The Queen, Patron of The Scout Association, has today unveiled a bronze of herself, specially commissioned as part of Scouting’s Centenary celebrations.

Her Majesty met with Scouts from across London at Baden-Powell House who were helping to celebrate the success of Scouting’s Centenary and its largest growth in membership for 22 years.

Amy Brundson, a 17 year old Explorer Scout said: ‘It was a huge honour to meet The Queen and it was great to be part of this special celebration. I’ve made loads of new friends and through Scouting I’ve had the opportunity to try out loads of new activities and get new skills for myself, such as taking part in some great summer camps and having the opportunity to take part in cultural exchange at The World Scout Jamboree last year, a gathering of 40,000 Scouts from nearly every county in the world. Meeting the Queen has been one of the best adventures yet.’

The Queen met with young people undertaking their Street Sports activity badges, this sort of adventure is just one of the reasons for the continuing popularity of the Movement, with 15,000 additional members joining in the last year.

The Scout Association census figures reveal a 3.7 per cent increase in youth membership and a 1.7 per cent increase in adult membership. These figures are the largest increase the Movement has seen for 22 years, and represent the 13,500 young people and 1,500 adults who have joined The Scout Association in the last 12 months.   

Total membership is now calculated to be over 465,000, with 100,000 adult volunteers.  However, despite this record growth, the data also reveal a gap of nearly 6,400 volunteers who are needed to meet the ongoing demand for Beaver, Cub, Scout, Scout Explorer and Scout Network places.

The Scout Association took the opportunity of this royal visit to say thank you to Jack Petchey OBE. The Jack Petchey Foundation has contributed over £2 million to the growth of Scouting, both locally and nationally, most recently aiding the development of accommodation at Gilwell Park Scout Activity Centre. This new accommodation will allow even more young people to experience the challenge and adventure that outdoor activity provides.