Volunteer Opportunity – Edinburgh Tattoo 2025

Volunteer Opportunity – Edinburgh Tattoo 2025

 

THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO 2025

Come celebrate The Heroes Who Made Us, as the Tattoo turns 75!

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is the most spectacular show in the world, enjoyed by an international television audience of 100 million.

But there’s no substitute for being there, as part of the 217,000 strong audience over its three- week run at Edinburgh Castle. As a member of Scouting, you can become part of it.

The Scout Association in Edinburgh has been part of this fantastic experience since the first Tattoo in 1950 and you could be part of its magic, particularly in this special 75th year!

We are looking for enthusiastic and confident Explorer Scouts and Young Leaders to be part of the sales team to sell programmes on the stands at the Castle Esplanade to the Tattoo’s home and international audience as they go to their seats.

You will need to be available for about six or seven nights between 31 July and 23 August 2025.

You will be on duty from 7.15 pm until approximately 9.45pm on weeknights and from 4.45pm – 9.45pm on a Saturday.

Explorers and Young Leaders can possibly use the event to complete sections of their badge work or towards a section of their Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

As a “thank you” from the Tattoo each Explorer and Young Leader will receive a unique gift.

If you are interested, then please complete the form below and return it by email to Sue.timmins@sesscouts.org.uk by 30 June 2025.

For further information please contact Sue Timmins 07954 386571.

Edinburgh Gang Show 2025

Edinburgh Gang Show 2025

Edinburgh Gang Show 2025 – Show Details

📅 Dates: Tuesday 4 November to Saturday 8 November
🕖 Times: Evenings at 7:00 pm, plus a Saturday Matinee at 2:00 pm
📍 Location: Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
📞 Tickets: 0131 529 6000 (For group bookings of 8 or more, call 0131 529 6005)

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE or go to www.capitaltheatres.com

Why should you come and See the Show

The Edinburgh Gang Show is a highlight of the year—a chance for our young people to shine on stage, make new friends, and create memories that will last a lifetime. But don’t just take our word for it – watch our video to hear directly from some of our cast members about why this show means so much to them. 

DofE-SEEE

DofE-SEEE

Explorers and DofE

We are now in peak expedition training season, and Explorers and Leaders from across the Region have been very busy. 

SEEE has run two training days at Bonaly involving 115 Explorers doing Silver and Gold.  The first weekend had sub-zero temperatures overnight, the second had torrential rain on the Saturday evening and night, but the good news is that camping skills were of a high level, and there were no complaints. 

 

It appears that camping is still something that Explorers are quite comfortable with, which is by no means always the case with DofE candidates from outside Scouting.  The main focus was on developing navigation skills, mainly on a hike designed for this purpose, which was only possible because 26 different adult leaders volunteered their time; some of them enjoyed it so much they came on both weekends.

Bronze level training is under way with at least three major training programmes run by Districts.

As we finalise the allocation of leaders to the expeditions planned for May/June (Practices) and August/September (Qualifiers), we would encourage anyone who can offer to help support them to use our form to check dates and let us know when they could be available – even for one day.  Hill permits are not necessary, as the Leaders in Charge will have these, though additional leaders with permits are very welcome. 

We would also like to thank the Unit leaders and others who helped by ensuring that their Explorers turned up with the correct kit, as this is an essential part of the process. 

John Buchanan and David Newton for SEEE

Ukraine Day

Ukraine Day

Picture of Nacho Luna Borras

Nacho Luna Borras

Scouting Support Lead

Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Scout Group

In February we welcomed a group of young Ukrainians to Bonaly to give them a taste of the kinds of adventurous activities we get up to in Scouting.

South East Scotland and Scouts Scotland are working together with the AUGB (Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain) in Edinburgh to establish a Scout group which meets the needs of local young Ukrainian people and their families, the majority of whom arrived in Scotland following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The group of Scout and Explorer aged young people were shown around Bonaly by Co-Warden and Activity Manager Sean Crossan, before settling down to a seriously competitive archery session led by SES Support Officer Nacho Luna Borras and Scouts Scotland Local Growth Officer, Calum Harvie. Also attending were SES Scouting Support Officer Amy Irvine, along with Martin Elliot, Mike Treanor and John Cannon.

After the conclusion of the archery session (a great way to learn how to count in Ukrainian, btw!), we warmed up in the Bonaly bothy and talked about Scouting and to discuss with the young people their hopes for the Group. There was great enthusiasm from the young people – a number had been involved in Scouting in Ukraine – and the team from Scouts Scotland and South East Scotland Region was delighted to answer the many thoughtful questions presented.

Work to establish a Scout Group with the Ukrainian community continues to progress.

Regional Mindfulness Day – A Huge Success!

Regional Mindfulness Day – A Huge Success!

Picture of Nacho Luna Borras

Nacho Luna Borras

Scouting Support Lead

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the Regional Mindfulness Day on 8th March 2025 such an incredible experience!

The day, held at the beautiful Bonaly Scout Centre, was filled with energy, learning, and meaningful connections.

Our special thanks go out to the amazing professionals from PsychEd, Edinburgh University, whose mindfulness workshops and activities were informative, fun and inspiring.

The outdoor activities were a real highlight — fun, hands-on, and deeply engaging. It was powerful to see our young people fully present and embracing the positive impact of being in nature.

We’re also incredibly grateful to our Adult Scout volunteers, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything ran smoothly. Your dedication helped make the day not only possible but unforgettable.

And, of course, the grand finale around the campfire was nothing short of phenomenal. Songs, dances, laughter, and togetherness created the perfect ending to a meaningful day.

 

Thank you again to everyone involved—participants, leaders, volunteers, and professionals. This event truly demonstrated the values of our Scout organisation and how outdoor activities can positively impact our lives.

We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

Supporting Explorer Scout Young Leaders

Supporting Explorer Scout Young Leaders

Picture of Allison Gamble

Allison Gamble

Lead for Young Leaders

Who Are Explorer Scout Young Leaders?


Explorer Scout Young Leaders
 are Explorers or Duke of Edinburgh volunteers who volunteer alongside adult leaders in Squirrel Dreys, Beaver Colonies, Cub Packs, or Scout Troops. They’re not just helpers; they’re role models, innovators, and crucial members of the leadership team.

If you’ve got a Young Person in your section from school years S2 to S6, make sure they’re registered with your District! This will ensure they have access to all the training, support, and opportunities they need to thrive as Young Leaders.

All Young Leaders aged 13.5 to 18, whether in Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, or Scouts, should be members of a Young Leaders Unit, even if they don’t attend Explorers. There are three types of Young Leaders:

  1. Explorer Scout Young Leaders: Part of both an Explorer Unit and a Young Leader Unit.
  2. District Young Leaders: Dedicated to their role within the District Young Leader Unit, without being part of an Explorer Unit.
  3. Volunteer Young Leaders: These are members of the public or Girl Guiding who volunteer with Scouts, often as part of their Duke of Edinburgh or other Top Awards. While they aren’t members of the Scout Association, their contribution is invaluable.

 

Young Leaders and Top Awards: The Path to Success 

For Explorer Scout Young Leaders and District Young Leaders, the sky’s the limit! They can work towards Explorer Badges, Staged Badges, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and the prestigious Top Awards – Platinum, Diamond, and King Scout Awards. Leaders are encouraged to talk with their Young Leaders about how the programmes they help deliver can also contribute to these achievements. It’s all about recognising their hard work, passion, and commitment.

The first Young Leader Activity Day was an undeniable success, and it’s clear that these budding leaders are ready to take on any challenge. They’re building skills, making memories, and forming friendships that will last a lifetime. Here’s to many more adventurous days like this – and to the Young Leaders who make Scouting so vibrant and exciting!

Young Leader Camp


During the Youth Forum, held at Bonaly during the Autumn Young Leaders Day, Young Leaders told us that a camp would be a fantastic event to hold next. With this in mind, we are planning a two-night camp for Young Leaders from across the region. This will take place at Bonaly from 14th – 16th March 2025. Arriving Friday evening at 7pm, setting up camp and getting ready for a brilliant weekend, Saturday will see them heading into town to take part in their very own Edinburgh Monumentopoly. Returning to camp for a Campfire and with the winners being announced on Saturday night they will then have a second night camping before heading home on Sunday morning. The event is open to all Young Leaders in South East Region, the event has been sent to the Young Leader teams through OSM, please check with them if you would like to attend. 

It would be fantastic to see as many of them joining in as possible with them being able to enjoy spending time with their friends and other Young Leaders from across the Region.

We are also looking for leaders and network members to support this event, either for the weekend or for Saturday if you can’t commit to the whole weekend. If you are available please email Allison.Gamble@sesscouts.org.uk  We are also looking for Young Leaders to help at the Regional Gala day in September, details will follow in due course. 

Got questions about the Young Leader Programme? Reach out at youngleaders@sesscouts.org.uk and get all the information you need!