119-639: Explorer Scouts , frequently shortened to Explorers, is the fifth section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom for 14- to 18-year-olds. The section was introduced in 2001 and formally launched in February 2002, alongside Scout Network , to replace the former Venture Scout section for fifteen-and-a-half to twenty-year-olds. Following on from the Scout section, Explorer Scouts are run in Units at
238-485: A Beret instead of the Campaign hat . The Advance Party Report was not welcomed by all involved and a rival report, A Boy Scout Black Paper , was produced in 1970 by The Scout Action Group. This provided alternative proposals for the development of the organisation and asked for groups that wished to continue to follow Baden-Powell's original scheme to be permitted to do so. The rejection of these proposals resulted in
357-529: A District level as opposed to the more local Group level that run the younger sections. In addition to earning activity badges in common with younger sections, Explorers are able to attain the highest awards in the movement such as the King's Scout Award. Part of the programme for the section is the Young Leader's scheme , which trains Explorer Scouts in leadership methods and allows them to volunteer with
476-585: A coffee substitute , particularly when coffee was unavailable or rationed. The Confederates in the American Civil War and Germans during World War I (when it was called Ersatz coffee), which were cut off from coffee supplies by Union and Allied blockades respectively, are particularly notable past instances of this use of acorns. Acorns are a traditional food of many indigenous peoples of North America, and long served an especially important role for Californian Native Americans , where
595-669: A royal charter under its previous name of The Boy Scouts Association . It is a founding member organisation of the World Organization of the Scout Movement . The organisation is the largest national Scout organisation in Europe , representing 35% of the participants of the European Scout Region . As of 2024 , the organisation claimed to provide activities to 444,682 infants to youths (aged 4–18) in
714-567: A boost when the Duchess of Cambridge announced her intention to become a volunteer leader for the organisation with a Scout Group near her Anglesey home. In the decade up to 2014, the number of adult volunteers increased by 14,596 to a total of over 104,000. A new Strategic Plan entitled Scouting for All was launched in 2014 to outline the organisation's focus to 2018. It proposed four key areas of activity: growth, inclusivity, youth-shaped Scouting and community impact. As part of this, in 2014,
833-667: A common flag design for use to identify the section, in parades or when a member is being invested into the unit. In England , Wales and Northern Ireland the flag is olive green with white lettering, a white scout emblem on a purple circular background in the centre of the flag with the scout motto 'Be Prepared' underneath. The flag in Scotland is different, due to the role of the Lord Lyon King of Arms in Scotland's ceremonies, and consists of an olive green background with
952-401: A community organisation, learn or develop a skill and undertake physical activity. In addition, they must train, plan and complete a self-sustained expedition, have spent a number of nights away from home and completed activities linked to international scouting, the environment and exploring their beliefs and values. The Queen's Scout award also requires the member to spend time away from home on
1071-478: A faith. There are variations of the organisation's Scout Promise to accommodate all religions or beliefs. While originally requiring a promise of "Duty to God", following criticism, in October 2013, the organisation announced that an alternative version of the promise would be available from January 2014 to admit those without a pronounced faith. Disability The organisation is open to all abilities. Flexibility
1190-478: A focus on a particular activity or a certain part of the programme such as providing a Young Leader unit to deliver the Young Leaders Scheme . Explorer Scout Units are run by volunteer leaders and supported by volunteer managers at the district level. An individual unit is run by an Explorer Scout Leader with a team of assistant leaders and helpers, with the team in charge of the overall programme of
1309-439: A foreign country, devoting some time to travelling around and exploring. Participants also have to undertake a major project of their own choosing, along with a number of smaller projects or challenges some of which are not revealed to them until the start of the expedition. It is designed to develop an understanding of other peoples and cultures as well as develop resourcefulness and interdependence. Explorer Scouts, in common with
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#17327728819871428-458: A large influence on small rodents in their habitats , as large acorn yields help rodent populations to grow. Large mammals such as pigs, bears, and deer also consume large amounts of acorns; they may constitute up to 25% of the diet of deer in the autumn. In Spain, Portugal and the New Forest region of southern England, pigs are still turned loose in dehesas (large oak groves ) in
1547-555: A location unknown to the participants before the start of the event and incorporating a wild camp. In addition to events, community based projects are also run. One such example is the Epping Forest Scout Conservation Project, which ran between 1989 and 2015, as a residential experience looking at conservation and forestry techniques that linked to the section's top awards. The World Scout Jamboree takes place every four years in countries across
1666-439: A long time, much as squirrels do. In years that oaks produced many acorns, Native Americans sometimes collected enough acorns to store for two years as insurance against poor acorn production years. After drying in the sun to discourage mould and germination , acorns could be cached in hollow trees or structures on poles to keep them safe from mice and squirrels. Stored acorns could then be used when needed, particularly during
1785-408: A major review in the 1960s. The Chief Scouts' Advance Party was formed in 1964 and was sent to survey the organisation to see why participation was falling. Their report was published in 1966 and changes were implemented later that year and throughout 1967. As a result, the word "boy" was dropped from the organisation's name which was changed to The Scout Association and major changes were made to
1904-559: A minimum of 20–30 m (70–100 ft) from the parent tree . Many animals eat unripe acorns on the tree or ripe acorns from the ground, with no reproductive benefit to the oak, but some animals, such as squirrels and jays serve as seed dispersal agents. Jays and squirrels that scatter-hoard acorns in caches for future use effectively plant acorns in a variety of locations in which it is possible for them to germinate and thrive. Even though jays and squirrels retain remarkably large mental maps of cache locations and return to consume them,
2023-893: A new Explorers Takeover Gilwell Park event. In addition to the events run by the Scout Association directly, there are a number of other events run by Scout bodies across the UK which are open to Explorer Scouts across the UK. The Apex Challenge events range in duration from a day to a weekend and consist of teams navigating between a variety of adventurous activity bases over a wide area, usually in Yorkshire , Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire . The 2018 event at Bramham Park in West Yorkshire attracted nearly 400 Explorer Scouts and involved kayaking, mountain biking and tomahawk throwing as signature activities. The Dragnet challenge
2142-536: A new and stylised fleur-de-lis, the Explorer Scout logo was altered to remove the previous fleur-de-lis mark. Publications either continued the use of the previous artwork or used the new image style of the association and the typeface for all documents was updated to use the Google Fonts typeface Nunito Sans. The Explorer Scout programme is flexible to the needs of members. One of the challenge areas of
2261-473: A number of national and international events open to Explorer Scouts in addition to project and events held at more local levels. Examples of prominent events that have taken place in the past include the Sun Run, a weekend of activities culminating in 26.2-mile (42.2 km) night hike through the surrounding hillsides starting with participants watching the sun set and High Adventure, an orienteering event in
2380-463: A part of the leadership team. Training of Young Leaders is achieved through eleven lettered modules covering the necessary skills to play an active part of the leadership team, with members challenged to apply what they have learned through four 'missions' in their sections. Recognition of the scheme is achieved through a series of badges and culminates in the Young Leader belt buckle award which
2499-419: A promise soon after joining the section. This promise is the same as that used for any member of The Scout Association from age ten and a half and includes a promise to do their best, help other people and a duty to a higher purpose. There are different variations of the promise to accommodate members of different faiths (and none) and whether they are a resident of the United Kingdom. The promise also requires
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#17327728819872618-516: A purple badge with the scout symbol worn on the left chest that is common to scouts across the world, with years within the movement marked through a series of participation awards. Proficiency in particular skills is marked through the award of 25 activity badges, covering activities as diverse as caving and street sports, and 15 staged activity badges which are common across the younger sections and are designed to mark progression of skills. Between 2002 and 2015, Explorer Scouts could also work towards
2737-499: A renewed emphasis on outdoor adventure and it now offers over 200 fun and adventurous activities from abseiling and archery while also offering a wider range of development opportunities, from coding to music and drama. In 2004 the organisation appointed television presenter Peter Duncan as its Chief Scout, who was succeeded by adventurer Bear Grylls in July 2009. The organisation appointed its first UK Chief Commissioner, Wayne Bulpitt , on
2856-471: A residential experience with strangers. The Explorer Belt is a long-standing award for Scouts that is achieved in various countries around the world. It was formerly earned by members of the Venture Scout section before becoming an award available to Explorer Scouts over 16 years of age and Scout Network members since 2002. The Explorer Belt requires participants to undertake a 10-day expedition in
2975-581: A separate organisation, the Girl Guides were created by Baden-Powell and his sister, Agnes , to provide a more "proper" programme of activities. In 1916, the organisation launched its Wolf Cubs , for boys aged 8 to 11. In 1918, the organisation launched its Rovers for those over 18 who had grown out of being Scouts but wanted to be remain connected. During the First World War , more than 50,000 Scouts participated in some form of war work on
3094-486: A similar beige coloured shirt or blouse, although with navy blue trousers or skirt instead of the previous mushroom colour scheme. During the designing and consultation on the uniform design in 2000, the Explorer Scout section was originally imagined as wearing a claret coloured shirt, blouse or polo shirt. However, only 14% of Venture Scouts approved of the colour when consulted on it, with one recorded comment describing it as "like something out of Star Trek " resulting in
3213-666: A source of food for many cultures around the world. For instance, the Ancient Greek lower classes and the Japanese (during the Jōmon period) would eat acorns, especially in times of famine. In ancient Iberia they were a staple food, according to Strabo . Despite this history, acorns rarely form a large part of modern diets and are not currently cultivated on scales approaching that of many other nuts. However, if properly prepared (by selecting high-quality specimens and leaching out
3332-400: A strong upturn, with the organisation claiming its highest rate of growth in UK since 1972, with total claimed participation reaching just under half a million. In 2014, the organisation claimed an increase in youth enrolments of 100,000 in the ten years since 2004. In 2016 it claimed eleven years of consecutive growth and an increase in female enrolment, with 25% of participants now female in
3451-593: A theme of the 'Greatest Show on Earth' and all the activities linked in to 'Great' figures for example archery for Robin Hood and drumming for Dave Grohl . The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest Scout organisation in the United Kingdom . Following the rapid development of the Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 and incorporated in 1912 by
3570-404: A total of 99,989 female participants, aged between 6 and 25. 69,460 adult women were involved in volunteer roles (being more than 1 adult female for every 2 female young people). The organisation's programmes are open to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other (LGBTQA+) young people and adults. Religion The organisation's programmes are open to those of any religion or without
3689-497: A tough shell known as the pericarp, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule . Acorns are 1–6 cm ( 1 ⁄ 2 – 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) long and 0.8–4 cm ( 3 ⁄ 8 – 1 + 5 ⁄ 8 in) on the fat side. Acorns take between 5 and 24 months (depending on the species) to mature; see the list of Quercus species for details of oak classification, in which acorn morphology and phenology are important factors. The word acorn (earlier akerne , and acharn )
Explorer Scouts (The Scout Association) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3808-461: Is Scarefest which is held on the weekend closest to Halloween at Gilwell Park, North London. Similar to Winter Camp, it is open to Scouts, Explorers, Guides and Rangers and features activities such as climbing, archery and laser games. All these events were affected by the Coronavirus pandemic with events these events cancelled in the 2021 and 2022 years with Gilwell 24 replaced in 2023 with
3927-561: Is a 30 miles (48 km) navigation challenge over a weekend in July in the Lake District . Teams have to navigate from an unknown starting point to the known end point while avoiding capture. There are multiple Monopoly Runs each year that take place in London based on the board game of the same name . All focus on visiting various points around the city in a speedy time with some choosing their own points each year and others using
4046-522: Is built-in to badge and award requirements for those with special needs. Some counties and areas have a specialist commissioner or adviser to support inclusion. Robert Baden-Powell was keen to allow young people with disabilities to take part in Scouting. The disabled branch (later called Extension Scouting ) was formed in 1926. However, in more recent years, emphasis has been placed on integrating young people with disabilities into mainstream Groups. After
4165-434: Is made from acorns, and dotori guksu are Korean noodles made from acorn flour or starch. In the 17th century, a juice extracted from acorns was administered to habitual drunkards to cure them of their condition or else to give them the strength to resist another bout of drinking. Roasted acorn flour is a main ingredient in sweet cakes special to Kurdish areas of Iran and Iraq . Acorns have frequently been used as
4284-457: Is particularly true of the acorns of American red oaks and English oaks . The acorns of white oaks , being much lower in tannins, are nutty in flavor; this characteristic is enhanced if the acorns are given a light roast before grinding. Tannins can be removed by soaking chopped acorns in several changes of water, until the water no longer turns brown. Cold water leaching can take several days, but three to four changes of boiling water can leach
4403-628: Is related to the Gothic name akran , which had the sense of "fruit of the unenclosed land". The word was applied to the most important forest produce, that of the oak. Chaucer spoke of "achornes of okes" in the 14th century. By degrees, popular etymology connected the word both with "corn" and "oak-horn", and the spelling changed accordingly. The current spelling (emerged c. 15th–16th century) derives from association with ac (Old English: "oak") + corn . Acorns play an important role in forest ecology when oaks are plentiful or dominant in
4522-484: Is to provide "fun, adventure and skills for life and give young people the opportunity to enjoy new adventures, experience outdoors and take part in a range of creative, community and international activities, interact with others, make new friends, gain confidence and have the opportunity to reach their full potential". Membership is open to male and female participants, of all abilities, and of any religion including people outside any faith. Gender From 1912 to 1967,
4641-416: Is worn with their uniform. The Young Leaders Badge is awarded upon the completion of the compulsory training module and is surrounded by one of four mission badges as each 'mission' is completed; the buckle is awarded only through the completion of every module and mission. The design of the awards was initially the letters 'YL' on blue and purple but was updated in 2015 to an acorn and oak leaves to reflect
4760-710: The 3rd World Scout Jamboree at Arrowe Park in Cheshire ; some 56,000 Scouts from 35 countries attended, making it the largest World Scout Jamboree to date. The first Gang Show , produced by Ralph Reader , opened at the Scala Theatre in London in October 1932. Following the outbreak of World War II , over 50,000 Scouts trained under the National War Service scheme. Tasks undertaken included police messengers and stretcher bearers. In January 1941,
4879-526: The Gilwell Oak and the role of Young Leaders as future leaders of the movement. The scheme has been popular with young people looking to volunteer in their community. Since its launch in 2002, the scheme has grown from 1,245 young leaders to 10,394 a decade later with transferable skills being highlighted as a benefit. It is also used by young people taking part in extra-curricular award schemes such as The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , with volunteering with
Explorer Scouts (The Scout Association) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4998-683: The International Conference of the Boy Scout Movement now called the World Organization of the Scout Movement, of which the organisation was a founding member. The Boy Scouts Headquarters Gazette was first published in July 1909, as a publication for adult Scouters and administrators, alongside The Scout , a magazine for youths which had been launched in April 1908. In 1929, the organisation hosted
5117-472: The Second World War , specialist Agoonoree camps were run to cater for those unable to camp with their own Scout Groups, with some still running today. For the origins of Boy Scouts and the Scout Movement, before the formation of The Scout Association, see Scouting . The organisation was formed in 1910, in order to provide a national body in the United Kingdom which could organise and support
5236-542: The Young Leaders scheme, awarded through completion of training, missions and culminating in the Young Leader Belt Buckle and a series of awards linked to youth empowerment within the section. Explorer Scouts continue the programme of progressive top awards which members are encouraged to achieve in the section. Three which are available to the Explorer Scout section, in order of difficulty, are
5355-518: The home front . Scout buglers sounded the "all clear" after air raids or air strike, others helped in hospitals and made up aid parcels; Sea Scouts assisted the Coastguard in watching the vulnerable East coast. In 1920, the organisation organised the first World Jamboree , held in Olympia , London , together with an international conference for leaders which led to the formation, in 1922, of
5474-411: The "council" in its incorporating charter. The majority of the council are elected by the council itself with the council or its board also appointing all its officers and all commissioner members. Even those nominated by Scout Counties to the council require previous appointment to their positions or approval by the council's board or officers appointed by the board. The council elects a board (called
5593-494: The 2009 event and the centenary of Gilwell Park being marked by the media at the 2019 event. Winter Camp is held on a weekend in January at Gilwell Park, North London. The event, hosted for Scouts , Explorers, Guides and Rangers, includes over 70 activities over the course of the weekend that the individuals can take part in during the day. The event has grown from 2,500 attendees in 2010 to 4,000 in 2019. A more recent event
5712-461: The 25 years since girls were first welcomed in 1976. The organisation claims one of its biggest challenges is encouraging more adults to volunteer to reduce the number of young people on waiting lists (cited at around 40,000). However, by its reported figures (above) it has a high ratio of more than 1 adult volunteer to 4 participant young people (see above), and "young people" includes adults aged 18 to 25. The effort to attract new volunteers received
5831-632: The British Empire. In 1910, the organisation approved special uniforms for Sea Scouts and formally adopted use of the name in 1912. On 4 January 1912, the organisation was incorporated throughout the British Empire by Royal charter for "the purpose of instructing boys of all classes in the principles of discipline loyalty and good citizenship". The organisation's programme was originally just for boys aged between 11 and 18. However, many girls and younger boys wanted to join in. In 1910,
5950-537: The Chief Scout's Platinum Award, the Chief Scout's Diamond Award and the King's Scout Award (Queen's Scout Award for the first two decades of the section's existence). All three are linked to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (Bronze, Silver and Gold respectively) with completion of certain sections of either award contributing to the other. The awards all require Explorer Scouts to, over a length of time, volunteer with
6069-533: The International, Environment and Faith partnership awards that required completing a longer-term project in partnership with another section or unit. These awards were discontinued in the 2015 programme refresh and the idea of community projects linked into other awards and areas of the programme, in particular the Community Impact staged activity badge. There are also badges and awards linked to
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#17327728819876188-474: The Scout Association updated their visual identity style, including the section brands, to focus on the Scouting fleur-de-lis . As part of this, the new Explorer Scout logo was simplified to a navy blue wordmark with a small fleur-de-lis either located to the top right of the wordmark or a larger version located directly above the wordmark. The typeface for the wordmark was changed to Gill Sans , however this
6307-665: The Scouts including as a Young Leader the fourth most popular way for young people to achieve this part of the award in 2019. The launch of the Explorer Scout section was seen as a success following its launch and after 10 years, the membership of the section had grown beyond the highest peak of the previous Venture Scout section of 39,000. In the later years of the 2010s, membership of the section steadied off to become more consistent. The section has always been coeducational, and as of January 2023 33.5% (14,829) of its young people are female. Explorer Scouts, in common with other Scouts , make
6426-443: The UK and the negative stereotype as being old fashioned. To keep up with trends and appeal to audience new generation, a new uniform, designed by Meg Andrew, was launched in 2001. The uniform included a variety of bold colours, with the younger sections wearing sweatshirts and activity trousers. In 2002 the organisation launched its new vision towards 2012, which heralded another period of change. The Venture Scouts programme
6545-549: The UK, with 83,792 direct adults leaders but 68,974 adults in "governance", "support" and other roles, which is more than one adult for each 3 children. The organisation's participation declined 22% from 464,700 in 2018 and has not recovered despite commencing a programme for even younger children. Its programmes include Squirrels (aged 4–6), Beavers (aged 6–8), Cubs (aged 8– 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 ), Scouts (aged 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 –14), Explorer Scouts (aged 14–18) and adult Network members (aged 18–25). The organisation's current aim
6664-494: The acorn symbol is used as an ornament on cutlery , furniture, and jewelry; it also appears on finials at Westminster Abbey . In the Artemis Fowl book series, "The Ritual" describes the method used by faeries to regenerate their magical powers. The acorn was used frequently by both Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War . Modern US Army Cavalry Scout campaign hats still retain traces of
6783-575: The age sections and their respective programmes. The youngest section were now named Cubs , the Boy Scout section was renamed simply as the Scout section and the Senior Scouts and Rovers sections were replaced with Venture Scouts for 16- to 20-year-olds. The uniform were also changed with the inclusion of optional long trousers, as opposed to the compulsory wearing of shorts, and the wearing of
6902-533: The associations efforts, membership in the early years of the 2020s did not rise as quickly as they had expected, requiring further staff redundancies in April 2024 to cover missing membership fees. Announced as part of the Skills For Life strategic plan in May 2018, from 2019 the organisation trialled an early years programme section. The name initially chosen for the pilots, involving children aged 4–6 years,
7021-609: The autumn, to fill and fatten themselves on acorns. Heavy consumption of acorns can, on the other hand, be toxic to other animals that cannot detoxify their tannins , such as horses and cattle, especially if eaten in excess. The larvae of some moths and weevils also live in young acorns, consuming the kernels as they develop. Acorns are attractive to animals because they are large and thus efficiently consumed or cached. Acorns are also rich in nutrients. Percentages vary from species to species, but all acorns contain large amounts of protein , carbohydrates and fats , as well as
7140-678: The benefits of their experience" and "review[ing] our uniform starting with the Explorer Scout uniform." Unlike the younger sections and the Venture Scouts before them, Explorer Scout Units are controlled by a Scout District covering a larger area than the more local Scout Groups . Districts are able to have as many Explorer Scout Units as they see fit with members able to participate in the programme of other units in their area. Some units have formal partnership agreements with local groups, where access to equipment and meeting places are negotiated, while other units may be more specialised with
7259-482: The bitter tannins in water), acorn meal can be used in some recipes calling for grain flours. In antiquity, Pliny the Elder noted that acorn flour could be used to make bread. Varieties of oak differ in the amount of tannin in their acorns. Varieties preferred by Native Americans, such as Quercus kelloggii (California black oak), may be easier to prepare or more palatable. In Korea, an edible jelly named dotorimuk
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#17327728819877378-487: The board of trustees and formerly called the committee of the council), which manages the organisation, determines its " Policy, Organisation and Rules " (POR), nominates members of the council and makes all appointments within the organisation. The King is patron of the organisation. Its joint presidents are The Duke of Kent and The Princess of Wales . The council elects the organisation's Chief Scout . In September 2024, Bear Grylls , announced his resignation from
7497-468: The change to the current colour. The uniform is different for members in Explorer Sea Scout and Explorer Air Scout units, instead consisting of a light blue shirt or blouse instead of the beige colour of 'land' members and the addition of a hat; a Seaman's cap or peaked cap for Sea Scouts and a beret for Air Scouts. In common with other sections of the movement, Explorer Scouts have
7616-568: The commitment to developing community impact, the organisation launched a three-year community impact project called "A Million Hands" to mobilise half a million Scouts to support four social issues chosen by their young people. Its aim is to build real and lasting relationships in communities that will enable young people to continue taking "social action" long into the future. The project works in partnership with six key charities; Mind , Alzheimer's Society , Leonard Cheshire Disability , Guide Dogs , Water Aid and Canal & River Trust to support
7735-645: The early 1950s, some Boy Scouts were dismissed or marginalized in their Scout Groups due to their involvement with the Young Communist League or related communist activities – the most high-profile case being that of Paul Garland from Bristol in 1954 which resulted in media reports and a debate in the House of Lords, where the organisation's Chief Scout , Lord Rowallan , defended the organisation's political and religious discrimination based on foreign communist regimes' antipathy to Scout organisations and
7854-493: The first 10 years of the scheme. In 2012 the section, along with Scout Network , celebrated their tenth anniversaries with a uniform badge available to celebrate the occasion. Between August and December 2013, a youth consultation was held into the future of Scouting under the title of Be... initiative. While not making any specific recommendations about the Explorer Scout section, the consultation focused on increasing community action and youth input into all sections and changing
7973-776: The formation of the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association . Several developments were made over the following years, including the admission of girls, initially restricted to the Venture Scouts section in 1976, but from 1991 junior sections were allowed to become mixed as well, starting in Bradford, West Yorkshire and working its way throughout the UK. Parents of children involved with the organisation in Northern Ireland also began to organise activities for children who were too young for Cubs. Initially, only
8092-544: The four key issues of dementia, disability, mental wellbeing and resilience and clean water and sanitation. Also in 2015, Dr Ann Limb was appointed chair of the organisation, the first woman to hold the post. Already Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Limb was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to young people and philanthropy. In September 2016, Tim Kidd replaced Wayne Bulpitt as
8211-483: The jamboree. The purpose of the event is to take part in activities with Scouts from across the world with some 45,000 scouts from 152 countries at the most recent 24th World Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve , United States . The Scout Association, through their Scout Adventures subsidiary, run a number of national events for members of the Explorer Scout section. These are centred on
8330-565: The landscape. The volume of the acorn crop may vary widely, creating great abundance or great stress on the many animals dependent on acorns and the predators of those animals. Acorns, along with other nuts, are termed mast . Wildlife that consume acorns as an important part of their diets include birds, such as jays , pigeons , some ducks , and several species of woodpeckers . Small mammals that feed on acorns include mice , squirrels and several other rodents . One beetle species, Thorectes lusitanicus , also feeds on acorns. Acorns have
8449-511: The landscapes. Oaks produce more acorns when they are not too close to other oaks and thus competing with them for sunlight, water and soil nutrients. The fires tended to eliminate the more vulnerable young oaks and leave old oaks which created open oak savannas with trees ideally spaced to maximize acorn production. A motif in Roman architecture , also popular in Celtic and Scandinavian art,
8568-411: The largest drop in numbers since 1941. The financial situation of the association declined during the pandemic and in the aftermath, necessitating the selling of an activity centre and hostel and 150 staff being made redundant. Additionally, a recruitment campaign for 10,000 volunteer leaders was launched to replace volunteers who departed and build capacity for the high demand from young people. Despite
8687-471: The leaders of these activities, nicknamed Beavers , were registered and organisation officials, with the children participating not being enrolled by the organisation until it formally adopted the programme in 1986. In the late 1990s, a Muslim Scout Fellowship was formed, which by the end of 2007, had assisted the establishment of 13 Muslim Scout Groups in England and Wales. Despite these and other changes,
8806-410: The member to follow the Scout law. These seven statements are also common to all members of the Scout Association from age ten and half upwards and, with the promise, reinforces the values of the movement. In common with other sections of the Scouting movement, progress and achievement is recognised through badges worn on the uniform shirt. Membership of the section is marked with the membership award,
8925-431: The minerals calcium , phosphorus and potassium , and the vitamin niacin . Total food energy in an acorn also varies by species, but all compare well with other wild foods and with other nuts. Acorns also contain bitter tannins , the amount varying with the species. Since tannins, which are plant polyphenols , interfere with an animal's ability to metabolize protein, creatures must adapt in different ways to use
9044-402: The nationally owned scout centres such as Gilwell Park . Gilwell 24 is an annual event that takes place at the home of UK Scouting, Gilwell Park , North London. It comprises a set of activities and challenges over a 24-hour period for some 5,000 Explorer Scouts and Rangers . It is often used as an event to mark occasions within the Scouts with Bear Grylls being invested as Chief Scout at
9163-424: The nutrients bound in dead leaves and other plant debris into the soil, thus fertilizing oak trees while clearing the ground to make acorn collection easier. Most North American oaks tolerate light fires, especially when consistent burning has eliminated woody fuel accumulation around their trunks. Consistent burning encouraged oak growth at the expense of other trees less tolerant of fire, thus keeping oaks dominant in
9282-689: The nutritional value acorns contain. Animals may preferentially select acorns that contain fewer tannins. When the tannins are metabolized in cattle, the tannic acid produced can cause ulceration and kidney failure. Animals that cache acorns, such as jays and squirrels, may wait to consume some of these acorns until sufficient groundwater has percolated through them to leach out the tannins. Other animals buffer their acorn diet with other foods. Many insects, birds, and mammals metabolize tannins with fewer ill effects than do humans. Species of acorn that contain large amounts of tannins are very bitter, astringent , and potentially irritating if eaten raw. This
9401-619: The oak family. Once acorns sprout, they are less nutritious, as the seed tissue converts to the indigestible lignins that form the root. In some cultures, acorns once constituted a dietary staple , though they have largely been replaced by grains and are now typically considered a relatively unimportant food, except in some Native American and Korean communities. Several cultures have devised traditional acorn-leaching methods, sometimes involving specialized tools, that were traditionally passed on to their children by word of mouth. Acorns served an important role in early human history and were
9520-542: The odd acorn may be lost, or a jay or squirrel may die before consuming all of its stores. A small number of acorns manage to germinate and survive, producing the next generation of oaks. Scatter-hoarding behavior depends on jays and squirrels associating with plants that provide good packets of food that are nutritionally valuable, but not too big for the dispersal agent to handle. The beak sizes of jays determine how large acorns may get before jays ignore them. Acorns germinate on different schedules, depending on their place in
9639-617: The organisation celebrated the centenary of its Cub section , named Cubs100. The centenary celebrations marked the launch of the fully developed Wolf Cub programme on 16 December 2016, a date which is regarded as the "official birthday of Cubs". Adventurer Steve Backshall was appointed Cubs100 Ambassador to raise the profile of the anniversary year. A range of events took place throughout 2016, from adventure camps to locally organised "promise parties" on 16 December itself, at which Cubs renewed their promises. One promise [arty in Kings Lynn
9758-408: The organisation for "moving with the times" and others feeling the changes went "against the Scouting ethos of Baden-Powell". Further changes took place in 2003 when the organisation's Adult Training Scheme was relaunched to be more focused and targeted to the volunteers individual role as opposed to the more general training received before. The organisation also began to change in its focus, with
9877-599: The organisation in Northern Ireland. The name is also recognised by many due to its links to the popular children's programme Hey Duggee . Squirrels wear a red sweatshirt uniform and meet in Dreys organised within Scout groups. The initial 200 dreys were targeted to areas previously under-served by the organisation including diverse areas and those comprising a high number of low income households. The organisation consists of between just 300 and 500 members, called
9996-557: The organisation introduced the role of its national youth commissioner. The organisation's national youth commissioner works with its national leadership team; its chief executive, its Chief Scout, its chief commissioner and its chair of the board of trustees, to contribute to discussions on behalf of youths and ensuring key changes are subject to youth consultation. Counties and district units were encouraged to appoint their own youth commissioners for young people to have an opportunity to influence their activities. In October 2015, as part of
10115-582: The organisation launched an online package of activities called "the Great Indoors" and a national fund raising campaign called "Hike to the Moon" in aid of those affected by the crisis, as well as online briefings for adult leaders. Despite these initiatives, in May 2021 it was announced that enrolment numbers had fallen by over 100,000 (from 480,083 to 362,752), with the number of adult leaders falling from 156,000 in 2020 to just under 141,000, reported to be
10234-639: The organisation launched its Air Scout branch, allowing Scout Troops to specialise in activities related to aircraft and flying. The organisation continued to be headed by Baden-Powell, as its Chief Scout and chairman for life until he retired to Kenya in 1938 where he died on 8 January 1941. The organisation then appointed Lord Somers as its Chief Scout. Starting in 1944, the Scout International Relief Service (SIRS) sent teams of Rovers and Scouters to continental Europe to provide humanitarian aid ; ten SIRS teams worked at
10353-475: The organisation was called The Boy Scouts Association, and until 1976 only boys were admitted to its programmes. In 1910, Baden-Powell created an entirely separate organisation with a different name, the Girl Guides for girls. From December 1916, following the introduction of the organisation's Wolf Cubs programme for 8 to 10 year olds, in which Vera Barclay played a pivotal role, the organisation permitted women to take on limited volunteer roles, working with
10472-508: The organisation's chief commissioner. Kidd has been involved with the organisation his whole life, starting as a Cub and then as a volunteer, in various leadership roles including Scout leader, district commissioner and county commissioner. In the 2016 Birthday Honours , Kidd was appointed an OBE for services to young people. Kidd's term will end in September 2021, with applications open for a replacement in September 2020. Throughout 2016,
10591-427: The organisation's enrolments fell into a decline through the 1990s. This spurred a major review into the causes of the decline in 1999. The organisation found itself competing for young people's time against many other extracurricular activities and schools themselves which were increasingly venturing into the same types of activities. In addition, adult leaders became concerned with the growing litigation culture in
10710-606: The organisation's policy and Scout Promise requiring adherence to an organised religion and not accepting atheists. The matter was withdrawn without a division , and it took 60 more years for the organisation to change its discriminatory policy and accept atheists. In 1957, to commemorate fifty years of Scouting and the centenary of Baden-Powell's birth, the organisation hosted the 9th World Scout Jamboree , which took place at Sutton Park in Birmingham . The organisation's programmes went largely unchanged until it underwent
10829-439: The other Scout sections, is a uniformed movement. The Explorer Scout uniform consists of a beige shirt or blouse, a neckerchief for the unit, navy blue trousers or skirt and scout belt. It was designed by fashion designer Meg Andrew in 2000 as being a stylish and affordable uniform that was suited to outdoor wear and activity use. The uniform is largely similar to that of the Venture Scout section that Explorer Scouts replaced, with
10948-425: The other sections. In 2018 the Scouts published their Skills for Life plan which acknowledged that young people drop out of the Scout's 6-25 programme between 14 and 25 years. In response, they planned a number of changes to the Explorer Scout provision before 2023 including "review[ing] the Explorer Scout programme to increase retention", "ensur[ing] that Young Leaders are well supported, recognised and can articulate
11067-451: The perception of scouts to encourage more people to join. The report fed into the Scout Association's strategy for the next four years which had key aims matching the outcomes of the Be... report. In 2015 the programme for Explorer Scouts was updated along with the logo and visual identity for the section. The programme now focused on 15 challenge areas around three broad themes concurrent with all
11186-542: The phased roll out of the section over a period of years until it was in a position to introduce the section formally, now under the name Squirrels , in September 2021. The name was chosen after field testing in communities underrepresented in the organisation's programmes, and because of the support of the Northern Ireland Squirrel Association that subsequently merged into the organisation after 25 years of independent operation alongside
11305-534: The places on the standard board game. Revolution is based on the Isle of Wight , and is open to Explorer Scouts, Scout Network members and members of the Student Scout and Guide Organisation . It celebrated its 25th event in 2019, having begun in 1995 as a Venture Scout event. The theme changes each year with the activities, based off-site around the island, linked in to the theme: the 2018 event for example had
11424-454: The programme specifically focuses on adventurous activities with hiking, rock climbing , kayaking , sailing , caving and shooting proving popular with units. Many Explorer Scouts can become quite proficient in their chosen activities, and some attain instructor's qualifications as recognised by the activity's national governing body (for example, BCU coaches for kayaking) as part of the Scouts adventurous activity permit scheme. There are
11543-455: The ranges of several species of oaks overlap, increasing the reliability of the resource. One ecology researcher of Yurok and Karuk heritage reports that "his traditional acorn preparation is a simple soup, cooked with hot stones directly in a basket," and says he enjoys acorns eaten with "grilled salmon , huckleberries or seaweed ." Unlike many other plant foods, acorns do not need to be eaten or processed right away, but may be stored for
11662-459: The rapidly growing number of Scout patrols and troops, which had already formed spontaneously following the publication of Scouting for Boys and The Scout magazine in 1908. It was also the wish of Robert Baden-Powell to separate control of the Scout Movement from his book's publisher. It was felt it was not given the status it deserved, as the publisher C. Arthur Pearson controlled much of Scouts. The organisation grew and spread to much of
11781-431: The recently relieved Bergen-Belsen concentration camp . After years of trial schemes, in 1946, the organisation launched its Senior Scout programme for Boy Scouts aged fifteen to eighteen years to form separate patrols or troops, with age appropriate activities and badges. Scouts were prominent in their support of the 1948 Summer Olympics , playing leading roles in the open and closing ceremonies at Wembley Stadium and
11900-419: The role. The organisation's Chief Commissioner, currently Carl Hankinson, acts as its Deputy Chief Scout and appoints a team of commissioners who are responsible for programmes in their respective fields. The board employ paid staff to implement their directions and policies. The chief executive, currently Aidan Jones October 2024, manages the work of the headquarters staff. In 2014, the organisation created
12019-417: The roles of Youth Commissioner and Deputy Youth Commissioner to work with the national leadership team to advocate on behalf of youth participants. Acorn The acorn is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera Quercus , Notholithocarpus and Lithocarpus , in the family Fagaceae ). It usually contains a seedling surrounded by two cotyledons (seedling leaves), enclosed in
12138-466: The sailing events at Torbay . The first Bob a Job Week took place in April 1949, in which Scouts did small tasks for the public in return for a " bob " - colloquial name for the shilling coin (5 new pence) - to raise funds for the organisation and for C. Arthur Pearson's fund for the blind. Over the organisation's history, some boys had been challenged to justify their enrolment because of their own or even their parents' religious or political beliefs. In
12257-464: The same day, with a particular remit to support volunteers, grow and develop the organisation. The organisation hosted several major events during this time including EuroJam in 2005, hosting 10,000 Scouts and Guides from 40 countries, the 21st World Scout Jamboree in 2007 as well as playing a major role in the centenary celebrations of Scouting that same year, with celebration events organised on Brownsea Island . By 2010, census figures showed
12376-442: The same themes (even if the names differed to be age appropriate for the section). In 2003 the programme for the section was expanded with the launch of the Young Leaders scheme, allowing Explorer Scouts and those of a similar age to volunteer with the younger sections as part of the leadership team. The scheme was an unexpected success and the number of Explorer Scouts volunteering as Young Leaders had reached 10,394 by 2012, within
12495-442: The scout emblem and motto appearing in yellow and a St. Andrew's Cross next to the hoist. When the section was first launched in 2002, the Explorer Scout logo consisted of two scalene triangular shapes with curved corners overlapping each other with the word 'Explorers' inside the common area of both shapes. The colours used in logo, namely yellow and green, were the main colours for the section. A custom typeface called Explorer
12614-562: The strategy and change the then 17-year-old logo. The major changes included a new typeface for documents and literature from the organisation, new colours with an updated corporate logo. This was introduced to the organisation on a two-year transition period. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic , in March 2020, the organisation's face-to-face activities were suspended and weekly meetings had to be delivered through Zoom . To support this,
12733-421: The tannins in under an hour. Hot water leaching (boiling) cooks the starch of the acorn, which would otherwise act like gluten in flour, helping it bind to itself. For this reason, if the acorns will be used to make flour, then cold water leaching is preferred. Being rich in fat, acorn flour can spoil or molder easily and must be carefully stored. Acorns are also sometimes prepared as a massage oil. Acorns of
12852-574: The unit and ensuring adequate safety of members. Each unit is supported at a wider district level by a District Explorer Scout Commissioner, who supports the effective running and cooperation of the units, and a District Explorer Scout Administrator, whose main role is in the transfer of membership between sections at 14 and 18 years of age. Young Leaders are Explorer Scouts who choose to provide leadership in Beaver Scout Colonies, Cub Scout Packs or Scout Troops alongside adult volunteers as
12971-464: The white oak group, Leucobalanus , typically start rooting as soon as they are in contact with the soil (in the fall), then send up the leaf shoot in the spring. Acorns are too heavy for wind dispersal , so they require other ways to spread. Oaks therefore depend on biological seed dispersal agents to move the acorns beyond the mother tree and into a suitable area for germination (including access to adequate water, sunlight and soil nutrients), ideally
13090-479: The winter when other resources were scarce. Acorns that germinated in the fall were shelled and pulverized before those germinating in spring. Because of their high fat content, stored acorns can become rancid. Moulds may also grow on them. The lighting of ground fires killed the larvae of acorn moths and acorn weevils by burning them during their dormancy period in the soil. The pests can infest and consume more than 95% of an oak's acorns. Fires also released
13209-457: The world and is a wide-scale gathering of Scouts. The UK sends approximately 4,000 young people aged 14 to 17 from across the country, split into some 40 units with their own leaders and branding. Preparation and fundraising for a World Scout Jamboree takes many years and so older Scouts who would be Explorers by the time of the Jamboree often work in their troops to help fundraise for the trip to
13328-402: The younger boys. In 1976, girls were allowed to join the organisation's Venture Scouts for 16 to 20 year-olds. In 1991, the admission of girls to all the organisation's programmes became optional. Since 2007, this has been compulsory. As of 2018 , girls made up 71% of all new members, with approximately 2.5 girls for every boy. Girls also made up 27% of all the organisation's participants, with
13447-513: The younger sections and the former Venture Scout section, which was run at a local Scout Group level, the new Explorer Scout section is run at a district level with units placed to cover the entire area. When it was set up, the activity programme for the section followed eight programme zones that matched those of the Scout Network section. This was to change however in 2008 when the first four sections began using six programme zones covering
13566-520: The younger sections of the movement. The Explorer Scout section was created in the first years of the twenty first century. The preceding decade had seen the Scout Association lose 30,000 members per year, leading to a review of the programme began in 1995 and launched from 2001 onwards. The section officially launched in February 2002 with the previous sections, notably Venture Scouts , and age ranges being phased out by December 2003. Unlike
13685-464: Was Hedgehogs and involved a programme funded by the Department for Education and delivered either as an organisation-led programme, a parent-led programme or a partner-led early years programme. The aim of the pilot was to explore early years provision with children of this age and determine whether this is a route the organisation should take. The organisation decided to proceed with the pilot and
13804-484: Was attended by the Duchess of Cambridge. In May 2018, the organisation announced a new 'Skills For Life' strategy as its focus to 2023. Its objectives are similar (with the same outcomes of growth, inclusivity, youth shaped Scouting and community impact) , however there is now more of a framework to develop and achieve the objectives . Alongside the new strategy launch, the organisation launched new branding to support
13923-449: Was discontinued and two new sections were introduced: Scout Network for 18- to 25-year-olds, as well as Explorer Scouts for 14- to 18-year-olds. A new programme was introduced, complete with a new range of badges and awards covering a wider variety of topics such as Public Relations and Information Technology, developing practical and employability skills. The new badges drew mixed reactions from several public figures, with some praising
14042-403: Was not used in any other publication; instead TheSerif was used for headings in line with the rest of the association and Frutiger continued to be used for body text. Publications moved away from pictures and outlines and instead featured an artwork style that the association described as being "Editorial, sophisticated, expressive". When the Scout Association brand was updated in May 2018, with
14161-429: Was used for the logo and for headings in Explorer Scout branded publications, with Frutiger used for body text in line with the rest of the association. Explorer was created to portray a "adventurous personality", fitting in well with the association brand focusing on everyday adventure introduced in 2008, and building on the previous positioning of Explorer Scouts as being "Extreme, Challenging and Streetwise". In 2015,
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