We usually meet on Monday nights during school term-time. Most of our meetings begin and end at our Scout Hut in Market Bosworth, but occasionally we will meet elsewhere to take advantage of the excellent facilities available around the area. At the moment our Scout Hut is being renovated so we are meeting at different locations each week, mainly at Market Bosworth Rugby Club, to take advantage of their vast space and learn some great outdoor skills.
Scouts are aged between 10½ and 14, and although many of our Scouts have come to us from Cubs, we also welcome anyone who is interested in what we do!
Scout Leader: Kirk Parsons
Asst Scout Leader: Ed Cawte
Asst Scout Leader: Alex Kirkland
Asst Scout Leader: Ian Chamberlain
Asst Scout Leader: Jon Vening-Richards
Asst Scout Leader: Paul Winfield
Whatever they like! That may be a slight exaggeration, but our Scout Section, or “Troop”, prides itself in being led as much as possible by the Scouts themselves. Under normal conditions, this means that the Scouts divide themselves into small units called Patrols and each Patrol runs as independently as is practical. They plan and run their own programme of activities with the help of the adults and Young Leaders in the section.
In the Scout Section, Young People get the opportunity to build on the skills they have acquired in the two previous Sections and are given more responsibility for their own progress through Scouting. This doesn’t mean we drop them in at the deep end. Our experienced leadership team is always on hand to help out and advise the Scouts to ensure they get as much out of Scouting as they can. Don’t worry if your Young Person hasn’t been a Beaver or Cub: they’ll soon pick up everything they need to know from their Patrol Leader and the other Scouts, and be able to play a full part in our adventures right from the start!
We try our best to put the OUT in SCOUTING, and plan to be outdoors as much as possible, whether around the town; at the Country Park; or at a local campsite. Every year will see several opportunities for Scouts to go camping, from our annual Summer Camp to smaller weekend Patrol camps; all organised by the Scouts themselves under the watchful eye of our adult team. Our top award, the Chief Scout’s Gold Award, is very much based on outdoor adventure, community involvement, and looking outwards, as well as trying new things. But most of all it is about self-development and gaining skills and attitudes that will help our Scouts now and in later life. Gaining the Chief Scout’s Gold Award is a challenge and one which will give your Scout a great sense of real achievement.
Alongside the Chief Scout’s Gold Award and its associated Challenge Badges, we also have a wide range of Activity Badges. These cover almost every hobby or interest imaginable, from Street Sports to Survival Skills, from Meteorology to Martial Arts, and from Electronics to Entertainer, not to mention our Staged Badges that cover Camping, Emergency Aid and Music among others. We really do have something for everyone. We encourage our members to continue their Scouting outside of our regular meetings, with many of our badges achievable at home, or as part of any other activities or clubs they are involved with.
We encourage Scouts to step out of their comfort zone in a controlled environment, and many are surprised at just what they can do when challenged. In the vast majority of cases, we find parents and carers are even more surprised at what their Young People are capable of!
Scout Leader – Kirk Parsons
Kirk has been involved with Scouting since he was 11, becoming an adult leader in 1996 with Charnwood Scout Group. He has held several roles in his over 25 years with the Movement, including Scout Leader, Scouter in Charge and Group Scout Leader at Thringstone Scouts, and Active Support Member with Ashby and Coalville District. He has experience of working with Scouts, Cubs and Beavers (who still terrify him), and has helped mentor adult leaders and Explorer Young Leaders. Kirk is an experienced camper, and has held a Nights Away Permit since the scheme began. He estimates that he has spent a total of at least two years of his life on Scout, Cub and Beaver camps as a Leader, and wishes it could be more!
Kirk was acting Scout Leader at Bosworth in 2014-2015, as part of his role with the District Active Support Unit, and returned to the role full time in 2017. His proudest Scouting moment at Bosworth was attending a week-long camp in Staffordshire that was planned almost entirely by two of the Troop’s Patrol Leaders, aged 12 and 13.
A great believer in the Scout Movement, Kirk especially likes Scouting’s ideal of helping Young People take responsibility for themselves and others, and giving them #Skills for Life. He is fond of saying that Scouting is as close as anyone can get to being a member of the Famous Five!
Kirk lives with his wife, Caroline, in Overseal, South Derbyshire, where he makes a living driving vans and writing. His son is a Cub Leader at Thringstone, and his stepson Alex is an Assistant Leader at Market Bosworth Scout Group.
Register your interest by clicking the Join button and submit your Young Person’s details, and we’ll contact you to confirm when they will be able to start their scouting adventure with 1st Market Bosworth!
An explorer, adventurer and TV presenter, Dwayne's been seen in BAFTA nominated Channel 5 series Race to the Pole, on BBC Springwatch, Countryfile, National Geographic and Disney+.
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