Gilwell Fellows

The Young Fellows is a separate part of the Gilwell Fellows. It's a community of young people under 30 years old who are passionate about Scouts and interested in supporting Gilwell Park.

If you’re under 30, you can become a Young Fellow for £500. Just like the Gilwell Fellows programme, your donations are cumulative. You can officially become a Gilwell Fellow when you reach 30 years old by topping up your donation to reach the Gilwell Oak Circle.

The Gilwell Oak Circle is the first level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £2,500.

Named after the famous Gilwell Oak which continues to stand tall at the heart of Gilwell Park, we recently installed a wooden fence around the tree to protect its shallow routes. While the tree recovers, romantic couples will have to find a new spot for their proposals.

The Essex Chase Circle is the second level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £5,000.

Essex Chase is one of our favourite and busiest fields at Gilwell. Thousands of Scouts and members of the public walk across the field each year – we hope you'll join in too.

The Camp Square Circle is the third level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £10,000.

Camp Square is the focal point of adventure activities at Gilwell Park. Often filled with laughing young people learning to put a harness on for the first time (it's trickier than it looks!) Camp Square's iconic feature is the tall clock tower that stands in the centre. If you ever get lost on Gilwell Park's 108 acres, look for the clock tower!

The Training Ground Circle is the fourth level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £25,000.

The Training Ground (unsurprisingly) is used for lots of training activities including: Wood Badge courses, backwoods cooking and all sorts of fun and games. The Scouts HQ team have even been known to play their annual football game here (it's quite a sight!)

The Gidney Circle is the fifth level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £50,000.

You may have seen the Gidney Cabin on your visit to Gilwell Park. Built by Don Potter in 1929 in memory of Francis Gidney, Camp Chief 1919-1923. The stunning wooden cabin continues to hold a special place in the hearts of many, as a historical symbol as well as a wedding venue for many happy couples.

The Maclaren Circle is the sixth level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £100,000.

In November 1918, William de Bois Maclaren offered £7,000 to buy land which could be converted into a campsite for boys from the east end of London. He’d visited the area and seen Scouts struggling to carry out their activities due to a lack of outdoor space. Teams of Scouts were sent out to find a suitable location and on the edge of Epping Forest, Gilwell Park was found.

The Log and Axe Circle is the seventh level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £500,000.

The log and axe is one of Scouts' most recognisable symbols. It continues to represent the Wood Badge course and 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group (the symbolic group for anyone with a Wood Badge Award). You'll see the log and axe dotted around Gilwell Park on gate posts and crossings.

The Gilwell Park Circle is the eighth and final level of the Fellows. Scouts ask for cumulative donations of £1,000,000.

All seven levels above are significant historic aspects which together form one entity: Gilwell Park. Known as the spiritual home of Scouts, Gilwell Park is teeming with life all year round. It welcomes Scout groups, school visits, team bonding days and huge events such as Reunion, Gilwell24 and camps throughout the year.

The Gilwell Fellows keep Gilwell Park alive, so Scouting can live on for future generations. The Gilwell Park Circle is a huge honour and we're incredibly grateful to our members.