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The River Reader

Thank You for the Music!

1:38 PM on Saturday 3rd August 2024
By: Alex Richardson
Lots of participants in front of the main EIJ 2024 stage, blue lights shining from the stage.
Photo by Harley Sprought

We'd like to take a moment to appreciate everyone that has made this week in a field possible.

The facilities team, standing in front of and sitting on their tractors and machinery.
Facilities get all the fun toys! - Photo by Steve Way

Firstly, to the facilities team. Every marquee, every toilet, every line of fencing, all built and maintained by facilities. They were the first to be on site, and will be the last to leave as well. Thank you for building our home away from home.

Members of the programme team supervising a performance on the beach stage.
Photo by Lucy Jarvis

The programme team! Thank you for making things fun, for putting on an amazing array of activities and shows for us to enjoy. You've been on the front line all week with a smile and a wave - your endless enthusiasm is just contageous.

Event services - the subcamp teams, our group and international coordinators. You brought everyone together and turned a field of tents into a home. A jamboree without any participants isn't a jamboree at all, so thank you for making this field of tents a home.

People standing behind a bar, holding umbrellas.
The Urban Umbrella team! - Photo by Steve Way

Our retail and finance team - our friends at Jamart, the Soft Rock cafe and all our other outlets. Thank you for feeding us, clothing us and supplying us with all the milkshakes and coffee we could possibly want.

Of course, we can't forget the safety team. Thank you for all your work making things safe and for taking care of our little village. For making everyone feel welcome, no matter where they come from.

A group of people standing in front of the Essex International Jamboree 2024 sign.
Our under-18 members of staff- thank you so much!

To our younger members of staff - our under-18s - who decided to donate their time and volunteer with us. Thank you for being such an amazing group of people, you are the leaders of the future!
You have been a phenomenal asset to EIJ this year, demonstrating an excellent work ethic and fully displaying the Scout and Guide morals. The feedback from all the zone leaders every day has been so positive that the under-18 staff support team couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of you, and we hope you are all proud of yourselves as well.

A group of people standing and kneeling in front of the Essex International Jamboree 2024 sign.
Photo by Steve Way

Media and marketing is where we here at The River Reader sit, and we of course have a few personal thank-yous of our own.

Ellen - a huge thanks to you and everyone on your team, for producing all the amazing photos and videos to make our newsletter shine. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but to us they're simply priceless.

Tom and Henry - thank you for building this website! For bringing our visions for The River Reader come to life, and for all your support throughout the week. We couldn't have done it without you.

To Bob and the rest of our guest hospitality team, thank you for looking after our esteemed guests. For helping us share the story of EIJ 2024 and make a difference far beyond our reach.

To every member of the team here at The River Reader, whose names you will have seen decorating our articles. Thank you for travelling across the world to join us. Thank you for all your words, for your time and dedication. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with you all and I would happily do so again.

And to Maxine, Rob and Emily. Thank you for leading us to greatness. Thank you for letting us make The River Reader a reality. For sharing our story with every outlet who would listen. For making our team into a family.

Members of the media team posing with noa, during the closing ceremony.
Photo by Lucy Jarvis
Paul and Karen, arms crossed and back-to-back, on the stage.
Photo by Tina Wing

To the executive team. To Karen and Paul. Thank you for making this all possible. For all your hard work over the last 8 years. For persevering and pushing to succeed despite everything. For making the right choices, not the easy ones.

And finally, to you. The participants travelling home from a week in the sun. To the parents and guardians who have missed them. To the leaders who donated their time to bring them along. Thank you for joining our celebration of Scouting and Guiding, for being the heart and soul of the jamboree. We hope you've had a fantastic time here at EIJ 2024, and that you cherish the memories you've made. Make sure to share your story, to keep hold of the friends you've met, whether they're from around the corner or across the world. You're all amazing, and it's been a pleasure to host you all here.

Thank you, everyone, for joining us.

Until the next field.

- The River Reader