After successful events in 2017, 2019, 2020, online in 2021, and back again in person in 2024, the current iteration of Kohoutek is taking a break, awaiting new hands to take it over once more!
Organising the event was usually fairly straightforward with a small group of students taking on the core tasks, then joined by a larger group drawn from various University Scout and Guide Clubs (and normally from elsewhere within Scouting and Guiding too!) to develop the activity bases and come run them on the day. Usually it would be members from this larger group that would then go on to take over some of the core organisation for the following years event, passing on their knowledge to the next group of students.
For the 2024 event the core team were University of Bristol alumni, taking on their roles from pre-covid events again in the hope that this would restart the organisation of the event by current students. At this time the University clubs are currently focussed on rebuilding their membership and so are unfortunately unlikely to take on the event for 2025.
The event has been placed in a state of hibernation, with planning documents archived and the contents of the bank account placed in trust, in the hope that new organisers will step forward over the next few years to take it on.
If any students who are part of the University of Bristol, or University of the West of England affiliated Student Scout and Guide (SSAGO) clubs wish to take on the event, get in touch and we'll pass on everything we can (and probably lend a hand too!) - contact@kohoutek.co.uk
Kohoutek, Kahoutek, Cahoutek, Cohoutek - one event, many spellings!
Kohoutek was originally held in 1973 by a group of University of Bristol Students, for local Scout Troops and Guide Units, based off a similar event held by Scouts in Cheshire. It was named after Comet Kohoutek, which was first sighted in March of that year. Over the years themes for the event have ranged from Jurassic Park (1997) to Wild West (2020)!
The event aims to provide a fun environment for Scouts and Guides to improve their teamwork and problem solving skills. Teams of five meet to complete a series of themed activity bases over the course of the day, competing for the coveted Kohoutek Trophy.
There was a short hiatus in the event when the University of Bristol Guides and Scouts (UOBGAS) society closed in the early 2000s, but the rebirth of the society saw the event being brought back in 2017. 2019 saw us celebrating the 35th Kohoutek event, with Kohoutek hosting more than 300 young people!
2019 - Epigram (University of Bristol Students' newspaper): Student Scouts and Guides organise mammoth event for local children named after the Kohoutek comet.
Kohoutek was organised by students and alumni from the University of Bristol, with support from the University of Bristol Guides and Scouts (UOBGAS) society, part of the Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO).
© Kohoutek Competition