06/08/2026
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend the day at Poacher International Jamboree and see for myself what this incredible jamboree is all about.
This is my first time attending Poacher, and it is difficult to comprehend the scale of it until you experience it firsthand. Around 7,500 Scouts and Guides from 20 countries have come together—more people than the entire populations of Spilsby and Alford combined. With more than 3,400 volunteers also supporting the event, Poacher really is a temporary town in its own right. I don't think I have ever seen so many different types of tents in one place before.
The jamboree also extends beyond the main site at the Lincolnshire Showground. There is the Water Village, offering a wide range of water-based activities, which members from our own District are helping to support.
It was wonderful to see young people from the three Groups attending from our District enjoying themselves so much. The range of activities available is fantastic, and the sheer size of the site is genuinely mind-blowing compared with what we would normally experience at a Section or even a Group camp.
The day was made even more memorable for some of our young people and leaders, who had the opportunity to meet the Chief Scout, Dwayne Fields, during his visit to the site yesterday morning.
What stood out most to me, however, was the commitment of our volunteer leaders. Across all three Groups, they have pulled together to give the young people the best possible experience, supporting one another and dealing with everything that comes with taking part in such a huge event.
After spending just one day there, I honestly do not know how they manage to do it for a full week! Every one of our volunteers deserves to be recognised and celebrated for the enormous amount of time, energy and enthusiasm they are giving.
There are still a few more days of Poacher to go, with plenty more activities, adventures and memories still to come. When our leaders eventually return home, please be especially kind to them if you see them out and about—they are likely to be exhausted, running mainly on caffeine and in need of several days’ sleep 😁☕🛌 !
The organisation of Poacher itself has also been fantastic. As with any event of this scale, there have been a few hiccups which we will feed back constructively, but the years of planning and the immense amount of work required to deliver something this ambitious are evident everywhere you look.
A huge thank you to everyone involved—and particularly to the leaders and volunteers from across Skegness, Spilsby and District who are helping to make Poacher such a memorable experience for our young people, both on the main site and at the Water Village 👏.
AJ Wright
District Lead Volunteer, Skegness, Spilsby and District Scouts
1st Alford Scout Group - Lincolnshire
2nd Spilsby Scout Group
6th Skegness Sea Scouts
