In short: cost.

Our current neckerchief design uses a "triple border": four layers of fabric (yellow base with a green, yellow, green border). Each layer adds to the overall production cost.

When ordered directly from Scouts, these neckerchiefs cost between £7.50 and £10.50 each. Through the supplier we’ve been using since January 2024, we’ve reduced that to £4.65–£5.85 — a notable saving, but still higher than a more simple design.

We’re now exploring a move to a single border neckerchief, which would use just one border layer instead of three. This could reduce costs by around 40% per neckerchief.

Since this is a change to part of our uniform, we felt it was the right time to ask for your views—not just on this simplified version, but also on a few new design options that reflect our group identity.

If we do decide to change, we would plan to replace every neckerchief in the group—at an estimated cost of £350–£400 (including an extra 30 neckerchiefs in reserve stock for new members). This would be funded from existing group funds (not section budgets), and parents would not be asked to contribute.

In the meantime, we’ve paused purchasing new neckerchiefs during this consultation period. This means some newly invested young people might experience a short delay in receiving theirs—we appreciate your understanding and patience.