Scouting in West Midlands

Map of England highlighting the location of Birmingham

Birmingham Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. It is concurrent with the City of Birmingham, and provides Scouting opportunities for young people and adults in the area.[5]

Muslim Scouts from Birmingham were among those from the UK on the first ever official trip to Mecca for the Hajj in January 2006.[6] The first Muslim Scout Group in Birmingham was formed in 2005.[7]

The County has 98 Scout Groups and some Explorer Scout Units, grouped into Districts, providing Scouting for young people from the age of 6 and up. The County also manages the Scout Network, which is the programme section for 18- to 25-year-olds, consists of a number of local Scout Networks.

The County is currently divided into six Scout Districts:

• Cole Valley South
• Rea Valley[8]
• Spitfire
• Sutton Coldfield East[9]
• Sutton Coldfield West
• Tame Valley

Map of England highlighting the location of Coventry

City of Coventry Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. It is concurrent with the city of Coventry, and provides Scouting opportunities for young people and adults in the area.[10]

The Districts each divide into a number Scout Groups and Explorer Scout Units, providing Scouting for young people from the age of 6 and up. The County also manages the Scout Network, consisting of a number of Local Scout Networks, which is the programme section for 18- to 25-year-olds.

The County is currently divided into three Scout Districts:

• Bablake
• Caludon
• Charterhouse

The Coventry Saracens Rugby Football Club was originally formed in 1966 from the 13th Coventry Scouts.[11]

The 13th City of Coventry Scout Marching Band was founded in 1929. Since then it has had 34 Royal performances, appearing in events and venues such as Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, St Paul's Cathedral, the Royal Tournament, Wembley Stadium, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, London's Guild Hall, The Lord Mayor's Show, Horse Guards Parade, Coventry Cathedral, the Spalding Flower Parade, London's Easter Parade, and the Jersey Battle of Flowers. They have been National Scout Supreme Champions nine times in ten years.[12][13]

Hereford and Worcester Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, covering the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.[14]

The County is divided into ten districts:[15]

• Bromsgrove[16]
• Evesham
• Kidderminster[17]
• Pershore
• Redditch[18]
• Ross-on-Wye
• Worcester Severn and Teme[19] (Bewdley District and Stourport District merged)
• South Marches[20] (Hereford District and Leominster District merged in 2007)
• The Malverns[21]
• Worcester[22]

Shropshire Scout County is a part of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, covering the County of Shropshire.[23]

The County is divided into three districts:[24]

• Shropshire Borders District
• Shropshire Severn and Teme District
• Tern Valley District[25]

The 100th anniversary of Scouting was celebrated in Shropshire on top of the Wrekin, near their County Camp Site, and in Ironbridge.[26]

Staffordshire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. It is concurrent with the political county of Staffordshire.[27]

The County is divided into eleven districts:[28]

• Moorlands District
• Potteries North District
• Newcastle District
• Three Towns District
• Uttoxeter District
• Stone District
• Stafford District
• Burton District
• Cannock District
• Lichfield District
• Tamworth District

Warwickshire Scout County is a Scout County of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. It is concurrent with the political county of Warwickshire.[29]

The County is divided into eight Districts:

• Atherstone
• Nuneaton
• Kenilworth
• Leamington
• Rugby
• Stratford
• Warwick
• West Warwickshire

Solihull Scout County is a Scout county of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, and covers an area similar to the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull.[30]

Following a reorganisation in 2004, the Scout county now has two districts:

• Blythe Scout District
• Cole Scout District

West Mercia Scout County is a Scout county of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom, and covers the Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. [31]

The County is divided into nine Districts:

• Dudley
• Halesowen
• Stourbridge[32]
• Sandwell
• Walsall
• Walsall North[33]
• Wolverhampton North[34]
• Wolverhampton South
• Wolverhampton East

The Halesowen Scout Band
Founded:	1975
Based:	Halesowen,  United Kingdom
Contesting Class:	National
Members of:	The Scout Association, TYMBA
Band Master:	Paul Wong
Websites:	http://www.halesowenscoutband.co.uk

The Halesowen Scout Band are a marching band from Halesowen in the West Midlands, England. They were formed in 1975 as a district Scout band, which means that their members are drawn up from different Scout groups throughout the Halesowen district.[35]

The band plays an important role in the community of Halesowen and surrounding areas which includes leading parades on Remembrance Sunday, St George's Day, Guides Thinking Day, opening of the Christmas lights, and various fêtes and carnivals throughout the year.

They are members of TYMBA and compete in the National Class. They attend competitions throughout the year which are organised by other members of TYMBA (they also host a TYMBA contest themselves at Himley Hall).

Over the past few years, the band has performed at venues in places such as France, Alton Towers, Wembley Stadium and Arena, the Black Country Living Museum, and at the Birmingham International Tattoo alongside the Grenadier Guards and The Royal Marines.

In April 2007, the band, joined by members of Spen Valley and Northampton, played at the St Georges Day Parade at Windsor Castle and was reviewed by Her Majesty The Queen.

The Scout Association County has a campsite at Blackwell Court and one maintained by the Pikes Pool Management Committee, near Blackwell Court. The site covers 52 acres (210,000 m²) of woodland and open fields, and features a large body of water allowing a number of activities including sailing, kayaking and raft building. The site also offers archery and air rifle activities, as well as pioneering, forester and conservation courses.[36][37]

Rough Close Outdoor Centre is the City of Coventry Scout Association County's campsite, located outside of the city of Coventry, about 1-mile (1.6 km) west of Tile Hill Village.[38] The Rough Close site was purchased in 1946, for £1000.[39]

The site offers a number of fields and pitches, allowing it to host anything from small patrol camps to County events. There are a number of buildings on the site, offering indoor accommodation and dining facilities, as well as some training facilities. The centre provides activities including archery, air rifle shooting, climbing, pioneering and orienteering.

Roy Morris, former President of the 4th Coventry Scout Group, who joined the Scout movement in 1942, was awarded the Silver Wolf Award, the highest award of the Scout Association, for raising £85,000 for Rough Close in 2008.[40]

The Hereford and Worcester Scout Association County Camping and Activity Centre is Kinver Scout Camp.[41] Rhydd Covert is owned and run by Kidderminster District.[42] The Malverns District own a campsite at Warren Oak. The site is 3 miles (5 km) NNW of the market town of Ledbury in Herefordshire, just east of the B4214.[43]

Wrekin Scout Camp, owned by the Shropshire Scout Association County, goes back to before 1951 when a Shropshire Rotary Club built a chapel on the site.[44][45]

The Staffordshire Scout Association County has access to a number of camp sites:[46]

• Barnswood Camp Site
• Beaudesert Camp Site
• Consall Scout Camp, situated between Leek and Cheadle.[47]
• Kibblestone International Scout Camp (also home to the Country Office)
• Rangemore Camp Site
• Sherratts Wood Camp Site (Stafford District site)

Broadwater is the Warwickshire Scout Association County's Activity Centre [48]

There are two camp sites in West Mercia:

• Beaudesert Park Scout & Guide Camp, operated by a registered charity, the Beaudesert Trust. It is situated on the edge of Cannock Chase.[49]
• Patshull Activity Centre.[50]