Over 100 young people (102 to be precise!) from across Berkshire attended a special camp last weekend in a bid to be selected for the 26th World Scout Jamboree, due to be held near Gdańsk, Poland in the summer of 2027.
The selection weekend, held at the Earleywood Scout Campsite in Ascot, united Scouts and Explorers from all regions of the county – including Newbury, Reading, Slough, Maidenhead, Wokingham, Windsor, and Bracknell.
Over the two days, the Jamboree hopefuls were split into three groups to take part in a range of activities, as they put the best version of themselves forwards to the selection team. With only 36 places available on the Berkshire Scouts Unit, the process was rigorous and demanding.
Space hopper football, improvised play, fire lighting, debating and blindfold tasks were among the activities, putting teamwork, communications, trust exercises, and Scouting skills at the heart of the camp.
Richard Andrews, Unit 56 Team Leader said: “Selection camp is an important part of any World Scout Jamboree, and we were thrilled by the number of young people across Berkshire who applied. It’s an incredibly challenging process to whittle so many to the 36 who will make up the Berkshire Unit going to Poland in 2027. The weekend was a great experience for those who attended, making new Scout friends from across the county and having a fun time.”
It was clear from comments over the weekend that young people in Berkshire are enthused and excited at the international opportunities that Scouting offers. Among the soundbites overheard: “It will be so good to be part of so many different cultures in one place”; “I’ve heard all about World Scouting and it would be great to see and feel it”; “Just imagine being on a campsite with thousands of other Scouts from across the world”.
The World Scout Jamboree is a global gathering of Scouts and Guides from around the world, typically held every four years. The most recent took place in South Korea 2023, while the inaugural Jamboree was held in London in 1920, an indoor event at Olympia. Around 2,500 young people – who will all be aged between 14 and 17 at the time of travel – are expected to attend the 26th World Scout Jamboree from the UK, among more than 50,000 in total.
Attending the World Scout Jamboree represents Berkshire Scouts’ commitment to offering international opportunities to young people in the county. A summer expedition to the French Alps saw over 100 Explorer Scouts enjoy adventurous activities such as rock-climbing, white-water rafting, abseiling, and mountain-biking.
Meanwhile, Berkshire Scouts are preparing for a second visit to Malawi in 2026 after the success of its most recent Project Africa expedition in 2024. The contingent will then be returning to the UK with a group of Malawi Scouts to join forces at the WINGS Jamboree taking place in Windsor Great Park next July.