The Scouts and Freemasonry share many features in common, from
the same traditional values to similar future challenges. Over the last
few years the two organisations have supported each other in a
number of ways and at all levels. This resource is designed to assist
members of both the Scouts and Freemasonry to engage and
support each other locally.

Both the Scouts and Freemasonry share similar values. The principles within the Scout Promise also feature at the
heart of Masonic teaching. Both organisations are concerned with helping members to become better people and
have remarkably similar moral codes. They are both open to people of all faiths and both encourage good citizenship
and self-development. As membership organisations, they also face the same challenges; building better informed
public awareness, attracting and retaining new members, focusing resources where they can have the biggest impact
and operating in a manner that provides the best support to their membership. As local organisations found in or near
to most communities, it makes sense that Scouting and Freemasonry co-operate and support each other where they
can.

Scouting was founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell, whose publication ‘Scouting for Boys’ inspired boys in Edwardian England to group together into patrols and venture into the outdoors. Over a hundred years later nearly half a
million young people develop skills for life at the Scouts. No longer a boys’ organisation, around 29% of the 6-25 year old youth members are girls. They are supported by over 16,000 adult leaders and supporters. Both youth and adult membership is growing but demand is increasing faster than the Scouts can recruit leaders, despite the fact that more 6,000 new adults joined in the last five years.

In England and Wales Scouting is organised into Counties and Areas, aligned broadly to civic boundaries. They are
managed by a volunteer County or Area Commissioner who appoints a team of specialists to support him or her. Each
County/Area is made up of a number of Districts, led by a District Commissioner with their own team, whose role it is
to support and develop Scouting in their area. Scouting itself happens in community based Scout Groups, a number of
Groups making up each Scout District. Each Scout Group is led by a Group Scout Leader and will comprise youth
sections; Beaver Scout Colonies for 6-8 year olds, Cub Scout Packs for 8-10½ year olds and Scout Troops for 10½ to
14 year olds. Districts also have Explorer Scout Units for 14 to 18 year olds and every County/Area has Scout
Networks for 18 to 25 year olds. Every Scout Group is a charitable organisation in its own right and has to support
itself by raising funds. They do this by forming Group Executive Committees to administer Group affairs, leaving Scout
Leaders to concentrate on the youth programme.

Freemasonry for men in England and Wales is governed by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), which dates
back to 1717. The current membership stands at around 200,000 grouped in 8,000 local Lodges. Scotland has its
own Grand Lodge, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, as does Ireland, the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
UGLE is lead by the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, who is also the President of The Scout Association. He is
supported by a team of Grand Officers and a staff managed by the Grand Secretary. The country is divided into
Masonic Provinces, each lead by a Provincial Grand Master who himself will have a team of officers to assist him.
There are Lodges in most large towns and many smaller communities. They meet either in Masonic Halls (which tend
to accommodate a number of local Lodges) or in community premises. Each Lodge is lead by a Worshipful Master,
who is elected for one year, while other officers manage administrative, financial, charitable and other functions.
Many Freemasons were once Scouts, or members of other organised youth organisations. In almost every County /
Province there is a Lodge made up of Freemasons who have a particular interest in Scouting and these Lodges are all
members of the Kindred Lodges Association or KLA.
There are two separate Grand Lodges for women; Freemasonry for Women and the Order of Women Freemasons.
Freemasonry for Women was founded in 1913 as The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons. It teaches the
same values as male Freemasonry and in particular reaches out to young women who believe in working in the
community. Freemasonry for Women has its own registered charity supporting both national and local charities.
Young women are eligible to join from the age of 18. Freemasonry for Women offers women friendship, inspiration
and empowerment. Women’s’ Freemasonry has fewer Lodges than that for men but is organised in a similar manner.
In the last few years Freemasons have been made very much aware of Scouting as it is today, largely through the
UGLE sponsored 2012 Prestonian Lecture, “Scouting & Freemasonry: two parallel organisations?”. There is a very
strong willingness to support Scouting with time, money and facilities. Masonic charities have donated over
£1,000,000 to Scouting in the last ten years, including a £500,000 grant from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity and
£211,000 from the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls & Boys. There are many examples of donations being made by
Lodges to Scouting at a local level.

Scouting has grown significantly since 2003. This has been as a result of a transformational change process that
reviewed and altered the way the organisation operates while retaining its core values and purpose. Freemasonry can
learn a lot from Scouting’s experience. Indeed, since 2008 senior members of both organisations have met regularly to
share lessons and ideas. The opportunity now exists for Masonic Provinces to connect with Scout Counties/Areas to
learn how Scouting has developed within the same part of the country.

Freemasonry includes among its members people with hugely diverse skills and talents, including trades skills such as
electricians, plumbers, car mechanics and builders, and professional skills, such as accounting, marketing &
communications, training and management / administration. Freemasons may be approached to serve as officers on
Group, District and County / Area Executives or to be specialist Advisers, badge examiners and fund raisers. In
addition, Masonic Halls normally seek outside lettings from community and other groups and would be suitable for
committee meetings, training sessions and conferences.