bowling Club car park for 2.15 pm. We parade to Whitburn Academy for the service to mark the start of Civic Week and should return to the Bowling Club at approximately 4 pm. A collection for charity is taken at this event. The Gala Committee would be grateful if you can make any contribution.

3 WHITBURN GALA DAY - SATURDAY 28 JUNE

We will be gathering in Brucefield Church Car Park at 10.15 am and everyone can be collected from the top end of King George V Park (Park View/Bog Road end) at approximately 12 noon. Please look out for the Group’s flags.

We ask that full uniform - Scout shirt or jumper, necker and smart trousers and shoes - be worn at both these parades and please note that we will provide ponchos in the event of poor weather and juice on the Gala Day.

As a Group, improving parade attendance remains one of our ongoing aims. We would very much like to see as many people walking with the Group as possible, whilst appreciating that some may be walking with their school or other youth organisations on the Gala Day itself. PLEASE ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND.

4 MEETINGS

Please note the following dates when section meetings will be finishing and resuming after the summer break:

• Scouts and Explorers - finish 24 June; resume 12 August 2025

• Beaver and Cub Scouts - finish 26 June; resume 14 August 2025

5 BEAVER AND CUB SCOUTS TO POLKEMMET COUNTRY PARK – 26 JUNE

As has become the tradition, for the last Beaver and Cub meeting of the session on 26 June, we are planning to take both sections to Polkemmet Country Park.

• We ask that the Cubs and Beavers are dropped off at Polkemmet at 6 pm and collected once again at 7.30 pm. We intend gathering at and departing from the car park nearest to the adventure play area – close to the park’s Visitor Centre. Parents may of course wish to consider sharing transport if convenient.

• If transport is an issue, please contact one of the leaders and arrangements will be made to get any kids to and from Polkemmet.

• Everyone is asked to wear their normal Thursday night uniform but wear sensible outdoor footwear and a jacket may be useful depending on the weather. Drinks and a snack will be provided during the evening. Continued over…

• Please note that if the weather is poor then we will revert to a normal Thursday night programme with the usual meeting times at Brucefield Church Halls. Updates will be posted on the Group’s Facebook page and if in doubt please contact us using the telephone numbers at the top of this letter.

6 GROUP CAMP – 19 to 21 SEPTEMBER

The annual Group Camp will be taking place over the weekend of the 19 – 21 September involving the Cub Scouts, Scouts and Explorer Scouts. This year we will be returning to Bonaly Scout Centre on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

This will involve Cubs, Scouts and Explorers camping over the weekend. It is planned for the Beaver Scouts to visit on the Saturday afternoon.

Information letters and consent forms will be issued before the summer break, but please take note of the date if your son or daughter wishes to attend.

7 ADULT RECRUITMENT

On a weekly basis, Whitburn Scout Group delivers a wide range of fun and challenging activities to around 60 young people across our four Sections allowing them to enjoy worthwhile experiences and to develop and learn many new skills.

We can only do this because of the fabulous adult leaders we have who voluntarily give up their time and forgo other commitments to be part of the Scout Group. As a Group we are very fortunate with the number and experience of our leadership team. However, there can still be times when an extra pair of hands is needed and at present it would be particularly beneficial if we could find:

• A Scout/Explorer Scout Helper/Leader - Tuesdays

Ideally, we are looking for someone who can make a regular commitment – preferably weekly. This helps with knowing that someone will be there to assist and help with planning what can be done on a meeting night.

Please be assured, anyone willing and able to help will be joining an experienced group of adults who will be there and who will help, support and advise. You will in no-way be on your own!

Volunteering is a very worthwhile experience. Meeting nights can often be busy, but they are always fun. It's a chance to gain new skills, boost your CV, meet new people and put something back into our community.
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If you would like more information, or just have a no obligation chat, please contact me.

Maintaining and adding to the current leadership team is vital to allow the Scout Group to continue providing the excellent Scouting experience we currently do.

8 COMMUNICATION

Please can I remind everyone that our website and Facebook pages exist and are regularly updated with news and information.

Our closed Facebook group - which members and families can request to follow - can be found by searching Facebook for “7th Whitburn Scouts”. Please request to join our Facebook group if not already.

Sections may also send messages through OSM, texts, WhatsApp or e-mail. Please can we ask that we have an up-to-date mobile number and e-mail address. Thank you.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this information. We'll put out reminders closer to the time of events via text, e-mail and the Facebook page.