The Best Marquees to buy for Scouting
Published Date: 26th September 2024
Last Updated: 18 hours ago
The Scouting Association is a huge youth organisation that dates back to circa 1910, which helps to build the characters of millions of young people, giving them the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, accountability and a vast array of outdoor survival skills. Gaining these attributes has the potential to set these young people up as responsible, well-rounded people going into adulthood.
Beyond the weekly meetings and activities that go on, Scouts also participate in trips away to the countryside to take part in activities such as camping, fishing, first aid skills, and other team building exercises. One of the biggest dates on a Scout’s calendar has to be the jamboree.
What is a Scouting Jamboree?
A jamboree is a large gathering of Scouts from all around the world. The world’s biggest and most famous jamboree is the World Scouting Jamboree, which is held every four years in a different location each time, and goes on for around two weeks, although there are other events such as the Kent International Jamboree or the Essex International Jamboree.
These more localised events last up to a week in length and are a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, learn about global cultures, learn new skills, and of course have fun. Occasionally, there may even be a chance of encountering Chief Scouting Ambassador, Bear Grylls!
Essentially, a Jamboree is a huge festival of education and fun for children, with all manner of activities available to build their skills. With so many activities out in the open air, there’s a need to cover some of those activities with a marquee.
Gala Tent has supplied thousands of marquees of various sizes and types to the Scouting Association for their Jamborees for various applications. We’re big friends of the Scouts, and are delighted to attend their annual Gilwell Park Reunion down in London.
5 uses for a Marquee at a Scouting Event
So what might a Scouting troop or a Jamboree organiser use a marquee for? Marquees are as versatile as they are useful and can cover a series of applications. These are 5 great uses for a marquee in Scouting.
Meeting Space
At a Jamboree, Scout leaders from all over the world will convene to meet each other, learn from one another and share best practice. A marquee is a great, temporary shelter for such meetings. They can also double up as training or presentation purposes.
Sleeping Quarters
A marquee can easily double up as a temporary dormitory space to house dozens of Scouts from individual troops. Away from Jamboree-type events, the sleeping quarters can also act as a base camp from which to leave belongings as the Scouts explore the surrounding areas.
Dining Space
Jamborees attract thousands of Scouts from around the world. A large marquee will cover several hundred diners at once, with plenty of space for the catering equipment
Play Space
Scouts are children, and children like to play. Creating a safe space for them beneath a marquee is a perfect application for the tent, as it allows outdoor activities to take place in a sheltered space.
Storage Space
A marquee can be used as dry storage space for Scouting troops’ gear and supplies, particularly if the Scouts are sleeping in smaller, 2 or 3-person tents.
What are the best marquees for Scouts?
These are some of the best marquees available for Scout Troops and Jamborees, with reasons for why they work so well. If you’re a Scout Leader or Jamboree coordinator and you’re looking for inspiration for providing temporary shelter for your young charges then read on.
This long, slender marquee is a perfect size for covering about 30 to 40 people with some furniture within the marquee. It uses 38mm powder-coated steel tubular poles in the framework and would need to be erected safely by around 5-6 people, in no more than around 2 hours. The 240gsm Polyethylene covers are double coated to ensure they are waterproof, and the sidewalls connect using zips. It is a great tent for catering as it is large enough to cover a good-sized Scout troop, and can easily double up as a games room when it’s not time to eat.
Price from: £287.99 ShopThis is a huge structure that is built for covering plenty of people for a good few days. A 6m x 12m is large enough to cover up to 120 people, if they were standing auditorium style, which makes it a great tent for presentations, awards and teaching sessions, when there are plenty of Scouts to cover. The 650gsm wipe-clean PVC of the covers makes it perfect for muddy areas, so even if it’s been pouring it down, you can bring it back to optimum condition when you return to base after the Jamboree. The framework goes up to 44mm powder-coated steel tubular poles, which is a much-needed increase for such a large structure. The roof section has cross-beams for stability, and at 3.7m in height, it is an imposing tent, but one which is guaranteed to do the job for you.
Price from: £431.99 ShopThe Fusion is a step up from the powder-coated steel structures of the Gala Tent Marquee range. It is an expansive, clear span tent that covers a massive 9m in width without the need for central support beams. This is the kind of tent you might find at a music festival, agricultural show, or as a beer tent during Oktoberfest. The 9m x 9m will cover between 80 and 160 people, depending on what else you put in there, which makes it a perfect presentation stage for a Jamboree where there’ll be guest speakers delivering some great educational content for the young Scouts. It might also make a perfect catering tent where you have plenty of space to set up, and cover dozens of people at a time. The tent’s frame is made using T6061 aluminium extrusions of around 65mm in width, and the covers are that amazing wipe-clean 650gsm PVC.
Price from: £3014.99You'll also want to consider a few different types of accessories that will work well with your marquee, including:
Weights and Tie-downs - Just like your camping tent, a marquee will need adequate anchorage to ensure the safety of you and your property
Ground Bars - These turn your structure from simply legs and a roof, to a fully cubic frame, which provides superior strength and stability
Heating - Even though it's almost summer, the evenings will still drop cool, so prepare for that with an infrared heater!
Lighting - Weatherproof LED Globe Lights provide a warm glow through the night for your Scouts
This was the Gala Tent guide to the best marquees to buy for Scouting reasons, but they are not just for your Jamboree. A marquee will slot in perfectly into your Scout group grounds for fundraising, summer activities or taking to local fairs and festivals to represent your troop. If you're in the market for a new marquee, then give our team a call on 01709 242454 and have a chat about your plans, and they'll be absolutely delighted to help.
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