I’m sat here with a brew and a Bacon Sandwich, staring at a number I honestly didn’t think I’d see: 5,000 subscribers!!

Five. Thousand. People!!!!!!

That’s not just a number on a screen. That’s a Scout Group’s worth of people who’ve decided that watching some bloke talk about Scouting in various locations (mostly my poorly lit garden shed) is worth their time.

And I’m properly chuffed.

It Started With Frustration (And a Lot of Googling)

If you’d told me when I uploaded those first few video—filmed on a GoPro with terrible lighting and basically no backdrop, nervously rambling about campfire games—that thousands of people would eventually tune in regularly, I’d have laughed you out of the woods….. Or the shed.

The production quality was shocking. I had no idea what I was doing. But I had something to say, and apparently, that mattered more than the lighting in my garden shed.

Here’s the truth: this channel exists because I was desperate.

I was a brand new Scout Leader new to Scouting, excited but absolutely clueless. I went online looking for advice, programme ideas, games that actually worked—and found nothing practical. Just generic fluff that didn’t help when you’re stood in a hall with thirty kids looking at you expectantly.

So I turned to my district. Surely the experienced Scout Leaders would help, right?

Wrong.

Out of all the Scout Leaders in my district, one -literally ONE ( Dave Faulkard, sadly no longer with us- R.I.P. Dave!)—shared his 4 year Scout programme with me. The rest? Crickets. It was like some bizarre secret society where nobody shared anything.

I couldn’t understand it. We’re supposed to be preparing young people for life, working together, all that—but some leaders were hoarding game ideas like state secrets?

That’s when I thought: sod it. If nobody’s going to share, I’ll start sharing. I’ll put everything I learn, every game that works, every honest thought about this job—out there for free. For the next desperate new leader googling at midnight.

And that’s exactly what I did. From my garden shed. With a GoPro and hope.

(Thankfully, things have changed massively since then. The Scouting community online has become incredible, and even my district is way more collaborative now. But back then? It was lonely.)

You Lot Made This Happen

Let’s be clear: I didn’t build this to 5,000 subscribers. You did!!

Every single one of you who:

– Watched a video at 11pm after an exhausting troop night and thought “yes, someone gets it”

– Shared a game idea with your fellow leaders

– Left a comment sharing your own brilliant (or disastrous) Scouting stories

– Subscribed because you needed a laugh or some practical help

– Stuck with me through the dodgy early videos until I figured out what a ring light was

– Didn’t judge the fact that my “studio” was literally a shed… it still is my garden shed at the bottom of my garden

– Actually shared your knowledge instead of gatekeeping it

This milestone is yours as much as mine.

I’ve had messages from Scout Leaders in Australia, Beaver Leaders in Canada, and even a Scouter in Japan who somehow found the channel. I’ve had comments from brand new leaders feeling overwhelmed (just like I was) and veteran Scouters with 30+ years under their belt still looking for fresh ideas.

That’s the magic of this community we’ve accidentally built together. A community that actually shares. That actually helps each other. That remembers what it’s like to be new and lost.

The Videos That Hit Different

Looking back, some videos absolutely took off in ways I never expected:

The game ideas videos? Blew up because apparently everyone needs “15 games you can run with zero prep and 15 wooden Tent Pegs.” These are the videos I wish had existed when I started.

The honest rants about bureaucracy? Resonated because we’re all drowning in the same paperwork.

The “What’s the point of?” series? That hit home because we’ve all had those moments of wondering if we’re the only ones who find it hard sometimes.

The programme planning videos? Those seem to help the most new leaders—the ones who are where I was, staring at a blank calendar wondering what the hell to do for the next twelve weeks.

But my favorites? The comments sections. The conversations. The leaders helping each other out, sharing their variations on games, offering encouragement. That’s where the real patrol formed. That’s the community I wished I’d had.

What’s Next?

Right, we’re not stopping at 5K.

Here’s what’s coming down the trail:

More Practical Content: Game ideas that actually work. Activities you can run next week, not “when you’ve spent three weekends prepping.” Programme ideas you can actually use.

Real Talk: The hard conversations about retention, burnout, dealing with difficult parents, and keeping the joy in Scouting when everything feels like admin.

Guest Leaders:I want to bring other voices into the mix. Different perspectives, different sections, different experiences. Let’s share the knowledge around.

Community Spotlight: Your ideas, your stories, your successes. This channel belongs to the whole patrol now.

Better Production Values (Maybe): I’ve got a ring light now, which helps. The shed’s still a shed though. And honestly? I’m okay with that. This was never about fancy studios—it’s about sharing what works.

The Thank You Bit (But I Mean It)

To everyone who’s watched, commented, subscribed, or just silently lurked while stealing game ideas for your next meeting:- thank you. And please, steal away. That’s literally why I make these videos in a shed at odd hours.

To the leaders who’ve taken time out of their impossibly busy schedules to engage with this content—you’re the reason this matters.

To anyone who’s ever felt like they’re not “good enough” at this Scouting lark and found some reassurance here—you’re doing better than you think. Promise.

To those of you who watched those early videos with the dodgy GoPro footage in a poorly lit shed and stuck around anyway—you’re the real MVPs. You saw past the amateur production and believed in what we were building here. And you’re still watching videos from that same shed, just with slightly better lighting.

And to that one Scout Leader from my district who actually helped me back at the start—you probably don’t even know you inspired all of this, but you did. Thank you.

This badge isn’t just mine. It belongs to every single one of you in this digital patrol.

Your Turn

I want to hear from you. Drop a comment here or on the YouTube video:

What’s been your favourite Big Man in the Woods moment so far? What content do you want to see more of? What are you struggling with right now that we could tackle together?

Because that’s what patrols do. We figure things out together. We share. We help the next person coming up the trail.

Here’s to the next 5,000. And the next adventure. And the next time one of us needs a game idea at 10pm on a Monday night.

See you around the campfire (or more likely, in the shed at the bottom of my garden),

Big Man in the Woods 🔥

P.S. – If you’re not subscribed yet and you’ve read this far, come join the patrol. We’ve got space for you: [YouTube.com/BigManInTheWoods]

P.P.S. – And if you’re an experienced leader reading this: please, please share your knowledge. You never know who you might be helping.

P.P.P.S. – Yes, it’s still the same shed. No, I’m not upgrading. It’s part of the brand now!!

#BigManInTheWoods #5000Subscribers #ScoutLeaders #YouTubeMilestone #ScoutingCommunity #ShareTheKnowledge #ShedLife #ThankYou