Scouting in the East Midlands

Scouting in East Midlands is about Scouting in the official region of East Midlands. It is largely represented by the Scout Association of the United Kingdom and some Groups of traditional Scouting including the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association.

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 Students of Leicester Universities Guides and Scouts, covering the University of Leicester and De Montfort University,^[1] Loughborough University Scout and Guide Club covering Loughborough University,^[2] Northampton University Scouts And Guides, covering the University of Northampton,^[3] and Society of Nottingham Guides and Scouts covering the University of Nottingham.^[4]

History of Scouting in East Midlands

Lady Olave Baden-Powell(1889–1977), the 'World Chief Guide' was born Olave St. Clair Soames at Stubbing Court, Wingerworth, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Her husband, Robert Baden-Powell, the Founder of Scouting, wrote part of Scouting for Boys in the week following 15 June 1907 at the Izaak Walton Hotel in Ilam close to Dovedale in Derbyshire. Scouting links with the hotel have continued since Baden-Powell's death. In the summer of 2008, for example, Derbyshire Scouting presented a plaque to the Hotel to mark its link with Scouting For Boys.^[5]

The 1st Nottingham (YMCA), 1st Buxton, 1st Market Harborough, 2nd Chesterfield and 4th Derby (Derwent) Scout Groups claim to have started in 1908.^[6]

The Scout Association Counties

The Scout Association in East Midlands is administered through five Scout Counties, Derbyshire Scout County, Leicestershire Scout County (including former Rutland Scout County), Lincolnshire Scout County, Northamptonshire Scout County and Nottinghamshire Scout County.

Derbyshire Scout County

The Derbyshire Scouting badge, as it appears on the uniform

Map of the UK highlighting the location of Derbyshire

Derbyshire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association covering the administrative County of Derbyshire in England.^[7] The town of Glossop in the far North West of the county is not included in the County but in the Greater Manchester East area instead.

Census figures from April 2010 showed that Derbyshire is the largest Scout county in the East Midlands, with a total youth membership of 7,136 supported by 1,848 adult volunteers.

Scouts from all over Derbyshire marked the centenary of Scouting in August 2007 at Sunrise ceremonies renewing their Scout Promise.^[8]

Derbyshire villages are unusual in holding Well dressings during the summer. In 2005 the well at Whitwell had a theme acknowledging Peak 2005, Derbyshire's International Scout and Guide Camp at Chatsworth Park.^[9]^[10] In 2009 all of the wells in Chapel-en-le-Frith shared a common Scouting and Scout Badges theme to celebrate 100 years of Scouting in Chapel-en-le-Frith.^[11]

Derbyshire Scout County is responsible for organising the Four Inns Walk, an annual competitive event over the hills of the southern Pennines, the Kinder Walk of approximately 29 km and the Kinder Challenge (new for 2008) of around 16 km.^[12]^[13]

Until 1 February 2010 The County was administered through three divisions for the North West, North East and South of the County, each with Division Commissioners.^[14] but it is now administered as a single area. It is divided into fifteen Scout Districts:-

Leicestershire Scout County

Leicestershire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association covering the administrative County of Leicestershire in England.^[18]

In the 2007 Centenary year, the BBC investigated the relevancy of Scouting in Leicestershire.^[19]

There is a Leicestershire Scouts Sub Aqua Unit (LSSAU), a Scout based diving group providing experience in diving and snorkelling for all members of the Scout Association. It was formed in 1982.^[20]

In 2008, the Leicestershire Explorer County forum was started, to discuss Scouting issues in the county. This forum was responsible for the setting up of the county groups of the popular social networking site Facebook. Each district is represented by two of its Explorer scouts on the County Forum.

In late 2010, the Scout Network Section of the scout movement received a large growth in Leicestershire, with many new units starting up, to accompany the long running Network Unit in Loughborough.^[21]

In 2011, membership of Scouting in Leicestershire grew by the highest percentage increase in England.

The current County Commissioner is Byron Chatburn, who started his 5 year warrant in 2009.

The current Deputy County Commissioner is Richard Nevin.

The County is split into ten districts:

Ashby And Coalville^[22]
Charnwood^[23]
Hinckley^[24]
Leicester North East
Leicester South East^[25]
Leicester South West
Loughborough^[26]
Market Harborough^[27]
Melton Mowbray And District
South Leicestershire

Lincolnshire Scout County

Lincolnshire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, covering the counties of Lincolnshire and Rutland.^[28]

In 2007, the Centenary Year of Scouting, the County appointed local presenter and broadcaster Ian Cashmore as a Media Development Manager to actively promote Scouting activities through the media. He was also involved with national scouting media on Brownsea Island and the sunrise camp.^[29]

The County is divided into ten districts:

Boston
Gainsborough^[30]
Grantham^[31]
South Holland * Lincoln
Louth^[32]
Skegness Spilsby and District
Sleaford
Stamford and Bourne
Rutland, previously a separate Scout County covering the County of Rutland. It was one of the smallest Scout Counties in the United Kingdom. It is now a District in Lincolnshire. It is bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire, and southeast by Northamptonshire. The new district has 7 Scout Groups along with an Explorer Scout Unit and a Scout Network.^[33]

The Lincoln District has a Scout Band.^[34] It is the only Scout Band in the County.^[35]

Northamptonshire Scout County

Northamptonshire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, covering the county of Northamptonshire.^[36]

A Northampton Scout Amateur Radio Group was formed in 1981.^[37]

The County is divided into six districts:

Daventry^[38]
Grafton Scout District basically covers the area of South Northants.
Glendon^[39]
Nene Valley^[40]
Northampton District was created in 2005 following the merger of Northampton East, West and Brixworth districts. When merged it had 27 groups and about 1600 members. By 2007 it had grown to 1800 members. Currently it has 24 Groups and 1700 members.^[41]
Wellingborough^[42]

The Grafton Scout District has a Scout Band.^[43]

Nottinghamshire Scout County

Map of the UK highlighting the location of Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, covering the county of Nottinghamshire.^[44]

In 1980, a group of Cub Scouts from the 2nd Sutton St Mary’s troop wrote to the Television programme Jim'll Fix it asking to have a meal in an unusual place. The show sent them, complete with packed lunch, to ride the Revolution at Pleasure Beach Blackpool with hilarious results. The clip became one of the most requested on British television. The stunt was repeated in 2007 with the same former Cubs for Jim'll Fix It Strikes Again, with similar results.^[45]

The County is divided into eleven Scout Districts:

The Bassetlaw District has a Scout Band.^[54]

The Retford and Worksop Districts merged in 2012 to become Bassetlaw District.^[55]

Campsites

Derbyshire

Derbyshire has several campsites:

Birch Hill Plantation in Bolsover is ideal for those wishing to walk the Peak District and the Sherwood Forest, with several local walks along old disused railway lines that are all linked to provide either long or short hikes in a traffic free environment. The site is 1-acre (4,000 m²) of grassland that is sheltered by woods and can camp up to 120 people.

Drum Hill Scout Camp is a 47-acre (190,000 m²) site located in Little Eaton that has three open areas for camping and a choice of three residential centres. Large enough to hold 1,000 campers, the site offers a number of activities including abseiling, archery, an assault course, climbing wall, mountain bikes, orienteering and shooting.^[56]

Gradbach is a greenfield site located near the village of Flash, the UK's highest village in the heart of the Peak District between Leek and Buxton. As well as large camping areas, there are two buildings available for hire - the Farmhouse and the Cottage.

Spitewinter is positioned on the edge of the Peak District National Park in Chesterfield. The site has 4 acres (16,000 m²) of sloping woodland with open camping areas. The camping areas are served by a purpose built ablution block, which has hot water and coin-operated showers. There are two accommodation huts, both of wood construction.

Trent Lock is a unique site on the South bank of the River Trent, accessed by boat. It provides water activities and is run by Long Eaton District Scouts.

Leicestershire

Leicestershire has several campsites:

Fox Coverts is a campsite between Leicester and Hinckley, roughly 1 km from Kirkby Mallory. Fox Coverts has been scout owned for almost 55 years, and is now managed by the Hinckley District Scout Council. Fox Coverts is a well equipped campsite with several camp sites in clearing, a main building "The Wilson Building", and many activity features.^[57]

Johns Lee Wood is a woodland campsite, in the North West Leicester scout district near Markfield and Bradgate Park. The site has several activity facilities including a caving complex.^[58]

The Oaks is located close to Oaks in Charnwood with a variety of activities available.

Ullesthorpe campsite is in South Leicestershire, and was once the home of Leicestershire Scouts Training.

Willesley Scout camp in April 2008

Willesley is a Scout campsite that was once a stately home located 1-mile (1.6 km) south west of Ashby de la Zouch in North West Leicestershire. The site was bought by the local Scout District in 1952 along with a small area of land. Further land was later bought by the Scouts, with other areas becoming a fishing lake and a golf course. It occupies 14 acres (57,000 m²) of the old Willesley Hall and estate from which part of the original gatehouse is still visible. The site, among many features, has its own church.^[22]

Holwell Pastures is a field campsite north of Melton Mowbray and managed by Melton District.

Lincolnshire

Lincoln Scout Association District has a camp site at Sudbrooke.^[59] Grantham Scout Association District runs the Dukes Covert Campsite.^[60]

The former Rutland County site at Shacklewell Hollow, on the A606 between Empingham and Stamford can camp up to 100 people in four and a half acres of grassland and woods.^[61]

Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire Scout Association County owns Yr Hen Felin Cottage, a former Youth Hostel at Cynwyd, North Wales.^[62] It was purchased in 2007.^[63]

Nottinghamshire

There are a number of Scout camp sites in the County including:^[64]

Hollygate Scout Camp^[65]
Robin Hood Scout Campsite^[66]
Sherbrooke Scout Campsite^[67]
Walesby Forest Scout Campsite^[68]

Gang Shows

There are several Gang Shows in this region.^[69]

Nottingham Gang Show - started in 1951.^[70]
Grimsby Gang Show, started in 1956.^[71]
Northampton Gang Show - started in 1957 and celebrated its 50th show in 2009. (Due to a two-year gap)^[72]^[73]
Kettering Gang Show - Performing its 56th Show from November 25-28th, 2015 at The Lighthouse Theatre.^[74]
Derby East Gang Show also known as Flying High, started in 1968.^[75]
Hinckley Gang Show, started in 1980.^[76]^[77]
Wellingborough Gang Show - 25th birthday celebrated in 2010
Deeping Gang Show, started 1987.^[78]
North Nottinghamshire Gang Show - Started in 2009.^[79]
Lincoln District Gang Show.^[80]
South East Lincolnshire Gang Show started in 2011.^[81]
Grantham Scout and Guide Gang Show

References

Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom

Affiliated organisations

The Scout Association British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association Girlguiding UK European Scout Federation Baden-Powell Scouts' Association Scouting Ireland

Non-affiliated and Scout-like organisations

Boys' Brigade Girls' Brigade Royal Rangers Pathfinder Scouts Association Pathfinders

Alumni organisations

International Scout and Guide Fellowship Student Scout and Guide Organisation Scout and Guide Graduate Association

Historical organisations

British Camp Fire Girls' Association

Countries, regions and territories

England	East Midlands East of England Greater London North East England North West England South East England South West England West Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber

Scotland	Scouting in Scotland

Northern Ireland	Scouting in Northern Ireland

Wales	Scouting in Wales

Crown Dependencies	Guernsey Jersey Isle of Man

Overseas Territories	Anguilla Bermuda Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Saint Helena and Ascension Island Turks and Caicos Islands British Virgin Islands

Sovereign countries	Antigua and Barbuda Saint Kitts and Nevis Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu

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