2007 Events

How did we celebrate our Centenary in 2007?

In 1907 BP ran his Experimental Camp for Boys on Brownsea Island. 2007 was the year in which we celebrated it's Centenary. The biggest event was the Centenary Jamboree, held in Chelmsford in July and August, although there were lots of other local and national events.

Here are a few photos from some of the events Island Scouts took part in.

St Georges Day

Over 500 Island Scouts from all Groups and sections came together to celebrate St Georges day at Smallbrook Stadium.

D-weekend

D-weekend was when contingents and adults collected their Jamboree uniforms from Gilwell (and spent a couple of days under canvas). IW Contingent leader Azwar is in the background. Not sure who the guy on the left is - he had hair in those days!

Island Camp

The Island came together again for a Centenary camp at the County Ground. If I remember right, it was ok until the Campfire, then it started raining. Some activities were moved under canvas, but the camp was eventually rained off - the curse of the County Ground!

Jamboree Build

About 8 weeks before the Centenary Jamboree Scouts moved in to the grounds of Chelmsford House to start assembling the massive amount of infrastructure needed to run a camp for 40,000 Scouts and adults. Below: some of the 14km of Heras fencing (I helped put up 1mile in 1 day).

 

The local water supply couldn't cope with supplying the camp (and Chelmsford) so the camp had to construct a 500,000 litre reservoir!

 

I don't know the provenance of this aerial photo of the Jamboree, but it was found using a search of information in the public domain. The fleur de lys (including Scout Stars) is actually made up of some of the 1,250 Fiesta tents we put up for the event.

Not all the infrastructure had to be built. Before the adult hub bar was built, thirsty crew members walked the short distance to "The Chequers". On one very wet day the crew literally drank the pub dry! (Not that the landlord complained).

Jamboree Contingent

Friends and family gathered to see the Island contingent leave for Chelmsford.

Centenary Jamboree

Here are just a few of the hundreds of photos we have from the event.

 

Well, they did create a beach outside the bar in the adult hub! 

 

Barry and I went to the Jamboree for a day visit, where we met up with IW Contingent leader Azwar. Az took us to meet the Pakistan management team. In the back row of this photo, on the right is Azwar, our Contingent Leader. 3rd left from Az is Barry who has his arm round Az's friend and ex-Scout Leader, Colonel Aftab Quareshi, the (then) Chief Scout of Pakistan. A few years later Aftab "went home", with a state funeral.

 

And I'm sure that there cannot be many people on the Island who do not know the current whereabouts of the real Spice Bus (it's an AirB&B in Island Harbour).

 

I don't know the provenance of this aerial photo of the UK contingent outside Chelmsford House, but it was found using a search of information in the public domain.

Scouting's Sunrise (and Sunset)

BP opened his camp at 8am on 1st August 1907, by blowing a Kudu horn to summon the boys for Flag Break. Around the world, at 8am local time on 1st August 2007, Scouts were invited to hold their own "Scoutings Sunrise" ceremony. We thought it best to organise two events on the Island, one in East Wight and one in West Wight.

The West Wight event was actually held at 8pm on the 31st July - which corresponded to 8am on the 1st August in Fiji, the first country to celebrate Sunrise. We called our event Scoutings Sunset and held it in the car park of the Needles Pleasure Park.  About 400 Scouts, Guides and family members celebrated. At 8pm our Kudu horn was blown, starting the celebration. Later, at Sunset, it was again blown to close the event. The photo of the Kudu horn being blown at dusk was taken by BBC as one of the images of the Centenary.

 

Simon and Justin from Scouting Radio were at a camp near Southampton and popped across to see us and join our events. One of the ideas proposed for the event was to link Sunrise and Sunset with a hike. We ran into logistic problems and it didn't happen. Two of our younger Scouts decided that they liked the idea and set up their own hike, with parental support. On arrival at the Sunrise event, Justin and Simon gave them piggy-backs into the site.

 

The East Wight Sunrise event was held at Robin Hill Country Park. Around 500 Scouts, Guides and their families heard the Kudu horn blown at 8am.

HoHo

After a Jamboree, Scouts from the home country bring visitors into their homes (hence Home Hospitality) to learn about their country and their way of life. Here, some Japanese Scouts are learning about local government by visiting the IW Council Chamber.

Jamboree Breakdown

 At the end of the Jamboreee, as kit was collected it was sold off.

 

Although not an Island Scout I'll include this Swiss Scout - who was just leaving to cycle home!

 

Jamboree Team BBQ

 We had a reunion BBQ for the adults who worked on the Jamboree, including Aiden, Az, Toby, Cuthbert, Julie, MaC, Mark and Trevor. David and Kath couldn't make it.

Shanklin Window re-dedication and Grave

The Stained Glass window which commemorates Mark Bennett Stokes-Roberts in St Saviours Church in Shanklin was rededicated, and bulbs were planted in his grave - read the whole story in our blog here. 

Live07

Gilwell organised a massive (more-that-a) Gang Show in the O2 in London, called Live07. Most of the performers came from the Jamboree.

One of the artists was singer Lisbee Stainton (with the Scarf)

What a year!