Scout Jamborees - Past and Present
Background Information

Shortly after the start of Scouting in 1907, its rapid and unexpected spread in countries outside the British Isles caused Lord Robert Baden-Powell (B-P), the Founder of Scouting, to realise that a get together of Scouts of all nationalities must sooner or later be organised. But any ideas he may have had were stifled by the outbreak of war in 1914.

In 1917, the 10th Anniversary of the first Scout Camp on Brownsea Island, it had been hoped to hold some kind of celebration to mark the event. Things being as they were, it was decided that an "Imperial and International Jamboree" be held as soon as circumstances would permit. As the war finished in 1918, it was decided to hold it two years later in 1920. Incidentally, a similar position was reached when it was decided to hold the 6th World Jamboree in 1947, two years after the Second World War.

A World Jamboree has four guidelines, as defined by the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM). These are:

• to provide quality Scouting
• to develop greater understanding, tolerance and co-operation
• to celebrate the unity of the Scout Movement
• to promote the worldwide image of Scouting

1st World Jamboree - Olympia, London 1920
That first Jamboree was quite an occasion, nothing like it had ever been attempted before, and it took a lot of courage by B-P and his team of organisers to make it the success it undoubtedly turned out to be.

The 1920 Jamboree would bear little resemblance to the World Jamborees of today. The most outstanding difference would be that the first Jamboree was held indoors at Olympia in the heart of London. The Scouts taking part, 8,000 from 34 countries, gave displays daily in the great Olympia arena which had to have a foot of earth and turf laid especially to enable the Scouts to pitch tents! A camp site in the middle of the metropolis is hard, if not impossible, to find, and a camp of 5,000 Scouts was, therefore, set up in the Old Deer Park at Richmond, whilst the rest slept at Olympia ready for the following days' performance. In the great side halls at Olympia, various exhibits were on show, even a tent was something of a novelty in those days, and demonstrations of handicrafts by Scouts and Wolf Cubs (the then name for Cub Scouts) went on non-stop. So it was that the first World Scout Jamboree was more of a display and exhibition than a get together camp.

What had begun as a Scout celebration turned into a great demonstration of international goodwill. Towards the close of the Jamboree, a tribute was paid which was not a scheduled part of the programme. In the great arena packed with Scouts and in the presence of many thousands of spectators, B-P was spontaneously acclaimed by the boys as "Chief Scout of the World" - a title which no government or King could confer and one which lapsed on his death.

At the closing ceremony, B-P gave a parting message, as full of meaning today as it was on the historic occasion. Here is an extract:
"Brother Scouts. Differences exist between the peoples of the world in thought and sentiment, just as they do in language and physique. The Jamboree has taught us that if we exercise mutual forbearance and give and taken then there is sympathy and harmony. It be your will, let us go forth from here fully determined that we will develop among ourselves and our boys that comradeship, through the world wide spirit of the Scout brotherhood, so that we may help to develop peace and happiness in the world and goodwill among men."

A number of lessons were learned from this first Jamboree and these were carefully noted for future guidance. An indoor display limits the activity and prevents a full demonstration of Scouting, which is an outdoor movement. It was also realised that above all else, a Jamboree is a means of developing a spirit of good comradeship between the boys of many nations and the more that aspect can be stressed, the more successful becomes a Jamboree.

"The Future is Now" was the theme for the 18th World Jamboree which took place at the Worlds Biggest Campsite in Dronten, Flevoland, Holland. 25,000 young people from more than 200 countries took part in 10 days of fun, friendship and adventure making the event the largest gathering since the 9th World Jamboree in the UK. The Jamboree also welcomed 10,000 visitors every day.

Release:      IMMEDIATE
Date:      8th July 1998
Ref:      nr01

Local Scouts off to Chile

JAMBOREE is a word that has crept in to the English language through its links with Scouting. The word 'Jamboree' is an African word meaning gathering and that is just what will be happening in December when 29,000 Scouts, aged between 14 and 18, from 160 countries will visit Chile. Amongst the 30,000 Scouts will be nearly 2,000 from the UK. There will be 38 local Scouts from Somerset and the former county of Avon attending.

The Scouting movement holds a World Jamboree every four years, and is bigger than the Olympic Games.

This years Jamboree is being held in Chile and is being hosted by the world's second oldest Scout Association in the world (the UK being the first). The Chilean Association was formed in 1909 after a visit by the Founder of Scouting, Lord Baden-Powell.

The theme for the Jamboree is "Building Peace Together" emphasised by activities such as hikes, a global development village (where Scouts can find out about other cultures) and community service.

The Jamboree site is in the foothills of the Andes mountain range about 60km south of Santiago, the capital of Chile. The site will be a purpose built town for the Jamboree which will have three villages, each of eight sub camps of about 1,000 people. The villages are named after traditional cultural groups who inhabited Chile before the arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century.

Steve Beaver, the leader of the Avon and Somerset Unit, explained "We are holding a series of training events to prepare our young men and women for what promises to be an incredible blend of cultures and a truly international experience."

A series of programmes has been devised under the banner "Join in Jamboree" to enable the Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts left behind in the UK to have special meetings on Jamboree and Chilean themes.

The journey to Chile for those in Avon and Somerset starts on Boxing Day! On route to Chile the Avon and Somerset Unit will enjoy Home Hospitality (HoHo) in Brazil.

Steve Beaver explained that "Attending a World Jamboree is a real privilege and honour for our members. They have been lucky enough to be selected for this important event and will now act as Ambassadors for UK to Worldwide Scouting."

Philip Bird, Unit Media Relations Manager, explained that "The United Kingdom was the birthplace of Scouting back in 1907. Our brothers and sisters in Scouting around the globe will be particularly keen to meet and discuss Scouting with their colleagues from the birthplace of Scouting."

Release:      IMMEDIATE
Date:      20th August 1998
Ref:      nr02

Soy de Inglaterra
I'm from England (in Spanish)

Scouts Prepare for Chile New Year

Scouts and Venture Scouts from Somerset and the former county of Avon are preparing for a winter in Chile when they attend the 19th World Scout Jamboree.

Preparations for the Jamboree include learning some basic Spanish so that participants can easily communicate with their Chilean hosts. Soy de Inglaterra (I'm from England) and ¿De dónde eres? (where are you from?) are amongst the phrases that the young people are learning.

In addition to learning Spanish phrases the young men and women are also raising money in order to pay for their trip - each participant needs to raise around £2,300.

The young people attending, aged 14 to 18, are either Scouts (for boys and girls aged 10½ to 15½) or Venture Scouts (for young men and women aged 15½ to 20).

The journey to the Jamboree starts on 26th December (Boxing Day!) when they will fly from Heathrow to Madrid, on December 27th they'll then fly from Madrid to Santiago (the capital of Chile) and then travel by coach to the Jamboree site 60km south of Santiago in the foothills of the Andes mountain range.

The Jamboree formally runs from 27th December to 6th January. After which the members of the Avon and Somerset Unit will travel to Sao Paulo in Brazil where they will enjoy Home Hospitality (known as HoHo) with local people. This will give them plenty of time to explore Brazil. On 12th January they'll fly to Madrid for their flight back to Heathrow on 13th January.

Around 30,000 participants will attend the Jamboree and travel from 150 countries around the globe - that's more participants and more countries than take part in the Olympic Games.

Steve Beaver, the Unit Leader for the Avon and Somerset Unit explained "This event will be truly memorable for these young people. I attended the 18th World Jamboree in Holland in 1995, so I know from first hand experience what an enjoyable and important event a Jamboree is."

14 year old Adam Vine, a Scout with the 1st Saltford Scout Group, who is going to the Jamboree and lives in Saltford near Bristol, explained that "I want to be a good Ambassador for this country and to try to build bridges and make friends with Scouts from all nationalities."

13 year old Rebecca Boyce a Scout with the 1st Bleadon Scout Group, who lives at Bleadon in North Somerset said "I am really looking forward to my trip to Chile and Brazil. It will be a real honour to attend this event with fellow Scouts from around the world. When I joined the Scouts a few years ago, I could never have imagined that I would be travelling so far and meeting so many other Scouts." Rebecca celebrates her 14th Birthday on 29th August.

A special series of programme ideas has been prepared for the Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts and Venture Scouts who are staying in the UK. The Join in Jamboree activities are being used to promote the international dimension of the Scouting movement. Syd Cherrill, who is Assistant County Commissioner for International activities for Scouting in "Avon", and Deputy Unit Leader for the Jamboree explained that "This event is providing opportunities for local members of the Scouting movement as well as those travelling to Chile. The 'Join in Jamboree' series of activities enables those not attending the Jamboree to learn something about Chile and to take part in the opportunities that a Scout Jamboree brings "

.

Release:      EMBARGO UNTIL 28th AUGUST 1998
Date:      20th August 1998
Ref:      nr03

A Chile Birthday!

Rebecca Boyce who lives in Bleadon, North Somerset, celebrates her 14th Birthday on 29th August. She will have a "Chile" birthday because she is busy preparing for her trip to Chile on Boxing Day to attend the 19th World Scout Jamboree. Rebecca is a Patrol Leader with the 1st Bleadon Scout Troop who meet in Bleadon.

She'll spend 27th December to 6th January attending the Scouts World Jamboree in the foothills of the Andes mountain range in Chile. After the Jamboree, she'll enjoy Home Hospitality (known as HoHo) with a Scouting family in Sao Paulo in Brazil before returning to the UK on 13th January.

Rebecca Boyce said "I am really looking forward to my trip to Chile and Brazil. It will be a real honour to attend this event with fellow Scouts from around the world. When I joined the Scouts a few years ago, I could never have imagined that I would be travelling so far and meeting so many other Scouts."

Release:      Immediate
Date:      9th December 1998 (10.00pm)

Scouts trip to Chile may be cancelled

36 young people from Somerset and (the former) Avon are on tender hooks waiting to hear whether they'll be able to travel to Chile on Boxing Day. They are planning to attend the 19th World Scout Jamboree being held in Chile, but this is in doubt because of trouble in Chile as a result of the extradition procedures being taken against Senator Pinochet.

The Home Secretary has given his approval for the extradition procedures against Senator Pinochet to continue.

Scouts and Venture Scouts from 'Avon' and Somerset are due to fly to Chile on Boxing Day. Their trip may need to be cancelled, however, for fears of their safety whilst in Chile.

There is a possibility that the 2,000 strong UK Contingent won't be able to travel to Chile to attend Scouting biggest event, and won't be able to join their Scouting colleagues from 160 countries around the globe.

Before the Chilean Ambassador to the UK was recalled, he met with representatives of The Scout Association - he confirmed that the Chilean government is fully behind the Jamboree and he expressed his hope that the UK Contingent would decide to go. The Chilean Foreign Minister has given an absolute guarantee of safety for the Jamboree participants while they are in Chile. Representatives of UK Scouting are at present in Chile to assess the situation first hand.

Mr Syd Cherrill, the Unit Leader for those travelling from Avon and Somerset, explained "The 'Pinochet situation' is having a worrying effect on our plans to travel to Chile. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office are currently advising British nationals not to travel to Chile on "non essential business."

"The Jamboree site", he explained, "is some 60km away from Santiago, the capital of Chile, and is in the foothills of the Andes mountain range. If we are able to attend - as we obviously hope - we will be among 30,000 other Scouts from around the globe in a purpose built town."

On Sunday 13th December a special Valedictory Service is being held at Wells Cathedral for those hoping to travel to Chile from 'Avon' and Somerset. During the following week (on Monday 14th or Tuesday 15th) The Scout Association in the UK will decide whether or not the UK Contingent will be travelling to Chile.

Philip Bird, Media Relations Manager explained that "The safety of our members is, of course, paramount but the possibility of travelling to Chile against the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not been ruled out."

The Jamboree in Chile will go ahead. The question, however, is whether there will be any participants from the UK.

World Jamborees involve more participants, from more countries, than the Olympic Games.

The youngsters from 'Avon' and Somerset are due to fly to Chile on Boxing Day (26th December). After the Jamboree they will stay with Scouting families in Brazil as part of Home Hospitality (known as HoHo) before they return to the UK on Wednesday 13th January.

Release:      Immediate
Date:      16th December 1998 (10.00pm)

Scouts WILL travel to Chile
Full Steam Ahead for Scouts

The Scout Association has confirmed that young people from the UK will be travelling to Chile to attend the Scouts World Jamboree. There was a possibility that members of the Scouting movement in the UK wouldn't be able to attend the World Jamboree because of relations with Chile nationals as a consequence of the possible extradition of Senator Pinochet.

36 young people from Somerset and (the former) Avon are obviously delighted with the news that after all their hard work they will be able to attend the event.

Representatives of The Scout Association have met with the Chilean Ambassador in London before she was recalled. She confirmed that the Chilean government is fully behind the Jamboree. The Chilean Foreign Minister has given an absolute guarantee of safety for the Jamboree participants while they are in Chile. The Scout Association has sent senior members to Chile to assess the situation for themselves and they are satisfied that Scouts from the UK will be safe.

Mr Syd Cherrill, the Unit Leader for those travelling from Avon and Somerset, welcomed the news "We had feared that we would not be able to attend the Jamboree. It is great news that we will now be able to join our colleagues from around the world at the Jamboree in Chile. I, like my colleagues in UK Scouting, the Chilean organisers of the Jamboree and the Chilean government, am convinced that we will be safe in Chile."

"The Jamboree site", he explained, "is some 60km away from Santiago, the capital of Chile, and is in the foothills of the Andes mountain range."

Stuart Little, who heads the 2,000 UK Contingent is in Chile at the moment, and has been assessing the situation and has had meetings with the Chilean Minister for the Interior, and the Inspector General of the National Police Force. He has reported that "Wherever we went, there was clear evidence of the commitment of the Chilean Government to the success of the Jamboree overall, and in particular the attendance and safety of the UK Contingent."

Rebecca Boyce, a 14 year old Scout from Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, who will be attending the Jamboree, welcomed the news. "I was really delighted when I heard that after all the uncertainty we will be travelling to Chile. Christmas will be a rush for me this year because I'm flying off to Chile on Boxing Day with other members of the Avon and Somerset Unit. I am looking forward to experiencing this event."

Advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been amended. They are no-longer recommending against "non-essential travel".

World Jamborees involve more participants, from more countries, than the Olympic Games.

The youngsters from 'Avon' and Somerset will be flying to Chile on Boxing Day (26th December). After the Jamboree they will stay with Scouting families in Brazil as part of Home Hospitality (known as HoHo) before they return to the UK on Wednesday 13th January.

Syd Cherrill, who heads the Unit travelling to Chile from Avon and Somerset, explained "A considerable amount of time, effort and money has been used getting this far in our preparations to travel to Chile – it is gratifying to know that this time and expense has not been wasted. I am delighted that I, and the other members of the Avon and Somerset Unit, will now be travelling to Chile."

2,000 people will be travelling from the UK to join their Scouting colleagues from 160 countries around the globe.

Philip Bird, Media Relations Manager explained that "The safety of our members is, of course, very important to everyone in Scouting. The matter has been investigated and The Scout Association, and independent risk assessors, are convinced that the youngsters travelling to Chile will be safe."

Scouts travel to Chile after praise from the Queen

36 Scouts and Venture Scouts from Somerset and (the former) Avon set off today (Boxing Day) on a trip of a lifetime to attend the 19^th World Jamboree being held in Chile.

They left on their important trip the day after HM The Queen praised the work of organisations such as Scouting in her annual address to the Commonwealth. Referring to Scouting, Guiding and other youth organisations, Her Majesty said "These organisations, and those who serve them so selflessly, provide the bridges across which the generations travel, meet and learn from one another. They give us, with our families, our sense of belonging. It is they that help define our sense of duty. It is they that can make us strong as individuals, and keep the nation's heartbeat strong and steady too."

Syd Cherrill, who heads the Unit travelling to Chile from Avon and Somerset remarked "Attending a World Jamboree is obviously an important event for me and the young people. But to leave for Chile the day after Her Majesty praises the work of Scouting, and in particular 'the bridges across which the generations travel, meet and learn from one another', makes the trip even more special."

Whilst in Chile the Scouts and Venture Scouts from Avon and Somerset will join with 2,000 colleagues from the United Kingdom in attending the biggest ever Scout Jamboree. 30,000 Scouts from around the world will be attending the event.

They will take part in activities as diverse as Basket Making to community projects.

Robert Arnold, a 14 year old Scout from Weston, Bath, who is the youngest member of the Avon & Somerset Unit travelling to Chile, commented "What better way to spend Boxing Day than starting a 13 hour flight! I wonder if it'll be turkey sandwiches on the plane? When I joined Scouting, I never imagined that I could be travelling so far away to meet so many other Scouts from so many countries."

The youngsters from 'Avon' and Somerset will be starting their trip to Chile on Boxing Day (26th December). After the Jamboree they will stay with Scouting families in Brazil as part of Home Hospitality (known as HoHo) before they return to the UK on Wednesday 13th January.

Two of the leaders travelling with the Scouts and Venture Scouts to Chile, Dawn Podbury and Lawrence Wilson, both of Hutton, Weston-super-Mare, got engaged on Christmas Day - the day before their journey to Chile.

- E N D S -

Queens Address to the Commonwealth

"My work, and the work of my family, takes us every week into that quiet sort of 'public life', where millions of people give their time, unpaid and usually unsung, to the community, and indeed to those most at risk of exclusion from it. We see these volunteers at work in organisations such as the Scouts and Guides, the Cadet Force, the Red Cross and St John's, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and the Prince's Trust.
These organisations, and those who serve them so selflessly, provide the bridges across which the generations travel, meet and learn from one another. They give us, with our families, our sense of belonging. It is they that help define our sense of duty. It is they that can make us strong as individuals, and keep the nation's heartbeat strong and steady too.
Christmas is a good time for us to recognise all that they do for us and to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of them."