When asked why he chose to volunteer for the UK’s largest mixed youth movement, Bear said: ‘In short, because I love adventure and I love hanging out with good friends. For me this is what Scouting is about.’
will be the youngest ever Chief Scout.
He first got involved in Scouting aged eight as a Cub Scout. Bear attributes this time as part of the inspiration behind his adult adventures presenting TV shows such as Born Survivor: ‘So much of who we are as an adult is formed when we are kids,’ said Bear. ‘What Scouting says to people is: “it’s okay to go for it in life”.
‘Every child has a right to have an adventure. Life is about grabbing opportunities. The prizes don’t always go to the biggest, the best and the strongest – they go to those who persevere. These are simple life lessons that Scouting teaches people.’
The Chief Scout provides inspiration for the 100,000 adult volunteers involved in Scouting across the UK.
The position was created in 1920 with the appointment of Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Scout Movement in 1908.
, who takes on the new role of UK Chief Commissioner. Wayne will focus on providing leadership to all volunteers within Scouting. Like Bear, Wayne’s Scouting began when he joined as a Cub Scout.
‘I am delighted to have been invited to take on this position at such an exciting time,’ said Wayne. ‘The successes of the last few years mean that we are well placed to make the most of a high public profile and fulfil our vision of providing personal development and exciting opportunities to increasing numbers of young people.’
Bear and Wayne join 100,000 Scout volunteers who give up their time to provide adventurous activities to 400,000 6-25 year olds.
, with adult volunteering increasing at the fastest rate for 23 years and just as many girls as boys now joining. Despite this, demand still outstrips supply and waiting lists remain at an all-time high due to the need for more adult volunteers.
By volunteering for Scouting you not only benefit from supporting young people, you also gain from developing yourself.
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By Robert A Galloway
on 18/05/2009 00:01 Really! A truly marvelous candidate!
Rob
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By Colin C Germain
on 18/05/2009 00:05 I couldn't agree more. A splendid person for the position.
CG
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By Tony Marsella
on 18/05/2009 00:08 A Master stroke of an appointment. A young and well known person to head up the best youth organisation in the world.
Well done!!!
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By Steve
on 18/05/2009 00:11 Good luck to both, and thanks to Peter for 5 inspirational years
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By lynn
on 18/05/2009 00:16 So cool glad I'm back involved with scouting again!
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By Callum G
on 18/05/2009 00:28 A very good person for the position, the video is rather disappointing considering the impact this change SHOULD have. Also hope for the scouts sake the media doesn't pick up on him staying in hotels while "surviving in the wilderness"
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By Josh Dowgill
on 18/05/2009 00:28 Truly excellent and well thought through choice...it's going to be another great 5 years for scouting in the UK!
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By Matt Osborne
on 18/05/2009 00:32 And another brilliant stroke of genius from HQ. Welcome on-board Bear and thank you Peter for your fantastic achievements over the last 5 years.
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By Moz
on 18/05/2009 00:40 Grylls personifies adventure, those that doubt him have not met him. He'll be great for Scouting.
We all must not forget to thank Peter Duncan for 5 years of volunteering which have seen a renaissance in our Movement. He did a great job and made new people believe in us.
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By Daniel Price
on 18/05/2009 02:46 Couldn't have picked a better person. Bear Grylls is truly an inspiration to us all, and a perfect figure head for scouting. :-)
Dan (1st Willingham, Gainsborough)
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By Allan Bailey
on 18/05/2009 06:26 What an inspirational choice. A strong advocate for what Scouting is all about. I look forward to hearing about his new adventure! Good luck to Wayne in his new role too.
Allan, Crouch Valley.
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By Dave Bramston
on 18/05/2009 07:18 I came away from London yesterday (Sunday) after the meeting of the council, totally uplifted and motivated by what Bear said and his enthusiasm . In my opinion a great choice and a good way forward.
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By Denise Roberts
on 18/05/2009 07:40 Im sorry but i dont agree, he is not a good choice for chief scout, watch his tv shows and find out why. He is reckless and has done some really stupid things, eating bugs that made him very ill, getting very lost etc.
Peter Duncan did a great job, thanks peter.
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By Joe Hunter
on 18/05/2009 07:41 Thanks very Peter Duncan! You’re going to be though to follow, but I’m Bear Grylls can take on the challenge. I wish you both the very best of luck.
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By Ollie Jerrett
on 18/05/2009 08:20 Fantastic appointment for the Scouting movement, thanks to Peter for the past 5 years but here's to Bear taking it to the next level!
2nd Bere Alston Scouts, Devon.
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By Andy and Jen
on 18/05/2009 08:26 Fantastic choice. An amazing person to promote to the movement to all ages. A great way to promote adventures through Scouting.
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By Bev Dickinson
on 18/05/2009 08:33 As my 14 year old just said "awesome".
A great choice for the future of scouting. Also a big thank you to Peter Duncan for the last 5 years.
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By Darren Hill CSL Taunton
on 18/05/2009 08:34 They could not of chosen a better person to take on the role! Good luck Bear and welcome aboard!
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By Nathan Cant
on 18/05/2009 08:36 Peter has done some amazing things with the movement over the last five years - so thanks to Peter!? Congratulations to Bear Grylls! Lets hope to see some great things and continued improvement for an excellent movement.
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By Peter Turner
on 18/05/2009 08:41 Does this mean those getting the Chief Scout's Silver Award will now be known as Bear Cubs?
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By Matt
on 18/05/2009 08:43 What an excellent choice for a chief scout. Bear is truly an inspiration, even when reading his great outdoors adventure book, or watching born survivor, he gives you a real zest for life and makes you want to get out and do things, why have I chosen to do the three peaks!?!?
Matt, Phoenix ESU, Aylesford
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By Karen Ticehurst
on 18/05/2009 08:46 Fantastic news! OUT back in to Scout with a bang. Looking forward to 5 exciting years - Scouts don't have to eat bugs though? Also thanks to Peter Duncan for his great 5 years too!
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By Tim
on 18/05/2009 08:51 Lets hope the man inspires more people to join the scout movment. A good choice, but lets wait and see what happens before we all loose our heads at somone famous being our chief.
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By (Simon) Fish
on 18/05/2009 08:52 Awesome!
How do we meet him?
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By Thomas Joyce
on 18/05/2009 09:05 What a great person for the role, I'm sure he will surely continue to adventure of scouting.
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By Debby Meldrum
on 18/05/2009 10:04 Absolutely brilliant. A fantastic choice.
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By r. wade
on 18/05/2009 10:18 Not sure if another young adverture loving person is right. Surely scouting is not purely for the fit and active sort. I think that this appointment might, especially after another young person Peter Duncan send out the wrong message to girls and boys who are not the adventuresome sort. Perhaps they are not in to sports etc. does that preclude them from being scouts. I think that an alrounder slightly older person would have been better. People will say that the membership has risen under Duncan, yes it has, but so has membership of all youth groups. Parents just want to keep their kids off the streets.
Bear Grylls said this morning that he wanted more Adult Leaders, he won't get this unless a lot of the red tape is removed, and also the training made a lot quicker, especially for those who have been scouts in the past. I thought the new system was supposed to do this, but if anything it has made it worse.
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By Baloo the Bear, 23rd Harrogate Cubs
on 18/05/2009 10:45 congratulations! from one bear to another. good luck with all you do in scouting.
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By Gareth Sandilands
on 18/05/2009 10:45 Fantastic news - Looking forward to growing the Movement & welcoming all these new Adults into the adventure ! Congratualations to Bear & Wayne looking forward to welcoming you in North Wales ;)
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By Kieran Shaw. West Yorkshire.
on 18/05/2009 11:03 Can't agree more what a brilliant choice! The right man for the job! someone as young, popular and with such good outdoor experience as Bear! scouting is going to go through the roof! absolutely fantastic!
Kieran.
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By Ray Hutchinson
on 18/05/2009 11:18 Bear is one of the inspirations I work from as a Leader and now he is my leader, I cant wait for him to get started.
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By Rachael Lawler
on 18/05/2009 11:34 A great choice! Hopefully Bear will encourage more explorers to join.
Rachael
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By leigh cannon
on 18/05/2009 12:04 great choice!
he represents everything scouting should be.
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By D. Wright
on 18/05/2009 12:18 I have to say although possibly will come good in time, I would rather see a True scout leader as cheif scout. Thats what the position was there for, I hope to be proved wrong but I for one dont think that having an action hero will work in the long term.
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By Scott Walker
on 18/05/2009 12:45 Thrilled to bits! Good wishes to you Bear and Wayne!
Scotty
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By Matthew Robinson
on 18/05/2009 12:59 Awsome choice!
And all the publicity (Bear himself has just been on Radio 1 about it!) is going to be good for the movement - can't wait!!
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By Rich
on 18/05/2009 13:21 An excellent choice for Chief Scout. We sell Scouting to young people as providing adventure and excitement and Bear personifies this perfectly. He is well known and high profile and hopefully will increase the membership and image greatly. Whoever had the idea to ask him to do it should be promoted!
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By Mang
on 18/05/2009 13:21 I was pleased when Peter Duncan was appointed and now Bear Grylls taking over is fantastic. When I told my eight year old his eyes lit up...there won't be many kids who won't have heard of him.
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By anthony mcdonald
on 18/05/2009 13:28 This Is fantastic news !, not only for uk scouting but worldwide scouting, Bear is perfect, A hero in my group based in Ireland. yours in scouting anthony asl 3rd Kildare, 1st Celbridge Ireland
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By sue cranswick
on 18/05/2009 13:42 saw our new chief scout on the news this morning what an impact. grate how he touched on needing more leaders. As we all know we have that many kids wanting to join on a daily bases and not enough adults perhaps this is a good time to do a press campaigne in every district in the uk a hugh task but one that is needed. love the video
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By Nick Broadbent
on 18/05/2009 13:45 I hope the new Chief Scout can start to streamline much of the immense bureacracy that has built up for ordinary volunteer leaders to cope with. It wasn't required 30myears ago and it shouldn't be necessary now. Scouting does need to return to its founding principles of making skilled young people who are confident in themselves. It carries the air of an organisation ashamed of its past, rather than proud of it.
I wish him well.
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By Margaret Hood
on 18/05/2009 13:45 A great choice, he will be an inspiration to young and old alike.Although he mainly is adventure focused, and not all will be the outdoors adventure types. He has shown everyone young and old, that anything is possible if you put effort into achieving the goals set.
Peter Duncan did a wonderful job and we all have to say a big THANK YOU to him for the last five years.
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By Andy Meadows
on 18/05/2009 16:39 WOW,,Bear Grylls what a awesome choice for chief scout to lead us through the next five years....He should be an inspiration for all..Well done.
And a big thanks to Peter Duncan.
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By James H
on 18/05/2009 17:42 Bear is a legend! Cant wait to see what new ideas he'll bring to Scouting!
Thank you Peter for a brilliant job you have done!
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By Graham White, Cumbria
on 18/05/2009 18:05 What a Super choice, a big THANK YOU to Peter, and hello to Bear from Cumbria. A great person to inspire young and old to put the "out" in Scouting.
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By Lee
on 18/05/2009 18:08 The combination of Bear and Wayne should prove to be a good balance and hopefully a good team to take Scouting forward.
Our thanks must go to Peter Duncan for getting the ball rolling; well done!
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By Dan Brough
on 18/05/2009 19:01 I can't tell you how good it feels to know that someone so inspirational will take our movement forward following the fantastic work that Peter has done. Its going to be a great 5 years! Best of luck Bear....
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By Kathy C
on 18/05/2009 19:06 What an excellent and a truly inspirational choice! I'm a fan already but he really is someone that the kids can look up to and aspire to.
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By Bertie Walsh
on 18/05/2009 19:24 Probably the greatest chief scout ever!
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By Dormouse
on 18/05/2009 19:31 Bear is a very good figurehead - but will he be anything more?
I've moved from a brilliant scout group and district on the up a few years ago to County and district that is losing scout groups due to lack of leaders and the old bastion who are so departed from where scouts is now.
We need a chief scout that will filter down to grass roots and find a way to introduce scouting to all those who it is kept from due to lack of leaders and red tape.
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By Joe Andrews (Ramillies essu)
on 18/05/2009 19:41 well done bear grylls fantastic candidate.
thanks to peter duncan for the last 5 years. but as scouting is a movement things have to move on.
hope bear can come and visit all the scout groups over the next 5 years
Well done!!
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By Marisa, 15th Dover
on 18/05/2009 20:31 Fanatstic choice. He has been a hero for my family for a while now. When I told by boys 15 and 12 a big grin
spread across their faces. An extreme guy who will inspire may more into joining and inspire the adults too. Brilliant!
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By Rich B
on 18/05/2009 21:20 Welcome to our family, Bear! You're an awesome choice and will make a brilliant and inspirational Chief Scout for young people and members of our movement around the world. And thanks Peter for your fantastic tenure over the past 5 years. You rock!
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By cindy
on 19/05/2009 10:49 What a fantastic role model of achievement this will excite so many young and old scouters. Despite us being the smallest group in the district we appreciate the positive focus your bringing to scouting.
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By Tony Keay
on 19/05/2009 11:58 Inspiring choice !
Bear will build on the fantastic development work carried out by Peter Duncan, to whom we all owe a huge debt of gratitude.
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By Northamptonshire Scout
on 19/05/2009 13:34 Great News. Lets hope this will inspire more Scouters to experince the great outdoors using Bear as inspiration. Thanks also to Peter Duncan for thae last 5 years of hard work and dedication to Scouting.
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By Patio
on 19/05/2009 14:19 Come on Bear, WOOHOO
good decision, Bear your gonna be awesome as a chief scout,
Patio
xx
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By Liz Rowan
on 19/05/2009 14:51 "Not sure if another young adverture loving person is right." Surely this is exactly right!!
Onwards & Upwards in my humble opinion.
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By Duncan Mckinnell
on 19/05/2009 15:48 A very wise choice of Chief Scout, even BP would have approved!
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By Christine Harmer
on 19/05/2009 15:51 Fantastic - a scout to lead the scouts!!!!
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By Tom, 43rd M'bro Titan ESU
on 19/05/2009 17:24 Bear will be a truly inspirational leader, what he does sums up Scouting; adventure!
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By Katie Cornwell ACSL 1st Norbreck.
on 19/05/2009 17:33 Fantastic! what a great opportunity and I agree we do need more leaders. More help means we can do more activities be more adventurous and have more fun! After all thats why the rest of us joined wasnt it??
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By Lewis Saunders-Johnson (7th Nottingham)
on 19/05/2009 17:33 I met and belayed Bear Grylls great man great choice truely awesome Chief scout.
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By David O'Hagan
on 19/05/2009 17:37 It is interesting to suddenly be older than the Chief Scout! I was worried about his infamous hotel holiday, but looking through his biography He has worked in the Army, as well as for several important children's adventure charities, and is an Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. A good match, possibly a great one.
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By Joe Davison
on 19/05/2009 22:35 Bear Grylls - the ULTIMATE Scout.
- 8th Portsmouth and Pirate's Explorers
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By Dave D.D.C. Newcastle
on 20/05/2009 13:29 Bear and Wayne what an increadable team to head our fantastic movement.Many thanks to Peter for the fantastic job he did in raising our profile,and good luck for the future.
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By Julie
on 20/05/2009 18:29 I understand that one of your main objectives will be to enable more adults to get involved in Scouting. While this is laudable, I was a Guide & Ranger in the 1970's and because of that I attained the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. My daughter was a Brownie and a Guide. I firmly believe that the principles of guding and the values I developed and have carried through my life have their foundations from guiding.
How sad it is that today's risk averse society and political correctness "gone mad" over who can deal with children.
Whilst I agree that children must be protected and their welfare is paramount the child protection "hoops" that I would have to jump through just to enable me to work in scouting are so restrictive that I feel I don't want to bother. I ahev a friend who works in scouting who tells me that it's a complete nightmare taking a group out these days because of all the risk management beaurocracy. There's just no fun in it anymore.
I've just read an article where a very experienced retired teacher was forced out of running his after school club because of all the restrictions on what is deemed "appropriate" behaviour towards children.
He couldn't even comfort a crying little girl by putting his arm around her. WE don't want to put ourselves at risk from potential damaging allegations made against us.
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By mrs wall
on 21/05/2009 22:57 Not very impressed with what he said on justin lee collins show.
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By ROY GREER
on 22/05/2009 16:23 Listening to Bear,if I wasn't already a member I would want to join up.
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By LYNN
on 23/05/2009 10:10 Not so sure, scouting should not be totally about adventure, this suggests that kids who are not the adventure some sort has no place in scouts. Grylls is also reckless in his shows and does not set a particually good example. A lot of kids are going to be very disappointed. They will be exspecting Bear Grylls type of adventure every week at meetings.
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By Pam at 1st Bulwark (Monmouthshire District)
on 23/05/2009 23:40 Congratulations, I would like to invite you to visit our Group / District at some point during your term as Chief Scout.
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By David Osmond
on 25/05/2009 20:34 As a commissioner from South africa, congratulations on your appointment
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By Eurotransit Network
on 28/05/2009 15:03 We like to congratulate Bear Grylls with his appointment and wish him lots of success!
Eurotransit Network: International Scout & Guide Friendship in Action!
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By Gary Trollope
on 29/05/2009 18:51 The right person to succeed Peter, In Bear Gryllis with have the right leader,who can take scouting and all its members to the next level. Well done!
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By abbey
on 08/06/2009 09:44 he is now the reason i am stayin in scouting
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By Kaya Ozdemir
on 14/06/2009 23:29 Congrulations Bear, we are all behind of you and support you forever as Turkish Scouts,continuously pursue your path...
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By Dionicio Gutierrez
on 16/06/2009 02:06 Congratulations Bear.
Dionicio Gutierrez
Chief national Scouts of Guatemala
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By Jonathan J
on 16/06/2009 17:15 im so happy he's chief scout :)
i so hope i can meet him in person!!
anyone no how to?
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By Paul Goldsmith
on 20/06/2009 18:28 Fantastic! Well done Scouting... and thanks Bear!
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By Anna Ralph
on 06/07/2009 21:00 My family & I have been Bear fans for years....& cub/scout fans for 3 years too! He's a fantastic choice for chief scout. When's he coming to New Zealand to meet Rangiora cubs?
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By Michael Rayner
on 11/07/2009 18:23 I am in Sullington and Storrington Blackfoot Beavers and about to go into Apache Cubs. I have got all the badges in Beavers and would like to meet you one day
thank you for becoming chief scout
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