Scouts Annual Report 2023-24

We’re proud to champion young people and serve our communities.

Scouts continues to grow, with 8,800 more young people joining our movement this year, all gaining skills for life.

I’m especially proud that so many of our Scouts play their part in public life. We saw this over the Coronation weekend in May 2023, when Scouts were on the streets of London supporting the Coronation crowds – deservedly earning their Coronation Medals from HM The King.

At the same time, we’ve responded to some challenging situations. Most notable of these was the inquest into the death of an Explorer Scout, who tragically lost his life in 2018. We’ve responded to the Coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths report by committing to a detailed action plan, which’ll make fundamental changes to our approach to safety throughout Scouts. Safety and safeguarding are at the very top of the Trustees’ list of priorities and I’m very clear that this won’t change.

Across the UK, we staged events to bring communities together and inspire the volunteers of the future, helping lead The Big Help Out. As part of this, in Greenock, 25 miles west of Glasgow, the local Scouts invited their community to try Scout activities, including climbing, archery, and outdoor cooking.

In Slough, HRH The Princess of Wales and her family helped Scouts renovate a meeting place. It was a true honour for us to see the family wearing their Scout neckerchiefs while supporting the community. It captured the true spirit of The Big Help Out, which inspired millions to try volunteering for the first time, contributing to kinder, stronger communities.

This public service was recognised when The Big Help Out won Charity Collaboration of the Year at the Charity Times Awards, and Scouts was named Volunteer Team of the Year in the Third Sector Awards (for our role in the Lying in State of HM Queen Elizabeth II). It was a powerful reminder that Scouts continue to keep our promise to help other people.

A vital part of Scouts is broadening horizons and helping young people become true global citizens. Over 8,000 Scouts headed off on international adventures, including 4,000 who attended the 25th World Scout Jamboree in Korea. The jamboree presented some unique challenges including the weather (both oppressive heat and the threat of a powerful typhoon) and lack of onsite facilities. Putting our Scouts safety first, we took the decision to leave the jamboree site early.

Thanks to our young people and volunteers’ remarkable resilience and ability to adapt, Scouts still continued their jamboree journey in Seoul. This was a true test of their Scout spirit and they came through so impressively. But it’s not a situation they should’ve had to face. We’re still in discussions with the hosts, and we’ve conducted our own, independently led review. This has reported to the Board and given us excellent advice on how we plan for future international events.

This is also a moment to thank our outgoing Chief Executive, Matt Hyde, for his impressive contribution over the last 11 years. The innovation, energy and commitment he’s brought to the role has been immense. From overseeing the opening of over 1,300 new Groups in new areas and creating social action opportunities for a quarter of a million Scouts, to the roll out of Squirrels across the UK, he’s led a programme of transformative change that’s helped so many young people gain skills for life. He leaves a remarkable legacy. Most significantly, his leadership has always been grounded in our values, and I particularly thank him for creating a culture where volunteers and staff have worked so well and closely together to achieve success.

Thank you Matt, and thank you to everyone who’s supported us on our journey. Scouts is about teamwork and so many of you have played your part.

Jennie Price CBE
Chair