What Is Scouting?

Scouting offers fun, challenge and everyday adventure to 400,000 girls and boys across the UK. Offering over 200 different activities from abseiling and archery to drama, street sports and water zorbing, Scouting helps 6-25 year olds grow in confidence, achieve their full potential and become active members of their communities.

  • There are now half a million members of Scouting in the UK.
  • Scouting in the UK has been growing for the last five years.
  • More young people do adventurous activities as Scouts than with any other organisation.
  • Each year Scouts spend over two million nights away from home doing adventurous activities.
  • The youngest person to walk to the South Pole was a Scout.
  • Each year Scouts tackling the Queen’s Scout Award walk the equivalent distance of once around the world.
  • 11 of the 12 people to walk on the moon were once Scouts.
  • John Lennon and Paul McCartney were both Scouts (inspiring a better quality of campfire song).
  • You are never more than 10 miles from a Scout Meeting Place.
  •  The Scout Association is part of a worldwide movement of 31 million Scouts.

‘Scouting’s 500,000 members are an inspiration. It’s great to see it. It’s all about friendship and fun and adventure – people who might not normally have the chance for adventure. Scouts are shining lights in their communities.’ Chief Scout, Bear Grylls

Think you know Scouting? Think again