For over 110 years Hampshire Scouts have been preparing young people with the skills they need to succeed in life.
Experimental Camp
1st August 1907
The Scouts' founder Robert Baden-Powell took 20 boys to Brownsea Island for his experimental Scout Camp. Brownsea Island is now seen as the birthplace of the Scout movement.
Scouting for Boys Published
1908
Using what he had learned at the Brownsea Island camp the year before and drawing on his experiences in the army, Baden-Powell published his seminal book Scouting for Boys.
Hampshire Scouts Formed
13th January 1909
As Baden-Powell started to organise the Scout movement, Hampshire Scouts was formed and a County Commissioner appointed to oversee the movement in Hampshire.
Sea Scouts Make a Splash
7th August 1909
What would become known as Sea Scouts would get its start in Hampshire on the Beaulieu River at Buckler's Hard in the New Forest with a camp on board the TS Mercury, attended by 100 boys.
Baden-Powell Pays a Visit
2nd October 1912
At the first Hampshire Scout Rally held on Southampton Common, the Chief Scout and his fiancé dropped in and inspected some 2,700 Scouts. It's even survived on film!
Baden Powell Moves to Hampshire
1918
In 1918, Robert Baden-Powell and his wife Olave bought Blackacre Farm in Bentley, Hampshire. They changed the name to Pax Hill to mark the end of the war. We continue to have close links to Pax Hill today.
First National Air Scout Camp
1942
A year after they were formed, Air Scouts from across the country came to Avington Park in Itchen Abbas, Hampshire for their first national camp.
Ferny Crofts Becomes Our New Home of Adventure
1975
In the heart of the New Forest, Hampshire Scouts purchases an old farm as our new county campsite, activity and training centre. It is still loved by us to this day.
Scouts Welcome First Female Youth Members
1976
In 1976 the Scouts started to welcome female members into the Venture section. Now Hampshire Scouts are proud to welcome females in every section, from Beavers to our adult volunteers.
100 Years of Scouts
2007
Scouts from all over the world come to the UK to celebrate the centenary of The Scouts, with events focused on Hylands Park, Essex, and Brownsea Island. Hampshire Scouts would join in with our first county Jamboree and by putting a team from Hampshire Scouts Expeditions on the summit of Mount Everest!
Bear Grylls Appointed Chief Scout
2009
Adventurer and television personality Bear Grylls took over from Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan as Chief Scout of the UK. He would drop in to see campers at Ferny Crofts as part of his Bear in the Air tour in 2014.
Skills for Life Strategy Launched
May 2018
Our new strategy, Skills for Life: Preparing Better Futures, launches in 2018 with a renewed focus on preparing young people with the skills they need in life. In Hampshire, we work hard to bring Scouting to more people than before.
Scouting for Early Years is Tested
2019
One of the ideas in the Skills for Life plan is trialled in Hampshire - bringing Scouting to 4 and 5 year olds. The trials begin in Southampton before spreading across the county as Squirrels.
