Scouting in Wales

History

The 1st Colwyn Y.M.C.A. Baden Powell Boy Scouts appears to be the oldest Scout Troop in Wales, founded in late April or early May 1908.

In 1911, Edward, Prince of Wales accepted the appointment as Chief Scout of the Principality of Wales and held this position until he became official patron of the Scout Movement across the British Empire on becoming King Edward VIII in 1936.

In the Centenary year of 2007, The Scouting Association in Wales received five awards totalling more than £16,000 in lottery grants, awarded under the Awards for All Wales programme. In March 2008, it launched a pilot scheme in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan similar to the Health Challenge Wales Guiding Scheme introduced earlier by Welsh Guides throughout the country.

In 2007 Welsh Scouts were involved with the Scouts for Trees Project.

In 2008, Ty Hafan Children's Hospice opened its own Scout group. This was the first hospice in Wales to do so.

Brecknock Scout Area

The Area contains four Scout Districts, Brecon, Builth Wells, Glanusk and Ystradgynlais.

Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan Scout Area (CATVOG)

The Area contains five Scout Districts: Afon, Barry, East and South, Penarth and Vale There is an Area Scout Network Unit.

1st Cathays Al Huda

The 1st Cathays Al Huda Scout Group in Cardiff became the first Muslim Scout Group in Wales in 2006 and the tenth in the United Kingdom. Informal meetings of the Group started in 2002, prior to its official establishment in January 2006. 1st Cathays Al Huda had 61 members in 2006, 70 in 2007, 65 in 2008, 78 in 2009 and 98 in 2010 It is composed of a Beaver Scouts section, separate Cub Scouts sections for boys and girls, and separate Scouts sections for boys and girls.

Carmarthenshire Scout Area

Carmarthenshire Scout Area (Sgowtiaid Sir Gar) covers the administrative county of Carmarthenshire, with two exceptions, Pencader and Newcastle Emlyn Scout Groups are registered with Ceredigion Area. Since 2005 there have been no Districts in Carmarthenshire and the Area now operates as a single structure.

Ceredigion Scout Area

The Area contains two Scout Districts, North Ceredigion and Teifi.

Clwyd Scout Area

The Area, covering the principal areas of Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire, has sixty Scout Groups organised in four Scout Districts, with two having District Explorer Scout Units. The Districts are Flintshire, Llangollen District, Vale of Clwyd (Denbighshire) and Wrexham.

The former National Scout camp Brynbach is situated in Denbighshire near the village of Saron.

There is a Scout Shop situated at the Wrexham District Scout Headquarters. The County Camp Site, Gladstone Training Centre and John Clarke House, is located between Hawarden and Broughton.

Glamorgan West Scout Area

The Area covers the Unitary Authority boundaries of the City and County of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. There are three Scout Districts: Afan Nedd, Cwm Newydd and Swansea and Gower.

Gwent Scout Area

The Area has four Scout Districts, coterminous with unitary authorities of the same name: Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen. The 25th Newport Air Scouts are the only Royal Air Force recognised Scout Troop in Wales.

Mid Glamorgan Scout Area

As of 2008, the Area has four Scout Districts, aligned with the boundaries of unitary authorities: Bridgend, CRAI (Caerphilly, Rhymney Valley and Islwyn), Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Montgomeryshire Scout Area

This Area covers the County of Montgomeryshire. There is a single District, also called Montgomeryshire.

Pembrokeshire Scout Area

This Area covers the County of Pembrokeshire.

Radnor Scout Area

This Area covers the County of Radnorshire.

Snowdonia and Anglesey Scout Area

This Area, covering the regions of Snowdonia and the Isle of Anglesey, has three Scout Districts: Conwy, Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey, with 31 Groups. All of these Districts have Explorer Scout Units, and the Area currently hosts a Scout Network.

Scout Association Camp Sites

The Welsh Scout Council maintains two Welsh headquarters sites in Snowdonia: Yr Hafod – a Scout Activity Centre and the specialist Mountain training centre situated in the glacial Ogwen Valley; and Cornel, a large camping and indoor accommodation site situated on the banks of Llyn Crafnant, high above the Conwy valley. The name Yr Hafod is Welsh for Summer house and the Scouts of Wales opened the training centre in 1959, with Bill Tilman performing the opening ceremony. Both of these facilities are available to all youth organisations.

Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan Scout Area is responsible for Jubilee Fields, and has joint responsibility with Mid Glamorgan for Miskin Mill.

Carmarthenshire Scout Area is responsible for the Cwm Rhaeadr Scout Camp.

Clwyd Scout Area has four campsites: Cae Llwyd, Coxwood, Gladstone, and Rowallan.

Glamorgan West Scout Area is responsible for Silver Cross Scout Centre. The Swansea Gower District is responsible for Parc-le-Breos Scout Campsite on the Gower Peninsula. Craig Gwladys Camp Site at Cadoxton, Neath is the Neath District Camp Site.

Gwent Area is responsible for Botany Bay Training and Activity Centre.

Mid Glamorgan Scout Area is jointly responsible with Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan Scout Area for Miskin Mill Scout Village, which has been in continuous use by Scouts since 1929. Dolygaer Scout Activity Centre is in the Mid Glamorgan Scout Area. The recently merged district covering the Caerphilly unitary authority area is responsible for Islwyn Scout Parc.

Gwersyll Y Bryniau Scout Camp, Machynlleth is in the Montgomeryshire Scout Area.

St Brides Scout Camp, Haverfordwest is in the Pembrokeshire Scout Area.

Snowdonia and Anglesey Scout Area's Conwy District is responsible for the Rowen (Gwersyll Parc Mawr) site Its history has been described on BBC Wales.

There are some activity centres in Wales, run by English Scout Counties:

Gang Shows

There are two Gang Shows in Wales:- Cardiff and Newport.

Events

A number of events are organised on a Wales-wide basis coordinated by ScoutsWales. Such events include Beaver Scout Leaders' Conference, Wales Cub Fun Day, All Wales Scout Camp and AWESOME.

Scout Bands

It was estimated by Gilwell park, that during the late 1950s, there was around 50 marching band associated with Scouting in Wales. These numbers rapidly decreased in the early 1990s and today only one marching band is associated with Scouting in Wales – 1st Rogerstone Scout Band.

The 1st Rogerstone Scout Band was formed in 1957 by Ramon O'brien, who continued, as bandmaster, until his death in January 2012. Ramon played with the Newport District Scout Band and continued to play in both until Newport District Scout band ceased to exist. It is a 'Group Band' however it has members from all over the Newport Scout District. The band was formed quite by chance, as someone offered Ramon some second hand drums they no longer had the space for, and the band was born. The band has included members that have gone onto play for The Parachute Regiments Corps of Drums. It has played a major part in Rogerstone's Remembrance Day Parade as well as Newport District's annual St George's Day Parade. In February 2012, Gavin Foley and Jonathan Gibbons took over the band as Band Master and Assistant Band master, and have subsequently added new music and instruments, to the existing line up. In the summer of 2012, Andy Watson joined the leadership team as Director of Music