The ties that bind

Here we have a Scoutof the Baden-Powell Scout Association working on learning his knots which are jolly useful and with my disabilities a right pain too at Camp in their fairly traditional uniform which owns more to B-P's ideas than the Scouting Associations.

While Bear Grylls addressed for the Scout Association his views that the (infamous) statute of B-P at Poole should remain in which he indicated how B-P had set the way and was (like most of us) imperfect, in saying scouting evolved past him to me suggested that in certain respects he wasn't holding entirely for the methods and principles set out in B-P's core manuals such as Scouting For Boys.

Everyone accepts things do change over time but elements such as the Uniform were based on real life experiences and while we'd all agree discrimination on the grounds of race, disability, religion and class should have no place within Scouting, there is a clear need for a program for and with males highly involved in delivering a program targeted at boys and their specific needs preparing them to become the best Men they can.

Those are things the Scout Association have walked away from and disagree with as much as I am delighted by the achievements of those young people who are in the Scouts and the effort they put in.