{"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWelcome from our Chief Executive\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s been a real reset moment for Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019ve launched our new strategy, completed a restructure of our staff team, and started work on a three-year-plan focused on supporting our movement. This makes us well prepared for the path ahead \u2013 empowering more young people from every community and giving them a place to belong.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA major part of the year was spent taking action on our finances, our staffing, and understanding our core services for our movement. It\u2019s been a challenging process, especially for our committed staff team, who\u2019ve continued to deliver strong support for our members. I\u2019d like to take this moment to thank staff colleagues for their hard work and dedication.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENow we have a steady structure, we\u2019re positioned to be financially stable, stronger, and ready for the future. Our next steps will be steered by our new strategy: Place to Belong, which guides us through to 2035. Reflecting our role as the UK\u2019s largest youth movement, our strategy\u2019s been shaped by over 28,000 people, including thousands of young people. They told us they need a place to belong more than ever. Half said they regularly feel lonely, and 44% said they found it hard to make friends.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts can give that safe place, with trusted adults, where they can be themselves and find themselves. I remember valuing that so much as a young person in Scouts. It\u2019s there that I learnt the confidence, leadership, and teamwork I still use today.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is only possible thanks to the generosity of partners like the Postcode Lottery, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Uniformed Youth Fund, and Omaze. These supporters have accelerated our commitment to creating more Scouts places in more communities.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null},{"type":"TwoColumnLayoutBlock","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/xsneh51w/princess-of-wales-at-lake-district.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"The Princess of Wales, wearing a cap, smiles at some young people.","caption":"","link":null}]},{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/vxif2vao/young-people-wearing-orange-helmets.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Two young people look upwards while wearing orange helmets and holding a rope.","caption":"","link":null}]}],"config":null},{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EHand in hand with our work on the strategy, there\u2019s been a focus on our culture. We\u2019ve renewed our commitment to our shared values.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite increasing polarisation in our local communities, we\u2019re proud to welcome people from all backgrounds. The connections people make through Scouts build bridges across communities and maintain a dialogue between those of all faiths and beliefs.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere have been many bright moments this year, reminding us of the power of what we do to change lives. Last spring, a group of Scouts, Explorers, and our Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, hiked in the Lake District with our Joint President, HRH The Princess of Wales. It was inspiring to see how spending time in nature improves young people\u2019s happiness and wellbeing.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESimilarly, we saw thousands of young people get together at international camps and jamborees, and especially at the Moot in Portugal. These special moments remind us we\u2019re all part of an incredible global family of more than 60 million Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re ready for the path ahead. But only by working together can we truly achieve our ambitions and provide better support to young people and volunteers. While so many young people express that the future can feel uncertain, Scouts offers the skills they need to thrive and, most vitally, a place to belong.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo all our young people, volunteers, staff, and supporters, thank you for joining us on this journey.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAidan Jones OBE \u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EChief Executive\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"prev":null,"next":{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2025-26/focused-on-our-movement-supporting-volunteers/","title":"Focused on our movement, supporting volunteers"},"allParts":[{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2025-26/prepared-for-the-path-ahead/","title":"Prepared for the path ahead"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2025-26/focused-on-our-movement-supporting-volunteers/","title":"Focused on our movement, supporting 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