Scout Groups:
| Word on the Street Spring 2011
Scouting in Ashdown District
Ashdown Scouting District comprises
different groups in the northern part
of East Sussex Scout County area and
includes Uckfield, Buxted, Crowborough.
Hartfield, Groombridge, Rotherfield,
Mayfield, Wadhurst and Ticehurst.
Each of these groups provides a full
range of Scouting activities for
children between the age of 6 and 25
years including art and craft, nature,
camping, expeditions to wild country
and even international functions.
The Scouting organisation is broken
down into a series of sections that
facilitate administration and the
development of activities. With the
exception of the posts at Scout
headquarters all the activities and
organisation is carried out by volunteers.
The chain of command is from Scout
headquarters to regions and counties,
from counties to districts and from
district to groups.
When Lord Robert Baden-Powell first set
up the Scout movement on the 1st August
1907 at a camp on Brownsea Island it was
not long before boys of 10 or 11 were
finding out about these camps and
outdoor activities and wanted something
similar in the Crowborough area.
In 1908 a number of local boys formed
the first successful troop in
Crowborough. They met in what is now
the pet shop in Croft Road under the
direction of Mr J. Chapman. Towards the
end of 1919 the 1st Crowborough Scout
headquarters was established in an army
hut in Whitehill Road.
From those early days the group
expanded to being one of the largest
groups in the British Isles with over 300
members at the last census.
The purpose of Scouting is to contribute
to the development of young people,
both- male and female, in achieving their
full physical, intellectual, social and
spiritual potentials as individuals, as
responsible citizens and as members of
their local, national and international
communities. This is achieved by the
young people, in partnership with adults,
engaging in varied and progressive
activities. At lst Crowborough this is
achieved by dividing the group into
various sections, 3 Beaver Colonies (6 to
8 years), Cubs into 4 Packs (8 to 10
years). Scouts into 3 Troops (10 to 14
years) and Explorers into 1 unit for 14 to
18 year olds The development and
activities primarily embrace the outdoors
and all associated with it; camping,
climbing, water activities, hiking and the
older Scouts also take part in the Duke
of Edinburgh Award scheme.
All sections have adult leaders to provide
the training, activities and support for
the young people. This also includes an
executive committee that provides
support to the Group Scout Leader in
fund raising and administration of the
headquarters and equipment.
Scouting is the largest youth movement
throughout the world and is generally of
the same format whatever country you
are in. This year is the 22nd World Scout
Jamboree to be held in Rinkaby near
Kristianstad in southern Sweden and
Ashdown Scout District has 6 young
people attending the event as part of the
36 East Sussex contingent. They will be
joining others from all over the world at
the camp site of over 30,000 members
to take part in different activities and
celebrate Scouting.
BRIAN SADD: District Commissioner March 2011 |
