Pondtail Crow

About Us

Welcome to the 29th Odiham District (Pondtail) Scout Group (the Group) known more usually as the 29th or Pondtail. The Group has its own headquarters at the end of Farnham Road in the Pondtail area of Fleet, adjacent to open land. The grid reference is 186 827537

The Group was formed in 1963 and met in rented halls until it constructed its own premises (the “Den”) in the mid-late 1970s on land leased from Hart District Council. The Group recruits its members from throughout Fleet. Membership levels are typically around 80 – 100 young persons depending on the contemporary structure of Scouting. The Group has no female young members although it will be open to girls from January 2007.

Until the end of 2003 the Group comprised four sections – Beaver scouts, Cub scouts, Scouts and Venture scouts. Venture scouts were for 16 – 21 year olds and although a Group section they were run as an autonomous unit. Venture scouts were abolished by the Scout Association in 2003 and were replaced partly by Explorer Scouts for the 14 – 18 yr range and which are organised as District units.

At present the Group comprises three sections, viz. a Beaver Colony for 6 – 8 yr olds, a Cub Pack for 8 – 10.5 yr olds, and a Scout Troop for 10.5 – 14 year olds. Each section has its own dedicated leadership and offers a graduated training programme from fun and friendship for the younger members through developing self confidence, team membership and leadership qualities in the older members.

Beaver Colony

The Beaver Colony had been suspended through part of 2005 due to lack of leaders but re-opened  in January 2006. The Colony meets weekly during school terms in the early evening typically for 1.25 hrs. The Colony usually has 24 young members (the maximum permitted) organised into lodges, and two warrant holding leaders plus helpers. Creative activities with a theme of fun and friendship take place mainly at the Den but occasionally off-site. Beaver Scouts do not camp or stay away overnight. Boys transfer to the Cubs section at age 8 yrs: all of the Beavers are guaranteed a place in the Group’s Cub Pack. There is a lengthy waiting list to join the Beaver Colony and early registration (free) is advised.

Cub Pack

The Cub Pack meets on Wednesday evenings during school terms from 6.30 until 8.00 pm. The Pack is for boys aged 8 – 10.5 yrs and usually has 36 members. There are four warrant holding leaders plus a pack assistant. The Cubs programme includes exciting and purposeful activities aimed at enhancing their individuality, skills, friendship and team work. The boys play games and undertake activities in teams called Sixes which are led by older Cubs called Sixers and Seconders. The three aspects of the Scouting Aim are incorporated into a training programme which includes individual and team activities, as well as badge work in specialised subjects, and other expeditions. Parental help is often sought with activities. Cubs participate in camps locally and in an actual Pack Holiday: in recent years Pack Holidays have been held in Devon and Hertfordshire.

When Cubs are about 10.5 years they commence the transition programme of moving on to the Scout Troop.

Scout Troop

The Scout Troop is the pinnacle of Scouting within the Group. It comprises typically some 24 – 28 boys aged 10.5 – 14 yrs, although more members can be admitted. The Scout Troop meets during school terms on Friday evenings from 7.30 until 9.00 pm. There are two warrant holding leaders and a helper.The Troop is organised in Patrols, named after animals or birds, each led by an older and experienced boy as Patrol Leader with an assistant. Each patrol works together as a team. The Patrol Leader has a responsibility to train his patrol and also to participate in the Troop planning through the Patrol Leaders Council. The training programme contains a diverse range of indoor and outdoor activities which are intended to present manageable challenges to the boys. The Group own several kayaks which are used extensively by the Scouts under the supervision of accredited instructors. Activities in recent years have included an introduction to gliding. Scouts have a wide range of proficiency badges and also can prepare for wards such as the Chief Scout’s Award which demands skill, self discipline, initiative and determination (one of our recent Scouts obtained the Queen’s Scout Award, the highest award in Scouting). The Troop holds several offsite events including local camps. Major camps have been held recently at Brownsea Island, on the Gower Peninsula and at Kandersteg in Switzerland.

At age 14 yrs the boys are encouraged to move on to the Explorer Scouts which cater for male and female members aged 14 – 18 yrs. Local Explorer Scout sections, although not part of the Group, meet n Fleet and Crondell.

Group Council

Every Scout Group is an autonomous body responsible for its funds and equipment, and admitting boys to membership in accordance with the policy and rules of the Scout Association. The Group Council is the electoral body which supports scouting in the Group. All parents are automatically members of the Group Council. The Group Council elects the Executive Committee, which is accountable to the Council, and holds Annual General Meetings to approve the annual report and accounts.   

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee comprises the Group Scout Leader, a Chairman appointed by the Group Scout Leader, an elected Secretary and Treasurer, the senior leader of each section, and various other non-uniformed members who are willing to help the Group. The Executive Committee is responsible for the buildings and equipment of the Group, for raising funds and managing Group finances, and in supporting the Group Scout Leader in his delivery of scouting. The Executive Committee is responsible for preparing an annual budget and for recommending annual membership subscriptions. The Executive Committee meets on average 6 times a year. The Group is a registered charity (registration no 276768) and the Executive Committee are the Trustees of the charity. Each year the Executive Committee makes a formal report to the Charity Commission on the previous year’s activities, finances and current policies.

Leaders

Good leadership is essential to the successful provision of Scouting for the members. All uniformed leaders are warrant holders, i.e. they have undergone training to enable them to organise and take responsibility for the members’ activities. Additionally there are helpers who are not uniformed or warrant holding but who assist the uniformed leaders. All leaders and helpers are required to be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) as a child protection measure and have to be approved by the Odiham District Appointments Sub-Committee. Indeed the Group requires parents who help only very occasionally to be checked by the CRB.  

Leaders are all volunteers who give time and energy to helping young people. Most leaders have had connection with Scouting, perhaps as a Scout themselves when young or as a parent of one of the young members. Leaders are busy people, managing homes, families, jobs and the myriad aspects of life and more parents are needed to take up the leadership challenge to spread the burden. Costs of leader training, uniforms, etc., are met by the Group. Becoming a leader guarantees that person’s sons places in the Group: the rationale is that without the volunteer leaders the Group cannot offer any Scouting to the young members.

Subscriptions

The Scouting year runs from 1st April until 31st March whilst the financial year is the calendar year. In the last quarter of each calendar year the Executive Committee prepares a budget for the following financial year and agrees subscriptions for the next Scouting year. Subscriptions are due at the beginning of the Scouting year as a single annual payment. For boys joining or leaving part way through the Scouting year subscriptions due or refunds are pro-rated on the number of whole school half terms remaining in the Scouting year.  

The Group encourages parents to pay subscriptions under the Gift Aid scheme since this generates extra income to the Group at no cost to the payer. Please see the notes on the Gift Aid scheme on this website and the Gift Aid Declaration which can be downloaded. Out target is to have 90%+ subscriptions paid under the Gift Aid scheme.

Fundraising

The Group raises a portion of the funds needed for its basic activities through a series of events. The main fund raising events are car washes which are held three times a year between April and September, a barn dance which is held at the end of June at a farm and collection of used laser printer cartridges.  

Camps and trips are funded separately to the core activities of the Group. Camps and trips are self financing and are not subsidised by, nor do they subsidise, the general income of the Group.