About Escouts

[Richard]

The aim of Escouts is to provide Free Web hosting to Scout Groups, Units, Districts, Areas and Counties from across the United Kingdom.

Using the founders technical knowledge we formed a technical team to help others with their problems with web hosting. The service has become a huge success and we currently freely host over 500 websites of Groups, Units, Districts, Counties and Areas from across the United Kingdom.

Because of our approach to hosting, we estimate that we have saved local UK Scouting in excess of £60,000. Our forum currently has 3000 members and is a well used resource, not only for technical information, but general Scouting support on a wide range of issues

Personal Development
Because of our unique approach, free hosting and support from the forum. We have directly helped hundreds of people start their own Scouting website. Many of these people have been Scouts and Explorer Scouts.

Current Services
Escouts now offers the following services:

• Escouts Community – A place for discussion of all types of Scouting matters
• Escouts Hosting - 200mb Free Web Hosting for Scouting


Escouts is managed and financed equally by Jonathan Bloor, Richard Fairbairn and Daniel Haigh. (The Management Team)

Escouts is run on a day to day basis by the team:

Escouts Management

Richard Fairbairn (Richard)

Richard Fairbairn the founder member of Escouts was a Cub Scout Leader for the 14th Midlothian Bonnyrigg Scout Group who had some spare bandwith on Lothian.net and thought that Scouting could benefit. Richard became AAC (Cub Scouts) Midlothian in Sept 2001,Richard is now also a member of the Scottish Board and during the day Richard is a Systems Administrator.

Jonathan Bloor (Bloory)

Jonathan Bloor has been a Scout Leader for more than ten years, currently being an ASL with the 4th Ashby-de-la-Zouch Scout Group. He also runs a successful webhosting company Pathfinder Hosting

Daniel Haigh (Daniel)

Daniel started his scouting life in the beaver section at a local scout group, continuing though Cubs before moving to 4th Golcar in 1998, where he joined the scout section, having continued though explorers he has gained his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards and also his Queens Scout Award. Daniel is now an Assistant Scout Leader at 4th Golcar Scout Group in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, having spent a few years with the Cub Section.


Escouts System Administrators

Richard Willars (Richard Willars)

Richard Willars joined Scouting at the age of 6, and has never stopped or looked back since. After finishing Explorer Scouting, he is now the webmaster for Ashby & Coalville District Scouts in Leicestershire, and has also gained his Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. He founded and designed the Escouts Route Hiker project. He is a web developer, university student and also runs Lemonstorm, a web development company.

Gavin Holt (Magician)

Gavin Holt joined Scouting at the age of 7 and has been through all the sections. He is currently an explorer with Monklands Explorers and a Young Leader with 2nd Coatbridge Scout Group. Gavin is a web developer, student and aspiring entrepreneur. When not developing things for the interweb, he works in an Outdoors Store as an equipment Specialist. He lives in Coatbridge, Scotland and spends his time in various Scouting activities, maintaining his blog and portfolio website.
Gavin assists with the development and maintenance of the Escouts systems as well as helping out with support tickets and account creation.

Escouts Helpdesk
Matt Collins (mattcollins171)
Matt Collins is one of the newer members of the Escout Team. He started Scouting at the age of 6 at 3rd Alton Scout Group and hasn't stopped and is now a very active member of the Troop Leadership Team. Outside of Scouts he is a very keen cricketer, playing for a local team. He is currently at Staffordshire University studying web development, but looking to become a teacher.

Phil Banyard (Phil4071)
Phil Banyard only recently joined the Escouts Team. He joined 1st Haworth scout group at the age of 7 and has stayed involved ever since. Phil is also a member of the centenary archery team and has instructed archery at major events such as Poacher 2008, Splashdown 2009, and many other local events. Currently he is a computing student at Huddersfield University where he studies Internet Systems Development.

Escouts Forum Administrators

Craig Worcester (Craig)
Craig Worcester is one of the newest members of the Escouts Team. He has been a member of Scouting since the age of 10, and is currently the Scout Leader with 1st Snodland Scout Group. Craig lives in Snodland, Kent and currently works as an emergency call operator for a company looking after the elderly and vulnerable. When not working, aside from his primary role of Scout Leader, he also is the District Scout Network Leader for Malling District Scouts and involved with the Southern Stars UK Scout Active Support Unit. Craig has been an active member of the Escouts Community since 2003 and now looks after the community, it's members and a team of moderators.

Mike Jury (MikeJ)
Mike Jury is one of the newest members of the Escouts Team. He has been a member of Scouting since 2003, an is currently the Assistant Cub Scout Leader with 1st Upchurch Scout Group. Mike lives in Gillingham, Kent and works in the accounts department of a local company. Mike has been an active member of the Escouts Community since 2005 and now looks after the community and its members.