The International Friendship Camps were started by the then Middlesbrough Scout Association in 1966 to celebrate World Friendship Year. The first camp took place at Raven Gill with about 350 Scouts attending. In addition to the Middlesbrough Scouts there were visitors from Germany, Belgium, Canada, France, Jamaica and the U.S.A.

The second Friendship Camp took place in 1970 again at Raven Gill but this time organised by the new Teesside County Scout Council. 250 local Scouts attended and were joined by visitors from Germany, Italy, Holland and Canada.

The move to Wynard Park came in 1974 with the creation of Cleveland County. There were about 1200 in camp including visitors from Belgium, Canada and 225 from the Netherlands. Next came Friendship 78 with the Market Place activities appearing on theprogramme for the first time.

Friendship 82 was the largest camp to date with just over 2000 Scouts in camp for the week, joined by 300 Cub Scout Sixers for a weekend. Visitors from overseas travelled from Italy, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, France and British Scouts of Western Europe arrived from Holland and Spain.

Friendship 87 will celebrate 21 years of Friendship camps and is expected to be the best camp yet, offering a wide variety of activities. Scouts will camp in Patrols within seven sub-camps. Scouts from Cleveland, and the rest of the U.K. and overseas are welcome to attend. Venture Scouts are invited to join the camp as staff members.