Why do people fear the Woodcraft Folk?

[spidermama]

I don't think we had them in Scotland. I have only heard bits and pieces about them. I had a quick look at their website which doesn't give much away, but they have some lovely campsites.

I mentioned them to dh on the phone just now and he sounded alarmed. 'What do you want to contact them for?'

There are also references on other threads about Woodcraft Folk making children into weirdos.

I've never been averse to swimming agains the tide, but just exactly why do people react against the Woodcraft Folk.

Come on. You can be honest.

You'll love it - as long as there is a good group leader (as with anything!) The great group I was in was in Coventry and had been running for years, then when we moved to Plymouth there was a group there just starting, we went for a term then jacked it in as we knew more about what we were meant to be doing than the leaders, and they were leaning towards being a bit girl guide about it all (read uptight which is definately not a WCF thing to be)

Hope you find a good group as they're really worth it.

LOL at the Ray Mears thing - men are wierd sometimes...

spidermama, indeed, I fit very well into pinko lefty, socialist and hippy habitats.

our new woodcraft folk pack has a leader called Ghee. am wondering if we will have to call ourselves after curry ingredients - it looks like Fennel will fit well as a name there

I love the idea of the Woodcraft Folk for when dd is older, but I expect a lot of them are into alternative medicine so I will have to keep my mouth shut.

there doesn;t seem to be one near us, shame, but there is one in Gledhow in Leeds.
My nephews live near there and think the tooth fairies live in Gledhow Valley woods, so it is very appropriate

The WCF website has a very good information pack for people wanting to start a Woodchips group (for under 6) and I guess they have similar resources for other age groups too. I was very interested in starting Woodchips a few years back but for one reason or another didn't get round to it and now we found this group ready-made for DS when he turned 6. But it's always an option.

You need two committed, reliable adults. They tend to favour meetings in places other than churches, so a community hall, for example. DS's group meets 6.30-8 pm, so quite late. After their group the venturers meet, they have disco and ping=pomg usually. It's 30p contribution.

When I checked them out years ago (there's a group around Hanover) it seemed like if you didn't make the grade as a parent they didn't want your child. It was very much "what can you offer to the group" and I know that if you had a skill they valued (like knitting your own sanitary products [grin}) you would be allowed to skip the long waiting list that was obviously for plebs like me!

OOh, I do wish we had had this conversation at lunchtime spidermama!

That's not good, is it, Sunny? There was no questioning at all when I asked for DS to join. Must vary with the leader.

My friend used to go to woodcraft folk..i'd neve heard of them until a drunken evening whe he talked about them
His dad was a very prominent communist and sent all his kids to wcf.

my friend now votes conservative and is as smug as hell

doin't do it spidermama, they'll all become bankers.

seriously tho i can't wait to send my little elf.. sounds fantastic.

SunnyD I too was wishing we had this conversation when I was on my way home after lunch today. I had a hunch it was something you'd have experience of.

Next time eh?

Oops I wouldn't object if one of mind spurned the creadtive life in favour of something a little more fruitful. It's not like my pension plans would win any awards after all.

lol sm

ds1 went to playgroup in his trousers, my friend thought he looked like mick jagger. girls' trousers make the legs look long and slim, strangely
they are now on the washing hanger and he keeps looking at them and saying Q"my pink trousers"
WCF would have no probs wearing womens' attire IMO

I'd never even heard of the woodcraft folk till this thread but am pmsl at the title

Does anyone know anything about the Bromley group? I live in Penge, and I think my two might really enjoy this. I like them to be able to go to the same clubs, so the fact that it is mixed sex appeals - and I was brought up anti-Brownies, and am now an aethiest, so it all sounds quite good to me. I'd be more interested in a slightly chaotic than a regimented group!

Definitely want to do this with DS when he's older. Ex-WCF people we know all seem very normal and I prefer the ethos to Cubs/Scouts. Also, of course, Scouts isn't open to atheists (\link{http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/newsarticleview.asp?article=2059\www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/newsarticleview.asp?article=2059}) so knitting our own muesli is the only option...

Have to say that in our experience the God thing isn't a big deal in Beavers and Cubs. It might take on more meaning in Scouts. A lot depends on which group you join. One that is attached to (eg) a Catholic or High Anglican church might be a bit more Godwearing than (eg) the Sally Army (hip hip hooray) who are just very nice people. That isn't to say that if there was a local WCF I wouldn't try that out.

It's not really about how Godwearing they are -- but it's official Scout Association policy that an atheist cannot be a member. Their "Equal Opportunities" policy states that "the Religious Policy of the Association prohibits Membership to anyone who denies the spiritual side of human beings or the existence of a spiritual power greater than any human being".

I know that several sections are perfectly happy to have atheists provided that they make the Promise (which includes a mention of God) and keep quiet about their beliefs but personally I would find that hypocritical. Even the Beaver promise includes a promise "to love God"; if I am teaching DS that he should only make promises he can keep and that DH and I don't believe in a god or gods then I can't in all conscience encourage him to make a promise like that (no criticism of those non-believers who can square it with their value system, and who knows maybe I'd take a more pragmatic attitude if there weren't local WCF groups to provide an alternative).

Anyone know anything about the two groups near Leeds? No contact addys on the listing.

spidermama I can't find the poster now - it's been taken down. Am going to contact via website.

I tired that puddle but they haven't got back to me. Perhaps it's actually the woodcraft folk who fear us and not the other way around.

I haven't been since 1979,(Year of the Child, HUGE global village camp, totem poles galore!). And I can still remember the creed.:

I will grow strong and straight like the pine
Supple of limb like the hare
Keen of eye like the eagle
I will seek health from the greenwood
Skill from crafts
And wisdom from those who will show me wisdom
I will be a worthy member of the green company
and a loyal member of the world family.
How

(yes, we did say How like a red Indian at the end)

we went to our first woodcraft folk meeting last night. it was a hoot. we made a pretend fire and sang songs about the arms race. before i knew it we'd volunteered to go as a whole family to spring camp for 2 days.

we weren't vetted before joining. unless they surreptitiously checked out my details from using my work email address.

and it's Clans not Covens or Sects . you can choose your own clan name.

some of it was slightly on the weird side but no more so than "Pixies round the toadstool" songs we did in brownies.

ooooh, i remember that thread.

am rereading it...

bloody hell I'm on it! I thought I was still lurking then...

"Also, of course, Scouts isn't open to atheists"???

Funny - mine all went!