A World Scout Jamboree is a very special event. Here are some of the things I did:

The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in Hylands Park in Essex. It was the largest World Jamboree to date with over 40,000 people camping in over 20,000 tents. I was one of the 8500 adults who made up the International Service Team (IST). We are the people who worked behind the scenes to make the whole event happen. I worked in Site Operations, often at night. I learned a new skill - driving a rough terrain fork lift truck, which is something I had never done before. I also drove a tractor and other plant and I am now a fully qualified plant operator. Something I would not have done otherwise, and just another new Scouting challenge.

The Jamboree was on a huge scale and it took over half an hour to walk from one side to another (something I did quite a lot).

2007 was also the Scouting Centenary. It is one hundred years since BP blew on his kudu horn to start the first ever Scout camp on Brownsea Island. And so we gathered at sunrise, all 40,000 of us to renew our Scouting promise. It was a very special occasion for us all.

For me, the best bit of the Jamboree was talking to fellow Scouts from all over the world, listening to their point of view and hearing their stories. As Scouts, we have all promised to treat each other as equals and to live together in harmony. The Jamboree certainly demonstrated how this can be done. I spent some time learning about other cultures and other faiths. Something we should all do

At the end of the camp, we sent the young people away with a message of peace and a challenge to go and change the world for the better. They will do it you know. It may take a bit of time yet, but Scouting shows the way.

Here are a few pictures I took. There are lots more on my photo album page and I have many others too. Send me an e-mail if you would like to see more or if you want higher resolution:

Crowds of Scouts gather for the Opening Ceremony

Scouts in colourful national costume	The Beavers came to visit. Here you see them learning about Water Aid in the Global Village
	This is me with the UK Contingent.To the left is yet another parade. These events happened all the time
Above - Crowds gather for a ceremony Right - The Sunrise Ceremony when we renewed our promise
Above - The view from my tractor Right - Me and Baden-Powell

Here I am on my fork lift truck lifting a water bowser from a pick up.