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The 20th
World Jamboree
involved 35000 Scouts from almost every country in the world
and was held in Chonburi Province, 150km south of Bangkok
until 8 January 2003. The slogan for the event has been
"Share our World - Share our Cultures".
You can see
what went on in Thailand by looking on the
Official Jamboree Site, or for news about the UK contingent
by checking Scoutbase.
However, the best site that brought all the news together
was the Berkshire
Scouts site. The ACC (Scouts) from Berkshire was part
of the team in Thailand and did a good job of keeping the
site updated.
From:
Communications Department, Gilwell Park: World Jamboree
Update: 8 January
For those who have not been keeping
an eye on the Jamboree Website, the UK Contingent has now
been able to provide regular news and photograph updates
from the event. These can be seen at http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/inter/jambo/thailand/events/thailand/ebull.htm
Countdown
begins to 2007 and World Scout Jamboree in the UK
At
the close of the 20th World Scout Jamboree in Thailand on
7 January 2002, the World Jamboree Flag was formally handed
over to the UK Scout Association. It symbolises that responsibility
for organising the next and most important and significant
Jamboree in Scouting history, now passes to the United Kingdom.
In 2007, Scouting celebrates its 100th anniversary with
a series of global, national and local events - including
the 21st World Jamboree being hosted in the UK. The event
will involve more world countries than even the Olympic
Games.
A
new website has been launched (www.scouting2007.org)
that will run for the next five years providing regularly
updated news and information. 1 August 1907, marked the
first day of Robert Baden-Powell's experimental camp on
Brownsea Island in the UK for 22 boys from a variety of
backgrounds, which led to the formation of the worldwide
Scout Movement. Today, Scouting is a million times bigger
than when it started, with over 28 million members in 216
countries and territories around the world. Since Scouting
was founded in 1907, over half a billion young people in
virtually all countries and cultures have enjoyed Scouting
activities and pledged to live by the Scout Promise and
Law.
"Scouting
already makes an enormous difference to the world by developing
young people to be responsible citizens and by educating
them for peace", said Derek Pollard, Chairman of Scouting
2007. "The worldwide Scouting celebrations in 2007 will
bring together Scouts from every race, religion and culture
as brothers and sisters. We're especially honoured to be
hosting the next World Scout Jamboree in the UK, and we
are aiming for it to be the biggest Jamboree ever with 40,000
participants."
World
Scout Jamborees are held every four years in different countries
around the world, and the 21st World Scout Jamboree will
be held at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex, from 27th July
to 8th August 2007. In addition to the Jamboree, Scouting
centenary celebrations in 2007 will include activities on
Brownsea Island, a Sunrise Ceremony around the world on
the morning on 1st August, and local camps and events in
the UK.
David Muttock
and Nathaniel Ferrington from 2nd Bracknell Scouts are in
the Berkshire contingent.
They left the
UK on 23 December. The group had to meet at the Sports Centre
in Bracknell at 5am for a 6am departure. David Ferrington
was on hand to capture events on camera.
Final
update about David & Nathaniel received from Lesley
Ferrington on Friday 10 January
- We
have not been in contact with the boys since Tuesday.
However, they did their community project which was to
paint a school building - which they did, but I also understand
that they taught some of the younger Thai children English
songs (like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes) and after
they had completed their painting they played basketball
with some of the older children (as Nathaniel stated "it
was a whitewash mum - we had no chance!) Both David &
Nathaniel were extremely impressed with how much the children
out there want to learn (I am hoping Nathaniel remembers
that once he is back at school next week and realises
he has over a weeks' worth of GCSE course work to catch
up on - I WILL REMIND HIM!!)
- On
the last day I think they were a bit down and wanted to
come straight home - I am not sure but I get the feeling
they were up at 6 am (Wednesday) and did not leave the
site until 12.30 am (Thursday)(over 18 hours) to catch
their flight to Singapore. Very long day but they helped
clear the site and get everything packed.
- Would
recommend everyone to look at the Berkshire
Web Site as there is a great photo of the whole contingent.
Nathaniel is second from right (near the tree) David,
as usual, has a hat on, and is in the back row that is
sitting down - five from left, miss one and then there
is Claire (Brian's girl). Back row standing on the first
left is Jamie and in the very front row, four from the
right (in sunglasses) is Adam - there that is our whole
contingent that everyone has helped send out. On the other
photo, where I think the Scouts are practising to be monkeys
at the front is Brian.
- We
understand that the hotel they are staying at (in case
people do not realise, Berkshire had to forgo Home Hospitality
- where they stay in other Scouts homes - because of the
problems that have occurred recently in the Philippines;
the Home Office did not want any people from this Country
to visit the Philippines and so they have gone to Singapore)
does in fact have a swimming pool and fitness room etc.
- Today
(10 January) the Berkshire contingent have been out and
about Singapore, unfortunately we do not yet know what
they were doing other than site seeing.
- Anyway
three more nights and two more days and then they will
be back at Reading Service Station between Junctions 11
and 12 on the M4! I for one cannot wait. Really funny
that, we all wish our children would clear off for a time
and when they do we miss them so much more than we could
ever imagine. Mind you by Tuesday 14th I am sure I will
be wishing Nathaniel back in Thailand...
5
January
- Nathaniel
has now seen a scorpion - I thought he said it was dead
(that was 3am last night) 8.00 am this morning damm it
was alive ugh!
- Tomorrow,
the 6th, the Berkshire Contingent are doing their community
project (one of the previous ones was to build a wall
in a ditch?!) Then on Wednesday they have the closing
ceremony and then pack up to catch a midnight flight to
Singapore.
- David
swapped a hoodie for 40 US Dollars a pair of trainers,
20 badges and I think a Mexican shirt. We have mailed
Nathaniel to seek out his friends (who are as well off!!!
- swap some more).
- Both
David & Nathaniel appear to be suffering a bit of homesickness
at the moment but over the next 48 hours they are going
to be too busy to bother with us (although Nat said he
would phone home tomorrow). They are still having a fantastic
time and really appreciate the help from the group (sponsoring
etc etc) and everyone else who has helped get them there.
I gather that stuff is so cheap they need a plane for
them two alone! Seriously, sounds like they have done
some really good swaps but will spend the last day doing
ridiculous swaps or giving their stuff to the poorer nations
(Uganda seems like a good candidate) but who knows it
changes by the second.
- Today,
Sunday they did "Face the Waves" and participated in a
raft building competition and rowing which I believe they
really enjoyed. They also had a get together with some
Scouts from Africa and Sweden (somewhere else cannot recall)
and had to show each other what happens on a troop night.
I understand that language was not a barrier, especially
when the Africans sang God Save The Queen at the end of
their night - in perfect English.
- As
I said earlier they leave Thailand (Nathaniel informs
us - not been confirmed by the Home Contact yet) at around
midnight on the 8th and then spend the next four days
in a hotel in Singapore which does not have a swimming
pool or they believe email facilities - time will tell.
- After
reading Nathaniel's emails, his phone call and (David
is always there with him) looking at the various supporting
web sites it would appear that 2nd Bracknell are going
to get back two young men who want to spend the next month
in the shower, the following month sleeping and the next
thirty years telling us all about it. They were pretty
upset when I let them know we had had snow!!!!
2
January
-
Thieves have stolen over 100 National Flags from the Jamboree
site. Thai Police arrested 3 young men who had nine of
the flags on their motorbike - they wanted to decorate
their bedrooms as the flags are extraordinary beautiful.
-
Nathaniel has had to call into the infirmary with constipation.
Over 4000 went to the infirmary over the past four days,
mainly due to the trots and
dehydration. Oh well he always was different!
- David,
of course, nearly trod on a snake, he ran very fast and
I believe the whole Jamboree site heard him scream.
-
I understand that over 10 leaders have been sent home
(unfortunately some from UK but none from our contingent
- due to alcohol). This is of course a DRY site although
the scouts are being given litres of water each day and
practically made to drink the same
-
We spoke to both Nathaniel and David yesterday on the
phone and asked if it was what they expected - got told
a categorical NO - It is just so much BETTER. They are
having a fantastic time and we would like to thank everyone
in the Group who has supported both these boys to have
the experience of their lives.
-
They have both managed to swap lots of stuff and Nathaniel
has mailed to ask if he can "dump my old clothes" because
I understand he has bought so much. He has swapped one
uniform shirt for an Australian one and has quite a few
scarves. He has got a hat from one of the Irish IST (International
Service Team) members, its a leprechaun hat! They run
the Radio Station that wakes them (from what I understand
they are not going to bed) in the morning. I also believe
that both of them have managed to get over 100 camp blanket
badges - I am not sewing any of Nathaniel's on for him!
- The
weather is unseasonable for Thailand - it is not cooling
down at night so they are having terrible trouble sleeping
- about 28 degrees at night and anything from 30 to 40
in the day. The site is very dusty but the sea is 2 seconds
away (when they can get in it).
- The
opening ceremony was great except that they had to wait
so long for the bigwigs to arrive. I believe that New
Year's Eve was just great and they had a festival where
they sent candles (alight) off - not sure whether it was
in the sea or on water somewhere - they loved it.
It's been some
time since we heard from the Scouts going to the World Jamboree
in Thailand. We recently caught up with David Muttock who
told us what the Jamboree Contingent have been up to.
16
months ago Nathaniel and I went on a selection weekend at
Chalfont Heights. During the weekend we had to do all sorts
of teambuilding activities to see if we were capable of
going to the World Scout Jamboree in Thailand in December
2002.
About
a month later Nathaniel and I both received letters saying
you have been chosen to become a member of the jamboree
squad that will go out to Thailand. After we found this
out Nathaniel, myself and three other scouts from the area
were put into a group to do fundraising. Here are some things
that we have done so far.
- Nathaniel
and I organised a sponsored walk around Virginia Water.
We collected a lot of sponsors before we did the walk
and this made it very successful. We also invited the
Cubs, Scouts and Beavers to join us on our walk but unfortunately
only one cub turned up.
- We
also have done the Warfield family bicycle ride for the
past 2 years which was also a big fundraiser.
- On
the 1st December 2001 the 5 scouts from the Bracknell
area got up very early because that was going to be one
of the biggest fundraisers yet. We were doing a 12 hour
static bike ride in Bracknell town centre. We started
cycling at 7.15 am and did not stop until 7.00 pm.
- This
year we have done a car wash at Moss End Garden Centre
- We
have also run Thai evenings at different cub packs.
- There
have also been Quiz evenings and many more things to raise
money.
We
have also received donations from various people, places
and companies. Here are just some of them:
-
Bracknell's mayor, Dorothy
Hayes gave us a personal donation
- Bracknell
Forest Borough Council
- Free
masons
- Sandy
Lane School
- Prince
Philips trust
- Sunningdale
fuel allotment
- Plus
donations from various scout groups and SE Berks District
In
5 months Nathaniel and I will be in Thailand and we would
just like to say its been amazing doing all the camps. Yes,
its been hard work getting all the money but its been fun.
A
big thanks to everyone especially our families. This report
was typed by David Muttock in August 2002.
There is a
Jamboree every four years but it has been some time since
any 2nd Bracknell Scouts have attended one. David and Nathaniel
were selected after a weekend camp where they had to show
how well they could work in teams. They each have to raise
£2650.
David and Nathaniel
will be joined by Adam Putt (1st South Ascot), Claire Cuznor
(7th Bracknell), Jamie Sawyer (1st Ascot All Saints). Brian
Summers (Scout Leader at 7th Bracknell) will also be going
with them.
If you supported
the District contingent by purchasing one of the special
COBRA badges you should remember that badges may only
be worn on uniform until the end of the Jamboree in 2003.
The county
contingent have their own web site with information about
the Jamboree. You can visit it by going to www.berkshirejamboree.org.uk
Top picture
is from the Bracknell Midweek News of 5 September 2001.
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