Scout chiefs axe Bob-a-Job week over abuse fears
Monday March 01 1999
``We are dropping Bob-a-Job completely. It's sad, but time has caught up with it,'' said Colm Kavanagh, programme development officer of the Scouting Association of Ireland.
The Bob-a-Job has been one of the scouting organisation's most familiar catchphrases and a funding mainstay.
British scout movement founder Lord Baden-Powell first introduced a variation of it as good turn day in 1914 and Bob-a-Job week officially started on Easter week 1949.
Despite the shilling's dwindling worth and its change to 5p with decimalisation, the symbolic bobs have recently been bringing in about £100,000 a year. The cash was shared between head-quarters and individual scout troops, Mr Kavanagh said.
A new project, Peak 2000, is being planned for May to replace it as a fundraiser for the country's 50,000 scouts.
``What has been happening with Bob-a-Job in recent years was that both ourselves and parents weren't comfortable with the notion of kids going around knocking on doors.
SPONSORSHIP
``We have never experienced any problems with things like child abuse but at the same time we don't want to expose children to the potential of that situation. One incident would be one too many,'' said Mr Kavanagh.
``It had been evolving into a sponsorship-type event with things like bag-packing in local supermarkets. The whole concept of Bob-a-Job was slowly disappearing.
``The practicalities of today's world don't allow us to continue the tradition. We have a responsibility with the scout leader acting in loco parentis so we have to take the same precautions as parents,'' he added.
Down the years Bob-a-Job has not only brought in substantial amounts of money but raised the profile of the movement with scouts getting publicity for taking on unusual jobs such as washing elephants in the zoo.
It had been planned that the new Peak 2,000 project was to have sponsored scouts on all the country's mountains over 2,000 feet high - 276 of them - but that was found to be impractical and was presenting new safety problems.
``We are now planning a sponsored hike and family day on May 16 and 17 with long-distance walks on about 25 footpaths around the country.
``Everything will be loosely based around the theme of the millennium and the 2,000 figure with sponsorship cards for £20. Special teams will cover some of the more popular 2,000 foot peaks,'' Mr Kavanagh said.
- ANDREW BUSHE
