MORE girls than boys have been taking The Promise and joining the Scouts in Birmingham for the first time in the organisation’s 100-year history.

A total of 31 girls joined groups across the city last year compared to just 20 boys, as female membership more than doubled since 2004, according to The Scout Association.

Traditionally seen as a movement to help young boys to learn practical skills, girls have been able to join since 1996.

And in the Beaver group of 32nd Birmingham, girls now outnumber boys by nine to three.

Melody Jones, 23, Beaver Scout Leader for the branch, said a higher number of girls did not change the dynamic of the group.

“There has been a rise in girl membership for quite a few years,” she said.

“They all do the same activities and they all do the same badge work. It has always been predominantly boys but it has opened up to girls. Scouts offers the same opportunities as Girl Guides but with the Scouts, there are both boys and girls, so it depends on what people feel comfortable with.

“I love it. I’ve had so many opportunities from it that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

The rise in girl membership has coincided with a surge in young people signing up to Scout groups with an all-time high of more than 300 children on the waiting list in Birmingham.

More than 2,000 young people are on the waiting list across the whole of the West Midlands and the 21st Sutton Coldfield Scout group was named as the sixth fastest growing branch in the UK.

Abi Collier, an explorer scout from Birmingham, said: “I love Scouting and we’ve got a great mix of girls and boys in my local unit.

“The opportunities offered to you every week are amazing – one week you could be abseiling down a cliff face, the next doing conservation work.

“You just wouldn’t be able to do anything like this anywhere else. I’d definitely encourage young people of all ages to join.”

Anyone who would like more information about joining the Scouts or becoming a Scout leader can log on to www.scouts.org.uk.