Scouting in South West England
[3] The county has its organisational headquarters at Woodhouse Park Activity Centre near the Bristol Channel and is divided into nine Scout Districts.
[42] The lion has links to the 13th century and Richard of Cornwall while the ship refers to the sea and voyagers including Francis Drake.
[59][60] The county is led by a team of around twenty volunteer managers and trustees covering all aspects of youth programme and adult support divided into four areas matching the Scout Skills for Life strategic plan: Programme, People, Perception and Projects.
[27] The County run two large annual events for both Scouts and Guides, called Strategy and Evolution.
They were created in 2015 to replace the long-running Sun Run and Malvern Challenge, which announced they were not being continued after 30 years in 2013 and which traditionally took place in the county.
[129] The majority of the remaining campsites and activity centres are owned and operated by local Scout groups and districts.
Glenny Wood consists of a seasonal camping field and lodge in Portishead, North Somerset and is run by Gordano Scout District.
[129][131] Cleeve Hill is a 3 acre campsite and building owned by the City of Bath Scout District and acts as their headquarters.
[134] Woodhouse Park is owned by Avon Scouts and serves as their county headquarters in South Gloucestershire, overlooking the Severn crossings.
Activities offered include Abseiling, Climbing, Archery, and Air Rifles with Sailing, Kayaking, and Caving available off-site.
Blindman's Wood is an indoor Scout centre in Plymouth with a small area for activities and which is open to community groups.
[145] Caddihoe Campsite on the edge of Ashclyst Forest (part of the Killerton estate) offers simple camping facilities on five fields and two barns for indoor activities.
[146] Callisham Cross in Yelverton consists of two camping fields with easy access to Dartmoor National Park.
[147] Foxcove Campsite near Wembury is run by the Plym Scout district and includes simple camping facilities and a building for indoor activities.
[148] Until 2009, Devon Scouts also had use of accommodation within Dewerstone Cottages on the edge of Dartmoor, leased from the National Trust.
[152] Activities available on the site include climbing and abseiling, archery, tomahawk throwing, rifle shooting, assault course and a tunnel complex.
[154] The site offers activities including rifle shooting, archery, pioneering, caving, crate stacking, axe throwing and grass sledging.
[157] The same district also runs Scoutland campsite in Beaminster, a small camping site with access to the Jurassic Coast and nearby Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
[159] The eight acre site contains a number of campsites, initially allocated to groups within the district, and activities including climbing, rifle shooting, high ropes and zip-wire.
[156] It is run in partnership between Wareham and Isle of Purbeck District together with the National Trust and the Girl Guiding Movement.
[162] It includes a camp site open to both the public and groups of Scouts and Guides[163] and an Outdoor Centre with a trading post shop and activities for young people.
[169] The site contains a number of very large camping fields, a 45-bed tented village, a three level tunnelling complex,[170] an 8.5-acre lake which is used for a variety of water activities.
[177] The Mayhill and Huntley Scout group also operate a large open campsite and activity barn on May Hill with amenities for campers.
[184] Between 1981 and 2014, the former Sedgemoor Scout district operated the Campbell Room, an all-year indoor self-catering centre on the Quantock Hills.
The site also offers adventurous activities including climbing, caving, zip wire, aerial runway, bouldering, archery and rifle shooting.
A large building provides indoor accommodation, together with six camping areas and several meeting rooms which are used for training in the County.
Previously agricultural land, the new site is being planted as woodland to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
Cast only have to audition for solos, duets and sketches and any member of the Scouts or Guides prepared to give the required commitment to the show can take part.
[191] 2012 marks their 15th anniversary and plans are in place to stage a special performances from 6–10 June to make these celebrations as well as a Christmas show at the Rondo in December 2012.
The Bristol Gang Show started in its current form in 1971, with a cast consisting of 85 Cubs and 59 adults, in the Victoria Rooms.
