International Matters – November 2013
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For all Explorer Scout Leaders and DESCs
Thinking of offering an International Experience to yourExplorer Scouts?
Here are a couple of suggestions in Europe:
Nawaka 2014
Nawaka 2014 is an 11-day camp for sea scouts and scouts interested in water activities held every four years in the Netherlands. Nawaka 2014 will take place from 21 to 31 July in the city of Roermond, in the Southeast of the Netherlands. Deadline for signing up is January 19, 2014.
Nawaka 2014 involves 5,000 scouts & 900 volunteers coming together for a fabulous nautical event, lasting 11 days. It brings together 30 barges, 500 'Lelievletten'; 6-person sailboats specially designed for Scouting in the Netherlands, 15 tug-boats, and many more supporting vessels on the outskirts of the river Maes near the city of Roermond.
For this spectacular 11 day camp you pay € 275, - per participant for scouts and explorers.
What is included in the price?
- 11 Days diverse and challenging (nautical) activities
- 10 Nights at the campsite
- Ingredients for meals (to be cooked by yourselves)
- A unique souvenir
- A clothing packet: necker, t-shirt, badge, and more
- A fantastic experience along with thousands of other scouts
INTERCAMP 2014 –Bad Lippspringe, Germany
6 – 8 June 2014
An opportunity to camp with British Scouts who are resident overseas but belong to British Scout Groups in such far flung places as the Falkland Islands, Beijing, Dubai and many countries in Europe. In 2014, the camp is being hosted by British Scout Leaders based in Germany. Cost €20 (early bird online €15).
Visit for details and an application form
And here is an opportunity to meet Scouts in Central Asia
3rd Eurasia Region Jamboree 2014 - Kazakhstan
25 July – 4 August 2014
Join 600-800 scouts in Kazakhstan for this international event.
150 Euro for participants and 50 euro for IST.
The official language of the event will be Russian; however non speakers of Russian will be provided a translator for the event. Visit for more details
And looking further ahead to 2015, here is an opportunity for small teams aged 16 – 24 to visit Hungary on an Explorer Belt expedition
23rd July 2015 to 13th August 2015(Subject to School Holidays, A level Results and flight availability)
Open to Scout and Guides ages 16 to 24 (Explorer Scouts MUST be 16 on 23rdt July 2015)
What is it?
A three week trip to complete your Explorer Belt Expedition in an exciting and different country.
This is a Joint event with Serbian Scouts and applications will be subject to selection due to limited numbers of places for UK participants.
How Much?
Current indications are that this will be in the region of £800 to £850 (with manageable stage payments)
This will include travel from UK to Hungary and back, all food in Hungary and hopefully sightseeing days in Budapest.
What will I have to do for my Explorer Belt?
A ten day hike
Interact with the local community
Enjoy Yourself
Why?
Because it’s a great place to do the Explorer Belt
It will be a Challenge
And because it’s there to be attempted
Do I need to find my own team before I apply?
- It’s a good idea if you can as it makes your presentation easier.
- But we are accepting applications from both individuals. AND groups of participants.
- We have found that teams of 3 work best.
Will I be given all I need to know before the Expedition starts?
Yes we intend to offer two training weekends where you can learn about the event and your fellow participants.
Newsletters will be produced with piles of information and tips to help you prepare
Teams will also be helped individually with their preparation by the experienced core team
To Express an Interest in taking part, please email to
Closing Date - 5th September 2014
And don’t forget – if you are travelling overseas with Scouts, the first step is to obtain a Visits Abroad Pack from Peter Makewell ACC(I) M: 01763 271501
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For all Leaders, Explorer Scouts and Network members
Toys for Smiles
Can you put the smile on the face of a refugee child in Jordan?
Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan shelters more than 130,000 Syrian refugees of which over 60,000 are children.
The National Scout & Guide Fellowship UK is collecting toys for children aged 4 – 10 years displaced from their homes in Syria.
What is needed?
Bats and balls, any types of sports equipment board games, building blocks such as Lego, crayons, colouring books, pencils, toy vehicles, toy instruments – in fact anything that boys and girls can play with excepting soft fabric toys (unsuitable for the conditions in the refugee camps).
We can collect the toys either in Groups or Districts and set a target for the end of January 2014. When you have a consignment ready for collection, please email Mike Aston or call 01707 658644 to make the necessary arrangements.
Your good turn will be rewarded by a child’s smile
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For all Leaders, Explorer Scouts and Network members
Can you find room in your January 2014 programme to include?
Holocaust Memorial Day - 27 January
Holocaust Memorial Day provides an opportunity for everyone to learn lessons from the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides and apply them to the present day to create a safer, better future.
On the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, share the memory of the millions who were murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur in order to challenge hatred and persecution in the UK today.
Chinese New Year - 31 January
Chinese New Year is one of the most important Chinese holidays and is celebrated across east and south-east Asia. Also known as the spring festival, it celebrates the start of new life and the season of ploughing and sowing.
Traditions include an annual reunion dinner for families on New Year’s Eve and the decorating of doors and windows with intricate red paper designs. People thoroughly clean their homes to sweep away any ill-fortunes and children are given money inside red paper envelopes.
Chinese New Year ends with the Lantern Festival, held on the full moon 15 days after the New Year - a time when people hang glowing lanterns in the windows of their houses and dancers carry dragons made of paper, silk and bamboo through the streets collecting money.
and lastly if you looking to help Scouts in providing relief and rehab to victims of typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines then visit This World Organisation of the Scout Movement (W.O.S.M.) site makes it easy to donate directly to the Scout Universal Fund (U-fund) – see this month’s Headlines.
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