Bath Scouts Go International!
The first part of the summer holidays has seen a flurry of international Scouting activity for Bath Scouts, with members travelling across Europe and the Atlantic while also welcoming overseas visitors to the city.
Dutch Scouts from the Dirk Duyvel Scout Group in Alkmaar spent a week at Cleeve Hill Campsite, exploring Bath and visiting local attractions. The group was hosted by the 31st Southdown Scout Group, who had themselves enjoyed a visit to the Netherlands in 2024.
Further afield, Clive, Development Lead for Bath Scouts, attended the USA National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. Joined by more than 30,000 Scouts and volunteers, Clive became part of the Extreme Sports Programme. Despite having no previous BMX experience, he helped run the BMX Ride Team, supporting participants throughout the event.
“I even managed a few laps of the track myself – and didn’t fall off!” reported Clive, “though my attempt at skateboarding left me with a rather large bruise!”
Meanwhile, Louise and Simon from the 28th Bath Scout Group, together with fellow volunteers from Bristol and Gloucestershire Scouts, were part of the international staff team at the Danish Scout Jamboree. Held at Hedeland Nature Park, west of Copenhagen, the event brought together some 35,000 Scouts and 3,500 volunteers from across Denmark and around the world.
Throughout the week, every Scout camped under canvas and cooked meals over wood fires while taking part in a huge variety of adventurous activities, cultural experiences and international exchanges.
The Bath leaders all described their experiences as unforgettable, gaining a fascinating insight into the different ways Scouting operates around the world while discovering that the values of friendship, adventure and service are shared wherever Scouts meet.
Each leader also took the opportunity to explore their host country before and after their respective events and they are already looking forward to the next international adventure.
International travel is just one of the many opportunities available to both young people and adult volunteers in Scouting. Would you like to be part of the next adventure yourself?! Visit https://www.bathscouts.org/join
