Scouts are boys and girls aged 10½ to 15½ and are the heart of the Movement.

For several years following the Movement's foundation in 1907, there were only Scouts. At that time the Section catered for the 11-18 year age range.

The other Sections did not come into being until the Wolf Cubs for younger boys were formed in 1914 and Senior Scouts for young men in 1917. The titles of both these Sections have changed in the meantime. But the Scout Section has been there from the start and, what is more, the principles of its structure and organisation have changed little over the years in spite of the updating of actual activities.

Baden-Powell tested his first ideas at an experimental camp in 1907, the success of which led to his explaining his methods in 'Scouting for Boys' which was serialised in fortnightly parts the following year. The appeal of 'Scouting for Boys' exceeded all expectations and its readership extended far beyond the established youth organisations for which it was originally intended. All over the country boys seized upon Baden-Powell's ideas and so a new Movement was created and has continued to grow ever since.

Outdoor activities feature prominently in the Scout Troop. The highlight, for most Members, is the annual summer camp or expedition and much of the rest of the year is devoted to preparation for this. Even in winter there may be Patrol hikes or short weekend camps. Map reading, camp cooking, first aid and other skills can be practised at any time of the year. Often there may be adventurous activities like rock climbing or pioneering and orienteering where Members gain experience in the use of equipment.

Also important to training are community projects which had their origin in the 'Scout's Good Turn' - a simple means proposed to Baden-Powell for encouraging Members to think of others and to look out for opportunities to help those in need. Today this might mean joining a local conservation scheme or fund raising for a charity.

Because the age span in the Section, 10½ to 15½ years, takes a youngster virtually from childhood to the threshold of adulthood, with all the involved physical and psychological changes of adolescence, the task of providing a training programme to meet every need is considerably harder than in any of the other Sections.

One answer has been to broaden considerably the choice of activities on offer. Today it may be possible for Scouts to take up electronics, amateur radio, car mechanics and other pursuits with a echnological content in addition to the traditional outdoor activities.

Throughout the Movement, training is progressive and Awards may be given at different stages of an individual's development in which importance attaches to effort and endeavour as well as to the attainment of prescribed high standards.

The Programme is flexible so that a youngster who may be falling behind in qualifying for the Award appropriate to this age may 'leapfrog' on to the next in the series provided they are competent in basic Scoutcraft. Likewise, a youngster joining direct (that is, not having progressed through the Cub Scout Section first) can, on completing basic Scoutcraft training, begin working towards the Progress Award appropriate to their age. The same flexibility also allows for children with special needs to participate at every stage.

As it was in the beginning, the Scout Troop remains the fulcrum of the Movement because it takes the youngster from having everything thought out and planned for them to the time when they can think, make decisions and act on their own behalf. When functioning at its best, it becomes a magnet for Cub Scouts and a springboard into the Venture Scouts. In the 1996 census there were 140,129 Scouts in the UK.