Downe Scout Activity Centre is one of the National Scout Activity Centres under the direct control of

The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was for ...

Downe Downe, formerly Down, () is a village in Greater London, England, located within the London Borough of Bromley but beyond the London urban sprawl. Downe is south west of Orpington and south east of Charing Cross. Downe lies on a hill, and ...

near

Orpington Orpington is a town and area in south east London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross. On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Ma ...

Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality *Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record *Greater (song), "Greate ...

. It provides

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

and indoor accommodations for

Scouts Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...

and

Guides A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Exp ...

. The Downe site of 86

acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imp ...

s is from the centre of

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

near the

Biggin Hill Biggin Hill is a settlement on the south-eastern outskirts of Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Kent, prior to 1965 it was also in the administrative county of Kent. I ...

airfield. In November 2020 the Scout Association announced their intention to sell the site. The Scout Association said it would do everything possible "to make sure that the legacies are honoured and heritage preserved" In late July 2021 The Scout Association trustees unanimously agreed to sell the site to Friends of Downe Activity Centre, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Registered Charity Number 1194761). Friends of Downe Activity Centre will ensure that future generations of young people are able to enjoy the site. However in late October 2022, it was confirmed that the site would not be kept within the scouting movement, as the Scout Association have decided to sell to a housing developer instead.

History

Downe Camp, close to Orpington, opened in 1929 as a Scoutmasters' Training Ground. From 1933 it was available to Scout Groups and the site offered camping and some activities, including swimming. This was possible by the construction of a swimming pool which was funded by the proceeds from the very first

Gang Show A Gang Show is a theatrical performance by members of Scouts and Guides A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others t ...

, which was organised by

Ralph Reader William Henry Ralph Reader (25 May 1903 – 18 May 1982), known as Ralph Reader, was a British actor, theatrical producer and songwriter, known for staging the original Gang Show, a variety entertainment presented by members of the Scouti ...

for this very purpose.

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

lived in the road along from Downe House and undertook his famous worm experiments on at least two areas of the site. The site was supported by a committee one of whom was Sir Jeremiah Coleman, together with his wife, he donated money to build the Providor as their golden wedding anniversary gift. They also donated the clock from their stable block and paid for the tower around it. Located adjacent to

Biggin Hill Airport London Biggin Hill Airport is an operational general aviation airport at Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley, located south-southeast of Central London. The airport was formerly a Royal Air Force station RAF Biggin Hill, and a small ...

, Downe Scout Camp was used as a base for the Home Guard during World War II and required considerable efforts by working parties of Rover Scouts in the late 1940s to return it to a Scout camp ground. Greater London South East Scouts assumed control and management of the site in 1987. However, in 2005, the site was renamed as Downe Activity Centre and became one of the National Scout Activity Centres under the direct control of The Scout Association. The site was used as part of a

Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Tel ...

special which aired on 20 February 2007 to promote the

Scouting 2007 Centenary The Scouting 2007 Centenary comprised celebrations around the world in which Scouts celebrated 100 years of the world Scout movement. The original celebrations were focused on the United Kingdom, such as the camp on Brownsea Island, the birthplac ...

. Over 100

Cub Scouts Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...

and

Explorer Scouts Explorer Scouts, frequently shortened to Explorers, is the fifth section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom for 14- to 18-year-olds. The section was introduced in 2001 and formally launched in February 2002, alongside Scout Network ...

were present on the camp, along with the TV crew who joined in with all of the activities. A series of international camps called Campdowne have been held at the site, the first was in 1989, followed by 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and the most recent in 2013. Campdowne has been attended by Scouts and Guides from all over the world, set in both the woodland and open fields the camps offered a unique and unforgettable ten day programme of events and activities.

References

External links

Downe Activity Centre
his one seems to no longer wor

{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629095708/http://www.scouts.org.uk/cms.php?pageid=2374 , date=2011-06-29 Scout Activity Centres of The Scout Association London Borough of Bromley

History

See also

References

External links