Scarf day and initiative will honour Scouts

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: Bill Charnock sporting his tie and woggle ahead of Scout Scarf Day next week. Photo/Stuart Munro

Scouts are gearing up for an anniversary next month.

It will be 107 years since Robert Baden-Powell held the first scout camp.

The anniversary will be marked with national Scout Scarf Day on August 1 and next week kicks off the Bring a Friend initiative during which scouts, cubs, keas and venturers can earn badges by introducing new members and leaders.

New Horizons zone leader Bill Charnock of Wanganui says it is a good opportunity for scouts to earn badges and introduce new people to scouting at the same time.

"The badges make up a set and scouts earn a segment for bringing a friend along and if they introduce an adult who joins they get the centre blue badge," he says.

Bill has been part of the Scout movement for 45 years since joining as an 8-year-old cub in England.

He oversees the whole movement for the New Horizons zone, which covers an area from Waverley to the top of Mt Ruapehu, south to Feilding and across to the west coast.

The zone has groups for Keas (school Years 1-3), cubs (Y3-6) and scouts (Y6-10).

Marton has a group for Venturers (Y10-13) and there is a possibility of a rovers group for 18 to 26-year-olds forming there soon.

He says that even though the membership in the region is healthy and numbers are tracking upward nationally, it is always good to have new members coming in.

"Adult leaders and committee members are always in demand and it is a rewarding experience."

Scouting NZ has 5100 dedicated adult volunteers.

Scouts New Zealand had a world first with the appointment of Kelly Bleakly as national commissioner in 2012.

At 25, Ms Bleakly is the youngest senior scout volunteer in the world.

For more information on the Scouts, phone Bill Charnock, 06 344 2723 or 0800 726 887.