{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Thanks to a dedicated team of Scouts volunteers, Thursday evenings at Sheffield Children\u2019s Hospital look a little different. They bring fun and laughter to young patients, their siblings and their parents or carers. Here\u0027s how the Group run Scouts in a hospital setting.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/5nkh4i4w/group-running-scouts-in-sheffield-childrens-hospital.jpg","width":640,"height":480,"altText":"The image shows six Scout volunteers stood against a white wall inside a room in a hospital. There are three volunteers at the back with the other three volunteers stood in front of them, and they\u0027re all wearing red hoodies or tops with their Scout Group logo, as well as yellow and green neckers.","caption":"These six volunteers run a Scout Group for young patients in Sheffield Children\u0027s Hospital","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESheffield Children\u0027s Hospital\u003C/a\u003E Scout Group run activities that are designed to include young people with different support needs. From crafts and painting to quizzes and wordsearches, each Section Night has a different themed activity, giving young people something exciting to look forward to.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne activity the patients enjoy is animal mask making, which can easily be adapted. For example, if a young person struggles with fine motor skills, they can be given larger materials. You could also suggest they work in pairs with another young person or with a volunteer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENeil, the Group Lead Volunteer, has been volunteering at Scouts for over 25 years. After spending time supporting the hospital during his role as County Lead Volunteer, he enjoyed it so much that he decided to take on a permanent role. Neil and his team of volunteers help bring adventure to young people when they need it most.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/k4adk14m/neil-group-lead-volunteer-for-sheffield-childrens-hospital-scout-group.jpg","width":640,"height":480,"altText":"The image shows Neil, the Group Lead Volunteer for 1st Sheffield Children\u0027s Hospital Scout Group. He\u0027s wearing glasses and looking directly at the camera and the image is a headshot up to his shoulders. He\u0027s standing in front of a white background and is wearing a red Scouts polo t-shirt and a yellow and green Scouts necker.","caption":"Neil, the Group Lead Volunteer for 1st Sheffield Children\u0027s Hospital Scout Group","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat\u2019s the impact?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor young patients, hospital stays can be long and boring. The Scout Group gives young people a chance to have fun, be creative and spend time with others their own age. And it gives parents or carers a well-earned break too!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENeil says the greatest benefit is to the patients\u2019 health and wellbeing. In fact, the Group is even thought to have helped speed up some recoveries! With many young people already struggling with their mental health, having something to look forward to during their hospital stay can make a huge difference.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne young person was awarded a \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/awards-and-recognition/meritorious-conduct-and-gallantry-awards/\u0022 title=\u0022Meritorious Conduct and Gallantry Awards\u0022\u003EScouts\u2019 Medal for Meritorious Conduct\u003C/a\u003E for the courage and determination she showed in taking part in Scouts while receiving cancer treatment. Being away from her friends at school was difficult, but Scouts brightened up her day. Her mum said the fun and laughter helped her get through.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EOvercoming challenges\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERunning a Scout Group in a hospital isn\u2019t quite the same as a usual Section Night.\u00A0Neil shared some of the unique challenges, from navigating hospital rules and regulations to making sure people know the Group exists. Neil\u0027s role involves raising awareness of Scouts, as many people in the local community aren\u0027t aware of what Scouts offers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEvery week looks different. On some nights, lots of young people join in, while there might only be a few on other nights. With a high turnover of hospital staff, it\u2019s a challenge to keep everyone aware of the Group.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the volunteers take it all in their stride. They stay flexible, ready for anything and focus on building strong relationships with hospital and play scheme staff. Getting a mention in the hospital bulletin has also been a great way to spread the word!\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/bfib1phe/sheffield-hospital-group-badge.png","width":356,"height":382,"altText":"The image shows a blue Scout badge with a white border. The green text around the badge says \u00271st Sheffield Children\u0027s Hospital Scout Group\u0027 and there\u0027s an illustration of a yellow bear wearing a necker, an eye patch and a sling on its arm. The bear\u0027s right paw is held up next to its ear.","caption":"Badge for 1st Sheffield Children\u0027s Hospital Scout Group","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EA legacy of hospital Scout Groups\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERunning Scouts in hospitals has been happening for a while. John, a member of the UK Inclusion Team, has been bringing adventure to young patients since the 1960s.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGreat Ormond Street\u003C/a\u003E to \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://rhcg.org.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGlasgow\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital\u003C/a\u003E, John has dedicated decades to making sure young patients can experience Scouts. John highlights the importance of being flexible and adapting activities so every young person can take part.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003ELooking to the future\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENeil and the team have plans to make the Group even better. Thanks to a generous donation of over \u00A32,000 from the 2nd Uxbridge St Margaret\u2019s Scout Group\u2019s Centenary Fundraising Appeal, they\u2019re now exploring ways to improve green spaces at the hospital.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey\u2019re collaborating with hospital staff to decide whether to create an indoor garden or refurbish the hospital\u2019s memorial garden. They\u2019d also love to set up a regular bulletin about the Group, so more staff and families know they\u2019re there.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor now, their focus is on keeping Thursday evenings fun, welcoming and packed with adventure \u2013 just as Scouts should be!\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"15 May 2025","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Equity, Diversity and Inclusion","url":"/volunteers/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"Supporting people with additional needs","url":"/volunteers/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/including-disabled-and-neurodivergent-people/","newWindow":false}],"relatedLinks":[],"id":85691,"nodeName":"Hospital Scout Group runs activities for young patients","title":"Hospital Scout Group runs activities for young patients","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/5nkh4i4w/group-running-scouts-in-sheffield-childrens-hospital.jpg?cc=0.15199750312109864,0.295916472163419,0.03963795255930088,0.09781011959688067\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dbd4755f781910","caption":"Group Running Scouts In Sheffield Children\u0027s Hospital","type":"jpg","size":162500,"width":640,"height":480,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Hospital Scout Group runs activities for young patients","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Find out how a hospital based Scout Group is bringing adventure to young patients and read tips for setting up a Group in a hospital.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC84NTY5MSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2025/may/hospital-scout-group-runs-activities-for-young-patients/"}