Be prepared
There are 28 million scouts in the world, and 45,000 of them will be attending the 24th World Scout Jamboree, which is due to be held in the United States from 22 July - 2 August 2019.
For the first time, a world jamboree will be hosted by three national scout organizations: Scouts Canada, Asociación de Scouts de México, and the Boy Scouts of America. These three distinct cultures will join together to host the world scouting community in a celebration of cultural exchange, mutual understanding, peace, and friendship.
The World Scout Jamboree is a scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of scouts from around the world,
Parcelforce customer service operative, Douglas Faulconbridge, has been selected as one of the volunteer leaders to take the 4,000 strong UK contingent of scouts, explorers and girl guides.
Douglas’s group from Warwickshire will include 72 young people aged 14-18, together with eight leaders. ‘I have been a member of the scouting movement for over 50 years’ now and I am sure this will be the pinnacle of my scouting career,’ he said. ‘This opportunity will offer amazing experiences for the young people and leaders alike.
‘To call it a ‘camp’ would be an understatement. The 2019 Jamboree takes place at The Summit Bechtel Reserve which is situated in the wilds of West Virginia. In 2009, 10,600 acres of property was purchased adjacent to West Virginia’s New River Gorge National River area and this created The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. The venue is the new home of achievement, adventure, and innovation in scouting.’
On a recent training weekend, all participants were tasked with deciding on names for the two Warwickshire units. They eventually settled on ‘Montagues’ and ‘Capulets’ – very appropriate for scouts representing Shakespeare’s County. And not least for Douglas himself, who has experienced the Royal Shakespeare Company itself as an extra in the 2016 season of King Lear – an experience he completed again in May and June this year for another short run.
