Report scouts volunteers for stealing food?

[ThereIsACatOnMyLapAgain]

Volunteers in scouts do a hard job. I know the positive impact scouts has and Im very grateful to the volunteers.

We moved house 6 months ago and my son changed scout groups.

Last month I volunteered to help at a 2 night scout camp. "Scouts" means cubs and scouts. It was pretty physical with lots of walking, some climbing etc.

The leaders didnt give the scouts much to eat. For example, breakfast was a bowl of own brand cereal but the cereal only just covered the bottom of the (admittedly large) bowl with literally a splash of milk. Lunch was one slice of burger type cheese in 2 slices of cheap white bread and a packet of own brand crisps. Dinner was one hot dog from a jar in a bread bun or pasta with an own brand jar sauce. No snacks. Apparently they didn't cook enough pasta and some of the older scouts didn't even have any dinner at all one day. I didn't know about this until my son told me.

I'm not bothered by the quality/unhealthy food for 3 days and Im certainly not expecting any "proper cooking", however, the amount of food was just so little and the scouts were complaining they were hungry.all the time.

I wasn't in charge of the food and the kitchen was kept locked. When I asked, they said they needed to make the food last so I assumed they were on a tight budget and/or the volunteers had to buy the food themselves. Not great but understandable to ration. Then I overheard one of the leaders saying their funds were very healthy.

On the last day I was helping to clean up and went in the kitchen and saw bags of fresh food, tins of branded soup, tins of fruit, expensive pot noodles, packs of ham etc. They were all bought for camp.

I asked what happens to any left over food and was told that the leaders take it. I said should we give some of this food out as the scouts are hungry. They reluctantly agreed I could give out the tinned fruit which I did. When I went back into the kitchen afterwards all the food had disappeared.

One of the leaders later joked about how happy her rabbit would be with the fresh salad. I didn't click the comment straight away.

So the volunteers bought plenty of food using scout funds but then kept a significant amount aside to take home and fed the scouts crap. I can't see any other explanation? My son said afterwards that the scouts in his tent had snack bars with them because it's normal to not have enough food at scout camps.

His previous group was so, so different. They would invite other groups to eat with them and send the scouts home with any left over food.

My wife thinks I need to report it to the district as theft but I'm not sure that is wise.

I'm not in the position to go to all events/camps.

YANBU - of course you report it. The scouts are not being fed properly and the leaders may as well just be taking the subs money. If they steal food like this, what else are they dishonest about?

YABU - they will know you reported it which may impact on your son's treatment. Volunteers deserve to take home some cake every so often. Plus, good luck finding new volunteers if reporting causes some volunteers to get sacked/quit. 3 days of limited food isnt a big deal in the grand scheme of scouts and not enough to potentially force the group to close.

They were in huts and the "camp fire" was a chimnea type thing.

Also I agree that all that time and work for a box of crisps and some salad for your rabbit just doesn't make sense. That has also put me off doing anything because ot sounds ridiculous.

I can’t understand how the kids just rolled with it. I went on a brownie trip to a museum recently and from about 11 was asked is it lunchtime yet (lunch was their own packed lunch at 12 noon)
Is there a post camp feedback or could you suggest one. We do one eg what was favourite activity/least favourite etc could add food too.
Food is usually basic and of the white carb variety but no one should be hungry.

That’s awful, what horrible people. If my child was there I’d be fuming.
i mean are you sure it’s true? Seems a lot of hassle and hungry moaning to listen to for a carton of ham.

I was all for saying come on, they’re volunteers but no, this isn’t ok.

I have done overnights as a volunteer with a similar organisation. Food is given fairly to the children and then leaders. We might have a few bags of crisps or half a bottle of juice leftover and we share that out but that’s it.

You should report the lack of food on camp for the Cubs/Scouts to the Group Lead Volunteer (GSL) and also the District Lead (DC). Adult volunteers helping taking leftover food is normal if it’s perishable but the lack of food for participants is inadequate, if reported correctly, and needs addressing to stop it happening again.

Giving benefit of doubt I’d assume an inexperienced leader in charge of food. There’s no way you volunteer (2 or 3 days little sleep, constantly on duty just for a few leftovers) plus why add to your workload with hassle of dealing with the kids saying ‘I’m hungry’
We plan trips and food timings as a group of leaders. We have a leader who doesn’t have children so to her dinner time was 7pm not 5pm and barely eats herself and but as a group we input and get there between us. Obviously it helps to do regular trips and see what works for your group but in general we follow school type eating schedules and don’t go long without food/drink.
Speaking up though is part of volunteering role if things aren’t right.

According to my son, some of the older ones who have been on camps before had bought secret snacks because they know they don't get enough food. I didn't see/hear that but it's what my son told me afterwards and asked if he could do the same. He is generally good at telling the truth.

This does suggest that at least some parents know about the situation and accept it?

Some of the younger ones were very timid and/or drown out by the "more boistorous" ones so wpuldnt say anything.

There were children complaining aboit being hungry but as I said, I was told by the leaders that we had to ration.

The more I think about this the more crap I feel.

I will raise it. I will need to think how and who to though. I might contact his old group and ask for their advice. Its a different region but I'll talk it through with them.

For some of the children, this is the only opportunity they have to do stuff like this. There aren't any other groups close by if this one was to close.

Rather than report for stealing, why don't you report for there not being adequate food provided. Listing out the provision as you did and asking for clarity on the other food that you saw? That way you're not accusing anyone but asking for answers

People are so wicked, why would they do this. I can understand taking home what's left but purposely not feeding the kids properly so you can take it is just wicked💔

We sometimes have parents volunteer to help with food prep, especially on larger cub camps. We also sometimes ask parents to help set up camp. Maybe someone can offer to do that so can monitor food. But I would certainly start on focussing on the food portions, and hopefully get to the bottom of that. Then follow up with what happens to leftover food

I don't understand how anyone can volunteer for such an activity and listen to DC saying that they are still hungry? Or that they didn't get a lunch/ dinner and completely ignore this???
I think this group has far bigger problems than just food rationing/ stealing.

As a previous cub scout leader I can honestly say that this is disgusting and needs reporting. The kids were extremely well fed when we took them away and the leaders took their own foods and never touched the cubs. Thats paid for by their parents and subs each week. The leaders used to buy ingredients themselves to make things with the cubs to get badges and stuff so for them to be taking the food home is not right at all.

It's very odd tbh. I used to QM for Guide camp and a daily menu would be something like - porridge or cereal plus a cooked item eg scrambled eggs or French toast or a bacon roll. Elevenses would be fruit, lunch would be a pasta salad and a light pudding eg angel delight, afternoon snack would be cake, dinner would be a main course eg fish pie and a more substantial pudding eg bananas and custard and then there would be cocoa and biscuits around the campfire before bed. If we were out for the day the girls would have a packed lunch of one or 2 rounds of sandwiches, crisps, fruit and cake. I'd say this was a pretty standard menu for all the camps I've been on. (Parents were asked to supply the cakes).

Yes it sounds like whole thing needs looking at food wise.
We don’t encourage ‘secret snacks’ as it’s a nightmare with all the various allergies.
If it’s a trip where kids need to bring food or snacks then we make that clear and rules re what is permitted.
We do a a model of
Breakfast - cereal/brioche/fruit juice
snack - drink and biscuit
Lunch - (roll with ham or cheese or tuna) crisps, fruit. Possibly cucumber/toms.
Snack - drink and biscuit/leftover fruit
Tea - pasta or pizza or jacket spuds with filling
Supper - hot chocolate and biscuits

i do a lot of the cooking for our camps - including group camp for nearly 200 people! I am probably the other end of the scale but my feeling is full scouts are happy scouts!

For example last group camp was for nearly 200 people (and I welcomed all and any help in the kitchen!

Friday night
Cubs had pizzas and Scouts made own pizza with the pizza oven. This was just a snack tea as were told to eat before they came. They then had hot choc and biscuits for supper.

Saturday
Breakfast was a full fry up including bacon, sausages, eggs, hashbrowns, baked beans, onions and mushrooms. Then there was cereal and toast.

Morning snack of chopped fruit and veg platters plus biscuits

Lunch was picked from a form so we knew quantities to buy and then volunteers assembled the sarnies and packed up the lunches into labelled brown bags.

• sandwich (options of cheese, ham, tuna or egg and then saiuces/salad options)
• crisps
• treat eg kit kat, lemon slice, penguin, etc
• piece of fruit

Afternoon snack of bisuits

Dinner was a BBQ - everyone got a burger and a sausage plus a bun, new potatoes, coleslaw and salads, there was corn on the cob too. Other camps we have chilli and jacket potato etc. Pudding of cake and custard.

Then supper of biscuits and hot choc.

Sunday breakfast is always eggy bread with any leftover fry up ingredients, berries and chopped banana, along with cereal/toast.

Food is always put out - first serving is always portion controlled and then leftover are up for grabs for seconds/thirds until it is all gone or eveyrone has had enough.

Any thing left at the end of the camp is now either taken to the food bank (if long life) as we have some mice issues in our stores and persihable or open stuff if divided up and taken by anyone hanging around at the end of the camp - leaders/parents etc.

Disgusting behaviour, starving kids for a weekend for their own gain. Absolutely report.

I’m a Brownie leader. We absolutely take home leftover food at the end of camp. I’m taking off annual leave, spending all weekend voluntarily with 20+ kids and responsible for them all weekend. I think my quarter of a loaf of bread and some mayo is justified. BUT (and it’s a big but) we provide so much food for the kids all weekend - 3 course breakfast, filling lunch and two course multi option dinner plus fruit and biscuits all day. Did they not give you the menu beforehand? I’d be questioning that to be honest.

@Londonmummy66 when my dd was a brownie that was on kit list every girl had to bring a cake. We buy everything now because of allergies.
We sometimes do a bacon or sausage butty for breakfast. Or supper would be s’mores around fire.
Even if money is tight you factor in food. A bakery donated all our bread for free one time. Biscuits are cheap and long life I can’t understand skimping on those.

You should complain in a way about the quality, quantity and serving of food, especially as you have experience of other camps , that they have to look into it officially. Don’t make any accusations but compare eg last camp was so much cheaper and the kids had this, this and this to eat. Find the menu and say this food was promised but kids didn’t get. Get other parents to feedback as well - either the camp should be cheaper or the food needs to better. I would be a right pain in the arse and ask for a refund for poor food if it didn’t match the promised menu. That would make them have to look into it.

I like you idea of talking to old group. You may find this current group are already on the radar or this can be flagged up to higher up the chain on your behalf anonymously.
I'm a Guider with connections to Scouting and there is always "that" group or leader that everyone knows or suspects and cannot prove.

Not every volunteer is a good volunteer for every role. I was caterer recently and my leftovers were 2 quarter boxes of good cereal ( will make into crispy cakes), 1 loaf, 2 portions of spag bol, 2 cucumbers( we bought extra as we couldnt keep them in cucumber last time) 2 pints of milk 1 multipack of crisps, 2 quarter boxes of good cereal ( will make into crispy cakes & serve with crisps for party night )

our girls moan all we do is eat at camp!

I would email the leaders first about the budget and food provision first and get their side (however spurious). Whatsapp/email the other parents to gauge their support /views. Then make a complaint to the district.

Reasonable for leaders to take spare food home but not to leave the lads hungry in the process. They sound like absolute chavs.

OP. Have you spoken to your son's previous Scout Leaders for advice? They may have some insights about how to report this. Also they know you for several years as a responsible parent, if asked.

Just to say - thank you to all you brilliant volunteers! Whether scouts, guides or another organisation.
You make a huge difference to the young people you help and I know that isn't always recognised or appreciated.

We have cub camp next weekend. (I'm a cub leader)

They have the following on a typical day:

Breakfast - cooked breakfast, cereals, bread and jam - they can have all 3
elevenses - cereal bar + fruit
lunch - roll, salad, crisps, yoghurt, cake
threeses - fruit
dinner - something along the lines of chicken kebabs + burger in a bun + corn on the cob + dessert
supper - hot chocolate + cakes

We STILL have food left over. We have so much food that they are constantly eating, but they are also continually hungry as they are outside and running about doing activities.

I would not be happy as a parent with your scouts being hungry