The 21st
International Scout Jamboree
2007
2007 was the Centenary
of the founding of the Scout Movement by
Robert Baden-Powell.
All good scouts know that Baden-Powell led
the very first scout camp on Brownsea Island
in Poole Harbour, Dorset, in 1907.
50 years later, in 1957, thirty-one thousand worldwide scouts
gathered together for their 50th Jamboree in Birmingham
an event considered so important nationally at the time that
a commemorative issue of postage stamps was ordained to
celebrate the occasion, something that was not done lightly in those days.
In 2007, 50 years on, there was occasion to celebrate the founding of
undoubtedly the greatest and most influential youth movement
of all time. Again, thousands of young people and their leaders
gathered together, this time in Hylands Park at Chelmsford, in Essex.
For those veterans of the 1957 Jamboree, a special treat was laid on
at their original site at Sutton Park, Birmingham, with a three-day event that
included a visit to both Hylands Park and Gilwell Park at Chingford.
Do visit the 2007 Jamboree Reunion page
for photo galleries and daily diary entries.
If you know of anyone who attended in 2007, or who may have any interest,
please mention this page to them. Please Spread the Word!
There's much more going on in Scouting than folks generally realise,
and far more than what the press want to report.
BADEN-POWELL EXHIBITION
This link is to a fascinating BBC website report on the display of some of
Baden-Powell's own artefacts from the original 1907 Brownsea Island camp,
including the Union Flag used, BP's own hat, and the manuscript copy of
"Scouting for Boys", all at Poole Museum.
BBC news on Scouts
opens in a new window : close when finished.
Click the link below for more information on future Jamborees and events.
More International Events diary
and, if it's useful, there is also this site,
specifically for Humberside Scouts
In the meantime, may I recommend this informative and illuminating website,
as comprehensive a history and thesis on Scouting, it's origins and founders,
as you'll find anywhere.
And all dedicated to Scouts of The World,
discussing scouting's relevance in today's world for both boys and girls.
Illuminating for me, because I'd never understood before that one of
the philophosies credited to Baden-Powell was that it's said that he put
the OUT into SCOUTING ... OUT standing for the great OUTdoors.
A profound thought, and by heck, could we do with some of
that thinking and philosophy today.
Something has to be there for when the present craze and infatuation with
technology, computers, i-pods and gameboys fades away.
One day, soon, it will all be old hat.
And what will boys and girls do then?
1957
Oh .. and 1957 ... my word, that was when I was 7 ...
and my father was so influenced by the news of that Jamboree
that he took me to join the cubs ... and I'm so glad he did.
I learnt how to team with, and interract with, other boys,
I learnt about my country, her history, our faith, about right and wrong.
Moreover, I learnt about other countries, their flags, their faiths, and so
I learnt about tolerance, and being away from home
and one-ness with nature, how not to be afraid of the dark,
the countryside, snakes or spiders and beetles.
I learnt how to wear a uniform with pride, sew my own badges,
look after my own clothes, and above all,
I learnt a sense of pride, self-reliance, and wholesome discipline.
I'm no angel .. I didn't (and still don't) always put
all those lessons into practice, but I tried.
Scouting taught me the basics,
valuable lessons I remember to this day.
Can Scouting skills get you a good job, and an even better income ?
I don't know, but .... isn't it strange how some of those things
are now coming back into vogue, though of course,
they don't call them by those names anymore.
Scouting is thought by many to be ... so old-fashioned, so passé .. so ..
except, have you heard how many large companies and major organisations
have 'team-building weekends', where they take budding execs away,
and teach them survival skills and how to think for themselves,
how to work together in problem solving ... well, well.
They call it 'character-building' ....
Scouting by another name, perhaps?
And here's me thinking I was old hat and over the hill ..
but ... hoooray! I'm about to be in fashion once again!
... where's me woggle! Dib-dib-dib !!
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