Beginning in 1949, for one week a year in April, all Scout groups across Britain ‘hired out’ their Scouts and Cubs for “Bob-a-Job week”, issuing them with job cards and instructions to go round to local homes, knock on strangers’ doors and ask for any small jobs the householder needed doing – such as mowing their lawn, washing their car, clearing leaves or helping the elderly with their shopping – in exchange for a ‘bob’ [one shilling]
Some households certainly exploited the service. In theory, a Scout earned a bob for doing one small, reasonable task such as clearing leaves or sorting bookshelves.
But there were instances of Scouts being presented with an entire silver tea set for cleaning, or being instructed to lug around cwt bags of coal.
“Bob-a-Job week” earned the Scout movement a fine reputation from the general public, who were pleased at having an ‘odd-job-man’ on call while being able to help the movement at the same time.