Scouting on Hayling Island

Scouting celebrated 100 years in 2007.

Although we have seen many changes to uniform, the programmes, the badges and the organisation over the years, the basic objective of the movement remains the same, that is to help young people develop physically, mentally and spiritually and to take a constructive place in society.

The 3rd Hayling Island Scout Group was formed in 1929 and today continues to provide fun, adventure and achievement to over 200 young people from Hayling Island aged between 6 and 18, supported by over 30 adults.

The group, one of the largest in the country is based at our Scout HQ in Kings Road which is in use every night of the week and many weekends for scouting meetings and activities.

We are a registered charity and continue to be a totally voluntary movement, with everyone giving freely of their time and in addition for example giving up a week of their holiday to take the Scouts and Explorers to camp each summer.

As a group we do not receive any grants or financial support from government or the Scout Association (we pay an annual membership subscription fee for every member to Scouting HQ of about £30), and we have to raise all of our own funds to cover the ongoing cost of our facilities, equipment and activities. This we achieve with a combination of subscriptions, fund raising and donations.

For those within the movement it is the voluntary and self reliant nature of the organisation that continues to make it the strongest youth organisation with nearly half a million members in the UK and representation in all but 5 countries worldwide.

We are very lucky on Hayling to have a strong adult leadership team who give up many hours per year for the benefit of others (and of course for their own enjoyment!) and to have the support of many other people who help and support our fund raising events or provide financial support in terms of donations. It is this strong adult leadership and support team that allows Scouting to thrive on Hayling against a national trend across all youth organisations of reducing numbers.