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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this is far to expensive for a cub 'camp'

42 replies

SurroundedByBlue · 23/01/2013 16:17

The dc have bought a letter home with yet another 'camp' being arranged for next month.

It's for two nights, sleeping in a sleeping bag in the cub hut. They do this every few months and the routine is usually the same and includes:

A McDonalds breakfast
A BBQ - they have either one burger or hot dog each
Activities - the local park is a popular choice and an on site activity usually arts and crafts or organised games (football etc)

The cost of this is £35 per child. So £70 for me.

Is this as expensive as I think it is?

We are also asked to send in sending money for tuck shop and drinks.

Seems that every week we are being asked for more and more money. The weekly fees aren't too bad (£3 per child) but I am considering knocking the whole thing on the head as I just can't afford it anymore. I didn't mind last year when the cost was £30 to go away for two nights to a proper cub camp with other cubs and do rock climbing and orienteering etc but I don't want to pay £70 every 8 weeks for them to sleep in a hut.

(I know I could just say no, but i am a soft touch and don't want the dc to miss out)

OP posts:

ReallyTired · 23/01/2013 16:20

I think you are being offered a bargain. £35 for two nights is amazing value.

We had to pay £180 for three nights away with the school for one child.

boodles · 23/01/2013 16:21

There will be more food than the two things you mentioned, as they will need to be fed for each meal. Also lots of snacks. We do camps with our beavers, it can change in price dependent on how much the hut owners charge for the use. We normally charge 25 to 30 for one night (beavers can't stay away for longer than that)

BinkyWinky · 23/01/2013 16:21

I opened this expecting to see a figure in the hundreds, I think £35 is really quite reasonable.

CPtart · 23/01/2013 16:21

My son has done a few cub camps, usually two or three night stays away with the cost around fifty pounds. My DH has helped at one of them and says they are all fed really well, hot breakfasts, sandwiches and crisps etc for lunch and then another hot meal such as curry or hot pot at night. Supper as well. Activities such as canoeing, wall climbing, archery are also included so in our case I think it's really good value.

DeafLeopard · 23/01/2013 16:22

£35 for two nights including food sounds like a bargain to me.

Pancakeflipper · 23/01/2013 16:22

Before I opened this I I thought you going to be quoting about £160.

I think it's a bargain. Insurance, food, supplies, rental of hall, bits and pieces for activities. For 2 nights. Bargain.

redskyatnight · 23/01/2013 16:23

Am a brownie leader.
At least half of that will be the cost of the accomodation (yes, it may only be a hut but still costs). If it's like brownie the cub leaders are not allowed to make a profit on it (anything they do have extra will be used to buy future camp supplies) so they won't have costed it too highly.

TBH £35 for 2 days away including all food and activities is pretty cheap compared to the cost of other children's activities.

Pancakeflipper · 23/01/2013 16:24

And you don't have to do it every time.

happynewmind · 23/01/2013 16:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PrimrosePath · 23/01/2013 16:24

I don't know. It's amazing how the costs can mount up, 5 or 6 meals even at £2 per head will add up. Do they have to pay for the scout hut and insurance?

Dd had a brownie 'camp' in a church hall for one night and that cost £25. It seemed expensive to me. But I doubt that any profit was made.

happynewmind · 23/01/2013 16:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 23/01/2013 16:27

Maybe they use this as a way to raise funds for the pack? So in turn the cost of other activities can be subsidised.

Running these groups takes a lot of money and time and are run by volunteers who are caring and educating your children. So yes,i think YABU and ungrateful.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 23/01/2013 16:28

That is pretty cheap tbh.

A lot of that will be insurance and the cost of having the heating running I would think.

You don't have to do every single one.

I think scouting and guiding in general offer really good value for broadening children's experiences. I cannot think of anything else that would be so cheap for two nights away.

RobotLover68 · 23/01/2013 16:28

I'm a cub leader - I very rarely get complaints about the cost - but when I do, I quite gently point out that we don't make a profit

don't send them, none of the camps are compulsory

chrisrobin · 23/01/2013 16:29

I think £35 per head is quite reasonable, given they will need to be fed for the other meals as well as the McD's breakfast and BBQ, they will need craft materials and it is for 2 nights. My sons Beaver colony charge £20 for 1 night and I think that's pretty good value too, particularly as he has so much fun.

If you are having financial difficulties talk to the leader, I know in Guides there are grants that the unit can apply for to assist low income families to join in activities or provide uniform- I would assume there would be a similar thing in Scouts.

OddBoots · 23/01/2013 16:31

If they really happen every 8 weeks or so then it won't hurt to miss them sometimes and to be honest if my children were to miss one then one in February would be it.

sooperdooper · 23/01/2013 16:31

Why on earth are they having McDonalds for breakfast??

I don't think £35 is too bad really but surely just toast/cereal etc would be better and cheaper

ISeeSmallPeople · 23/01/2013 16:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pilgit · 23/01/2013 16:36

if the cub hut is the one they meet and as such do not have accomodation costs then it does seem steep, if they have to cover that thn no. This is said as a guider that organises camp for a week including activities such as horse riding, high wire, day trips, 3 cooked meals a day and snacks for £80pp. accomodation (inc wood cost, electric, showers - extra on a campsite!) will be about half. we would do a sleepover for £5 - including similar activities to those quoted. however in compriso to other youth things this is not extortionate!

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 23/01/2013 16:36

Who provides the arts and crafts provisions? Where does lunch come from? Who provides the insurance?

I think being able to send your child on camp for two nights for £35 represents good value for money to be honest.

IncognitoIsMyFavouriteWord · 23/01/2013 16:37

That is expensive in my book.

For 2 nights DS's scout and cub group will do a hike, hide and seek in the dark using torches, prepare and cook their own food and its certainly a lot more than one burger or hotdog. Scout leader always provides a healthy balanced breakfast. They then do some archery or rifle shooting. They also build their own camp fire collecting wood etc.

All that will cost me about £25.
Summer camp is about £60 but it is for 4 days and they do so much more including rafting kayaking wall climbing etc

They also do a back to basics camp for one night where they'll just sleep under a tarp but they still do some activities and food is still provided. That one is about £15.

I always fee its fantastic value for money as DS has fun, learns a few things and I get a break

NatashaBee · 23/01/2013 16:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

SurroundedByBlue · 23/01/2013 16:49

They own the cub hut (well at least I think they do, if its rented out for birthday parties etc its rented from the scout leader)

I'm happy to be told its quite normal to pay so much, just seems like a lot for not actually going anywhere iyswim. I hadn't thought of taking the craft materials etc into account. I know they are struggling for money (the summer carnival was cancelled due to rain and I think they usually make a bit from stalls there) so they are trying to regain some of the loss they made. It just seemed better value for money when they did the camp with the tents and out door activities etc

I may be biased as I don't think much of the group and the way its run as a whole (although I appreciate that not doing it myself or putting the effort in like the leaders I don't really have a right to comment)

OP posts:

valiumredhead · 23/01/2013 16:52

It sounds a bragain to me! I'm not even going to tell you what we just paid the school for one night away trip!

Groovee · 23/01/2013 17:00

When we do guide or brownie camps, we have to pay per head including adults per night at average £4 each, then £10 for food budget, then we have to pay for gas/electricity too, then we had craft. For 18 girls we charged £40 for 2 nights with very nice home cooked meals from me as I was the caterer and then each adult paid £10 each. I had a budget of £240 and by shopping in 4 shops managed to get the food for £209 so we could use more money on the electric as it was a cold weekend.

We have to do full accounts for the weekend and usually we're lucky to come in under budget for the weekend including any badges they may have achieved.

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