Next summer 10,000 Scouts and Guides will be pitching their tents together for a week of fun, discovery, and adventure, embracing the spirit of Scouting and Girlguiding. 50 Young people aged 10 – 17 alongside 14 adult leaders from across the Isle of Wight hope to be among them. Can you help us get there?

What is the Essex International Jamboree (EIJ)?

Put simply, it’s an enormous international experience and camp for Scouts and Guides from around the world. It lasts one week but takes three years to plan so is only held every four years at Boyton Cross near Chelmsford, Essex. 120 acres of green field is transformed by 1,500 volunteers into a fully operational tented village. By this we mean it has all the facilities you’d expect – water, showers, toilets, electrics, communications, food distribution, health and welfare services and even a beach!

Our young people from the Island will take part in a varied and exciting programme of activities including a range of adventurous, creative and cultural activities as well as opportunities to make new friends from around the world.

Essex International Jamboree promises to be an unforgettable experience, providing skills for life, building new friendships, and memories to last a lifetime. For some of our Young People it will be their first time away from home for one whole week!

How can you help?

We need to raise around £30,000 through fundraising and personal contributions by April 2024 to cover the cost of travel, paying the camp fees and covering the cost of food, travel and essential kit. On top of family commitments, keeping up with our schoolwork, including GCSE examinations and events with our own Scout groups we are working tirelessly to reach our funding target.

This is just the very start of our exciting adventure. We will use our experiences to encourage and motivate other Scouts on the Island, to push themselves to be the very best that they can be and will happily share our experiences with them.

We would therefore be grateful if you would consider giving some financial support to help us on our life-changing journey. We have just started gelling together as a strong group of people, looking after each other and not thinking of ourselves. No one person is raising money for themselves, we are all raising it for each other and your support of this would be very gratefully received.