Badges Explained
There are basically two sets of badges. Badges that are specific to each section such as ones that only go on a Beaver, Cub or Scout uniform and should not appear on other uniforms and those that appear the same across the Scout Group and can be transferred or worn on all Section uniforms.
The different types of badges are:
Group Badges (all sections e.g. Beavers, Cubs or Scouts)
Group Name Badge – 20th St Albans Ansar Scouts name tape (right arm)
District Badge/County Badge – St Albans District/Hertfordshire County (right arm)
Membership Badge – Scout Association Badge (left chest below other badges)
Transferable Badges
Chief Scout’s Award – Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum/Diamond/Queen’s Scout (right chest above Challenge Badges)
Special Occasional Badges – Important badges such as MSF Badges or a special camp, maybe 1 badge at most . (left chest sewn above all other badges)
Joining in Awards – Year 1, Year 2, etc. badge given for each year you have been a member of the Scout Association. Only show the latest year and are transferred (left chest above Membership Award)
Staged Activity Awards – These are light blue, round badges and are worn on a Beaver, Cub or Scout uniforms, whatever is the greater number. For example a Nights Away Staged Activity Badge shows the number of nights away with a 1 for 1 night away and is superseded with 5 nights away etc. They are transferable and supersede each other. Show the latest badge and take off old badges (left arm)
Specific to the Section Badges
Challenge Badges – Specific to Beaver, Cubs or Scouts and are different in each Section. They are not transferable and are only worn in that Section. For example a Beaver will work towards 6 maroon Challenge Badges over the two years they are a Beaver. At the end of their time as a Beaver they will achieve all these badges and be awarded their Bronze Scout Award. This award is sewn onto their Beaver uniform until they leave Beavers and move to Cubs where they wear it on their Cub uniform until a time in which they achieve all their Cub Challenge Award Badges and can be awarded their Silver Scout Award. (right chest)
Moving on Award – They are a badge that shows that a child has moved from a Beaver Colony to a Cub Pack or a Cub Pack to a Scout Troop etc. So when one is awarded it can be worn on that current uniform (Beavers do not have a badge) (right chest above Chief Scout Award)
Activity Badges – Specific to the Section. They are not transferable. (left arm)
Leadership Stripes – These are awarded when a Beaver for example get to become a Lodge Leaver or Lodge Assistant Leader or a Cub becomes a Sixer or Seconder (worn above the Moving on Award, right chest)
Further Reference
Refer to the Scout Association website if this is still not clear!! Trust me it isn’t as complicated as it looks and you will get the hang of it!!
Good Luck!!
Please pass on to those who need to know (Aunties, Uncles, Grannies, Granddads!!)
(Disclaimer: please do not hold us to account if there are any errors forthwith, and won’t blame leaders if you or we get their left and right mixed up!!)
And I do personally recommend the good old thoroughly time consuming method of needle and thread! Always rectifiable…