Sawston Youth Group (SYG) is a structured activity youth group and registered charity based in Sawston, Cambridgeshire. Our group is based on a foundation of Christian values and principles and encourages fellowship of its members and leaders through a wide range of activities and events.
SYG is affiliated to the National Boys’ Brigade organisation and is also known as the 2nd Sawston Boys’ Brigade. This enables the group to obtain nationally recognised youth work qualifications such as the Youth Leader qualification, holiday and camp craft awards and expedition and outdoor leadership awards. Also, this affiliation enables the group to offer the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. The group also benefits from being a member of the Boys’ Brigade canoe club which offers many varied and challenging canoeing opportunities.All of our leaders are volunteers who have been DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) approved. We are also very fortunate to be affiliated to St Mary’s Church Sawston, and one of our leaders is Rev Kathryn Waite who offers invaluable confidential pastoral support, to both members and leaders.
The overall aim of SYG is to promote self-confidence, teamwork, discipline and a sense of individual and social responsibility. As stated in our motto, we are dedicated to ‘providing opportunities for young people.’ In addition to our weekly Monday activities, we run a very active and popular Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme
with regular expeditions: have our very own (and very talented),
marching band and specialise in canoeing and kayaking activities. Our annual
summer residential is a very popular and integral part of the SYG year, which is thoroughly enjoyed by members and leaders alike.
In September 2014 the group launched a new section called Explorers for those in school years 1 and 2. In this way the group is able to offer SYG to anyone from school years 1 to school year 13.We have over 60 members and 19 voluntary leaders – making us one of the largest voluntary youth groups in South Cambridgeshire. We now have four different sections: Explorers (school years 1-2 (Age 5-7yrs)), Juniors (school years 3-6 (Age 8-11yrs)), Seniors (school years 7-9 (Age 11-14yrs)), and Amicus (school years 10 -13 (Age 15-18yrs)).
When we meet
All four sections meet on Monday evenings (during term time) in the Marven Centre at Sawston Village College,
see
here for a map.
Explorers – 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Juniors – 6.30pm – 7.50pm
Seniors – 7.30pm – 9.00pm
Amicus – 7.30pm – 9.30pm (DofE from 9.00 – 9.30pm)
The band meets every week on a Thursday evening (during term time), from 7pm to 8.30pm at Sawston Village College, Sawston. The band performs at a variety of events throughout the year. See
here for further information.
Cost
The cost per term is £45 to include both SYG and band.
So the cost from January 2024 to April 2024 is £45. We encourage all parents that are taxpayers to sign a gift aid form.
There is a uniform cost of £25 payable once and as long as the uniform comes back clean and tidy we will upgrade to a bigger size as well as change if a young person changes section for nothing. The uniform belongs to SYG and must be returned in good condition.