the scouts group

What the scouts group does

1st Malden Scout Group is a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity Number: 303757) operating since 1909 from its headquarters on Tadworth Avenue in New Malden, Surrey. The organization delivers structured scouting programmes across four age-banded sections — Beavers (ages 6–8), Cubs (8–10.5), Scouts (10.5–14), and the partnered Voyager Explorer Scout Unit (14–18) — with a Squirrels section for ages 4–6 in planning. Approximately 120 young people participate weekly, supported by 26 adult volunteers including Charity Trustees and section leaders. Programme content covers outdoor activities, badge work, camping, expeditions, and Duke of Edinburgh Awards, delivered under the safeguarding, training, and insurance framework of the UK Scout Association.

The group's technology stack is intentionally lightweight and community-standard: a WordPress-based website using the SkillsForLife theme (developed by Mersey Weaver) serves as the public digital presence, while Online Scout Manager (OSM) handles end-to-end administration including membership management, waiting list, programme planning, event sign-ups, subscription collection, and badge tracking. There are no proprietary technology assets, mobile applications, or AI/ML capabilities. Communication and marketing rely on organic channels — a Facebook parent group, YouTube (@1stmaldenscoutgroup987), Instagram (@voyageresu), and word-of-mouth within the New Malden community.

The business model is subscription-based community charity funding. Membership subscriptions are charged per term across four tiers (£45.50 for Beavers up to £64 for Explorers, Autumn 2025), with separate charges for camps, expeditions, and Duke of Edinburgh registration. A supplementary revenue stream comes from hiring out the Scout HQ hall to local community groups on a minimum two-hour basis. Gift Aid is reclaimed at 25p per £1 donated. The group is affiliated with the UK Scout Association and operates under Royal Kingston Scout District, with the Explorer section managed as Voyager ESU under a partnership agreement. The primary constraint on growth is volunteer availability and physical HQ capacity rather than demand, with Cubs and Scouts currently over-subscribed.

Name

the scouts group

Legal name

1st Malden Scout Group

Website

https://1stmaldenscouts.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Short description

1st Malden Scout Group is a registered charity in New Malden, Surrey, founded in 1909, delivering age-banded scouting programmes (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers) to approximately 120 local young people weekly, supported by 26 adult volunteers and operating under the UK Scout Association.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

Keywords

• Youth scouting programs
• Outdoor adventure activities
• Badge and award schemes
• Community hall hire
• Volunteer-led youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Malden

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Term-based membership fees covering Scout Association membership, County/District fees, insurance, leader training, equipment, and section activity materials. Fees vary by section: Beavers £45.50, Cubs £50.65, Scouts £55.80, Explorers £64 per term (Autumn 2025). Fees collected via Online Scout Manager. Gift Aid reclaimable at 25p per £1.
2. Hall Hire: The Scout HQ hall is available for hire to local community groups for a minimum of two hours. The facility includes a hall with folding tables and stacked chairs, a small functional kitchen, parking for up to 6 cars, and a rear field. Prices and full details are available on the Hire our Hall page.
3. Camps and Activities (charged separately): Camps are charged separately from membership fees. Duke of Edinburgh Award registration costs £29 for Bronze/Silver and £36 for Gold (Summer 2025). Expedition costs with Greater London South West (GLSW) Scouts were around £100 Bronze, £150 Silver/Gold.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

1st Malden Scout Group delivers weekly scouting programmes across four age-banded sections (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Voyager Explorer Scout Unit) plus a planned Squirrels section for 4–6 year olds, running outdoor adventures, badge work, camps, and Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions for approximately 120 young people in New Malden. Membership is managed through Online Scout Manager, and the group's Tadworth Avenue HQ hall is also hired out to local community groups as a supplementary service.

Product overview

1st Malden Scout Group is a community youth organization offering a progression of Scouting sections: Squirrels (ages 4-6), Beavers (6-8), Cubs (8-10.5), Scouts (10.5-14), and Explorer Scouts via the Voyager Unit (14-18). The group also offers community hall hire services. The programmes focus on skill development, outdoor activities, badge-earning, and community involvement. The organization uses Online Scout Manager (OSM) for membership administration and programme management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 120 young people regularly attending across four sections, with established waiting list management and clear progression pathway through Beavers to Cubs to Scouts to Explorers.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Voyager Explorer Scout UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoyager Explorer Scout Unit (ESU) is partnered with 1st Malden Scout Group. The Unit meets at 1st Malden Scout HQ and draws members from 1st Malden, 2nd Malden, 7th Malden, and welcomes newcomers. Although managed by Royal Kingston Scout District, the ESU has a formal partnership agreement with 1st Malden. Voyager ESU meets weekly on Fridays from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
• Online Scout Manager (OSM)coreTechnology or IntegrationOSM is the group's primary administration platform, used for membership management, waiting lists, programme planning, event sign-ups, subscription payments, and badge tracking. Members and parents create OSM accounts to manage their involvement.
• The UK Scout AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner1st Malden is a local group affiliated with the UK Scout Association. The Association provides the framework for scouting activities, safeguarding policies, training for leaders, insurance, and membership administration. All adult volunteers must register with and are vetted by the Scout Association.
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)coreTechnology or IntegrationAll adult volunteers and leaders, as well as individuals staying overnight at camps, are required to undergo vetting by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This is a mandatory requirement of the Scout Association for all adult volunteers.
• Greater London South West (GLSW) County ScoutscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGLSW County delivers Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions for Explorer Scouts. Voyager ESU has access to experienced GLSW leaders who deliver high-quality expeditions at reasonable prices. In 2024/25 expedition costs were approx. £100 Bronze, £150 Silver/Gold.
• Royal Kingston Scout DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Kingston Scout District manages Explorer Scout Units including Voyager ESU. The District also has other ESUs (Centura, Endeavour, Eris, Leander, Sealion, Sky Cube, Horizon, Titan). Voyager ESU joins with Explorers from Royal Kingston, Wimbledon, and Wandle Districts for annual joint summer camps (locations including Wales, Dorset, Gilwell Park, Germany, and Switzerland).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• 2nd Malden Scout Group: Neighbouring Scout group in Malden explicitly named as a Voyager ESU feeder group alongside 1st Malden. Operates the same age-section structure under the same Royal Kingston District, making it the closest direct peer in product, model, and customer base.
• 7th Malden Scout Group: Local Scout group also feeding into Voyager ESU. Operates Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers under the same Royal Kingston District framework, with directly overlapping parent base in New Malden and surrounding areas.

Broad incumbents

• The Scout Association: National umbrella body and registered parent organisation for 1st Malden. Operates across all UK Scout groups with national programmes, safeguarding standards, training, and insurance — the broad incumbent governing the same product category at national scale.
• Girlguiding UK: UK's largest girl-only youth organisation with Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers sections. Competes for the same parent-child extracurricular budget in New Malden with a parallel age-progression model and uniformed youth development focus.
• The Boys' Brigade: Long-established UK uniformed youth organisation (founded 1883) providing structured activities for children and young people aged 5-18. Competes directly for the same faith- and community-based youth programme segment with similar badge and award systems.

Others

• Royal Kingston Scout District: Parent district organisation managing Explorer Scout Units including Voyager ESU. Operates multiple ESUs (Centura, Endeavour, Eris, Leander, Sealion, Sky Cube, Horizon, Titan) and provides the district-level governance layer above local groups.
• Greater London South West Scouts: County-level Scout body that delivers Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and joint summer camps (Wales, Dorset, Gilwell Park, Germany, Switzerland) for Explorer Scouts in the region. Functions as enabling infrastructure rather than a direct competitor.
• Sea Cadets: UK uniformed youth organisation for ages 10-18 with a naval/maritime focus. Offers a similar badge and adventure-led progression model but with a distinct specialisation, making it a partial overlap rather than direct competitor.
• St John Ambulance Cadets: Youth programme (ages 10-17) under St John Ambulance offering first aid training, volunteering, and personal development. Comparable age range and structured youth development offering, but with a healthcare specialisation rather than outdoor adventure.

Emerging players

• Woodcraft Folk: UK-wide cooperative youth organisation focused on social justice, environmental awareness, and outdoor activities for ages 4-20. Operates in a similar non-uniformed, community-led model but with a smaller footprint and ideologically distinct positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@1stmaldenscoutgroup987
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/1stmaldenscoutgroup

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about the scouts group