Youlbury Scout Activity Centre - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Youlbury Scout Activity Centre is one of a number of 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...

's National Scout Activity Centres in 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...

and is the oldest permanent Scout campsite in the world (while Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island Scout camp

The Brownsea Island Scout camp was a boys camping event on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, southern England, organised by Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell to test his ideas for the book Scouting for Boys. Boys from different social backgrounds participated from 1 August to 8 August 1907 in...

was the site of the first campsite, it was a private island for many years after).

The Centre, which is based near Oxford

Oxford

The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...

, is open to Scouts from around the world, and offers many activities as well as camping and accommodation in huts.

History

The site was first used as a meeting place and camping field in 1913 when the site owner, Sir Arthur Evans, had a cabin built for a local Scout Patrol. This building was demolished in the 1980s, but many other of the original buildings still stand.

Since then, the site has been developed and expanded to accommodate large gatherings of Scouts, offering activities such as swimming, archery

Archery

Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...

, shooting

Shooting

Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...

, climbing

Climbing

Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...

, and more.

Milestones

1913 - the log cabin for the Scouts is built
1919 - Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre for Scouting groups, as well as a training and conference centre for Scout Leaders. The 44 hectare site is in Sewardstonebury, Epping Forest, close to Chingford, London....

, a centre for Scoutmaster training is founded
1925 - Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....

approaches the landowner to use Youlbury as another training centre
1939 - Gilwell Park is commandeered by the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

, and the Scout Movement move their headquarters to Youlbury
1941 - Sir Arthur Evans dies, leaving instructions that site be sold to the Scout Movement for a "reasonable price"
1946 - Headquarters returns to Gilwell Park

Location

Youlbury is situated in a wooded area just north of Boars Hill

Boars Hill

Boars Hill is a hill hamlet southwest of Oxford, straddling the boundariy between the civil parishes of Sunningwell and Wootton. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-History:...

, about 5 miles west of Oxford.

Campsites

Youlbury has a large number of fields and sites spread around the woodland.

Each camping area has designated fire circles, and have shared toilet and washing facilities.

Indoor accommodation

There are a number of buildings with varying facilities available on the site. This provides for the younger sections who require alternative indoor accommodation when camping, and also for training purposes.

The Lawn Hut - was originally a Croquet
Croquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...

pavilion and was the building which the Scouts had asked to be allowed to use before having the log cabin built. It has a kitchen and main hall, but no beds
Camp Headquarters Building - has 2 rooms of 10 beds and 2 rooms of 4, kitchen, and a large indoor hall
The Gulf Building - a self-contained chalet with 6 rooms of 2 beds and 3 rooms of 6, a kitchen, and indoor hall
The Brazier Building - 4 rooms of 4, 1 room of 2, kitchen and hall. This building is alongside The Lawn Hut
The Training Centre - has a kitchen, office, 4 classrooms, and a main hall
The Activity Barn - simply a large hall
The Den - has a kitchen, hall, and 18 beds. It also contains the museum

Activities

The site offers a number of activities on or near site, all properly supervised:

Climbing and Abseiling
Go-Karts
Air Rifle Shooting (Indoor Range)
Assault Course
Archery
Pioneering
Orienteering
Aerial Trek
3G Swing
Jacobs Ladder
Crate Stacking

Sailing is also available nearby, and there is the CuriOXity Science Centre in Oxford, and a rural farm museum nearby.

Staff

The site is overseen by a Centre Manager, who manages a small permanent staff who maintain the site and supervise the various activities.

Over the summer months, as the site is much busier, volunteers are recruited from nearby Scout and Guide Groups and from international members of Scouting

Scouting

Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....

or Guiding.

Volunteer Staff members must meet the following requirements:

Be a current member of a recognised Scout or Guide organisation
A basic level of competence with the English Language
The ability to work as a member of an International Team
Prepare to try anything once
Be over 14 years of age (no upper limits)

External links

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