Plymouth Scouts Peregrine Challenge
Designing the main badge and supporting seasonal badges for a year long event marking the Mayflower 400.
2020 will be the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower crossing, an important part of Plymouth’s history both in the UK and in the USA. To mark this occasion and engage young people, Plymouth Scouts are running their own year long series of events – the Peregrine Challenge.
The event comprises four seasonal activities and 12 additional challenges that can be completed over the year. Groups that choose to take part will receive the main challenge badge for each of their members – Beavers, Cubs and Scouts of all ages can take part, with tasks of varying difficulty set out for each. As with most Scout badges, completing a challenge earns you a badge.
The project
Following the brief from Plymouth Scouts a main challenge badge design was created. This badge needed to appeal to all age groups and cover all activities as well as setting out the foundation of the identity for the entire challenge, as it features on certificates, awards and merchandise. Simplicity, recognition and a circular theme were key drivers during the design process.
Sensing that much of the promotion around the Mayflower 400th anniversary would be orientated towards images of ships, it was important that the badge was different.
Researching the ship, and its reconstruction, revealed that the Mayflower had a carved flower on its stern. This carving was reworked into a modern symmetrical icon, with the colour scheme also taking influence from the ship. The final badge design is sympathetic to its origins with a fresh modern feel.
The seasonal badges continue the circular design and strong iconic style of the challenge badge, the bold colour palette makes them stand out. Clear icons depict the seasons, with the overall badge design forming a complete circle – but only if you complete all the challenges!
Reception
The badge has been well received by the Plymouth Scouts, from the leaders to the Scouts themselves. It has helped facilitate international relationships between Scout groups, as troops in Plymouth Massachusetts have also taken up the challenge.
In November 2019, the badge design was chosen to be included in a time capsule as part of the renovation works at the Mayflower steps in Plymouth.
