The Scout Association is marking the centenary anniversary of the Cub Scout movement since it began in December 1916. As part of the celebrations the Speaker, John Bercow, welcomed Cub Scouts and MP form across the UK to celebrate the past 100 years within The House of Commons.
This year The Scout Association is marking the centenary anniversary of the Cub Scout movement since it began in December 1916. As part of the celebrations the Speaker, John Bercow, welcomed Cub Scouts and MP form across the UK to celebrate the past 100 years within The House of Commons.
Cub Scouts attended the event along with local MP Gerald Jones for a huge celebration of the centenary. Cub Scouts are aged between 8-10 ½ and have the chance to take part in a diverse range of adventurous activities from abseiling to zorbing to first aid, teaching them key skills for life.
During the event the Cubs put their Scouting skills to use inside the speakers apartment where they were tent pitching, learning new first aid skills as well as discovering how to stay safe online with some digital apps.
Cub Scouts have had an action packed year celebrating the Cubs100 by hosting their own local Promise Parties, ‘Thanks Events’ for all the dedicated volunteers as well as joining in the fun at national events such as CubJam and Cubs Take Over days throughout the year.
Cubs Scout Jennifer said:
“I’ve had the best time at the Houses of Parliament, not many people get to come here so I feel very lucky. It’s great being part of the 100 year anniversary, being in Cubs means that I get to learn loads of new skills and have fun with my friends. It was great to tell the MP’s about all the things we’ve been doing at Cubs and show them what’ve learnt.”
MP Gerald Jones said:
“It’s been a fantastic event supporting Cub Scouting and celebrating the past 100 years. I think it’s a great chance for young people to get involved in Scouting as I have seen it can offer them some amazing opportunities.”
Cubs100 Ambassador, Steve Backshall said:
“Scouting is the way forward, giving young people skills to succeed through adventure and achievement. I’m fiercely proud to be involved with this fantastic cause, and a movement that I believe can move mountains. I’ll be at a celebration and promise event at the Natural History Museum and volunteering my time to help Cub Scout learn new skills. As a volunteer, you get to see first-hand how Scouting can change the lives of young people in your community. Volunteering with the Scouts can not only change the lives of young people for the better, it could change your life too!”
History of the founding of Cub Scouts
- The Cub Scouts was founded in 1916 and we owe much of this to a woman called Vera Barclay who was a pioneer in the Scouting Movement and editor of The Wolf Cub’s Handbook (1916).
- In 1914 Vera Barclay opened a trial Wolf Cub group in her local area of Hertford Health – the 1st Hertford Heath Wolf Cub Pack.
- She realised that there would be many women willing to run Cub Packs and wrote an article entitled ‘How a Lady Can Train the Cubs’, which was published in the official Scout magazine, the Headquarters Gazette, in January 1915.
- In June 1916, Barclay attended a meeting of Wolf Cub leaders at The Scout Association Headquarters in London. At that meeting, Robert Baden-Powell, Founder of Scouting, asked her to become the Wolf Cub Secretary at Imperial Headquarters, which she accepted.
- One of her first tasks was to help Baden-Powell edit the drafts for The Wolf Cub’s Handbook, which was published in 1916.
Cub Scout timeline
1916 Cub Scout section officially starts. Vera Barclay develops The Wolf Cub’s Handbook with Robert Baden-Powell. Wolf Cubs officially begins.
1917 After just one year there are 1,338 Packs and 29,857 Cubs
1918 1st Cub Leaders’ Conference
1920 500 Cub Scouts take part in first World Scout Jamboree at Olympia
1922 20,000 Cub Scouts attend rally for the Prince of Wales
1929 Special rally for Cubs at the 3rd World Scout Jamboree at Arrowe Park Birkenhead
1956 Cubs’ 40th anniversary
1956 Hardy Amies designs new female leader’s uniform
1957 Cub open day at World Scout Jamboree, – 1,000 take part in ‘Circus’ pageant
1964 Cub day at Gilwell Park attracts 22,500 Cubs
1966 Cub Scout Golden Jubilee Year; new uniform and programme introduced
1968 Prince Andrew joins Cub Scouts
1973 Cub Scout Adventure week, Butlins, Minehead
1982 250,000 Cubs take part in National Cub Scout Tea Making fortnight
2007 Centenary of Scouting and Cub Day at the World Scout Jamboree
2012 The Duchess of Cambridge joins Scouting as a volunteer
2013 The Duchess of Cambridge undertakes Cub Scout volunteer training
2015 A Million Hands is launched, making a positive impact in local communities
2016 #Cubs100 – The royal mail issues a special Cubs100 Postmark – Royal Mail’s postmarks are reserved for special occasions and are used to recognise significant events, historical anniversaries or in support of charity. The Cubs Scout postmark will be applied to millions of items of UK stamped mail nationwide on Friday 1st December. It will feature the words ‘100 years of fun, adventure and skills for life underneath the Cubs 100 logo.