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Contents Jamboree Perspectives: Marc Coton Jamboree Perpsectives: Kate Charlton |
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Jamboree Perspectives
| My perspective of the World Scout Jamboree by Marc Coton, Cub Scout Leader, 1st South Zeal. |  |
Mid Devon attended the World Scout Jamboree at Hylands Park, Essex and we had the time of our scouting lives!
We took beavers, cubs, scouts and explorers from 1st Chulmleigh, 1st Chagford and Drewsteighton, 1st Tedburn and St Mary and 1st South Zeal, totalling nearly 100 young people and adults.
On Saturday, August 4th we left in our two coaches from the campsite at 8:30am for check in at a nearby air field, arriving at the jamboree site for 11am.
Then we were free to explore and mingle with the other day visitors and campers. The entrance was lined with flags of many of the 159 nations
represented at the WSJ and as the thousands of day visitors from all over the world walked up towards the world flag, the sheer scale of a jamboree became obvious.
The nearest WSJ guide (easily identifiable by the tall purple and orange hats!) recommended we start at the Day Visitor Village where cubs made Wan-Buddhism figures out of strings and beads and then onto weave a paper symbol of the Christian scouting movement (and earn a badge for doing so...)
Our cubs were eager to find the badge swapping area to see if anyone was interested in the Mid Devon badge that each person had been on the coach.
As we walked past the catering tents from Sweeden, Holland and Germany (a huge black castle!) we found the Plaza, where each country had a tent about itself and their version of scouting.
Everyone was really friendly and we were soon directed to the Badgers Club where different nationalities were sat at tables with their badges laid out for swapping.
The cubs approached each table in turn, admiring the collections and offering to swap the red bull of Mid Devon for a badge they liked the look of. Some were interested and some said no thank you. Occasionally a friendly American badge collector would give the cubs the badge they wanted, rather than swap. Sometimes a bit of negotiating was needed to secure the deal and several badges were handed over for the better badge they had seen. Always the deal ended with the left handed scout handshake of friendship.
By the time we met up for lunch at the Arena the cubs already had stories to tell the others. They Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers eagerly told tales of who they had met and what they had seen. Another group of cubs had collected stamps from the country tents and had filled sheets of paper with them. They proudly showed these off whilst wanting to know all about our badge swapping successes.
As we ate our lunch in shade of a tree at the top of the huge arena area we watched video clips on the large screen of the opening ceremony that had taken place on 1st August with the Chief Scout Peter Duncan on Brownsea Island.
Whilst we sat eating our lunch we were approached Italian scouts wanting to swap our red and white scarves for their green and blue ones. When exchanges were done (including a badge swap or two), photographs were taken.
After icecreams and refilling water bottles we made our way back through the plaza, visiting country tents to collect the stamps we wanted.
A well earned cup of tea in view of Hylands House reminded us of the history of the estate that was entertaining the 40,000 adults and young people that would visit over the 10 day festival.
Then onto the scout shops where scarves, badges, pens, toys and other scouting memorabilia was on sale. Purchases were made as the cubs finally got to spend the money that had been burning a hole in their pocket for so long.
I had my leather scouting belt branded with the Jamboree symbol to mark the occasion, reminding me that i had done it before when i was a scout myself and visited the Amikaro in Stratford upon Avon back in 1988 (although that belt doesn't fit any more...)
It is always inevitable that someone puts a bag down or drops something with so much to distract them. Two cubs lost bags of goodies whilst walking around in the afternoon and some time was spent retracing our steps to find them. It was typical of the day that the things were found and smiles were returned to the cubs faces.
Finally we were out of time and set off to meet up for our departure back to camp. There was however, time for a good cup of coffee in the Sweedish tent and a sample of cinnamon pastries and ginger biscuits while the cubs played table ice hockey.
It really was an amazing experience. The friendliness of everyone we met, the common purpose and the scale combined to create a truly memorable day.
Thanks very much to the Local Network Fund who enabled the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts from 1st South Zeal to attend by providing funding of £3778 towards the entry fee, food and tent equipment needed.
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Were you a member of one of the Scout Groups in the Mid Devon District?
Mid Devon are holding a reunion for any ex Scout members and leades from the District on Saturday 20th October 2007 at the Waie Inn, Zeal Monochorum. The evening will start at 7:30pm with a welcome drink an dthere will be a buffet in the evening. Tickets will be £10 in advance from Mrs Joan Lee (Copperlee, Morchard Road, Crediton, EX17 5LR). Please enclose a SAE with cheque payable to Mid Devon District Scout Countil. We hope to see you there. Closing date for Tickets is 10th October 2007.
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Within Mid Devon are:
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1st Chulmleigh
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1st Crediton
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1st Chagford and Drewsteighton
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1st North Tawton
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1st Okehampton
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1st Sandford
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mike@downer.me.uk |
1st South Zeal
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1st Tedburn and Cheriton
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Necker images were generated using the Necker Generator on scoutbase.
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A 10% discount is available in any Millets branch when you present your group necker. Although you can't get the discount online, you can decide what you want! Visit the website here |
Visit the Virtual Camp Blanket and have a look at the county, district and name badges from across the country here. |
To add content to this site, please contact Marc@1sz.org.uk