About us

1st Highworth is one of the largest Scout Groups in the Swindon North District. We have a youth membership of around 140 and about 35 adult leaders.

The Group consists of six Sections, two each of:

• Beaver Scouts for boys & girls aged 6 to 8 years
• Cub Scouts for boys & girls aged 8 to 10½ years
• Scouts for boys & girls aged 10½ to 14 years

The Group has a rich history. It was formed in 1910, and has always been based at its current headquarters in Eastrop. Early activities included shooting, bridge building, first aid and boxing as well as a 6am swim on Sunday mornings in a swimming pool some 7 miles away. We don’t do that any more!

During the second world war one of our members played an important role in the training of Churchill’s ‘Secret Army’, taking and passing on messages to confirm training assignments had been completed. Members of the Scout Troop also assembled some 2000 gas masks, set up a food reserve for use by Highworth residents and acted as casualties for those being trained to respond to air raids.

More recently, as well as the normal day to day adventures, the Group has organised trips to Switzerland for winter activities including snowshoeing, skiing and building and sleeping in igloos. Our members have attended international camps including World Scout Jamborees, camping alongside up to 40,000 other Scouts from all around the world and our leaders have been involved in the organisation and running of many national and international camps.

Our Group Executive Committee of about 10 adult volunteers work alongside the uniformed leaders, looking after our headquarters, finance and administration.

All of the adults working in the Group are volunteers and give their time freely; they are the reason for our success. We adopt a ‘flexible volunteering’ approach so their time commitment can vary from an hour or so a month to a few hours a week.

If you would be interested in joining them, why not get in touch with us for an informal chat about what it involves?