Scouting in East of England is about

Scouting 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 ...

in the official region of

East of England The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. This region was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics purposes from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire ...

. It is largely represented by

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 ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and some Groups of

traditional Scouting Traditional Scouting is "old-fashioned" or "back to basics" Scouting in some form, often with an emphasis on woodcraft and scoutcraft activities. As a pluralist movement, there is no one set definition for the term, but most traditionalists share a ...

including the

Baden-Powell Scouts' Association The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association (''B-PSA'') is a worldwide youth organisation originating in the United Kingdom, with friendly relationships with similar traditional scouting organisations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses ...

. There are four student associations at various universities in the region, each of which is affiliated to the Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO). These are ''

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

Scout and Guide Club'', ''SSAGO

University of East Anglia The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and 26 schools of study. The annual income of the institution f ...

''., ''

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

SSAGO'' and ''

Hertfordshire University The University of Hertfordshire (UH) is a public university in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. The university is based largely in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Its antecedent institution, Hatfield Technical College, was founded in 1948 and was ident ...

Guides and Scouts''

History of Scouting in East of England

The 1st Bury St Edmunds Scout Group holds a registration certificate dated to 5 February 1908, and the Group claims to be the oldest surviving Scout Group in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. However, this claim is not currently upheld by

. 1st Southwold Scout Group was established in 1908 and claims to be the first Scout group established in Suffolk. 1st Reydon and 1st Wrentham in Suffolk also existed in 1908. In Norfolk, 1st Norwich Sea Scouts and 1st Dereham Scout Group also claim to have been founded in 1908, making them some of the earliest Scout groups to have formed. Hertfordshire was the first organised Scout County, which was founded by Sir Percy Winn Everett at the request of Baden-Powell. The first Hertfordshire Scout Troop was founded on 20 February 1908. The

21st World Scout Jamboree The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the found ...

, celebrating 100 years of Scouting, was held at Chelmsford in Essex between 27 July and 8 August 2007.21st World Scout Jamboree
/ref>

The Scout Association Counties

The regional commissioner for Scouting in the East of England is Matt Mills.

in East of England is administered through six Scout Counties

Bedfordshire Scout County

Bedfordshire Scout County is a

Scout County A Scout County (also Scout Area) is an administrative division within The Scout Association of the United Kingdom. There are currently 115 Counties and Areas in the United Kingdom. These bodies are responsible for providing programmes and support f ...

of the

. It is concurrent with the political county of

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council wa ...

, and provides

opportunities for young people and adults in the area around

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

Luton Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable an ...

, and

Dunstable Dunstable ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, north of London. There are several steep chalk escarpments, most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the ...

. The badge worn by members of the Bedfordshire Scout County shows a red falcon on a yellow background. The current version of the badge was phased in over a ten-year period, starting in the early 1980s. It replaced a previous version which had either a silver or gold falcon on a green background. The County currently has 2 County Scout Networks (Bedfordshire County Scout Network & Bedfordshire Air Scout Network) and 5 Local Scout Networks The County is currently divided into nine Scout Districts. *

Ampthill Ampthill () is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population estimate of 8,100 (Mid year estimate 2017 from the ONS). It is administered bAmpthill Town Council The ward of Ampthill which also i ...

and Woburn *

* Biggleswade & District *

Icknield Icknield is a parliamentary ward, of the Luton district, in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The ward takes its name from the Icknield Way, a pre-Roman road which passes through Luton. Situated towards the northeast of Luton, the ward is ...

(

) * Lea Valley (

) * Leighton-Linslade * Ouse Valley * Someries (

) Total membership of Bedfordshire Scout County was 6,271 at January 2012.

Cambridgeshire Scout County

Cambridgeshire Scout County is a

of the

. It provides

opportunities for young people and adults in the area and more information, plus the latest news and how to join are on th
County website
Scouts in Peterborough were given the

Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...

in April 2007. This is the first occasion in Britain when Scouts have received this type of award. The badge worn by members of the Cambridgeshire Scout County is unusual in its design, as it is shaped as a shield rather than the more standard rectangle. The elements on the badge represent towns covered by the Scout County, the cross-keys representing Peterborough. The County is currently divided into eight Scout Districts:, following the disbanding of Granta District at the end of 2012: *

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

District *

Crafts Hill District * Cromwell District *

Ely Ely or ELY may refer to: Places Ireland * Éile, a medieval kingdom commonly anglicised Ely * Ely Place, Dublin, a street United Kingdom * Ely, Cambridgeshire, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England ** Ely Cathedral Ely Cathedral, formal ...

District * Fenland District * Hinchingbrooke District * Medehamstede District * Peterborough District (Nene and Medehamstede Districts merged in September 2017) The current County Commissioner for Cambridgeshire is Chris Ward. Membership of Cambridgeshire Scout County in 2020 stood at approximately 5,550 young people and 2,200 adults.

CamJam

In 2006 the Cambridgeshire Jamboree moved from the East of England Showground, in Peterborough, to the

Huntingdon Racecourse Huntingdon Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Brampton near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on a Site of Special Scientific Interest of the original Brampton Racecourse. The most notable race held a ...

. CamJam 2006 was the fifth such jamboree to be arranged by Cambridgeshire Scout County. On site activities included go-karts, a skate park, ice rink, a planetarium, climbing walls, radio controlled cars, caving and hot air balloons on two evenings. Other activities included archery, rifle shooting, model land yachts, car mechanics, scavenger hunt and model aircraft. CamJam returned to Huntingdon Racecourse from 27 July–3 August 2019, and planning is currently underway with the aim of dates in 2023.

Essex Scout County

Essex Scout County is a

in the

Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...

in Essex was the location for the 21st World Scout Jamboree, held between 27 July to 8 August 2007. The Chelmsford District had a number of special events. By 2007 there were 16,000 members in Essex Scouting covering every community in the county. The County HQ is at the Thriftwood Training Centre. The badge worn by members of the Essex Scout County shows the heraldry of the regional county of

of "Gules three

Seax ''Seax'' (; also sax, sæx, sex; invariant in plural, latinized ''sachsum'') is an Old English word for "knife". In modern archaeology, the term ''seax'' is used specifically for a type of small sword, knife or dagger typical of the Germanic pe ...

es fessewise in pale Argent pomels and hilts Or points to the sinister and cutting edges upwards.". The County is currently divided into 19 Scout Districts: * Basildon * Billericay and Wickford * Braintree * Brentwood * Castle Point *

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colches ...

Estuary *

North * Crouch Valley * Halstead and

Colne Valley The Colne Valley is a steep sided valley on the east flank of the Pennine Hills in the English county of West Yorkshire. It takes its name from the River Colne which rises above the town of Marsden and flows eastward towards Huddersfield. ...

Harlow Harlow is a large town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire and London, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the upp ...

* Hatfield Forest *

Maldon Maldon (, locally ) is a town and civil parish on the River Blackwater, Essex, Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon District and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. It is known for Maldon Sea ...

and East

* Royal Forest * Saffron Walden * Southend Estuary * Southend West * Tendring * Thurrock The current County Commissioner is Bob Bye. Membership of Essex Scout County was 15,700 young people and 4,335 adults in January 2020.

Essex International Jamboree

The Essex International

Jamboree In Scouting, a jamboree is a large gathering of Scouting, Scouts who rally at a national or international level. History The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held in 1920, and was hosted by the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been twenty-thre ...

(EIJ) was first held in 1927 when it was visited by the Founder, and then Chief Scout, Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Essex have held jamborees every four years since 1952 and at their last site, Devereux Farm,

Kirby-le-Soken Kirby-le-Soken is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Frinton and Walton, in the Tendring district of North East Essex, England, which is mainly agricultural, but increasingly residential, near Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the ...

, from 1996 to 2008. In 2012 a new site was established at

Boyton Cross Boyton Cross is a hamlet in Essex, England. It is approximately half a mile from the village of Roxwell and is situated mainly along the A1060 road which runs from Bishop's Stortford to Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Che ...

near Roxwell, Chelmsford following

coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...

and an increasing flood risk at the Kirby Le Soken site. It is organised jointly by Essex Scouts and the Guide Counties of Essex West, Essex North East and Essex South East. The Essex International Jamboree 2008 was held between 26 July and 2 August. Over 8,000 participants and 2,000 staff attended the jamboree representing 30 different countries, including: Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda, UK, USA and Zimbabwe. Another 4,000 people, including hundreds of Cub Scouts and Brownies were hosted for the jamboree open day. The theme for 2008 was "The World's Endangered Animals" and included a strong emphasis for 'green issues' such as recycling and developing global links. In keeping with the theme, the site was sub-divided into 10 sub-camps containing a mixture of UK and international Scouts and Guides, with a further sub-camp for staff. Each of the participant sub-camps was named after an

endangered animal An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invas ...

. All of the animals could be found at the nearby Colchester Zoo, and each sub-camp became involved in the zoo’s adoption scheme as a lasting legacy of the event. Essex International Jamboree 2012 at the new site at Boyton Cross and was attended by over 8,000 Scouts and Guides with over 1,500 adult volunteers on the staff team. The 2016 Essex International Jamboree held between 30 July and 6 August with the theme "Our Changing World", was attended by about 10,000 Scouts and Guides and was run by a team of 2,000 adult volunteers. The 2020 Essex International Jamboree was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The 2024 Essex International Jamboree is planned to be held between 27 July and 3 August 2024.

Hertfordshire Scout County

Hertfordshire Scout County is a

in the

covering the

County A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

. The badge worn by members of the Hertfordshire Scout County shows a hart on a blue background, which is based on the heraldry of the regional county of

. They have a Falke SF25C motor glider which is based at the

Cambridge Gliding Centre Cambridge Gliding Centre is a gliding club based near Cambridge in the United Kingdom on the Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire county border. Nearby major towns include Bedford, Cambourne, Huntingdon, Royston, Sandy, St Ives and St Neots. The clu ...

. There are 18 Scout Districts *

Bishops Stortford Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, just west of the M11 motorway on the county boundary with Essex, north-east of central London, and by rail from Liverpool Street station. Stortford had an estimated popu ...

Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, a ...

South * East

Herts Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

Elstree Elstree is a large village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, that follows the course of Watling Street. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of the ...

and District *

Harpenden Harpenden () is a town and civil parish in the City and District of St Albans in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The population of the built-up area was 30,240 in the 2011 census, whilst the population of the civil parish was 29,448. Har ...

and

Wheathampstead Wheathampstead is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, north of St Albans. The population of the ward at the 2001 census was 6,058. Included within the parish is the small hamlet of Amwell. History Settlements in this area were ...

Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a ne ...

Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a ford on the River Lea, ne ...

Hitchin Hitchin () is a market town and unparished area in the North Hertfordshire Districts of England, district in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 35,842. History Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce peopl ...

Letchworth Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. It is noted for being the first garden city. The population at the time of the 2011 census was 33,249. Letchworth ...

and Baldock *

North * Potters Bar *

Rickmansworth Rickmansworth () is a town in southwest Hertfordshire, England, about northwest of central London and inside the perimeter of the M25 motorway. The town is mainly to the north of the Grand Union Canal (formerly the Grand Junction Canal) and t ...

and

Chorleywood Chorleywood is both a village and a civil parish in the Three Rivers District, Hertfordshire, on the border with Buckinghamshire, approximately northwest of Charing Cross. The village is adjacent to the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Na ...

Royston Royston may refer to: Places Australia *Royston, Queensland, a rural locality Canada *Royston, British Columbia, a small hamlet England *Royston, Hertfordshire, a town and civil parish, formerly partly in Cambridgeshire *Royston, South Yorkshi ...

St Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major ...

Stevenage Stevenage ( ) is a large town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, about north of London. Stevenage is east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1(M), between Letchworth Garden City to the north and Welwyn Garden City to the south. In 1946, Stevena ...

Ware Ware may refer to: People * Ware (surname) * William of Ware (), English Franciscan theologian Places Canada *Fort Ware, British Columbia United Kingdom *Ware, Devon *Ware, Hertfordshire *Ware, Kent United States * Ware, Elmore County, Al ...

and District * Mid

* West

The youth membership of Hertfordshire Scout County in January 2017 was 14,434 of whom 3,106 were girls. There were 4,518 adult leaders.

Hertfordshire Scouts Peak Assault

Peak Assault is a navigational and teamwork challenge for Explorer and Network Scouts, held at a different location each year. Groups must navigate their way around, visiting 'checkpoints' within the given time limit. * 2006: 13–15 October 2006

Howgill Fells The Howgill Fells are uplands in Northern England between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, lying roughly within a triangle formed by the towns of Sedbergh and Kirkby Stephen and the village of Tebay.

, ( Sedbergh)

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...

* 2007: 12–14 October 2007 Northern Fells, ( Caldbeck)

* 2008: 17–19 October 2008

Llanthony Llanthony (, cy, Llanddewi Nant Honddu ) is a village in the community of Crucorney on the northern edge of Monmouthshire, South East Wales, United Kingdom. Location Llanthony is located in the Vale of Ewyas, a deep and long valley with g ...

, Black Mountains,

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

* 2009: 16–18 October 2009 Abercraf, Black Mountains,

Norfolk Scout County

Norfolk Scout County is a

in the

, covering the county of

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

.Norfolk Scout County
/ref> There is a Norfolk Scout Canoe Team. The badge worn by members of the Norfolk Scout County shows the shield from the coat of arms of the county of

. The current version of the badge has a light green background, whilst earlier versions had been black. The Norfolk Scout County is divided into eight Scout Districts: * Central Norfolk * North East Norfolk * Northern

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

* Eastern Norwich * North West Norfolk * East Norfolk * Southern Norwich * Southern Norfolk

Norfolk International Jamboree

In 1960 the Norfolk Boy Scouts International Jamboree, held at Sennowe Park near Fakenham, drew media attention due to the presence of fifty " European refugees." The 12th Norfolk International Jamboree (NorJam) was held at the

Royal Norfolk Show The Royal Norfolk Show (more simply the Norfolk Show) is an annual agricultural show, and is held by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. It has been held almost every year since 1847. Shows were not held in 1866, 1911, 1934, 1957, 2020 ...

ground between Saturday 29 July and Saturday 5 August 2006. Around 5,000 participants and staff attended the jamboree representing 17 different countries, including: Austria, Australia, Denmark, UK, US and Spain. Three Guides were presented with their Queen's Guide Award by the Chief Guide,

Liz Burnley Elizabeth Burnley CBE (born 14 March 1959), née Elizabeth Harrison, was the Chief Guide of Girlguiding UK between 2006 and 2011. Early life At the University of Nottingham, she completed a BSc iPsychology then an MSc in Occupational Psychology. ...

, during the camp. The Jamboree included a Christmas celebration, held on Thursday 3 August. Other activities included scuba diving, horse-riding and sailing. The theme for the 2006 Jamboree was "Around The World In Seven Days", with each sub-camp being named after a famous landmark, and the event included a strong emphasis on current issues such as recycling and developing global links. In 2010 the theme for the Jamboree was "The Modern World", each sub-camp was named after an innovation or issue affecting society in the modern age. The 2018 theme was "Decades of Fun", with sub camps named after a decade from the 1940s to the 2000s. NorJam is held every four years, with the next one due to take place in 2026, with the 2022 event cancelled due to

COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

concerns.

Norfolk Air Scouts Centre

Norfolk Scouts used to own

Vickers Valetta The Vickers Valetta is a twin-engine military transport aircraft developed and produced by the British manufacturing company Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. Developed from the Vickers VC.1 Viking compact civil airliner, it was an all-metal mid-wing m ...

''XV580'', which was used as an

Air Scout Air Scouts are a part of the Scout movement with a particular emphasis on an aviation themed programme and/or flying-based activities. Air Scouts follow the same basic programme as other Scouts, but they devote certain amounts of time focused o ...

activity centre at Norwich Airport. The aircraft is now owned by the

Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum is a museum collection of aircraft and aviation-related artefacts, located near the former RAF Bungay airfield in Flixton in the north of the English county of Suffolk. Details First established in 19 ...

Sea Scout vessels

A number of Sea Scout units operate in the County, and MTB 102, one of few surviving motor torpedo boats that served with the Coastal Forces of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

was owned by 1st Blofield and Brundall Sea Scout Group from 1973 to 1995.

Suffolk Scout County

Suffolk Scout County is a

of the

. It is concurrent with the political county of

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

(with the exception of Newmarket whose Scout Groups are associated with Cambridgeshire Scout County). The badge worn by members of the Suffolk Scout County shows a crown "enfiled by a pair of Arrows in saltire points downwards", which is an element from the heraldry of the regional county of

. The pierced crown relates to the martyrdom of Saint Edmund by the Danes in 849. The County is currently divided into eight Scout Districts: *

Bury St. Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton A ...

* Deben *

Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and sou ...

Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitari ...

* Stowmarket *

Sudbury Sudbury may refer to: Places Australia * Sudbury Reef, Queensland Canada * Greater Sudbury, Ontario (official name; the city continues to be known simply as Sudbury for most purposes) ** Sudbury (electoral district), one of the city's federal e ...

Waveney Valley The River Waveney is a river which forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads. The "ey" part of the name means "river" thus the name is tautological. Course The source of the River Waven ...

Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figure ...

Membership of Suffolk Scout County was quoted as "over 6000 young people aged 6-25" in 2012.

Baden-Powell Scout Association

The East Anglia Area is part of the Baden-Powell Scout Association. The Association is represented in Norfolk by the Fakenham Lancaster B-P Air Scouts and the Four Feathers B-P Scouts, and with other groups in the surrounding counties.
The badge worn by members of the Baden-Powell Scouts East Anglia Area shows the arms of the

Wuffing The Wuffingas, Uffingas or Wiffings were the ruling dynasty of East Anglia, the long-lived Anglo-Saxon kingdom which today includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Wuffingas took their name from Wuffa, an early East Anglian k ...

as Dynasty on a shield. The Wuffingas were the ruling family of the East Angles. Their last king was Saint Edmund, King and Martyr, who was murdered by the Vikings in 849 and was later canonised. Image:Baden-Powell Scouts' Association Rover Scout.jpg Image:Air Scouts of the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, July 2008.jpg

Pathfinder and Rover Explorer Scouts' Association

The

Pathfinder Scouts Association The Pathfinder & Rover Explorer Scouts' Association (P-RESA) is an independent Traditional Scouting Association in the United Kingdom, with International branches. The Association's training programme runs along the lines of Baden-Powell's original ...

operates the 1st Bedfordshire Scout Troop at Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, while the Rover Explorer Scout Association operates a Rover Crew in

, Suffolk.

European Scout Federation (British Association)

The European Scout Federation (''Fédération du Scoutisme Européen'') operate in the East of England, with groups operating in Cambridgeshire and Essex.

The British Boy Scouts

The British Boy Scouts operated Groups in Norfolk, including the 1st Norwich (St Marks) Group, although these were closed by 1999.

Campsites

Bedfordshire

The Bedfordshire Scout Association County has a large campsite and training centre, three District maintained campsites and three group maintained campsites. * The Leslie Sell County Scout Training and Activity Centre. This campsite is near the village of Bromham, northwest of Bedford. There are of open fields, and of woodland on the site, offering a variety of camping locations. As well as the camping areas, there are a small number of buildings offering accommodation and training facilities. The site offers a number of activities, including pioneering,

archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

, and

air rifle An air gun or airgun is a gun that fires projectiles pneumatically with compressed air or other gases that are mechanically pressurized ''without'' involving any chemical reactions, in contrast to a firearm, which pressurizes gases ''chem ...

shooting.

District Campsites

* Boyd Campsite,

Henlow Henlow is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England, about south-east of the county town of Bedford. The name Henlow is believed to derive from the old English ''henna hlaw'', meaning ...

, run by Biggleswade District. * Jordans Close Scout Activity Centre,

Great Barford Great Barford is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, a few miles north-east of Bedford. It lies on the River Great Ouse at . It is twinned with Wöllstein, Germany. The village is bypassed by the busy A421 road on the way betwee ...

, run by Bedford District. * Milton Bryan Campsite, Milton Bryan,

Ampthill Rural District Ampthill was a rural district in Bedfordshire, England from 1894 to 1974. It entirely surrounded but did not include the urban district of Ampthill. The district had its origins in the Ampthill Rural Sanitary District. This had been created u ...

, run by Ampthill & Woburn District.

Cambridgeshire

There are 9 camp sites and buildings available to hire across Cambridgeshire, full details of which are on th
County website

Essex

Essex has several camp sites including: * Thriftwood County Training Centre. * Thriftwood Scout Camp & Activity Centre: opened in 1957, the 76 acre (31 hectare) site near Brentwood is owned and managed by the Scout Districts of Brentwood (Essex), Barking & Dagenham, Hornchurch and Squirrels Heath (Greater London North East). * Belchamps Scout Centre: a 30-acre (12 hectare) site near

Hawkwell Hawkwell is a village and civil parish in the district of Rochford in Essex, England. It is the second largest village after Rayleigh. The 2001 census gave a population for the parish of 11,231, increasing to 11,730 at the 2011 Census. Hawkwel ...

in Essex, managed by Castle Point, Crouch Valley, Southend Estuary and Southend West Scout Association Districts. * Skreens Park. The

County Scout Council Campsite and Activity Centre, located five miles (8 km) west of the County Town of

, consists of of historic parkland which is part of the original Skreens Manor. It is located within of Hylands Park, which was the site of the 2005

European Scout Jamboree The European Scout Jamboree (or EuroJam) is an international Scouting jamboree, which is organized at irregular times by the European Scout Region of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). So far, two European Scout Jamborees h ...

and the

. The Site has hosted "GiGa Camp", a weekend activity camp for Scouts and Guides, with over 1,300 participants in 2006. *

Thorrington Thorrington is a village and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It lies east of Wivenhoe and north of Brightlingsea. The striking medieval flint church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and the patrons of the church are St J ...

Scout Camp is owned and managed by Colchester Estuary District Scouts. Opened in 1937, it has 27 acres (11 hectares) of woodland and is 7 miles (11 kilometres) from

Hertfordshire

Track leading from Tolmers Road to Tolmers Scout Camp - geograph

Hertfordshire County Scout Council of the Scout Association is the owner of four activity centres in Hertfordshire and one in Scotland. * Tolmers Scout Camp & Activity Centre. Tolmers, located near Cuffley in Hertfordshire, provides camping facilities and activities for Scouts and Guides, and is also used by schools, other youth organisations and for corporate team building. The campsite covers 40

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...

s of countryside, comprising about 12 hectares of woodland and 28 hectares of meadow with a small lake (Berts Pool) which is used for water activities. As well as the camping areas, there are three buildings, offering accommodation and training facilities. The site offers a number of activities, including orienteering, climbing, archery, and air rifle shooting. Tolmers is about 20 km north of the centre of London and 1.5 km from Cuffley railway station. Initiated in 1979, "Come To Tolmers" has become the main event in the Tolmers calendar. Originally it was designed by Scout HQ to provide an activity camp for Scouts who had no traditional summer camp. Today, more than 2,000 Scouts and Guides from all over Europe take part every year. Scouts rafting at Tolmers

**History of Tolmers Scout Camp and Activity Centre The land occupied by the campsite was purchased from

Tolmers Park Tolmers Park is a manor house in Newgate Street Village near Hatfield in Hertfordshire, England. Early history The early history of the manor is obscure, but in a register of lands belonging to the Bishop of Ely compiled in 1277, a certain Walt ...

Estate in 1939, with the aim of completing a ring of Headquarters’ campsites around London. The site was bought for £4,600 of which £2,000 was donated anonymously by a "Mr B", and the balance of £2,600 came from the

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 ...

fund. It was officially opened on 11 May 1940, 800 Scouts and visitors attended, despite wartime restrictions. The opening was performed by

Baron Wigram Baron Wigram, of Clewer in the County of Berkshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1935 for the soldier and court official Sir Clive Wigram, Private Secretary to King George V from 1931 to 1936. He was the gr ...

, a distinguished member of the Council of the

Boy Scouts 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 form ...

and former private secretary to

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

. Sir Percy Winn Everett, the Deputy Chief Commissioner, read a letter from

Lord Baden-Powell Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the wor ...

wishing he "could be there in person to support you on the opening of Tolmers". Almost immediately afterwards, Tolmers temporarily lost the use of the site apart from the Brick Field and the Valley Field, as it was requisitioned by the Ministry of Food. Defence works, including pill boxes, tank traps and barbed wire entanglements were constructed along

Cuffley Brook Cuffley Brook is a tributary of Turkey Brook. It runs through parts of Hertfordshire and the London Borough of Enfield, England. After the confluence of the two streams in Whitewebbs Park, the watercourse continues eastwards as Turkey Brook ...

, as part of the

Outer London Defence Ring The Outer London Defence Ring was a defensive ring built around London during the early part of the Second World War. It was intended as a defence against a German invasion, and was part of a national network of similar "Stop Lines". In June 1940 ...

. After the war, development of Tolmers continued and all the requisitioned land was returned by the end of the 1950s. The site was very popular with Scout troops from North London who came by train to Cuffley Station, often hauling their equipment the rest of the way in trek carts. By 1970, flush toilets had been installed, work had started on a hut for

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 the camp centre had moved to its present position. The original service crew were the Cuffley Rover Scout Crew, led by Ron Erwood. They were responsible for a great deal of the work in 1939-1940 prior to the official opening of the campsite. Before long, Rovers and Scouters from across North London joined them. In 1964, a system of five separate crews began, ensuring a team of volunteers was available every weekend. In 1968, the first female service crew members joined. Today, the service crew has over 100 active members. Bert Longdon, the camp warden from 1964, envisaged the creation of a small lake by damming Cuffley Brook. In 1976, a licence was granted by Thames Water Authority for the flow of the brook to be impeded "by means of a weir" and to create "a pond suitable for canoe instruction" with a capacity of 120,000 gallons. Bert died in 1977 before any work could be done, but it was completed as his memorial, and the first Scouts canoed on it at Easter 1980. In January 1953, work started on a plantation of Scots pines in the Main Field, in the shape of the new

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

cypher Cypher is an alternative spelling for cipher. Cypher may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * Cypher (French Group), a Goa trance music group * Cypher (band), an Australian instrumental band * Cypher (film), ''Cypher'' (film), a 2002 film * C ...

; EIIR. Despite damage by the storms of 1987 and 1990, the original shape is still clearly visible. * Phasels Wood Scout Camp & Activity Centre Phasels Wood Scout Camp, 2017

Phasels Wood lies between

Kings Langley Kings Langley is a village, former Manorialism, manor and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, north-west of Westminster in the historic centre of London and to the south of the Chiltern Hills. It now forms part o ...

and

and can be accessed directly from the A41

Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery, David Tugwell`s house on Watermead and the Waterside Theatre. It is in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wy ...

road, close to Junction 19 of the

M25 motorway The M25 or London Orbital Motorway is a major road encircling most of Greater London. The motorway is one of the most important roads in the UK and one of the busiest. Margaret Thatcher opened the final section in 1986, making the M25 the lon ...

. The campsite covers 95

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 (35 hectares): 30 acres (12 hectares) of meadow, 30 acres of woodland and a 35-acre (14 hectares) field. Phasels Wood was purchased by Scout Headquarters in 1937 and was opened on 30 May of that year, when Sir Percy Everett planted an oak tree. Management of the site passed to Hertfordshire Scout County in 1987. In May 1991, a new climbing tower was opened at a cost of £117,500; at that time, it was the tallest in England. In 1995, a further 10 acres (4 hectares) were added, giving access to the A41 Kings Langley By-Pass. * Well End Scout Scout Activity Centre The centre is in the hamlet of Well End, between Borehamwood and

Shenley Shenley is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, between Barnet and St Albans. The village is located 14 miles from Central London. History The history of Shenley stretches back a thousand years or more – it is mentioned in ...

. It has 5 acres (2.2 hectares) of camping fields and 4 acres (1.6 hectares) of woodland. Well End is the training centre for Hertfordshire Scouts and was opened on 3 June 1933.

later visited the site and planted a

horse chestnut The genus ''Aesculus'' ( or ), with species called buckeye and horse chestnut, comprises 13–19 species of flowering plants in the family Sapindaceae. They are trees and shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, with six species n ...

tree. * Harmergreen Wood near Welwyn is 44-acre (18-hectare) site with 15 camping glades set in ancient woodland and an 18-bed indoor facility. * Lochearnhead Wild Country Centre in the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park in Scotland; it is the former

Lochearnhead railway station Lochearnhead is a former railway station in the village of Lochearnhead in Perthshire. It opened in 1904 as part of the Comrie, St Fillans & Lochearnhead Railway, but closed in 1951. Since 1962, the station has been used as a Scout centre for y ...

, adapted to cater for up to 90 people as a base for adventurous activities in the hills. In 2015, the Hertfordshire County Scout Executive Committee decided not to renew the leases on Orchard Farm Wild Country Centre (in Staffordshire) and Coetmor Mill Wild Country Centre (in North Wales) because of escalating costs. All Hertfordshire Scout Association Activity Centres are members of the ASGC, the Association of Scout and Guide Centres. In addition, some smaller Scout campsites in Hertfordshire are operated by Scout Districts. These include: * Lees Wood near

, which has 7 acres (3 hectares) of camping ground with 47 acres (19 hectares) of woodland, with a 28-bed pack holiday centre. It is operated by Watford North District Scouts. * Wymondley Wood Scout and Guide Centre near Willian has 4 acres (1.6 hectares) of camp site with access to a 20-acre (8-hectare) woodland conservation area, and has a 42-bed building. The centre was opened by

George Purdy W. George Purdy, CBE (born 16 April 1942) was the Scout Association's Chief Scout from March 1996 to 2004. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire "for services to young people" in the 2002 Queen's New Year Honours list. His ...

(the Chief Scout) and Jenny Leach (the Chief Guide) in May 2003. It is jointly operated by Letchworth and Baldock District Scout Council and Letchworth Garden City Guides.

Norfolk

There are a large number of Scout camp sites in Norfolk and the Scout Association County publishes a directory. These include: * Eaton Vale Scout and Guide Activity Centre. * Two Mile Bottom,

Thetford Forest Thetford Forest is the largest lowland pine forest in Britain and is located in a region straddling the north of Suffolk and the south of Norfolk in England. It covers over in the form of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. History Thetf ...

, operated by Norfolk County Scouts. * Garvestone, operated by Central Norfolk District. An independent site, which has been used by both The Scout Association and the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, is provided by the

Mid-Norfolk Railway The Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR) is a preserved standard gauge heritage railway, one of the longest in Great Britain. Preservation efforts began in 1974, but the line re-opened to passengers only in the mid-1990s as part of the "new generation" o ...

County School railway station ''County School railway station'' is on the Mid-Norfolk Railway in Norfolk, England; it will serve the villages of North Elmham and Guist once services resume. It is 17 miles 40 chains (28 km) down the line from Wymondham and is the norther ...

Suffolk

There are a number of camp sites in Suffolk including * Hallowtree Scout Camp, near Ipswich * Herringfleet Scout Campsite, Ashby.

Gang Shows

* Billericay, Wickford and Basildon

, started in 1984. * Cambridge Gang Show is an annual event organised by Cambridge District Scouts. * Chelmsford Gang Show, started in 1957. * Ipswich Scouts and Guides Gang Show. * Letchworth and Baldock District Gang Show. * Peterborough Gang Show, started in 1947. Celebrated 60th show in 2007. * St Albans Scout & Guide Gang Show - started in 1980. * Southend Gang Show - started in 2011. * Southend Scout and Guide Gang Show, started in 1966. * Thurrock Gang Show, started in 1968. * Colchester Gang Show. * Harpenden & Wheathampstead District Gang Show - started in 1949 by Eric E Thair. One of three Gang Shows currently running in Hertfordshire, this is the longest continuously running Gang Show in the world, as of their 2013 show. (the 2013 show will be the 64th consecutive annual run).Harpenden & Wheathampstead Scout Gang Show
/ref>

References

External links

Cambridgeshire ScoutsTolmers website

Hertfordshire Scouts website

Association of Scout & Guide Centres website

The Scout Association UK website

East Of England Scouts
{{Scouts UK Counties East of England, Scouting in Scout Activity Centres of The Scout Association

History of Scouting in East of England

The Scout Association Counties

Bedfordshire Scout County

Cambridgeshire Scout County

CamJam

Essex Scout County

Essex International Jamboree

Hertfordshire Scout County

Hertfordshire Scouts Peak Assault

Norfolk Scout County

Norfolk International Jamboree

Norfolk Air Scouts Centre

Sea Scout vessels

Suffolk Scout County

Baden-Powell Scout Association

Pathfinder and Rover Explorer Scouts' Association

European Scout Federation (British Association)

The British Boy Scouts

Campsites

Bedfordshire

District Campsites

Cambridgeshire

Essex

Hertfordshire

Norfolk

Suffolk

Gang Shows

See also

References

External links