Recurring Events
For most young people, the highlights of their scouting experience are camps and other events. A program of events is organized at group, district, and county level, so our young people meet up with others from across the region. The largest events may have literally thousands of young people together for a weekend. Most events are annual; others are repeated at least once every three years, to give all young people a chance to participate in everything at least once during their time in the scout group.
Group Camps
Cubs Sixers and Seconders Camp – A highlight of most young people’s time in cubs, as a nine- or ten-year-old, when they have shown maturity and leadership, and have been promoted to the role of sixer or seconder, they are invited to a special weekend camp in the autumn. Here they get their first experience of some of the more advanced outdoor skills that will prepare them for more adventures to come in scouts.
Scouts Summer Camp – This week-long camp is a highlight of the group’s year. In a woodland or seaside setting, the scouts spend a week under canvas, with days packed full of adventurous outdoor activities. Activities include everything from axe throwing to zipwires, along with learning self-sufficiency, with scouts doing their own cooking etc.
Explorers Summer Camp – For the past few years, members of our explorer unit have joined the scouts at their annual summer camp, setting up a separate campsite nearby and participating in some of the same activities, while also engaging in a separate program of events planned by the Explorers themselves.
Scouts Survival Camp – An autumn weekend camp, in which scouts spend a night outdoors without a tent, having to build their own shelter or bivouac. The scouts hike in to the camping site, carrying their equipment with them, and cook their evening meal on an open camp fire.
Parades
St George’s Day Parade – in April, our Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers parade their section flags through Molesey, with a marching band, alongside young people from other local scout groups, and attend a church service at which everyone reaffirms their Scout Promise.
Remembrance Sunday – each November, our Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers attend a church service at All Saints Weston, followed by an act of remembrance at the war memorial, with all our flags proudly borne and smartest uniforms on show.
District and County Camps and Events
Escapade – a summer weekend camp for Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from across Esher District. Almost 1,000 young people come together at a local scout camp site to enjoy two days packed with organized activities, while spending nights under canvas. The younger members of the Beavers section come along for a day, while the older ones may camp for one night.
District Beavers Party – a winter Saturday full of indoor fun for Beavers from all of Esher district.
Beavers Go Wild – a spring weekend camp for Beavers from the whole of Surrey, with a night under canvas and an action-packed day of outdoor activities.
District Beaver Fun Day – a one-day summer outdoor activity day for Beavers, with all the fun of a camp, but without the actual camping!
District Cub Camp – a full weekend early summer camp with two nights under canvas, and a full program of outdoor activities, for cubs from across Esher district.
SCRAM! – a one-day summer outdoor event for Cubs and Brownies from across Surrey. Around 2,000 young people aged 8 to 10 come together for a Saturday packed with activities.
Scoutabout – an extraordinary event for around 5,000 scouts and guides aged 10 to 14, from across Surrey. A full weekend with two nights camping, a mini music festival, and dozens of activities from abseiling and archery to tie dyeing and water balloons!
District Explorer Summer Social – a summer get-together for our 14- to 17-year-old Explorer Scouts from across the Esher district.
Competitions
Cross Country Run – a spring event organized by Esher District for Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers, this event takes place on Oxshott Common each spring. Beavers run a short route with a parent, cubs run the same route alone, scouts and explorers do a longer circuit, and even adults can join in.
Cubs Quiz Competition – our Cubs section runs a quiz night at one of our regular meetings. The winning team goes on to compete in the annual Esher District Cubs Quiz. If they do well there, they can participate in the Surrey County Cubs Quiz Final.
Scouts Day Hike and Night Hike Competitions – navigational challenges in which teams of four scouts compete against teams from other scout groups to follow a hiking around the Surrey Hills and complete a treasure hunt quiz along the way. The day hike is challenging enough, but on the night hike, the scouts set off on a 10-mile circuit after dark.
Scouts Cooking Competition – our Scout section fields one or more teams of four who compete against teams from other local scout groups to plan and prepare a three-course meal.
Scout Skills and First Aid Competition – an Esher District event, at which teams of four scouts compete to demonstrate their prowess in scouting skills such as knot tying, and their first aid skills.
Scouts Archery and Rifle Shooting Competitions – more Esher District events, at which teams of scouts compete against other local scout groups in competitions of marksmanship.
