Grow 50 – so far!
When we launched our ‘Grow 50’ campaign 3 years ago we asked each District to Grow by 50 and encouraged each Section or Unit to grow by 2 members to help us reach our target. Since then, we have grown by 1035 young people and we are proud to say we now have more than 16,000 members aged 4 – 18 years.
What we’d like to do next
Grow some more! We’d love to welcome more young people so they can enjoy all the benefits to their personal development that Scouts has to offer.
Grow 50 support and rewards for 2025/26
Once again there is help funding new sections, recruitment ideas that are tried and tested, and a range of webinars from HQ. Rewards include the Grow 50 badges and certificates for groups that have grown a lot, and a chance to win an activity day for all sections and units that have grown by one member or more. Full details are below.
Support for Growth
Rewards for Growth
Badges
Of course, there’s a badge! Each person in your Group or District Explorer Scout provision will get a badge if you achieve a growth of 10 or more Members above the last census.
• Bronze Award for 10+ extra young people
• Silver Award for 25+ extra young people
• Gold Award for 50+ extra young people
Prizes
Once again we have a prize draw for a multi activity day at Lower Grange Farm. This year all Sections and Explorer Units that grow, compared to the last Census, will be given one entry into the prize draw.
Last year more than 200 young people from across Kent enjoyed a free multi activity day which also included a chance to get involved with Jota and Joti.
FAQs
Who counts as a member?
All invested young people who appear on the Census return.
How many badges will we get?
If your whole Group or Unit has grown in number from the 2025 Census by 10 or more, you will get one badge for each young person and each adult as shown on the 2026 Census return. The colour of badge will depend on the number you have grown: 10+ bronze, 25+ silver, and 50+ is gold.
Where are badges worn?
On uniform jumpers just above the World Membership badge, and on uniform shirts in the same place but above the pocket button.
How can we get entries in the prize draw?
Your Section or Unit will get one ticket in the draw if it has grown and it will only be that section that wins an activity day at Lower Grange Farm.
Our group has an Explorer Unit – do they count as the group?
No. Explorer Scout Units count towards the “District Explorer Scout Provision” number
Is there a reduction in membership fee for growth?
No, not this year. For the last two years Kent Scouts subsidised groups as they grew back to pre Covid numbers, but that support has now ended.
