We’re the 12th Winchester (Green Jackets) Scout Group – and we’d love you to join us. Action is at the heart of everything we do and it is the single most important thing that sets Scouts apart. Scouting is an inclusive, values based movement and prides itself on being open to those of all genders, faiths and abilities.
Join us!
We have a Squirrel Drey (for girls and boys aged 4-6) Beaver Colonies (for girls and boys aged 6-8), Cub Pack (for girls and boys age 8-10.5) and Scout Troop (for girls and boys age 10.5-14). We also host the Paladins Scout Explorer Group for young people aged up to 18, where they can also work towards their Duke of Edinburgh awards.
We’re always keen to welcome new members – and volunteers! – so head to our joining and volunteering pages to get in touch with us. We have room for your young person and look forward to welcoming them. Although we’re based in Winnall and our traditional “catchment” is Winnall, Highcliffe and the City Centre, we also have children from across Winchester.
Leaders
With a strong, experienced leadership base, all three sections enjoy a momentum that means our young people experience everything Scouting has to offer. We always welcome more leaders, and also helpers to keep us organised, maintain our hall and grounds, clean and tidy, look after equipment, finances, membership records, and keep everyone safe and organised.
Our history and our name
Dating back to 1921, the 12th Winchester is the oldest continually operating Scout Group in Winchester. We’re also the only one with a military affiliation. If you’re wondering why, we need to take you back to May 1940 when the Rifle Brigade, nicknamed the Royal Green Jackets, helped hold off the German advance for long enough to allow the Dunkirk evacuations. In the aftermath, many of the Royal Green Jackets were taken Prisoner of War and spent the next five years in appalling conditions. Meanwhile, back home in Winchester, the 12th Winchester collected £80 in donations (equivalent to £4000 at today’s prices) for the Regimental Prisoners of War Fund. As recognition, in 1943, the group was granted honorary affiliation with the Rifle Group and changed necker colours and insignia to model those of the Royal Green Jackets. We still use the colours today and, every year on Remembrance Sunday, we’re proud to turn out to lay a wreath at the Cathedral’s War Memorial with past and present members of the Rifle Group.