Ham Scout Group: Explorers

Explorers offers scouting for the 14 to 18 age group and is organised differently from the other, more junior, sections. Explorer units are more independent and, although they have adult leaders, they take far more responsibility for their own activities and events. Instead of being part of the administratrive structure of a particular group, Explorer Scout Units (ESUs) are administered at District level, Richmond upon Thames Scout District in our case. Explorer units may be linked in a partnership agreement with one or more Scout Groups and share activities with them as well as with other ESUs locally and further afield. Whilst most scouts will join their group's partner ESU when old enough, they are free to join any ESU they choose, subject to space being available.

Ham Scout Group has a long tradition of senior scouting and the group's history originated with a senior scout Rover Crew. Rovers evolved into "Venture Scouts" for ages 15.5 to 20 in the late 1960s and, in 2003, transformed into to Explorer Scouts for ages 14 to 18, and to Scout Network for age 18 to 25.

Ham Scout Group's original Explorer unit, "Armstrong", was named after Neil Armstrong. In about 2006 it merged with the neigbouring Sea Scout Group's P&H Explorer Unit, Erik the Red to form the 'Erik Armstrong' Explorer unit.

In 2024, following much discussion, Ham Scout Group decided to create a new, directly linked ESU with a clearer land scout identity to avoid inevitable confusion with the adjacent sea scout groups in Petersham and Kingston. IF you want to be part of that adventure, Join us!