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Created by Jack Dixon

About Us

ST. MARY BARNES SCOUT GROUP

St. Mary Barnes Scout Group was founded in the early 1920s, but was closed during and, for a time, after the Second World War. The Rev. Chris Heath, incumbent of St. Mary’s and Mathematics Master at St. Paul’s School, restarted it in the 1940’s.

The Group amalgamated with the Barn Elms Scout Group (which had already amalgamated some years earlier with the Holy Trinity Sea Scout Group) in the 1980's. It is now the only Scout Group in Barnes.

Our Group had formerly been based at the Church Hall in Kitson Road, but following the amalgamation, we moved to our present HQ, built in 1952 by the members and parents of Holy Trinity Sea Scouts and named "Hermione". The ship's wheel and bell of their former guardship were installed in the hall along with the “Hermione” name-board, which had been hand-carved by one of the scouts. The original troop's colours, damaged during Second World War bombing in 1942, were framed and are displayed in the entrance hall.

St. Mary Barnes Scout Group is sponsored by St. Mary Barnes Church. It is not a "closed" Group and members of the Group are not expected to be members of the Church. However, all members of the Group are expected to attend Church Parades, unless:-

· they have a simultaneous commitment at another church,

· belong to a religious organisation, membership of which is incompatible with attendance at an Anglican Church,

· they are ill.

Children also have an obligation to attend the annual St. George's Day Parade and renewal of their Promise in April. Acceptance of these obligations is a condition of the membership of St. Mary Barnes Scout Group.

The Group is under the overall leadership of the Group Scout Leader. All Leaders attend compulsory leadership training and all, including helpers, are subjected to a thorough investigation by the National Headquarters including a Criminal Records Bureau check to ensure that they are suitable persons to be trusted with the welfare of the young.

We are in the Scout District of Richmond upon Thames, which in turn is in the Scout County of Greater London South West.

Camping is perhaps the archetypal scouting activity and St. Mary Barnes offers more camping than most other Scout Groups. Although the Beaver Colony does not camp, the other units provide a great variety of camping, appropriate to the children's ages. In addition to the Troop Annual Summer camp, there are numerous weekend camps, district camps, training camps and special activity camps. We are particularly fortunate to have our own campsite locally.

In addition to camping, there are many other outdoor activities from picnics, visits and games for Beavers, to expeditions in wild country for older Scouts. Between these extremes, there is canoeing, ice-skating, sailing, rowing, air training and flying, pioneering, swimming, hiking, football, shooting, sports and many others. The only limits on the activities that are offered are the cost and the availability of Leaders. During the winter, outdoor activities are limited, so indoor activities are arranged.

We can only hope to achieve success in all we do with the active support of parents. In particular, we rely on your encouragement of your child's scouting. Scouting will only succeed if it is a partnership between the children, their parents and the Leaders.

The Scout Association is a uniformed organisation and all members are required to wear uniform for all scouting activities, unless told otherwise. You are expected to provide your child with the necessary uniform and the Leader will tell you what this is and where it can be obtained. Your child will also need appropriate clothing for outdoor activities, from time to time, particularly waterproof clothes.

For more information on the history of St Marys and Holy Trinity,

click here