Scouting in Yorkshire and the Humber#Central Yorkshire Scout County

The Scout Association in Yorkshire and the Humber is administered through five Scout Counties: Central Yorkshire Scout County, Humberside Scout County, North Yorkshire Scout County, South Yorkshire Scout County and West Yorkshire Scout County.

File: CentralYorks.png

Central Yorkshire provides Scouting opportunities for young people and adults in the metropolitan boroughs of Leeds and Wakefield and the surrounding area.*[http://www.cycscouts.org.uk/ Central Yorkshire County Scouts]

The County is currently divided into eight Scout Districts:

• [https://www.leedstemplars.org.uk/ Leeds Templars.] This district covers the eastern area of Leeds, including Garforth, Kippax, Allerton Bywater and surrounding villages.[https://www.leedstemplars.org.uk/about/ About Leeds Templars], accessed 13 April 2026
• [https://nlscouts.org.uk/ North Leeds]
• [https://www.pcdscouts.org.uk/ Pontefract and Castleford]
• Shire Oak (Leeds)[https://www.cycscouts.org.uk/about-us/our-districts/ Shire Oak (Leeds) Scout District]
• [https://www.slamscouts.org.uk/ South Leeds and Morley]
• [https://www.wakefieldscouts.org.uk/ Wakefield]
• [https://westleedsscouts.com/ West Leeds]
• [https://www.wetherbydistrictscouts.org.uk/ Wetherby]

{{anchor|YChallenge}}Central Yorkshire Scout Council oversees the award programme for the Yorkshire Challenge, which is a progressive scouting award first launched in 2006. The Yorkshire Challenge is open to all Cubs, Scouts, Explorer Scouts, Network Scouts and Leaders throughout the UK. Participants are required to spend four nights under canvas or in a bivouac in four different months of the year to obtain a bronze award, plus undertake a number of other activities. For the silver award, they must spend eight nights under canvas or in a bivouac in eight different months of the year, and for the gold award, twelve nights in twelve different months.Central Yorkshire Scouts, [https://www.cycscouts.org.uk/young-members/yorkshire-challenge/ Yorkshire Challenge], accessed on 13 April 2026

{{update|section|date=May 2024}}

The County organises international expeditions, enabling a number of Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members to undertake adventurous activities in other countries.

File: Humberside.png

Scouting in Humberside covers the former non-metropolitan county of Humberside. The headquarters of Humberside Scouts is at Raywell Park Activity Centre.[http://www.humbersidescouts.org.uk Humberside Scout County]

There are 8 Districts within the Humberside County:

• [https://www.bandhscouts.org.uk/ Beverley and Hornsea]
• [https://www.blacktoftbeacon-scouts.org.uk/ Blacktoft Beacon]
• [https://cityofhulldistrictscouts.org.uk/ City of Hull]
• [https://www.gycscouts.org.uk/ Grimsby and Cleethorpes]
• [http://northlincsscouts.org.uk/ North Lincolnshire]
• Pocklington
• South Holderness
• Wolds and Coast

The Districts within Humberside were changed as part of the restructuring in 2011/2012. During this time Boothferry and Haltemprice were merged into Blacktoft Beacon. On 30 May 2012, the three Hull Districts: East Hull, North Hull and West Hull merged to make one District named City of Hull.

File: NorthYorks.png

North Yorkshire Scout County covers the county of North Yorkshire and is geographically the largest of the 4 Yorkshire scouting counties.[http://www.nys.org.uk/ North Yorkshire Scout County]

The 1st Helmsley scout group was established in 1909, within the first two years of the initiation of the scouting movement.[https://web.archive.org/web/20201101051533/https://fewebsites.wixsite.com/1sthelmsleygroup/ Welcome to 1st Helmsley], archived on 1 November 2020, accessed on 2 April 2025 North Yorkshire Scouts celebrated the centenary of scouting in 2007 by joining the Bilton Conservation Group to plant 2000 trees donated by the Woodland Trust.[http://www.daelnet.co.uk/countrynews/country_news_22102007_2.cfm Bilton Conservation Group]

In 2024, the county were to host the [https://www.larkinjamboree.org.uk/ Larkin International Jamboree] at Duncombe Park in Helmsley.{{cite web | url=https://www.nys.org.uk/about-us/news/1348-larkin-24-international-jamboree | title=Larkin '24 International Jamboree }}

The County is currently divided into 12 Scout Districts:{{cite web | url=https://www.nys.org.uk/about-us/about-us-1 | title=About Us }}

• [https://www.harrogatescouts.org.uk/ Harrogate and Nidderdale]
• [http://www.ingleboroughscouts.org.uk/ Ingleborough]
• [http://www.richmondshirescouts.org.uk/ Richmondshire]
• [http://www.ripondistrictscouts.org.uk/ Ripon and District]
• [http://www.easingwold.scoutsonline.co.uk/ Easingwold]
• [http://www.selbyscouts.org.uk/ Selby]
• [https://eborscouts.org.uk/ York Ebor]
• [https://www.yorkminsterscouts.org.uk/ York Minster]
• [https://www.facebook.com/NHDScouts/ North Hambleton]
• [https://ryedaledistrictscouts.wordpress.com/ Ryedale]
• [https://www.facebook.com/Scarborough-District-Scouts-113103523682045/ Scarborough and District]
• [https://www.facebook.com/SouthCravenDistrictScouts/ South Craven]

There is an active Scout Network in the county.[https://www.nys.org.uk/index.php/about-network North Yorkshire Network]

As of 2022, there are 6 Squirrel Dreys being run in the county.{{cite web | url=https://www.nys.org.uk/index.php/about-squirrels | title=About Squirrels }}

The current County Commissioner, Max Butler, was appointed in March 2022.

File: SouthYorks.png

Scouting in South Yorkshire includes Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster.[http://www.syscouts.org.uk/ South Yorkshire Scout County]

The County is divided into 7 Scout Districts:[http://www.syscouts.org/index.php/the-county/districts South Yorkshire Scout Districts]

• Sheffield Hallam[http://www.click2map.com/maps/nmckay/SH001 Sheffield Hallam District]
• Sheffield Sheaf[https://sheffieldsheafscouts.org.uk/ Sheffield Sheaf Scout District]
• Sheffield Norfolk[http://norfolkdistrictscouting-sheffield.blogspot.co.uk/p/home.html Sheffield Norfolk Scout District]
• Sheffield Don[http://sheffielddonscouts.org.uk/ Sheffield Don Scout District]
• Barnsley (Barnsley, Pennine, Central and Fitzwilliam merged into Barnsley District)[http://www.barnsleyscouts.org.uk/ Barnsley Scout District]
• Rotherham[http://rotherhamscouts.org/ Rotherham Scout District]
• Doncaster Danum[http://www.doncasterscouts.org.uk/ Doncaster Danum Scout District]

Sheffield Hallam is the largest District in the County with over 30 Scout Groups. Sheffield Hallam was formed when Sheffield Porter and Sheffield Rivelin merged in 2007.

The Doncaster Danum District has a Scout Band.

The Scout and Guide Shop (previously SGS Outdoors) is a combined Scout and Guide Shop in Sheffield with a full e-commerce website.[http://www.scout-and-guide-shop.co.uk/ SGS Outdoors] There is also a Scout Shop in Doncaster with online access.[http://www.doncasterscoutshop.co.uk/ Doncaster Scout Shop]

File: WestYorks.png

West Yorkshire covers the metropolitan districts of Bradford, Kirklees, and Calderdale. The Scout county of West Yorkshire does not cover the whole of the West Yorkshire metropolitan county. Because the West Yorkshire area is densely populated the boroughs of Leeds and Wakefield have a separate Scout County called Central Yorkshire.[http://www.wyscouts.org.uk West Yorkshire Scouts]

The Scout county's office is located within the Jubilee Centre at the Bradley Wood Campsite on the outskirts of Brighouse.[http://www.bradleywood.org.uk Bradley Wood Camp Site]

West Yorkshire Scouts celebrated a successful centenary year of 2007.[http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/02/04/scouts-centenary-joy-86081-20431049/ Huddersfield Daily Examiner News report]

West Yorkshire is subdivided into 14 Scout Districts:

• Aire Valley[http://www.airevalleyscouts.org Aire Valley Scout District]
• Bradford North[http://www.bradfordnorthscouts.org.uk Bradford North Scout District]
• Bradford South[http://www.bradfordsouthscouts.org.uk Bradford South Scout District]
• Brighouse[https://brighousescouts.org.uk Brighouse Scout District]
• Halifax[https://halifaxscouts.org.uk/ Halifax District Scouts]
• Heavy Woollen
• Holme Valley
• Huddersfield North[http://www.huddersfieldnorth.org.uk Huddersfield North Scout District]
• Huddersfield South East[https://www.hsescouts.org.uk/Huddersfield South East Scout District]
• Huddersfield South West[http://www.huddersfieldscouts.org.uk/SW Huddersfield South West Scout District]
• Keighley[http://www.keighleyscouts.org.uk Keighley Scout District]
• Pennine Calder[http://www.penninecalder.org.uk/ Pennine Calder District Scouts]
• Spen Valley[http://www.spenvalley.org.uk Spen Valley Scout District]
• Wharfedale[https://www.wharfedalescouts.org.uk Wharfedale Scout District]

West Yorkshire has two Scout Bands - Revolution Show Corps (based in Queensbury) and [http://www.spenband.co.uk Spen Valley Scout and Guide Band] (based in Cleckheaton).

The County has a number of campsites and activity centres.[http://www.wysactivity.net West Yorkshire Campsites] The county also operates a Water Activities Centre - Green Withens Watersports Centre at Green Withens reservoir, near Ripponden. Wharfedale District operates Reva Scouts Water Activity Centre, near Hawksworth.Wharfedale Scouts, [https://wharfedalescouts.org.uk/centres/reva/ Reva Scouts Water Activity Centre], accessed on 4 March 2025

The current County Commissioner, Ian Womersley, was appointed in May 2020.

There are also four student Scouting associations based at universities in the region which are affiliated with the Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO). These are:

• Students of Hull Association of Guides and Scouts at the University of Hull
• Leeds University Union Scouts and Guides, covering the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University and Leeds Conservatoire
• Sheffield Students in Guides and Scouts, covering the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University,[http://www.ssago.org.uk/clubs/england/ SSAGO England] and
• Scouts and Girl Guides York at the University of York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ssago.org/clubs/view/york|title=Scouts and Girl Guides York}}

The Aldwark Water Activity Centre is owned and maintained by Central Yorkshire Scout County. The centre is located at Aldwark Bridge on the River Ure,Central Yorkshire Scouts, [https://aldwark.org.uk/about/river-level-aldwark-bridge/ River Ure level at Aldwark Bridge], accessed on 23 February 2025 8 miles upstream from the city of York.

The centre has one large camping field, as well as a converted mill which consists of a number of dormitories. The centre has kayaks and boats for sailing, and runs training courses to gain qualifications in these activities.

The Bramhope Scout Campsite is situated just outside of the village of Bramhope, approximately 8 miles north-north-west of Leeds. The site covers {{convert|13+1/2|acre|ha}} of woodland and fields, offering various camping pitches for any sized camp up to a District camp.[http://www.bramhope.org.uk/ Bramhope Scout Campsite]

As well as the camping pitches, there are a number of buildings on the site offering accommodation and indoor training facilities. The site offers archery, air rifles, pedal karting, climbing, abseiling, and pioneering, amongst other activities. There are also facilities located near to the site which enable sailing, kayaking and swimming.

Calderdrift campsite is operated by Wakefield District.Wakefield District Scouts, [https://wakefieldscoutscalderdrift.org.uk/ Calderdrift Campsite], accessed on 24 January 2025

Hunters Greave Scout Activity Centre in Newlay, near Bramley, is operated by Shire Oak District. There is space for 100 campers.The Scout Association, [https://campsites.scouts.org.uk/sites/481#t_details481 Hunters Greave Scout Activity Centre], updated 23 January 2008, accessed 26 January 2021

The Wike 'back-to-basics' campsite is operated by North Leeds District Scout Council.{{cite web|publisher=North Leeds Scout District|url=http://www.wikecampsite.org.uk/ |title=Wike Campsite| accessdate= 26 January 2021}}

• [https://www.humbersidescouts.org.uk/raywell-park Raywell Park Activity Centre] - County Headquarters
• [https://www.bailwoodcampsite.co.uk/ Bailwood] The site is a safe enclosed space made up of a 3 acre camping field and approx. 21 acres of woodland making it ideal for both large groups and small looking for woodland adventures.
• [https://www.gycscouts.org.uk/campsite Cherry Garth]
• [https://www.humbersidescouts.org.uk/givendale Givendale]
• [https://www.meltoncampsite.org.uk/ Melton]
• [http://northlincsscouts.org.uk/primrose-hill/ Primrose Hill]
• [https://blacktoftbeacon-scouts.org.uk/tablers-wood/ Tablers Wood]

There are four camp sites:-

• Hesley Wood Scout Activity Centre, Chapeltown, Sheffield.[http://www.syscouts.org.uk/hesley/ Hesley Wood Scout Activity Centre]
• Silverwood Campsite, Great Falls, Silkstone, Barnsley.[http://www.silverwoodcamp.org.uk/ Silverwood Campsite]
• Squirrel Wood Campsite, Burghwallis, Doncaster.
• Hundall Campsite, Sheffield Ridgeway.

Hesley Wood is used for Wood Badge and other Adult Leader Training.

Bradley Wood is the West Yorkshire Scout Association County Campsite, near Brighouse on the border of Kirklees and Calderdale.

There are several others run by Scout Districts or Groups:[http://www.wysactivity.net West Yorkshire Scout County Campsites]

• Blackhills Scout Campsite is run by the Districts of Bradford North and Bradford South.[http://www.blackhillscampsite.org.uk Blackhills Campsite]
• Curly Hill Campsite and Centre, located in Middleton, near Ilkley, is run by Wharfedale District.Wharfedale District, [https://www.wharfedalescouts.org.uk/curlyhill/ Welcome to Curly Hill Campsite & Centre], accessed on 6 October 2024
• [https://svscouts.org.uk/fanwood Fanwood Activity Centre] is run and managed by the Scouts and Guides of Spen Valley District, and is based in Gomersal near Bradford.
• Sconce camp site, near Shipley, is operated by Aire Valley District.Aire Valley Scouts, [https://www.sconcecampsite.org/ Sconce Scout Campsite], accessed 2 February 2024

North Yorkshire Scout County and its districts, have five campsites and activity centres:{{cite web | url=https://www.nys.org.uk/activities/campsites | title=Activity Centres and Campsites }}

• [https://www.watsonscoutcentre.org.uk/ Watson Scout Centre] is a self catering accommodation centre for 32 people plus 1 acre of camping, located in the North York Moors National Park at Carlton in Cleveland
• [http://www.snowballplantation.org.uk/ Snowball Plantation], a 20 acre campsite on the east side of York which includes indoor accommodation
• [https://www.harrogatescouts.org.uk/thornthwaite-campsite/ Thornthwaite Activity Centre & Campsite] near Harrogate is in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to the Yorkshire Dales National Park with 11 camping sites available spread over approx. 15 acres and room for up to 120 campers.
• [https://www.selbyscouts.org.uk/tamarak Tamarak Scout Camp], set in the middle of Barlow Common nature reserve near Selby.
• [http://www.birch-hall.org.uk/ Birch Hall Scout Campsite], a 15 acre forest site near Scarborough

The county also has a water sports centre located at Ellerton-on-Swale near Catterick.

Madge Hill Campsite, east of Pateley Bridge, is located within North Yorkshire but maintained by a team from West Leeds District. The site was presented to Farsley District Scouts in 1930 by the Hainsworth family. The site has a bunkhouse and space for camping.West Leeds District Scouts, [https://westleedsscouts.com/aboutus/madge-hill/ Madge Hill Campsite Pateley Bridge], accessed 23 April 2023

Examples of gang shows held in recent years include:

• Bradford Gang Show
• 20th Sheffield (Ecclesall Church) Gang Show,{{cite web | url=http://www.20th.org.uk/events | title=Events }} last held February 2024 (prior show in 2017).
• Harrogate Gang Show.[http://www.yorkshire.com/view/events/harrogate/gang-show-2011-1121592 Harrogate Gang Show]
• Keighley Scout Gangshow, restarted in 2008.[http://www.keighleyscouts.org.uk/gangshow Keighley Scout Gang Show]
• Meanwood Gang Show{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}
• Northallerton Gang Show, started in 2005.[http://www.northallertongangshow.org.uk Northallerton Gang Show]
• 1st Riccall Scout Group Gang Show - started in 2009.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}
• Todmorden Gang Show, started in 1958 by Philip Suthers.[http://www.todgangshow.org.uk/index.htm Todmorden Gang Show]
• West Yorkshire Gang Show.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSCNQolzdQc West Yorkshire Gang Show]
• York Gang Show, started in 1987.[http://www.www.yorkgangshow.com York Gang Show]

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• [http://www.scouts.org.uk UK Scouting]
• [http://www.apexchallenge.co.uk/ Apex Challenge] - Adventure competition for Explorer Scouts and the Scout Network
• [http://www.scoutcarshowandgala.co.uk/ Sheaf District Classic Car Show and Gala]

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Category:Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom