Rainbows, Brownies, Cubs and Scouts in Cramlington

Cramlington has a long tradition of Scouting and Guiding. Several Scout groups meet in the town each week, and Girlguiding Northumberland has its county headquarters here. This guide explains which groups exist, where they meet and how to get your child a place. That last part is often the hardest, because popular sections have waiting lists.

Meeting nights and spaces below come from each group's own website or its page on the Scouts website at the time of writing. Volunteer-run groups change nights and close or open sections from term to term, so always check with the group before turning up.

Which section, which age?

Scouts has been open to girls and boys for many years. Girlguiding is for girls and young women.

Scout groups in Cramlington

Cramlington's Scout groups belong to the Blyth Valley Scout District, part of Northumberland Scouts. The district also covers Blyth, Seaton Delaval, Seaton Sluice and Seghill.

2nd Cramlington

2nd Cramlington Scout Group has its own headquarters, Armstrong Hall, on the Ann Welfare playing fields at Westwood Grange (NE23 6HR). It runs Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. At the time of writing its published times are:

• Squirrels on Monday afternoons from 4.30pm
• Beavers on Mondays from 6pm to 7.30pm in term time
• Cubs on Wednesdays from 6.30pm to 8.15pm
• Scouts on Friday evenings

In autumn 2026 the group received a Cramlington Town Council Community Chest grant towards CCTV for the hall.

Best for: The only Cramlington group listed here with its own hall, and the one to try for Squirrels.

3rd & 5th Cramlington

3rd & 5th Cramlington Scout Group meets at Cragside CofE Primary School on Westloch Road (NE23 6LW). Its Scouts page lists Beavers, Cubs and Scouts sections. Check the group's page on the Scouts website for current nights.

6th Cramlington

6th Cramlington Scout Group meets at Burnside Primary School on Northumbrian Road (NE23 1XZ). Its website lists these times at the time of writing:

• Beavers on Wednesdays from 6pm to 7pm
• Cubs on Mondays from 6.30pm to 8pm
• Scouts on Wednesdays from 7pm to 9pm

The group says all of its sections are currently full and runs a waiting list through a form on its website.

7th Cramlington

7th Cramlington Scout Group meets on Tuesday evenings at Northburn Primary School on Horton Drive (NE23 3QS). It runs Beavers, Cubs and Scouts sections. Register interest through its page on the Scouts website.

Best for: Ask to go on more than one group's list. Places often come up when older children move up a section.

Explorers and older Scouts

Explorer Scout units for 14 to 18 year olds are run at district level, not by individual groups. Ask your child's Scout leader about moving up, or contact Blyth Valley District through the Scouts website.

Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers

Girlguiding in the town is organised by the Cramlington Division, which also covers New Hartley, Seaton Delaval and Seaton Sluice. It is part of Girlguiding Northumberland, whose county headquarters is St Oswald's House on Doxford Place in Cramlington. The county's annual review mentions Cramlington Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers units, plus a Trefoil Guild for adult members, and 3rd Cramlington Brownies celebrated 50 years in 2022.

Girlguiding does not publish the addresses of individual units, so you cannot simply turn up. To join:

1. Go to the "register a child" page on the Girlguiding website.
2. Enter your postcode and choose up to three nearby units.
3. Wait for a local volunteer to contact you, usually within about three weeks.
4. If there is a space, your daughter is invited to try a meeting before you commit.

The headquarters on Doxford Place is an office and training base, not somewhere units meet.

Best for: Register early: a place may not come up straight away.

Waiting lists and how to help

Nationally, the Scouts say tens of thousands of young people are waiting for a place, with more than 60,000 on Squirrels lists alone. The cause is almost always a shortage of adult volunteers, not of children. Both organisations welcome parents and other adults as leaders, helpers, or occasional help with badges and trips. You do not need to commit every week, and groups that gain helpers can open more places.

Both the Scouts and Girlguiding run adult roles with DBS checks and training, and the Scouts and Girlguiding websites explain how to volunteer.

Costs

Each group or unit sets its own subscription, and uniform, camps and trips are usually extra. Ask about costs when you are offered a place, and if fees are a problem, speak to the leader in confidence.

More for families in Cramlington

For other activities and clubs, see our guides to things to do in Cramlington, swimming in Cramlington and the best schools in Cramlington.