Scouting was founded by Robert Baden-Powell, a Lieutenant-General in the British Army, serving from 1876 until 1902 in India and Africa. In 1899, during the Second Boer War in South Africa, Baden-Powell successfully defended the town of Mafeking in a siege that lasted seven months. Baden-Powell’s Troops were vastly outnumbered, so he used local boys to administer first aid, carry messages and run errands. On returning to the UK, Baden-Powell realised that boys at home could benefit from similar sorts of activities as the boys at Mafeking, so he wrote down his ideas. Then on 1^st August 1907 Baden-Powell organised a camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, with 20 boys to test his ideas. After the camp he then published his ideas in a book called ‘Scouting for Boys’. The book was very popular with children as they liked all the activities. Children wanted to learn more, so across Great Britain they asked adults to become their Leaders. From this the Scouting Movement was born which then spread across the World.   

Since then Sections were made for younger members in Cubs and Beavers, plus Explorers for older Scouts. Scouting remains educational and exciting today as it was in 1907. It has not lost the original core values of outdoor adventure, helping the Community and other people, and continues to teach its Scouting Skills for Life.