Nights Away Residentials

Nights Away Notifications

From 1st January 2026  ALL RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCES need to be notified at least 2 weeks prior to the event via the National NAN form which can be accessed here

Details of the Nights Away Scheme rules can be found at Chapter 9: Activities | Policy, Organisation and Rules | Scouts

Until the latest updates to the national system are released, we will implement the additional steps in the National NAN process

From 1.1.26, all NANs to be entered via the National NAN form:

1. Anyone entering a NAN on the national system to email [email protected] and their GLV that the NAN has been issued.
2. The NAN and RA will be reviewed and feedback provided
3 The NAP holder and GLV will be emailed that the review has been completed and they will need to check on scouts.org.uk for comments. 4. When NAP holders have completed any changes required and resubmitted the NAN, they will email [email protected]
and the updated RA will be reviewed.
5. Once the NAN is approved, this will be emailed to the NAP holder and GLV that the NAN is approved.
Note: This is a temporary workaround until the National system is updated to include email notifications around NAN’s

Following an issue where a NAN was raised within 7 days of the date of a camp/sleepover, the DLV has confirmed the following:

POR is very clear on the required 7 days minimum.    District Lead Volunteers have been instructed by Gilwell to not approve nights away where the notice has not been received in that period as part of our safety improvements.

The outcome of this situation was that the Nights Away event was not approved and did not go ahead

Note: Nights Away Activities taking place without approval (and therefore no legal cover) may lead to permit cancellation and/or membership suspension. Please help us avoid these difficult conversations by planning ahead.

Nights Away Assessor Team

We have a team of Nights Away Assessors who will mentor and support leaders through the process of securing their Nights Away Permit. To start this process, please complete the attached application form via the on line form which can be accessed via the scouts.org.uk

Go:  my membership/programme support/permits/my permits and click on the “New Permit” button

For permit renewals – also need to fill in the online form but this is accesses slightly differently

Go:  my membership/programme support/permits/my permits and open up Nights Away Permit.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Renew Permit” button

All permit assessments will be carried out using the National Assessment checklist which can be downloaded by clicking the button below.

There is a prompt on all new NAN applications that the National Prohibited and restricted campsites list has been cross checked with the chosen location for your camp.  Link to this can be made by clicking on the button below.

The Nights Away Team have pulled together a list of prompts of changes to the NAP scheme and alerts that we have received from County and Nationally as well as learning from issues raised in district to support NAP holders and applicants, This can be downloaded by clicking the button below.

To check the minimum number of adults required on camp, particularly where multiple sections are on camp, the calculator can be downloaded by clicking the button below

When holding a sleepover/indoor camp at a venue where people do not normally sleep overnight such as Group HQ’s, Schools etc, Cheshire Fire Brigade must be informed.  This allows then to prioritise any calls they receive to where lives are at risk.  The notification form can be downloaded by clicking on the button below

Useful Documents and links relating to Running Camps – as used on Adult Skills Camps run by District