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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:

Babyroobs · 23/01/2013 17:05

Sounds like a good price to me. The cubs leaders give up their own time to do these camps. They are not compulsory, perhaps your boys could just do one a year or something.

secretscwirrels · 23/01/2013 17:10

Sounds like great value. In my years as parent helper at cubs I did a lot of the catering and shopping. They can get through a lot of food and drink. Lunches , snacks and it won't be just one burger at the BBQ for example, they will have bread, ketchup and some kind of pudding. Ours always had hot chocolate and a snack at bedtime as well.
We always asked the mums to bring cake

ClippedPhoenix · 23/01/2013 17:13

YABU.

It's a very reasonable amount. It's not their fault you are sending two, hence £70.

Ragwort · 23/01/2013 17:13

I am a cub leader and I think we must be seriously under-charging - our cub camp (2 nights) was only £8 as one of the leaders insisted it wasn't fair to charge more than that - ended up subsidising it out of group funds.

I think the key is your comment that 'you don't think much of the group'. Why don't you get involved, all Scout groups are run by committees and parents are invited to join (it is a real struggle to get many to show any interest ) - the accounts and financial records have to be available to view. Fund raising can be a real issue for many groups so it is not unreasonable to add a little on to the cost of the activity.

But if you think its too much, don't send your children, its not compulsory.

Ragwort · 23/01/2013 17:15

Even when a Scout Group owns the hut there are huge expenses, ie: heating/insurance/maintenance etc etc.

Original poster

SurroundedByBlue · 23/01/2013 17:24

I couldn't/wouldn't get involved as its run partly by my ex inlaws who do, I have to say, work very hard and put alot of effort in. I do think some aspects of it are dangerous etc but I am possibly over protective and have absolutely no knowledge of what is officially considered dangerous etc

I accept that I am being unreasonable, I thought I probably was as I've been in a very unreasonable mood all week (39 weeks pregnant and fed up) and am rather grumpy at the moment.

OP posts:

CloudsAndTrees · 23/01/2013 17:25

£35 for someone else to entertain your child for two nights is an absolute bargain. I honestly can't believe that anyone would be anything other than overjoyed that there are a group of strangers willing to put in all the time and effort required to give children exciting an memorable experiences for no pay.

If you have a problem with the way the group is run, I'm sure they would welcome you as a volunteer.

MackerelOfFact · 23/01/2013 17:28

I sure as hell wouldn't take someone else's kid for two nights and provide them with all food, accommodation and entertainment for £35.

I think that's a very reasonable amount considering the cub leaders will be giving up their own weekend for nothing to supervise and organise the nightmare camp. If you can't afford it then obviously it's too expensive for your DCs to attend, but it's pretty good value for what you're getting IMO.

makati · 23/01/2013 17:31

My DS is going camping at half term with scouts for 4 nights and that's costing £60 so that compares quite well with your cub camp. It's the school trips I find expensive but thankfully we can usually pay in installments for those.

PictureMeInThese · 23/01/2013 17:33

I think £35 is fine, but £3 a week for each child? Thats extortionate! Its £1 each week for brownies.

DreamingofSummer · 23/01/2013 17:35

I think you are being unreasonable. Scouts, Cubs, Brownies, Beavers are all incredibly cheap and so many people give their time for nothing.

ThingummyBob · 23/01/2013 17:48

I'm in Leeds and having been though the full range of these clubs with both my dc. (Currently ds is in cubs and dd is scouts & guides).

I think £35 is quite steep for two nights in hut/church hall or similiar. I have paid around £5-£10 per night for these types of sleepover. Sometimes with a little extra for food or activites, but no more than a fiver.

For £35 dd has a regional 3 night guide camp on May bank holiday this year. Thats in tents but with a variety of activities and transport there and back included. Most weekend camps cost between £10 & £25 with parents doing the lifts/travelling.

I have paid more; Scouts annual summer camp is usually around £130 for a week in the UK and was £240 for a week in Austria two years ago. One brownie camp cost £50 but was arranged nearly a year in advance so people could pay in small amounts. That was for a specialist activity though and the activity leader had to be paid. We were all made aware of why the cost was so high iyswim.

The scouts always do fundraising themselves too to keep costs down (bag packing and stalls at summer fairs etc)

If you think its high I'd politely tell the leaders that your dc are not attending and why. You are right, for two dc it soons adds up.

Waltons · 23/01/2013 18:00

Another Cub leader here.

If this Scout Group own their own hut, their running costs will be huge and every meeting and event will have to pay towards that. We charge £25 without a hut to run, just rent for the church hall.

Blue
Not much. Paintballing, Banana Boating and Bungee Jumping are banned.

Things like archery, shooting and climbing are called "Adventurous Activities" and you need training and a permit to run them.

McDonalds for breakfast is bloody stupid and should be on the banned list.

zookeeper · 23/01/2013 18:08

I'm with you OP - it seems a lot of money to me and would be out of reach for many families.

I've just paid £8 for a cub sleepover - they had sausages and baked potatoes , toast and cereal for breakfast and parents sent in cakes etc which kept the costs down.

DoodlesNoodles · 23/01/2013 18:08

YANBU (but only because you are 39 weeks pregnant). otherwise Y would have BU

mrsjay · 23/01/2013 18:21

the guides DD goes to go away for camps have food etc and it doesn't cost that much I know £35 isn't that expensive but they are in the scout hall and having a sausage

Ragwort · 23/01/2013 18:49

I echo what Waltons says, as leaders in scouting we have to do endless training & testing (and re-training every few years) to do activities, much more strenuous than many other organisations.

Breakfast at McDonalds sounds totally OTT & unecessary though.

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