Scouting offers challenge and adventure to 400,000 young people and 100,000 adults across the UK. We do some pretty amazing things in Scouting, but for us, adventure is a way of life and not just an activity or expedition. Our Scouts grow in confidence by trying out new skills and stretching themselves. Whether it’s an Explorer trying out his French on an international trip or a Scout leading his Patrol for the first time, each time we challenge ourselves, it’s a step forward. When a Scout stands up to a bully, or sticks up for what they believe in; that’s an adventure.
Tewkesbury Scouts provides that adventure for young people in the Tewkesbury area, with active Scout Groups in Gotherington, Twyning, Winchcombe, Woodmancote and of course Tewkesbury.
14 to 18 year olds are served by four Explorer Scout Units across the District, including a specialised Young Leaders Unit. In every case, we help young people from 6-18 years find their own adventure, on their own terms.
This site will help you discover more about Scouting in our district, from news and events down to specific details on each individual group.
Our District Badge
There are eight Scout districts in the County: Cheltenham, Cotswold, Cotswold Vale, Gloucester, North Cotswold, The Royal Forest of Dean, Stroud & Tetbury, Tewkesbury.
Tewkesbury District is in the north of the county and includes the towns of Bishops Cleeve and Winchcombe as well as Tewkesbury itself and the rural areas between. The District badge, designed by our late District Commissioner Keith Robinson, depicts a bishop’s mitre and crook, a sword and a rose.
The mitre and crook represent Tewkesbury Abbey (founded 1092), Winchcombe Abbey (founded 798), and Hailes Abbey, near Winchcombe (founded 1246). At the time of the Dissolution (1539), Tewkesbury Abbey was saved from demolition by the people of the town. They purchased it for £453 to use as the parish church. It is one of the finest surviving examples of Norman architecture. Winchcombe and Hailes Abbeys fared less well. Winchcombe Abbey was completely dismantled, the stone being used in nearby buildings. Hailes Abbey was stripped of its lead and other valuables and left as a ruin, now preserved by the National Trust.
The rose and sword represent the Battle of Tewkesbury, 4th May 1471. It was a turning point in the War of the Roses. In recent years, the battle has been re-enacted each summer and has become the largest medieval festival in Europe.
