Scouting on the Isle of Man
Encyclopedia
Scouting on the Isle of Man is represented by the Scout Association
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...

 of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. The Scout Association's Island Headquarters are based at Cunningham House in Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...

. The Association does not own any campsites or other facilities itself, although some of the Groups have their own bunkhouses or campsites, in addition to their own headquarters.

The Scout Association's Patron is the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative on the Isle of Man of the Lord of Mann . He/she has the power to grant Royal Assent and is styled His Excellency. In recent times the Governor has either been a retired diplomat or senior military officer...

 Sir Paul Haddacks
Paul Haddacks
Vice Admiral Sir Paul Kenneth Haddacks KCB is a retired Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy who served as Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man from 2005 to 2011.-Early life and career:...

, and its President is a former Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Isle of Man
The Chief Minister is the executive head of the Isle of Man Government.The office derives from that of Chairman of the Executive Council. Before 1980 the Executive Council was chaired by the Lieutenant Governor, but thereafter the chairman was elected by Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man...

, Sir Miles Walker
Miles Walker
Sir Miles Rawstron Walker CBE LLD is a Manx businessman and politician, who was the first ever Chief Minister of the Isle of Man.-Early life and career:...

.

History

The 1st Malew Group were the first Scout Group on the Isle of Man. Originally called 1st Isle of Man, they renamed the group because other contingents had become active.The Scouts scarf and name tag are in red and white reflecting the close relations to the Air Scouts
Air Scouts
Air Scouts are members of the international Scouting movement, of their respective Scouting organisations as a branch, similar to Sea Scout branches, with a particular emphasis on an aviation themed programme and/or flying-based activities...

 that they were originally.

Close ties with Ireland

The Isle of Man has attracted Irish Scouts
Scouting Ireland
Scouting Ireland is the World Organization of the Scout Movement-recognised Scouting association in the Republic of Ireland, although it also has Scout Groups in Northern Ireland. Scouting Ireland is a voluntary, non-formal educational movement for young people...

. This was particularly the case under the patronage of Sir Charles Kerruish
Charles Kerruish
Sir Henry "Charles" Kerruish OBE LLD CP MLC was perhaps the most well known Manx politician. He was the Speaker of the House of Keys from 1962 to 1990, making him the longest serving Speaker in any Parliament in the Commonwealth, and first President of Tynwald...

 who facilitated the use of his own lands for Scout camping. Many groups fostered personal friendships with the Speaker of the House of Keys
Speaker of the House of Keys
The Speaker of the House of Keys is the principal officer of the House of Keys, the lower house of the Isle of Man legislature. The Speaker is elected from the membership of the house at its first sitting after an election. He is responsible for controlling the procedure of the House and for...

. In fact in 1979, as part of the island's celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Tynwald
Tynwald
The Tynwald , or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It is claimed to be the oldest continuous parliamentary body in the world, consisting of the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council.The Houses sit jointly, for...

, Sir Charles invited Irish Scouts to form part of the guard of honour
Guard of honour
A guard of honour is a ceremonial event practice in military and sports as a mark of respect.-Military:In the military a guard of honour is a ceremonial practice to honour visiting foreign dignitaries, or the fallen in war, or a ceremony for public figures who have died.The commander is three paces...

 for the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...

. All uniformed personnel present, including the Irish guests received a specially minted medal from the Queen. It was seen a great honour that, on arguably the largest celebration ever on the island, the close link with Irish Scouting was emphasised, as they stood side by side with Manx Scouts and the large military presence who were there to honour both the island itself and the Lord of Mann
Lord of Mann
The title Lord of Mann is used on the Isle of Man to refer to Queen Elizabeth II, who is the island's Lord Proprietor and head of state.-Relationship with the Crown:The title is not correctly used on its own...

.

Jamboree contingent

Ten Manx Scouts and one Leader attended the 21st World Scout Jamboree
21st World Scout Jamboree
The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Scouting on Brownsea Island.The event was...

 in 2007, as part of the Cumbria and Isle of Man Unit.

The Three Legs Challenge

The Three Legs Challenge is a hiking challenge open to all Scouts and Scout Network
Scout Network
The Scout Network is the fifth and final section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom, catering for 18- to 25-year-olds and introduced in 2001, following the review of UK Scouting. It, along with the Explorer Scout section, replaced the Venture Scouts...

 members. Those who undertake the challenge must walk 3 of the island's long distance walkways within 12 months. Its name is derived from the Triskelion that is the island's national symbol. The routes are:
  • Leg One - The Heritage Way

Beginning at the Quarterbridge in Douglas and follow the Heritage Way
Heritage Way
Heritage Way is the fourth album from Texas singer-songwriter Phil Pritchett. The album is noted for having a more personal introspective feel to it, having Phil playing most of the instruments and writing all of the songs...

 along the disused Railway Line to Peel. Finish is at the Peel Heritage Centre.

Distance 10.5 miles.
  • Leg Two - Bayr ny Skeddan (Way of the Herring)

Start at Castle Rushen in Castletown and follow the Bayr ny Skeddan to Peel. Finish at Peel Castle
Peel Castle
thumb|250px|right|Chancel of the Cathedral of St. GermanPeel Castle is a castle in Peel, Isle of Man originally constructed by Vikings. The castle stands on St Patrick's Isle which is connected to the town by causeway...

.

Distance 15 miles.
  • Leg Three - Millennium Way

Start at the bottom of Sky Hill, near Ramsey
Ramsey, Isle of Man
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...

 and follow the Millennium Way
Millennium Way
The Millennium Way is a long distance footpath on the Isle of Man. The path is approximately 28 miles in length, stretching between Castletown and Ramsey.The footpath was opened in 1979 to mark the thousandth year of the parliament of the Island, Tynwald....

 to Castletown. Finish at Castle Rushen. This hike can be completed in either one day or two consecutive days, camping overnight.

Distance 26 miles.

All hikes can be completed in any order, but all must be completed in the twelve month period. It is possible to complete the hikes either way i.e. hike from Castletown to Sky Hill to complete the Millennium Way.

Explorer Scout Units and Scout Network

Scout sections for over 14s on Isle of Man include Onchan, Douglas, Northern and Southern District Explorer units, and the Isle of Man Scout Network.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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