Jamboree 2008 (Northumberland)

Jamboree 2008 was developed as "an Inter-organisational & International event" which was intended to "bring 600 young people from Scouting and Guiding together — to develop skills & friendships that will lay the foundations for the next 100 years of Scouting".[1] The Jamboree was set up to be independent of Associations, and hoped to involve members of the World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Jamboree 2008
Official badge
LocationGreen Carts, Humshaugh, Northumberland
CountryUnited Kingdom
Date16–22 August 2008
Attendanceabout 300
Website
http://www.jamboree.me.uk/

Jamboree 2008 was held at Green Carts, Humshaugh, Northumberland and ran for eight days, between 16 and 22 August. The final day marked 100 years since Robert Baden-Powell met thirty Scouts at Fourstones Railway Station (about a mile south of Carr Edge) and marched them up to the camp site for the Humshaugh Camp, accepted as the first official Scout Camp to be run by Baden-Powell.[2]

Purpose

Jamboree 2008 was established to be an event allowing young people from all the uniformed youth movements, including the Boy's Brigade, to work together whilst celebrating the centenary of the Humshaugh Camp[3] The Jamboree was established independent of any Association, and was intended to be open to members of all Scouting organisations.[4] It was hoped that the specialist training given to volunteer leaders would continue to affect the wider movement. It was also intended to highlight how Scouting has developed to meet the needs and interests of today's young people. Another intention was for the jamboree to develop links between the different Scouting organisations.[5]

Participation
Jamboree members celebrating the centenary of B-P's first camp at Carr Edge

The event was attended by 600 Scouts from many parts of the United Kingdom and from Portugal.[6][7][8] The majority of the attendees were from the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, with local members of The Scout Association choosing to mark the centenary through a display in a local town rather than attending the event. Although the Scout Association decided not to support the event,[9] they also did not issue a blocking statement, so a number of SA members attended.

Jamboree 2008 hosted the President of the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, Lawrie Dring, one of the founding members of the BPSA and of WFIS. Johnny Walker — the author and publisher of the Scouting Milestones website also attended the event, bringing a display of memorabilia and giving talks on Scout history.[10]

The event also welcomed a number of volunteers from outside of Scout organisations — these included friends, family and colleagues of the organisers and participants of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. In line with the event's Child Protection policy, all adults were checked for their suitability to work with children by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Events
Rock climbing, Jamboree 2008

Despite heavy rainfall, the event proved a success[11] by allowing the participants to access all manner of traditional Scouting activities including:

Hubs

The Jamboree was divided into four hubs. These were named after patrols created by Baden-Powell at his camp, Bulls, Kangaroos, Ravens and Wolves.

Training scheme

In addition to a week-long event, Jamboree 2008 embarked upon a training scheme which enabled the participating adult volunteers to access a number of training schemes including:

  • British Canoe Union UKCC Level 1 award — a paddlesport coaching qualification (kayaking, canoeing, raft building).
  • MLTE Single Pitch Award — a rock climbing instructor qualification
  • Various e-learning training courses including the Safeguarding Children Level 1 certificate
  • St Johns Ambulance; Appointed First aid with an extra module on Anaphlax
  • Basic Food Hygiene award
  • The institute of Qualified LifeGuards, National Pool Lifeguard Qualification Level 2

These qualifications were then utilised for the Jamboree 2008 camp itself. The goal of the training scheme was to develop a lasting legacy beyond the camp itself.

Funding

The Jamboree 2008 project was set up as a not-for-profit event and so costs were intentionally kept to a minimum. This enabled the cost of the camp to be £50 per person for the week including all memorabilia and access to all events. In addition to this, centralised catering was made available for a cost of £37.50 per person for the week. The event aimed to be as inclusive as possible by keeping these costs as low as possible.

The project received additional funding from the following organisations:

Media coverage

The event itself generated substantial media interest including various local and regional newspaper articles.[10] The BBC 1 Look North Regional News spent the day at the campsite and filmed a midday and evening feature[14] covering the Jamboree. In addition to the news presenter partaking in the activities alongside the Scouts, the weather forecast also took place from the water-logged campsite.

Supporting Companies

The Jamboree 2008 project was supported by the following companies:

References
  1. "Jamboree 2008: Intro". Jamboree 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  2. Walker, Johnny (June 2007). "Humshaugh: - A Fortnight in Baden-Powell's Holiday Camp. August 22nd — September 4th, 1908". "Johnny" Walker's Scouting Milestones Pages. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  3. "Feasibility" (doc). Jamboree 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  4. "WFIS Europe Euroletter April 2008" (doc). WFIS. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  5. "Jamboree 2008 Constitution" (PDF). Jamboree 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  6. "Fakenham scouts mark centenary". Lynn News. 19 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  7. "Escuteiros de Moreira em Inglaterra". Primeira Mão (in Portuguese). 18 August 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  8. "Escuteiros de Moreira em terras de sua Majestade". Maia Hoje (in Portuguese). 9 August 2008. Archived from the original on 23 October 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  9. "County News" (pdf). Northumberland Scout County. February 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  10. Tilley, Brian. "Scout World Arrives for Historic Jamboree". Hexham Courant. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  11. "Jamboree 2008 Report". Fakenham Lancaster B-P Air Scouts. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
  12. "National Park Supports 100th Anniversary of Baden-Powell's First Scout Camp". Northumberland National Park. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  13. "Durham Gala Day Gets The Go-Ahead With Lottery Grant". Awards For All. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  14. "Google Video: TV News Clip". BBC. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2008.

Scouting in North East England

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