Scouting in West Midlands provides an overview of Scouting activities in the governmental region of the West Midlands. The largest number of Scouts and volunteer leaders in the region is linked to the Scout Association of the United Kingdom, while there is also a presence of traditional Scouting groups, such as the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association. The Scout Association administers the region through 8 Scout Counties, overseen by a regional commissioner, which follow the boundaries of the ceremonial counties they exist within. There are also a number of Scouting clubs within Universities in the region which are affiliated to the Student Scout and Guide Organisation.
The region hosted the 9th World Scout Jamboree, which celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Scouting in 1957, was held at Sutton Park, Birmingham. There were 30,000 participants, was combined with the 6th World Rover Moot with 3,500 participants and the 2nd World Scout Indaba. The event was visited by Queen Elizabeth II, the first time a reigning monarch had visited a jamboree, and also received visits from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.
The Scout Association Counties Birmingham Scout County Birmingham Scout County is concurrent with the City of Birmingham in the ceremonial county of the West Midlands, and provides Scouting opportunities for 5,400 young people in the area led by 2,200 volunteers. The county is led by a volunteer management team of around thirty volunteers and led by the County Commissioner - as of 2024, Steve Thomas. The county is based out of an office in the city centre, where they provide a meeting facility for groups, but also runs two activity centres near Bromsgrove and a County Scout Shop in the St. George and St. Chad district North of the city centre. There are also some County level organisations such as a Climbing team, Mountaineering unit, hillwalking team and two water activity teams to lead these activities with Scouts from the county. Scouts in Birmingham is currently divided into six Scout Districts to manage the 98 Scout Groups locally and run the older Scout sections:
Scout groups have a long history in the city with the 24th Birmingham/1st Sparkhill, 1st Bishops Latimer (107th Birmingham Central) and 84th Birmingham (Somerset Road Methodist Wesleyan) are listed as some of the founding troops of 1908.
The impact of World War I on the movement in Birmingham was great and in 1921 funds were raised by the Old Scouts Association in Birmingham to create a memorial; this took the form of an avenue of trees, one for each Scout lost, and a monument at the end which was unveiled in Cannon Hill Park in 1924. It was Grade II listed in 2016.
Since 1923 the county has run a permanent campsite near to the city to allow for adventurous activities and nights away experiences. This was initially at Yorks Wood: an site to the west of the city with five camping fields, a training centre, guest accommodation and a swimming pool. This was closed in 1972, as the land surrounding the campsite became more developed and urban in nature, and replaced with Blackwell Court with the open areas of Yorks Wood being developed and the woodland becoming a nature reserve in the 1990s.
In more recent years, the county has focused in reaching new diverse areas of membership; the first Muslim Scout Group in Birmingham was formed in February 2005 and Muslim Scouts from Birmingham were among those from the UK on the first official trip to Mecca for the Hajj in January 2006.
The County runs a number of regular events for members within the County including BrumVenture, an annual activity badge weekend for Scouts, a winter camp called iceSCOUT and the Birmingham Bivouac survival skills weekend, held annually for the past 44 years. In addition the county has run regular international expeditions to Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland approximately every 2 years and to the World Scout Jamboree every four years.
The county's badge, worn on the uniform of any member in the county, depicts the full Coat of arms of Birmingham.
Notable county commissioners of the Birmingham Scouts include Lord Hampton (from 1912 to 1927) and Peter F. Bennett (from 1934 to 1939).
More In Common Birmingham Scout County along with Girlguiding Birmingham and the Jo Cox Foundation to run the More In Common badge to encourage Scouts and Guides to show compassion, kindness and friendship to others and to reach out to the wider diverse community. Members are encouraged to complete a series of activities to encourage pride in their city, community impact work, environmental changes and spiritual reflection. The badge was launched in November 2020 as part of the Birmingham Council of Faith's Interfaith Week and included a number of references to the then ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
City of Coventry Scout County The City of Coventry Scout County is concurrent with the city of Coventry in the ceremonial county of the West Midlands and provides young people with the Scout Association programme through 3 districts and approximately 30 Scout groups. The county is led by a volunteer management team of around 10 volunteers and additional trustees covering all aspects of the county's activities. Since April 2021, the county has been led by Michelle Cox who acts as the County Commissioner. The county is currently divided into three Scout Districts:
Bablake, covering the West of the city and named after the independent school of the same name. Caludon, covering the North and East of the city and named after Caludon Castle. Charterhouse covering the South of the city and named after The Charterhouse.
The county's badge, worn on the uniform of any member in the county, depicts the full coat of arms of Coventry City Council and which is adopted as the wider coat of arms of the city.
The county received a visit from Chief Scout of the UK, Bear Grylls, during a Bear in the Air tour when he visited the County Challenge Day in 2012 at the Rough Close Scout Activity Centre, run by the county.
The 13th City of Coventry Scout Group is notable in the county as the origins of both the notable Scout band, listed below, but also the Coventry Saracens Rugby Football Club which was originally formed in 1966 from the group.
13th City of Coventry Scout Band Notable in the county is the 13th City of Coventry Scout Marching Band, founded in 1929 and which rose to prominence after becoming supreme champions at the inaugural National Scout Band championships in May 1965. They would go on to win another four times consecutively and have since 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. The leaders of the band have become well known and respected among Scout Bands across the UK with Roy Nowell MBE, a volunteer with the group, becoming a UK advisor on the topic for 25 years.
Hereford and Worcester Scout County
Hereford and Worcester Scout County is the Scout Association county covering the ceremonial counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The county has around 8,000 members including 5,500 Scouts. The county is led by the County Lead Volunteer. He is supported by a team of volunteers who run activities and events for over 5000 young people and by the County Youth Lead Volunteers who directly represent the younger members and help ensure the programme remains youth-led. The county is divided into nine districts which have changed a number of times, most recently in 2018:
The 1st Malvern Link Scout Group is listed as one of the founding troops of 1908. The county has had the use of a campsite and activity centre at Kinver since 1921 and continues to maintain it for use by Scouts and other youth groups to this day.
The county has a number of clubs and groups that provide instruction and support for various adventurous activities including hill walking, climbing, water activities such as canoeing and kayaking and target sports such as archery and shooting. The county also runs events for its members including the three-yearly ShireJam for all youth sections and international expeditions such as to Nepal.
The county's badge, worn on the uniform of any member in the county, depicts a red apple on a yellow background and a yellow pear on a black background split diagonally. The apple is a symbol often linked to the county and features in the logo for Herefordshire County for example while the pear similarly has historic links to Worcestershire and appears on its county flag.
Shropshire Scout County
Shropshire Scout County is the Scout Association county covering the ceremonial county of Shropshire and providing activities for 3,000 Scouts. The county's 500 volunteer leaders in around 50 groups is led by several volunteer teams covering the different areas of the county's activity and led by a County Commissioner, Dexter Williams. The county is divided into three districts:
Shropshire Borders covering the North Western part of the County including Shrewsbury, Ellesmere and Oswestry. Shropshire Severn and Teme named for the rivers and covering the Southern part of the county and the southern part of the Telford and Wrekin borough area. Tern Valley covering the North East part of the County including the Northern part of the Telford and Wrekin borough area.
The county has a number of Scout Active Support groups and clubs that support the sections in various aspects of an adventurous programmes including clubs for archery, cave and mine exploration, climbing and abseiling, hillwalking and target shooting as well as running digital activities, facilitating the World Scout Jamboree and running the Andy Miles Centre for water sports activities. The 100th anniversary of the Scouting movement was celebrated in Shropshire on top of the Wrekin, near their County Camp Site, and in Ironbridge.
The county's badge, worn on the uniform of any member in the county, depicts the Coat of arms of Shropshire in a shield outline; a similar design is also on the Flag of Shropshire.
Solihull Scout County Solihull Scout County is a Scout Association county concurrent in area with the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the ceremonial county of the West Midlands. It provides activities for over 2,500 young people and a further 600 adults spread across 24 Scout groups and 2 Scout districts. The county is managed by a team of volunteers and led by a County Lead Volunteer.
The county is split into two districts, Blythe and Cole both named after rivers in the district. Blythe district covers the town of Solihull and the suburbs around it while Cole covers the rural areas to the North and East of the borough including Knowle, Dorridge and Balsall Common. Both were formed on 1 April 2005 from the merger of two districts each; Blythe from the former Solihull East and West districts and Cole from the former Solihull North and South districts.
The county's badge, worn on the uniform of any member in the county, depicts the silhouette of an archer against a gold background. Scouts in Solihull take part in international expeditions including to Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland, Spain, Nepal, the Netherlands, Poland, America and recently Australian Jamboree 2025.
Staffordshire Scout County Staffordshire Scout County is the Scout Association county covering most of the ceremonial county of Staffordshire including the city of Stoke-on-Trent but not including the villages within the southern salient. The county has approximately 10,000 members and is led by a team of volunteers including County Commissioner Jackie Brocklehurst. The county is split into 11 administrative districts: