The New Zealand Badgers Club has been operating for over 60 years,
first as a section of the International Badgers Club and in more recent years as an independent Club.
There are other local Badgers Clubs in many countries, including the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and Europe.
From early days, members of the Scout and Guide Movements have met at camps and Jamborees to foster the spirit of International Scouting and Guiding.
Many have swapped badges at these gatherings as permanent memories of the many friends they have made during their time together.
In 1955 the International Badgers Club (IBC) was created in the United Kingdom by Ernest Hallett
to assist Scouts and Guides in starting and increasing their collection of badges by correspondence and meetings.
The Club soon had members from many countries, including New Zealand.
New Zealand operated as a section within the IBC. Instead of receiving the IBC magazine “The Sett”, NZ members received a magazine more relevant to local needs,
with content sometimes reproduced from “The Sett” where relevant. NZ Club members continued to be affiliate members of the IBC
and were able to place swap advertisements in “The Sett”, participate in auctions and buy catalogues produced by the IBC.
By 2005, an increasing number of IBC members from the UK and other countries were also paying a subscription to receive the NZ club magazine “Swop Box”
and only a small number of NZ members were taking advantage of the benefits of being IBC affiliate members.
The name was formally changed to “The New Zealand Badgers Club” while continuing to be an affiliate of the IBC.
In 2010, the NZBC became an autonomous club while still maintaining close links with the IBC.
Some NZBC members are also members of the IBC and many members of the IBC are also members of the NZ Club.
The NZBC continues to promote the collection of Scout and/or Guide badges by running displays,
competitions and activities at Jamborees and other events, such as Cub Days and JOTA/JOTI camps.
Club members are also available to visit Scout Groups and Guide Companies to talk about badges and collecting.
The NZBC has a Facebook page which is open to anyone interested in NZ Scout and/or Guide badges.
The NZBC websites also provide information for those interested. Serious collectors, and those who want to know more,
can become full members of the NZBC by paying an annual subscription. The benefits of full membership are set out elsewhere on this site.
The NZBC also seeks to preserve and present the history of NZ Scouting,
as recorded by the badges that have been issued over the years as the administration of Scouting in this country has changed.
In particular, the NZBC has published “The Histories Book:
The Story of New Zealand Scout County, District, Area and Zone Badges”, the 4th Edition of which was published March 2016.
This has hundreds of pictures of badges throughout its 381 pages, along with information about the background of each badge design,
and dates for all Counties and Districts including ones that never issued a badge.
