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By Barry Angus
on 15/04/2011 15:23 Watch ITV Wales this evening (Friday 6pm) and you should see a leader and Explorer Scout being interviewed in Penarth, South Wales.
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By chaston
on 15/04/2011 17:23 It is great that the number of young people joining the scouts has increased. However i am a bit concerned about the number of girls now joining. Scouts was for boys, i have a thought that if the number of girls get to many then the boys will say we are not going there anymore there are too many girls. They have there own organisiation the Girl Guides. One has to ask are the Guides going to let the Scouts in. I have nothing against girls in scouting, but i do think the numbers should be kept at a reasonable level.
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By Colin Osborn
on 15/04/2011 18:39 We have no problem with girls in our pack and troop, we have found that boys are simple creatures. If someone is wearing trousers then they are boys, no problem. On the whole the girls who come to Scouts are those who want the sort of adventure and activities that Guides can not provide.
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By Andy Shuttleworth
on 15/04/2011 18:47 I totally disagree Chaston, I have 8 girl scouts in my troop, and 5 lads. The girls are fantastic, enthusiastic and keen to learn. If anything it attracts boys of scouting age, as they are now beginning to discover the opposite sex!!!!
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By Fiona
on 15/04/2011 19:11 As waiting lists are rising there is obviously a limited number of places available. Girls can join Guides or Scouts and sometimes they join both. If there are no places, boys don't have an alternative. With the constant push of girls, girls, girls... is anyone considering opportunities for boys anymore?
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By Cliff Wilson
on 15/04/2011 19:18 Chaston, I agree with your concerns. I certainly thought it should be possible to have 'boy only' and/or 'girl only' troops. In the longer term this will drive boys away. It will also deter potential Male leaders. I am glad about the rise in numbers overall but think it is a bit of a 'false dawn'.
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By Rusty
on 15/04/2011 19:40 The growth story is Big News here in Peterborough and I beleive we have made it on to local Independant Radio, a first. Like my friends at Gilwell Media Team will tell everyone we have a Great Product which many people want to be associated with. Yes we have Bear and Wayne at the top but it is us at the bottom that the young people remember later in life when they go on to become leaders in industry or of their own Scout Group
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By Dawn
on 15/04/2011 19:53 What's a reasonable level Chaston? Guiding caters for a certain type of girl and if girls are joining scouts it's because guiding is not catering for their needs. It all comes down to programme - scouting does outdoors, guilding in a lot of cases doesn't.
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By Chip
on 15/04/2011 20:21 Chaston
Sorry I cannot agree with you. One of the greatist things about our movement is that it is for all young people and also for some older, no matter where they are in the world, whatever ethnic origin they are with no exception for religion, class, or creed and no age limit unless you are under six years old. I know of no other organisation with such an open policy. Girls are no exception. I am an assistant scout leader, but not a young modernist, actually an old one as I have been in the movement for over 67 years. I consider it the finest youth movement in the world.
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By incascouter
on 15/04/2011 20:56 I think its great that more girls are joining. Scouting is inclusive and is amazing so why should girls miss out. The Guides do their thing and the Scouts do theirs and the Scout Association is better off for it!
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By Chris Walker
on 15/04/2011 21:22 I read with interest the comment by Chaston regarding girls in Scouts. I run a large Scout Troop of 52. Of these approximately 30% are girls and out of the eight patrols we run, 50% of my patrol Leaders are girls. If you are proposing to limit the numbers of girls into Scouts then where would you set the limit at? 10%, 20%? Our numbers continue to grow and to date I have not yet had any male Scouts leave because girls are in the Troop.Indeed, in my experience, girls tend to be more mature than boys at this age and provide a valuable example to the boys. Oh and the girls do everything the boys do. I would turn this on its head and ask the question "If you banned girls from Scouts do you think it would have an impact on the number of boys wanting to join?"
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By Lynda Smith
on 15/04/2011 22:13 I think co-ed groups are great fun but I too have worries about the number of girls. I honestly think that the day will come when Guides & Scouts will be one.
I watched the news commentry with interest. The girls interviewed were right insaying scouting offered more adventure. In that case maybe Guides should rethink their programmes
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By Richard Good
on 15/04/2011 22:28 Continued growth is great news, girl are very welcome, I am not sure how Chaston expects us to keep girl "numbers at a reasonable level" I don't know, maybe we just work harder to get bys to join and provide Scouting that attracts girls and boys.
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By Jeremy Wood
on 15/04/2011 22:30 I, as a scout during the early 70's, was fortunate in that I was able to travel to europe with my scout group, where we were hosted by a German scout group that had girls in it! As a Group Scout Leader, now all of my sections have Male and Female Leaders and girls as well as boys in them. From my observations the girls wipe the floor with the lads when it come to badge work or activities.
In my possition as an Explorer Leader, I can see the lads starting to catch up (mature)but in most cases the girls can out navigate the lads on DofE.
The conclusion Scouting is for all, we will all benefit from it.
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By Harry from Cheshire
on 15/04/2011 22:31 It comes as no surprise that the numbers of adult helpers is falling, I offered to help out in our local scout group, I was told, 'yes we would love you to help, now here's the training you need to go on'.....it was way too much. I needed to be go on 5 training courses, each on different days.
I only wanted to help out!
The scout association are their own worst enemy
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By A Beaver Leader
on 15/04/2011 22:32 As a Beaver Leader it is great to hear that the movement is increasing. In our Scout sections we have a good mix of boys and girls.
I do think that the Brownie and Girl Guide leaders may need to look at more ways of encouraging girls to join. As many sections in our area, the numbers waiting to join are dropping for Brownies and Guides and the sections are quite small compared ours. We also have a list of young people wishing to join.
I would say to any adult that is thinking of volunteering even if you can only come one night a month or if you are interest in running a Scout Section, go on the scout website and find out where you local Scout sections are. You will get a lot out of it and its a lot of fun too.
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By Robert Anderson
on 15/04/2011 22:54 'Scouts was for Boys' [Chaston].
BP wanted Scouts to be open to both genders. However, the social etiquette of the day was to keep the sexes separate. BP had little choice but to conform. It is just a shame it took the Association so long to recognise that we had left the Victorian and so update the movement.
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By TomAnon
on 15/04/2011 23:05 I wonder what "Chaston" believes a "reasonable level" of girls within The Scout Association would be? This is the 21st century, we're the largest co-educational youth movement in the country, if not the world! Why should girls be excluded from the Everyday Adventure that we provide?? Girl Guiding is not the "alternative" for girls - it is a very different organisation with a different programme and focus. If schools are co-educational, more than the 1/6 to 1/5 girl to boy ratio TSA has, what's the problem with more girls joining? Let them come!
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By Stephen Davies
on 15/04/2011 23:51 Hi have only been a leader for a few years and i agree with above comment. Problem is that some (Not all) of the girls expect a Brownie / rainbow type evening. Which most including myself find very dull :)
The restructuring of the age ranges of each section in my opinion been a mistake. The speed of which Beavers filter through cubs then scouts is out of sync. Our scout groups are trying hard to find leaders for the huge number increases they are facing. 2 years beavers 2 years cubs 4 years scouts does not work. why did they change it when it was not broken?
Apart from the moan, I am pleased numbers in scouting are increasing. we have so much to offer your people its brilliant. But the people who make the big changes need to think them trough for the long term not short.
All the Best
Steve
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By akela jo
on 16/04/2011 00:03 Chaston - you say you have nothing against girls in scouting yet your post makes you sound against it. What number would be acceptable - 15%, 20%, 50%? I think Scouting's great, I think it has something to offer to everyone and I think it should be accessible to EVERYONE who wants to join.
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By Dad
on 16/04/2011 00:05 I find all this Scouts is for boys a bit daft we are a movement and we should move on not live in the past Two of the great things to come forward in recent years is Girls and Explorer Scouts, that is were the growth has been and that is because what we are doing is what the young people want and that's what we are for.
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By Rdoney Turner
on 16/04/2011 00:14 A scout is a scout. We do not differentiate in what we offer them in terms of programme, facilities or opportunities. Why therefore does it matter what the ratio of girls to boys is? If an adult rings up and asks if Alex can join I wouldn't even thinking of asking what the child's sex is - it is and should be unimportant.
But why is that when I look at the scouting magazine nearly every solo picture is of a female and when there is a group photo there is often a lower percentage of male to female than there is in the Associations mebership? If you don't believe just look at the February/March edition.
Is it just co-incidence or is there an membership composition agenda that we don't know about.
Or is it just me :-)
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By Andy
on 16/04/2011 00:30 Suspect Scout Association not interested as to wheather its Boys or Girls as long as they get the Membership fee.
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By Bob Jones (Scout Leader)
on 16/04/2011 09:35 Girls in Scouting especially in my Troop have bought skills with them which have taught the boys and this in its own way has knitted the younger community together . I dis agree with chaston you also have to rememeber we our part of the world wide family and our founder also instigated the Girl Guides.Girls also like the outdoors adventure which Scouting provides on a larger scale.
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By Akela
on 16/04/2011 09:56 For shame Chaston!
"Scouts was for boys", 'was' being the operative word here!!
Girl Guiding does not offer the same programmes or opportunities as Scouting. Never has done, never will.
We cannot base ourselves in the past; to be a relavent organisation today we must respond to demand, that includes mixed units. If we don't we will lose our appeal, numbers will drop - just like in Guiding, and we will no longer exist.
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By Andy (Norfolk scout leader)
on 16/04/2011 09:59 Chaston said girls in scouting "to be kept at a reasonable level" Girls have the right to join scouts if they want to. Those that do enjoy it hugely and from a leader view point they are a calming element as they can be more mature and the troop as a whole is more balanced. Boys have to meet girls in real life!
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By Chris Maxted
on 16/04/2011 10:04 I was amazed by the reaction/comment from Chaston.
The reason that the Guides exist is that BP was unsure about how to train 'young ladies' and instructed his sister to do something about it. The two movement almost came together several years ago but the Guides decided to go it alone, which is why we agreed to let girls join.
The world has changed since BP's time - young people have changed [to an extent]. I recently spent six weeks running a local Troop and found no problem whatsoever having girls around.
So, if chaston has no problem with having girls in Scouting, but wants number to be kept to 'a reasonable level' how would he define reasonable?
It's a bit like saying keep immigration to a reasonable level - who defines what is reasonable?
Grow up - join the real world - ask what young people want and, if you don't like their world go and join a monastery!
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By Trevor Guiver
on 16/04/2011 11:17 Of course we all are delighted that our movement continues to be popular and numbers have grown apace -however the shortage of adult leaders nhas always been there. I share Chaston's concern however regarding the influx of girls. Don't get me wrong, as a retired teacher/headteacher and youth club leader I have found girls a joy to work with. However Guiding is for girls in my view and always will be. 45 yars ago we liaised with and had joint programmes and activities with Guides and Rangers BUT as separate movements. I regret the 1976 changes, there's room for us all AS BP WANTED IT!!
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By Gruff
on 16/04/2011 11:25 Scouting is a Movement and we have moved forward. Girls are here to stay; and we cannot - under British and European laws - reverse our decision.
My Troop has been 50% Girls for 5 years now. In my opinion the Girls make far better Scouts than the Boys do. Our Troop is stronger because of them.
If any leader is not comfortable with girls in their Troop they should ask themselves "why?"; and if that person cannot overcome their objections - it is time for that person to leave Scouting, to allow others to take Scouting into the future.
Chaston: I suggest you resign from the Scout Association and instead join BP Scouts. They are still a single sex organisation and I feel you will be happier there.
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By Paul Faulkner
on 16/04/2011 12:29 This census I think proves that more effort is required in getting leaders.
As a GSL for 20+ years I have had no problem in getting kids. All my section are at the max and I have enough old Scouts to form a Explorer Unit.
The constant problem I have is getting adult help in in a group committee and leaders. When I ask for help from the Association I constantly get the answer that it is the GSL's job to get the leaders and get given leaflets what my job is.
I have tried all ways, asking parants, freinds and saying I will close the section because of lack of leaders etc. with no success.
This is clearly a national problem and I feel the Association should do something positively to help us struggling GSLs. I have now run out of ideas, the old ways do not work any more. Parants do not have the time, older Explorers go to Uni. and leave the area, Uni students leave after courses , go home at holiday and week ends and are doing exams etc when the section need them the most.
With 6 new leaders the group could take in upto 50% more kids.
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By Ewbz
on 16/04/2011 13:09 We are not a single sex organisation. End of. Chaston is right - Scouts was for boys, with the emphasis on the 'was'. But it isn't now, and the organisation is the richer for it.
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By Roland Victory
on 16/04/2011 13:13 I thought we were supposed to be fully inclusive these days. I understood that Guiding was set up because it was thought inappropriate back in the day for girls to be doing all that adventure stuff. Thankfully we have removed that outdated stereotype and have been welcoming girls in all sections for over 20 years. In my experience we attract the type of person - male or female - that just wants to get out and have fun with some friends, and I don't know of any boy that has said they don't want to go to Scouts because of the girls. The more the merrier I say.
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By Simon James Carter (Assistant Beaver Scout Leader, LMO, York, UK)
on 16/04/2011 15:27 In response to "chaston"'s comment (on 15/04/2011 @ 17:34) I have to disagree; Girlguiding is (from what I've heard) different from Scouting. The girls and boys in our Beaver colony seem to get along well, friendship groups are not along gender lines and there is no suggestion that boys are put off because girls attend too; the differences between individuals in our colony are greater than gender, so I think it's a good thing that we don't discriminate.
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By Kevin Spruce
on 16/04/2011 16:00 Chaston it sounds if you are saying that girls should go to the girl guides and boys to scouts...that suggests that you do have an issue with girls in scouting. I am the leader of 1st Kidsgrove Scouts Explorer Unit and we have 14 female and 12 male members. The commitment of both groups to the Unit and to each other suggests that the reasoning behind making scouting available to all was a sound one. You state 'They have there (sic) own organisation the Girl guides' suggesting a 'us and them' attitude, an attititude which has no place in a modern Scouting Community. I would also believe that if a male Scout left the organisation because there were more girls, would reflect his own insecurity and would not, in my humble opinion, open the floodgates.
Also you say 'I have nothing against girls in scouting, but i do think the numbers should be kept at a reasonable level', is this the case for all communities, shall we start looking at how many girls are in society (as they are now outnumbering boys) and control their numbers? Methinks not!! We have very able girls in our unit and if a boy left because there were more girls than boys, it would suggest to me that I had let him down, in not enlightening him to the nature of community - may I ask whether you were concerned when boys had the upper hand in numbers? No? I wonder why that is?
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By Lyle Abbott - 1st Irthlingborough Scout Group-Northamptonshire
on 16/04/2011 16:55 We are a very old-established Group dating back to February 1908.We welcomed girls as Venture Scouts back in the'70's and many achieved the prestigious Queens Scout Award. As far as the other sections wre concerned it took a little longer after we became co-ed but by evolution and not revolution the Group has about 20% girls and also some very dedicated volunteers as Female Leaders.
Good Luck
Lyle Abbott
Group PR and Media Assistant
Former Group Scout Leader
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By CTM
on 16/04/2011 17:47 Get a life chaston! Scouting is for young people of either gender and has been for a long time. Scouting has an Equal Opportunities Policy - how long since you updated your training?
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By Soph
on 16/04/2011 19:10 I think it is great that the movement is growing, Scouting offers so much to young people and enables them to grow in so many ways. I have been involved in Scouting for 15 years and was one of the first girl scouts and I find it alarming that 'chaston' can completely disregard equal opportunities! I believe having girls in Scouting provides a balance and a life experience that is enriching for all involved. I do not know of any unit where there are more girls than boys and I am sure that the movement will find its own natural balance.
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By James Hinkins
on 16/04/2011 20:05 These figures are great! However, things are about to get really tough with government funding being slashed! All of us groups that meet in schools will find ourselves out on the street.
As gor the comment of too many girls in scouts...Never! It just proves that Scouting is for every one.
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By Porkhop
on 16/04/2011 20:35 Never fear "chaston". There is a long way to go before girls start to outnumber boys in Scouting. In the meantime I am happy to welcome any young person to take advantage of whatever Scouting can offer them. Men and boys don't need single sex groups to further their interests. They have been doing that quite successfully for centuries.
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By fi mcg (norfolk)
on 17/04/2011 09:50 im a cub leader and a guide leader.i feel that some girls need to be in scouts as its suits them. but also guides do do the same as scouts but its delivered in different format. with having good leaders is what makes the different. i know some guide leaders who dont like doing the outdoor stuff.as leaders in scouting is mainly male they do lot outdoor act. my last cub pack i had 9 girls one boy.this cub pack i have 19 boys and 3 girls the girls enjoy cubs because of camping
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By Mark Winson Development officer NE Wales
on 17/04/2011 10:18 We have done well in Wales this year, but TSA should know that without the support and funding they supply we would find it much more difficult. Thanks.
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By Just an 18 Year-Old
on 17/04/2011 14:52 If I remember a chat with my county commissioner correctly, LBP never actually said "Scouting should be for boys only".
Furthermore, Chaston, who are the adults in Scouting to tell young people that girls in Scouting are bad? Our movement is about empowering young people, and encouraging them to think for themselves, not suppressing them, and restricting their opinions to those of our ancestors. We are part of a movement - we change with the times! So this is excellent news!
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By Jill Leader
on 17/04/2011 19:00 I've been both a guide leader and a scout leader.
At the moment I run a scout troop.
We welcome girls into to all of our sections as in our area there are not many local guide companys, so if our girls want adventure and outdoor activities they join scouts. But the guide companys we do have localy also provide a good range of adventurous and outdoor activites. So our numbers of girls are low.
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By Ashley Hyde, SL 14th Coventry
on 17/04/2011 20:25 We have 19 Scouts in our Troop, 13 of which are girls. This hasn't had an impact in our Troop on the number of boys joining... they have simply moved onto Explorers and the girls have come in from cubs (and word of mouth) to fill their spaces.
We are due a large number of boys from cubs this year and not girls, so it all balances out.
This weekend we have been away on camp, and the girls took part in everything as well as - if not better in some cases - than the boys.
It is great we have grown, and girls are finding us more socially acceptable to join. Without them, in my current situation I'd have no Troop, and no Patrol Leaders.
I really don't see how people can comment here and say we should limit girls' membership to 'reasonable levels'.
Any young person who wants to join is welcome, and all contribute to our individual successes as Scouters.
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By DC
on 17/04/2011 20:52 Scouts is for everyone, that cant be wrong can it?
I don't go along with Lynda.
Guides is successful at what it does and we at what we do, based on the same principles but doing it our way.
There's a lot to be gained from sharing best practice but I doubt that we will ever merge and hope not.
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By James Stewart
on 17/04/2011 23:03 Where can we see these Census figures, for the last 3 years I have been trying to recruit people to be told, "Oh well you don't need a lot of help, figures are on the increase". Mine aren't, neither are those I talk to, we are either stagnant, or in decline. lets see district/county figures so we can say wee need help here.
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By Johnboy
on 17/04/2011 23:30 Numbers are increasing but are we comparing like with like. At one time we were boys only where as now we have girls as well so with a bigger catchment we should be attracting more.
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By Pete WIllis
on 18/04/2011 13:23 I love the fact that Scouting is Growing... Its certainly growing in my Explorer Unit with a 366% growth in the last 18 months - Bring it on... ALTHOUGH - I'm annoyed to see lots of (I presume) Leaders moaning about Girls joining Scouting (Not just on here), and the growth of Girls Joining Scouting... Ahem, Girls have been joining Scouting since 1976 - THIS IS NOT A NEW THING... Seriously.. How can so many people still be going on about Scouting being for Girls only... Personally Our Explorer Unit wouldn't be the same without the 70% of Girls in it... They bring a diverse look into Scouting, as they tend to mature quicker than boys and lead better than boys... Well done girls...
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By Justin Bieber
on 18/04/2011 22:08 It is great that the number of young people joining the scouts has increased. However i am a bit concerned about the number of girls now joining. Scouts was for boys, but is good to have these girls proving to all boys out there that girls are strong and boys STOP being so, STEREOTYPICAL
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By Rumby
on 19/04/2011 08:47 Having been a Scout for almost 50 years, I have seen the fortunes of Scouting through all sorts of peaks and troughs. Whilst it's brilliant that numbers are up, we most certainly need to attract more leaders and the one thing that puts most potential volunteers off is the ever-increasing amount of extra training that keeps creeping in. Of course people need to know how to do the job but they onl;y have a limited amount of "spare2 time, we seem to be constantly bombarded with the need to be trained on new things largely as a result of influence from some outside organisation/body. Yes, training is important and Training Advisors are volunteers like the rest of us but let's not lose sight of where our energies should really be aimed namely, at the Scouts we want to lead.
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By Jon
on 19/04/2011 09:26 I think we are losing the plot a bit about the boys and girls thing. A scout is a scout. Any mix of a group has its challenges and we just need to rise to it, as we have always done by embracing it not trying to exclude.
The real problem that the census shows is adult recruitment. As a GSL I consider that this is in crisis. The biggest single obstacle is the current (and increasing) training requirements. I have any number of parents who are quite willing "to help out" and do so frequently but the moment I broach the idea of a warrant, even as a section assistant they back off. They want to help with the young people. They do not, indeed will not, want to spend their weekends and evenings at training courses. Hells teeth it is hard enough to persuade warranted leaders to do it! I struggle with the relevance of many of the training hours for me, and I am pretty committed having been a leader for 14 years! I do it to keep my DC off my case not because I have a burning urge to undertake further training.
Please HQ. Look closely at this area. The training courses are not attractive and many are not required and most could be completed in half the current time allotted.
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By Ian
on 19/04/2011 11:25 This is my first year as a Scout leader but have watched from the sidelines as my boys went through Beavers, Cubs and now Scouts. I can say that there is no lack of adult volunteers as I've seen many come and many go. The issue is of retention. When I joined I was presented with a massive training folder with a list of 36 modules. The language used was very corporate and not appropriate to Scouting volunteers. I've also found the training system very cumbersome. Scouts seem to have developed a great training programme but it's not appropriate for the volunteering. Change the language and stop scaring people away.
On the issue of girls in scouting I would say that there is alot of resentment about this issue being imposed from above. Girls love scouting but there should be room for boys only groups. Please respect everyone's opinion.
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By A female cub leader
on 19/04/2011 20:26 Our group is completely mixed, and we have changed nothing over the last 19 years to accommadate the girls they enjoy what we are doing, but if you are worried about the amount of girls surely we should limit the amount of female leaders and send them to guides as well! or maybe not!
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By Andrew Leslie
on 20/04/2011 10:25 Of course girls should be welcomed into and encouraged to join the Scout movement.Likewise it is great to see all parts of society represented in the Scout movement,regardless of Religion,Race,Disability,Gender and sexual orientation.It is our job to encourage our Scouts,Cubs and Beavers to embrace this Philosophy.
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By POLLY AIR SCOUTS WALES
on 20/04/2011 10:48 Great news on numbers - still require local support for adult help- but we seem unable to help our leaders of 60yrs plus age - some near 70 on fix income and find the membership very off putting come Wales / Scouts lets half the membership for the 70yrs plus adult and keep the these fit for purpose supporters of scouting giving the best - we would not ne here today with out them
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By Nigel Speakman
on 20/04/2011 11:14 It is great are numbers are growing and I do think we need to work harder to get more boys involved. My old Venture Scout Unit really came alive when the girls joined. Everyone loved the friendly teasing and the whole thing ran like clockwork. The kids organised everything pretty well. I just turned up keep order. The thing is it worked because there were more males than females and the girls were happy with that. We need to keep the competitive and adventurous spirit alive in Scouting. We must not let the boys get left behind.
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By countryfriend
on 21/04/2011 08:38 Good news that there was overall growth. Hopefully data will be published that analyses data; sectional, county and district statistics. I do wonder whether those areas that have seen growth are more proactive at retention and recruitment and have an ethos of effective communication, quality adult (continued)development and embedded stratgic networking. Lessons can be learnt and shared. No Group, Unit or Section should shoulder the blame for any decrease in membership, we all have a part to play to turn this around.
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By John Latchford, ex GSL & SL
on 25/04/2011 22:34 The posters questioning the committement required for training seem to forget that when parents handover their children to the care of Scout leaders they do so in expectation that those leaders are competent. Training & validation is the way we prove competence.
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By Ex Scouter
on 28/04/2011 15:55 I have to take issue with the comment from John Latchford, as a now ex scouter with quite a few years experience in the Scout Section I honestly believe that todays offical wood badge training misses out ALL scouting skills completely.....so the training & validation mentioned has NOTHING to do with the current wood badge training leaders are required to take.
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By V Casey
on 19/05/2011 22:02 I think some of the comments regardsing girls in Scouting is sexiest and unnecessary. Young people should have the opportunity to join the Scout Assocaiation regardless of their gender. We are a progressive movement and should embrace changes All my older children exprienced Scouting from Cubs through to Scouts, Explorers and Network, only one stayed on to be a uniformed leader and that was my daughter. My youngest child is (who is female) has been a Beaver since the age of six and cannot wait to join Cubs later this year. If my daughter was not allowed to join then, then I am sure my Scout Group would not exist, as I took on the role of BSL and then GSL, to enable my child to exprience Scouting in the village where she lives. I agree with Mr Osbornes comments. Girl Guiding is not for all girls, it cetainly was and is not for mine.
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