Wood Badge

How it all started

In 1919, a standardised system for Scout volunteer training at was introduced at Gilwell Park, near London. The course was developed and delivered by Francis Gidney, Camp Chief of Gilwell Park. Robert Baden-Powell visited the course for one day and presented the participants with a ‘Wood Badge’. This wasn’t a cloth badge, but a pair of wooden beads threaded on a leather lace.

On 15 September 1919 Eileen Nugent (Baden-Powell’s secretary) wrote, 

"He has asked Capt. Gidney to go ahead in getting some beads made (like those of the Chief’s which you have) ready for award at the end of the course."
 

In 1888, whilst serving in Southern Africa with the British Army, Baden-Powell visited an abandoned camp where Chief Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo, King of the Zulu nation, had recently been based. In 1925 he recalled what he’d found,

"In the hut, which had been put up for Dinizulu (sic) to live in, I found among other things his necklace of wooden beads. I had in my possession a photograph of him taken a few months beforehand in which he was shown wearing this necklace round his neck and one shoulder."
 
Assuming the necklace, which consisted of several thousand beads, was the same one as in the photo Baden-Powell took it as a souvenir of the campaign and always referred to it as Dinuzulu’s necklace. From 1919 the necklace was broken up and one bead was presented to Wood Badge course participants; they had to carve a replica bead to complete the look of the badge. This practice continued until the mid-1920s when the original beads were used up.

In 1987, four Wood Badge beads were given to Dinuzulu’s grandson as a symbolic act of returning the beads to their rightful heir. Today, volunteers throughout the world continue the tradition of the Wood Badge and receive replica wooden beads. Volunteers are also enrolled as members of the 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group and can wear the distinctive Gilwell scarf and woggle.

Sending out Wood Badges

Information concerning those who've recently achieved a Wood Badge is downloaded from the membership system by the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team four times a year, with certificates then being sent out to District level (and above where relevant) unless otherwise specified.

Wood beads are also given out the first time a Wood Badge is achieved.