Lord Baden-Powell Centenary Statue Project
Poole District Scout Council have embarked on a project to celebrate the centenary of Robert Baden-Powell's 1907 experimental Scout Camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. The camp brought together 20 boys from differing backgrounds who were given many different tasks to prove his theory they could work and play together and learn from their experiences. The camp led to the formation of the largest youth movement in the world which now boasts 28 million members in 216 countries and territories.
Robert Baden-Powell's association with Poole itself includes his marriage to Olave St Clair Soames in 1912 at St Peter's Church in Poole (Olave lived in Lilliput, Poole. She later became Chief Guide of the World). Their first born Peter was baptised in St Peter's. In 1929, now Chief Scout and a peer, Lord Baden-Powell was granted the Freedom of Poole. Baden-Powell and St Peter's School was named in his honour.
Proposed Project
The proposed project is to erect a sculpture depicting Baden-Powell sitting as though he were spinning one of his yarns to boys around a camp fire. The figure will be positioned facing Brownsea Island so that locals and visitors alike can have photographs taken with the great man. The figure will be cast in bronze to ensure a long lasting monument.
The project has the full support of Poole Borough Council and is being championed on their behalf by Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, the Mayor of Poole, and Cllr Chris Bulteel, Poole Harbour Ward. It is also being fully supported by Nickola Moore, the Borough's Arts Development Manager and Graham Richardson, Poole Tourism Manager. Graham sees the sculpture as a valuable addition to the attractions Poole has to offer to visitors to the town.