The 20th World Jamboree involved 35000 Scouts from almost every country in the world and was held in Chonburi Province, 150km south of Bangkok until 8 January 2003. The slogan for the event was”Share our World – Share our Cultures”.

David Muttock and Nathaniel Ferrington from 2nd Bracknell Scouts are in the Berkshire contingent. They left the UK on 23 December. The group had to meet at the Sports Centre in Bracknell at 5am for a 6am departure. David Ferrington was on hand to capture events on camera:

South East Berks Group

filmed by Meridian TV

Friends and family were on hand

Final update about David & Nathaniel received from Lesley Ferrington on Friday 10 January

• We have not been in contact with the boys since Tuesday. However, they did their community project which was to paint a school building – which they did, but I also understand that they taught some of the younger Thai children English songs (like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes) and after they had completed their painting they played basketball with some of the older children (as Nathaniel stated “it was a whitewash mum – we had no chance!) Both David & Nathaniel were extremely impressed with how much the children out there want to learn (I am hoping Nathaniel remembers that once he is back at school next week and realises he has over a weeks’ worth of GCSE course work to catch up on – I WILL REMIND HIM!!)
• On the last day I think they were a bit down and wanted to come straight home – I am not sure but I get the feeling they were up at 6 am (Wednesday) and did not leave the site until 12.30 am (Thursday)(over 18 hours) to catch their flight to Singapore. Very long day but they helped clear the site and get everything packed.
• Would recommend everyone to look at the Berkshire Web Site as there is a great photo of the whole contingent. Nathaniel is second from right (near the tree) David, as usual, has a hat on, and is in the back row that is sitting down – five from left, miss one and then there is Claire (Brian’s girl). Back row standing on the first left is Jamie and in the very front row, four from the right (in sunglasses) is Adam – there that is our whole contingent that everyone has helped send out. On the other photo, where I think the Scouts are practising to be monkeys at the front is Brian.
• We understand that the hotel they are staying at (in case people do not realise, Berkshire had to forgo Home Hospitality – where they stay in other Scouts homes – because of the problems that have occurred recently in the Philippines; the Home Office did not want any people from this Country to visit the Philippines and so they have gone to Singapore) does in fact have a swimming pool and fitness room etc.
• Today (10 January) the Berkshire contingent have been out and about Singapore, unfortunately we do not yet know what they were doing other than site seeing.
• Anyway three more nights and two more days and then they will be back at Reading Service Station between Junctions 11 and 12 on the M4! I for one cannot wait. Really funny that, we all wish our children would clear off for a time and when they do we miss them so much more than we could ever imagine. Mind you by Tuesday 14th I am sure I will be wishing Nathaniel back in Thailand…

5th January

• Nathaniel has now seen a scorpion – I thought he said it was dead (that was 3am last night) 8.00 am this morning damm it was alive ugh!
• Tomorrow, the 6th, the Berkshire Contingent are doing their community project (one of the previous ones was to build a wall in a ditch?!) Then on Wednesday they have the closing ceremony and then pack up to catch a midnight flight to Singapore.
• David swapped a hoodie for 40 US Dollars a pair of trainers, 20 badges and I think a Mexican shirt. We have mailed Nathaniel to seek out his friends (who are as well off!!! – swap some more).
• Both David & Nathaniel appear to be suffering a bit of homesickness at the moment but over the next 48 hours they are going to be too busy to bother with us (although Nat said he would phone home tomorrow). They are still having a fantastic time and really appreciate the help from the group (sponsoring etc etc) and everyone else who has helped get them there. I gather that stuff is so cheap they need a plane for them two alone! Seriously, sounds like they have done some really good swaps but will spend the last day doing ridiculous swaps or giving their stuff to the poorer nations (Uganda seems like a good candidate) but who knows it changes by the second.
• Today, Sunday they did “Face the Waves” and participated in a raft building competition and rowing which I believe they really enjoyed. They also had a get together with some Scouts from Africa and Sweden (somewhere else cannot recall) and had to show each other what happens on a troop night. I understand that language was not a barrier, especially when the Africans sang God Save The Queen at the end of their night – in perfect English.
• As I said earlier they leave Thailand (Nathaniel informs us – not been confirmed by the Home Contact yet) at around midnight on the 8th and then spend the next four days in a hotel in Singapore which does not have a swimming pool or they believe email facilities – time will tell.
• After reading Nathaniel’s emails, his phone call and (David is always there with him) looking at the various supporting web sites it would appear that 2nd Bracknell are going to get back two young men who want to spend the next month in the shower, the following month sleeping and the next thirty years telling us all about it. They were pretty upset when I let them know we had had snow!!!!

2nd January

• Thieves have stolen over 100 National Flags from the Jamboree site. Thai Police arrested 3 young men who had nine of the flags on their motorbike – they wanted to decorate their bedrooms as the flags are extraordinary beautiful.
• Nathaniel has had to call into the infirmary with constipation. Over 4000 went to the infirmary over the past four days, mainly due to the trots and dehydration. Oh well he always was different!
• David, of course, nearly trod on a snake, he ran very fast and I believe the whole Jamboree site heard him scream.
• I understand that over 10 leaders have been sent home (unfortunately some from UK but none from our contingent – due to alcohol). This is of course a DRY site although the scouts are being given litres of water each day and practically made to drink the same
• We spoke to both Nathaniel and David yesterday on the phone and asked if it was what they expected – got told a categorical NO – It is just so much BETTER. They are having a fantastic time and we would like to thank everyone in the Group who has supported both these boys to have the experience of their lives.
• They have both managed to swap lots of stuff and Nathaniel has mailed to ask if he can “dump my old clothes” because I understand he has bought so much. He has swapped one uniform shirt for an Australian one and has quite a few scarves. He has got a hat from one of the Irish IST (International Service Team) members, its a leprechaun hat! They run the Radio Station that wakes them (from what I understand they are not going to bed) in the morning. I also believe that both of them have managed to get over 100 camp blanket badges – I am not sewing any of Nathaniel’s on for him!
• The weather is unseasonable for Thailand – it is not cooling down at night so they are having terrible trouble sleeping – about 28 degrees at night and anything from 30 to 40 in the day. The site is very dusty but the sea is 2 seconds away (when they can get in it).
• The opening ceremony was great except that they had to wait so long for the bigwigs to arrive. I believe that New Year’s Eve was just great and they had a festival where they sent candles (alight) off – not sure whether it was in the sea or on water somewhere – they loved it.

It’s been some time since we heard from the Scouts going to the World Jamboree in Thailand. We recently caught up with David Muttock who told us what the Jamboree Contingent have been up to.

16 months ago Nathaniel and I went on a selection weekend at Chalfont Heights. During the weekend we had to do all sorts of teambuilding activities to see if we were capable of going to the World Scout Jamboree in Thailand in December 2002.

About a month later Nathaniel and I both received letters saying you have been chosen to become a member of the jamboree squad that will go out to Thailand. After we found this out Nathaniel, myself and three other scouts from the area were put into a group to do fundraising. Here are some things that we have done so far.

• Nathaniel and I organised a sponsored walk around Virginia Water. We collected a lot of sponsors before we did the walk and this made it very successful. We also invited the Cubs, Scouts and Beavers to join us on our walk but unfortunately only one cub turned up.
• We also have done the Warfield family bicycle ride for the past 2 years which was also a big fundraiser.
• On the 1st December 2001 the 5 scouts from the Bracknell area got up very early because that was going to be one of the biggest fundraisers yet. We were doing a 12 hour static bike ride in Bracknell town centre. We started cycling at 7.15 am and did not stop until 7.00 pm.
• This year we have done a car wash at Moss End Garden Centre
• We have also run Thai evenings at different cub packs.
• There have also been Quiz evenings and many more things to raise money.

We have also received donations from various people, places and companies. Here are just some of them:

• Bracknell’s mayor, Dorothy Hayes gave us a personal donation
  

  Dorothy Hayes gave us a personal donation

• Bracknell Forest Borough Council
• Free masons
• Sandy Lane School
• Prince Philips trust
• Sunningdale fuel allotment
• Plus donations from various scout groups and SE Berks District

In 5 months Nathaniel and I will be in Thailand and we would just like to say its been amazing doing all the camps. Yes, its been hard work getting all the money but its been fun.

A big thanks to everyone especially our families. This report was typed by David Muttock in August 2002.

There is a Jamboree every four years but it has been some time since any 2nd Bracknell Scouts have attended one. David and Nathaniel were selected after a weekend camp where they had to show how well they could work in teams. They each have to raise £2650.

David and Nathaniel will be joined by Adam Putt (1st South Ascot), Claire Cuznor (7th Bracknell), Jamie Sawyer (1st Ascot All Saints). Brian Summers (Scout Leader at 7th Bracknell) will also be going with them.

If you supported the District contingent by purchasing one of the special COBRA badges

special COBRA badges

you should remember that badges may only be worn on uniform until the end of the Jamboree in 2003.