Welcome to 1st Ely Beavers

Who are our Beavers?

Beavers at 1st Ely are young people, aged 6 to 8, who:

• Master new skills and try new things.
• Have fun and go on everyday adventures.
• Make great new friends.
• Are curious about the world around them.
• Help others and make a difference, right here on their own doorsteps in Ely and beyond.

Every week, they gather in our 1st Ely Beaver Colony to hop, skip, and jump their way through lots of different games and activities—achieving anything they set their minds to and having a whole lot of fun along the way.

What do 1st Ely Beavers get up to?

Being a Beaver is all about growing and learning in small but mighty ways. Here are some of the things you’ll get up to with your new friends in our Colony:

Exploring the great outdoors You’ll spend lots of time outside with the Colony. Together, we might build a den, explore local green spaces like Ely Country Park, or host a Beaver sleepover beneath the Cambridgeshire stars. And even though you might not be ready to climb Mount Everest just yet, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of adventures right here on your own doorstep. Being a Beaver is all about making the most of what you have, wherever and whoever you are.

Trying new activities and learning new things Going to Beavers is very different from going to school. Instead of learning from books, you’ll figure the world out by exploring, playing, and doing.

The most important skills you’ll learn at 1st Ely Beavers are the ones that will make you feel super strong standing on your own two feet. We call these character skills. They include things like integrity—which means being honest and doing what you think is right—and initiative—which means knowing how to take the lead on something without being asked. It’s all about having the courage to try new things and learn from them.

Helping others Our Beavers work as a team to help other people, both in our local Ely community and further afield. Whether they’re trying to change the whole world or simply helping a friend take the leap to try something new on a rainy Tuesday night, they always lend a hand.

Who leads our Beavers?

Our Colony is made up of young people aged 6 to 8, guided by our fantastic team of adult Beaver leaders. Other amazing 1st Ely adult volunteers are always on hand to supervise activities, share their unique skills, and keep everyone safe.

Within our Colony, Beavers are also part of a “Lodge.” A Lodge is a smaller group of Beavers, usually headed up by a young person who takes on a peer leadership role (sometimes known as a Lodge Leader or Junior Leader).

Being a peer leader is about being a superhero for a little while—doing things like welcoming new people to the Colony, being extra helpful during a camp, or taking charge of a game or activity. Everyone takes it in turns to take on the challenge, helping them build confidence.

Beavers usually stand together in their Lodges at the beginning and end of our meetings, and they tend to stick together on trips away or during certain activities, building a brilliant sense of teamwork!