Hey all,
A quick update today to share what the 61st have been up to over the start of 2026, and to share some upcoming dates for our members and local community!
Back in January the group had it’s annual winter sleepover at Hesley Wood, using the Royston building. A packed weekend full of games and activities both inside and outside of the hut due to the usual mix of rain with fleeting moments of sunshine – Thankfully the members still got to use the zipline!
The Beavers and Cubs sections are still meeting together on a Monday due to low numbers for our 6 to 8 year-olds. So far this year they have been working on some life skills, with cross-stitch and sewing earlier in the year, followed by cooking and meal planning (including pancakes on shrove Tuesday)
The Cubs took part in the first ever Don district cooking competition this year, so got several weeks of training and practice in – Here is the practice stir fry, where the clean-up took almost as long as the prep!
The Scouts also had their indoor cooking competition in February with the 61st once again taking home first place!!
A quick note for our Scout section parents and carers, Richard has set up a Whatsapp group chat for any urgent updates and any easier way to stay in contact. Please speak with one of the Scout leaders if you want adding in!
As we move into the warmer and lighter months, we are hoping to get the members outside more. The Beavers and Cubs have already been practicing their tent pitching in preparation for St. George’s day!
Some dates for your calendars for what the group has coming up:
– Don District St. George’s day camp (Hesley Wood) 24th to 26th of April
– 61st Wincobank Open Day (61 Standon Road) 16th of May
– Group camp (Hesley Wood) 19th to 21st of June
– Scouts Work Day & Sleepover (61 Standon Road) 1st and 2nd of August
– Summer Camp w/c 24th of August
As mentioned earlier, the number of members in our Beaver section is quite low, and as such we have joined forces with our Cub Scouts to ensure members get the most out of the sessions. We are hoping to boost the numbers for the section as part of the Open day in May, but we would appreciate your help in sharing the amazing work the group do to any friends and family with children that might be interested!
Please feel free to share the above flyer with anyone that may be interested in what we do! You can also send people links to this website, our share our email address for general enquiries 61stscoutssheffield@gmail.com – Anyone is welcome to drop in on one of our regular group nights to see what we get up to!
See you all in July for the next update!
Yours in Scouting,
Alex James
61st Wincobank, Beaver Scout Leader
61st Sheffield Scout Group 