This year marks a remarkable milestone for Woodcraft Folk: a 100 years of empowering young people through co-operative education rooted in equality, peace, internationalism and sustainability.
Founded in 1925, Woodcraft Folk has spent a century nurturing critical thinking, social action and global solidarity among children and young people. As Woodcraft Folk celebrates this centenary, they are proud to share two special publications that explore their legacy and impact:
- ‘Spanning the World with Friendship’, a new open-access book published by UCL Press, documenting the movement’s global connections and enduring values. Span the World with Friendship | UCL Press.
- The Journal of Co-operative Studies’ centenary edition, which takes a deep dive into Woodcraft Folk’s influence on the co-operative and youth sectors. Journal of Co-operative Studies, Vol 58 No 1 | UK Society for Co-operative Studies
The celebrations are also going global! This summer, Camp 100 will bring together over 2,500 campers for ten days of international friendship, workshops and activism. Delegations from Western Sahara, Zimbabwe, Peru, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Chile, South Africa and across Europe will join Woodcraft Folk in Northamptonshire to mark this momentous occasion. The camp will be supported with contributions from the Peace Pledge Union, General Federation of Trade Unions and many other partner organisations.
Woodcraft Folk’s CEO Debs McCahon shared:
“In my 18 years at Woodcraft Folk, I have taken so much joy in watching generations of children and young people grow in confidence, develop critical thinking skills and go on to become changemakers in their communities and beyond. Our centenary is not just a celebration of our past, but a renewal of our commitment to building a fairer and more peaceful world.”
Further centenary celebrations include the National Lottery Heritage Funded ‘100 Objects’ exhibition, telling the story of Woodcraft Folk through photos, artefacts and memories. The exhibition will arrive at the Rochdale Pioneers Museum for Youth Work Week, from 4th November 2025 – 1st January 2026. Woodcraft Folk invites everyone to come and discover how Woodcraft Folk has shaped lives and communities over the last century.
Here’s to the next 100 years spanning the world with friendship.