County A.G.M. I was pleased to see such a good representation from the District at this meeting, held on May 2nd. Let not this deter others from attending the meetings in future years, it is an opportunity to meet people who at the moment may be only names to you.
The County Commissioner announced, with regret, the loss to the County of our Field Commissioner, David Hall, who is shortly to take up a position in the Gilwell Park Training Team. He then went on to give some details and facilities of the new camping site at Wadenhoe. The census figures for the County show an increase of 7% over those of the previous year.
The Guest Speaker, P.A. Cutting, Esq., Chief Constable, Northampton and County Constabulary, opened his remarks by saying that over the past 20 years, he had had some dealing with youth, which was our principal interest that evening. He said that young people today were subjected to stresses and strains, due to the increased affluence especially in this country. He spoke of more leisure and of more money to spend in the extra time.
He said that we should not despair over the youth of today, in his opinion the youth of today was far better than the youth of yesteryear. They could stand up to the pressures on them far more solidly, not stolidly, and would respond to responsibility.
He touched on the question of long hair and said that we should be more concerned with what was inside the head than with what covered it.
Regarding vandalism, he believed in teaching discipline, especially self-discipline, at an early age, that the boys should be taught to live with others, and that they should be encouraged to engage in group activities. The lack of opportunity to join activities such as ours, often leas people into vandalism.
Finally, Mr Cutting said that youth must be stretched towards responsibility and purpose. They will respond, to their advantage, to being stretched.
Insurance. The Chairman of the Executive Committee has requested that Groups check their fire end other insurance policies to ensure that all equipment and property is adequately covered, and confirm same to the Committee.
News. Will Groups who are sending a contingent to camp, or who have been to camp, even a week-end camp, or a night hike, or done anything interesting, please send details to me, so that I can pass your news on to the readers who look forward to reading Rushden's news.
2nd Rushden St. Mary's Troop. March saw the retirement from active Scouting of our G.S.L. Beau Winters. Beau had been with the same Group, St. Mary's, for 49 years. His retirement was marked by a party at District Headquarters, to which the Guide Company were invited. His retirement present from us all was a reproduction of Constable's painting - "The Hay Wain". We all wish him well in his retirement, and look forward to seeing him 'down the Room' as and when he feels like it.
The whole Group was stunned by the tragic death in Northern Ireland of one of our old boys, Anthony Goodfellow. Anthony was one of the few Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Holders. We express to his family our deepest sympathy and will never forget that one of our Queen's Scouts died in service to his Country.
The Troop hopes to send about 10 boys to the County Camp at the Spring Holiday, the venue being Bozeat. For many of our boys, this will be their first camp, let's hope the sun shines for them, a wet first camp can be an awesome experience.
Scout Job Week has gone well again, the boys worked well and we have received no complaints of boys trying to obtain jobs either improperly dressed, or being rude when refused work.
(G.A. Knott. A.S.L.)
Canoes. Members are requested to ensure that before using canoes, the latter should be fully examined, certificates obtained, and rules understood and observed by those using same.
District Activity Day. This is to be held at Overstone on September 29th, when permission has been given for the use of the top field. Mr Nicholls and Mr Holman are to form a sub-committee.
District Competition. This will be held on October 20th at South End Junior Schools, Symington Road. It was agreed that Judges be invited from the North Bedfordshire District.
lst Irchester Cub_Scout Pack.
The last two months have seen the Cub Scout Section very active. During April, they attended the St. George's Day Service at St. Mary's Church, Rushden. They also carried out a very hectic Operation Shoe Shine week since the lads had distributed leaflets the week previously, and a large number of shoes were waiting to be cleaned during Job Week. It proved to be a financial success, as each lad earned an average of £l-50p. Congratulations must go to Peter Read and P. Warner, who earned over £2.75 each, Once again, publicity around the village enabled the boys to pay for the various levies and still make a profit for the Cub Scout Section. (D.R. Parker. C.S.L.)
Your support is invited for the following Group event:- The 1st Irchester Group Council are organising a coffee evening at "The Cottage", High Street, Irchester, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs T.F. Young, on the evening of Wednesday, June 15th, starting at 19.00 hours.
Training Courses. A leaflet giving details of training courses being held at Gilwell Park this year and having an application form on the reverse side, is available on application. If you have any difficulty, please let me know.
3rd Rushden Scout Group. On April 14th. four boys went on a hike in the immediate locality and finished up in a traditional manner, at the local chip shop.
The following boys were invested on April 27th:-
The investiture was carried out in candle-light, by ex-G.S.L. Harry Wood, who was specially invited back for the occasion.
B.P. Guild. Encouragement is be given to the formation of a branch of the B.P. Guild, which could lead to more volunteer helpers
High Kofta. Groups are reminded that for the use of this camp site, a donation of 5p per head should be rasde to the 1st Higham i'errers Group from whom permission is required, giving as much notice as possible.
Also, that no vehicles are allowed to proceed to the site, but should be parked off the road along the riding if the ground is suitable. Access is on foot only.
1st Rushden Group. A First Aid Course is being run for the Cub Scouts. The first evening comprised a visit to the Ambulance Station, and the details of the penultimate evening have now been settled.
Mr M.R. Whyman, Health Education Organiser, from Northampton, is going to show two films - "Don't let him die!" and "Breathing for others" on June 5th. The 1st Rushden Scout Troop, and the parents of the boys taking the course, have been invited to attend.
1st & 2nd Rushden Scout Troops. On Tuesday, May 15th, ten Scouts from the 1st and 2nd Rushden Troops, visited the T.A. Headquarters at Wellingborough.
The evening started with a short talk on the founding of the T.A. and their training programme. From here we were taken around the various instruction groups which were in progress. These consisted in the use of rifles, bren guns and the art of camouflage. The latter was of particular interest as the boys were shown how this could be adapted to be used in wide games with the Troop,
The highlight of the evening for the boys came when they were instructed in the use of .22 rifles by the army cadets and allowed to fire them on the indoor range.
The evening finished with a combined dismissal with the cadets.
(Roy Cox - 1st Rushden)
Campcraft Competition. It was agreed at a District Troop Scouters' Meeting, held in March, that such a competition be arranged for the 15th-16th September.
World Jamboree 1975. Please note that the date of this important event in the Scouting calendar has been brought forward 5 days. The new dates are July 29th to August 7th, 1975.
In the May issue of 'Scouting', there are a number of items under the collective heading of "-— and now for the rest of the News", by David Saint. The preamble to this article gives food for thought, and I reproduce it below:-
"Attitudes to District events vary considerably. Some Groups let the District organise everything for them; many look forward to meeting others at the occasional District event for some friendly rivalry; a minority have no wish to get involved in the wider sphere of the District, and some probably never hear of the activities in the first place.
It is a fact, however- that the occasional District event is a valuable part of our Scouting programme - widening horizons and strengthening bonds, as well as providing a little varied fun for our boys."
Recapping on the above extract, I feel that it is probably correct to say that many Groups let the District organise everything for them, for how often do you see in "Dates for your diary", a forthcoming Group activity? Letting the District organise everything, often means that the same few people are left to do all the work.
As to those who do not wish to become involved in District events, how can the boys be encouraged to extend themselves, as was suggested by the Guest Speaker at the recent County A.G.M.? Groups should be encouraged to be outward-looking.
Regarding the probability of Groups never hearing of the activities in the first place, I will repeat the details of the circulation of your Newsletter:-
Apart from copies sent direct to County and District personnel, copies are sent to Groups, usually to the G.S.L., for distribution as follows:-
1 for the G.S.L., 1 for each Leader and Assistant Leader, and 1 each for the Chairman and Secretary of the Group Council.
If anyone can suggest an improvement on this circulation, I should be interested to hear of it. Remember that one of the objects of a District publication is to get news to Group level. From there, I am certain that it is desirable to communicate news to parents by regular Group newsletters. These could contain news of a very local nature, and if delivered by hand by members of the Group Council, could be the means of getting to know the parents of the boys. It works, because I have tried it, and if anyone wants any ideas on the subject, I shall be pleased to discuss this with them.
Another object of a District newsletter is to tell the other Districts, and County, of what Rushden District is doing. If we don;t, who will?
(District P.R.O.)
District Commissioner's Newsletter. Another Census has now passed, this year's has been more encouraging, with the halting of the decline in figures of recent years. I hope that this means that we have "turned the corner" and are on our way to better times.
Now is the time to look to the future, and ascertain the needs of Scouting locally in the future. The matter received considerable discussion at the Annual. General Meeting, we will see if the discussion bears forth fruit .
Boating, including canoeing. Before embarking on any such activities; make sure that you have read P.O.R., rules 191 and 192, and Appendix viii, rules 14 - 32. Also bear in mind that your cover under the Personal Accident and Medical Benefit and Scouters' Indemnity Policy become invalid if boats and canoes are used which do not possess a current certificate of worthiness. There is a District boat inspector; consult your A.D.C- if you require his services."
Cub Scout Wall Training Charts. These invaluable charts are available at 10p each from the Editorial Dept., Buckingham Palace Road. The titles are "The Bronze Arrow" (SP8), "The Silver Arrow" (SP9) and "The Gold Arrow" (SP10).
The cost of postage & packing is 6p for 1 chart, 3p for 2 charts and 9p for 3-4 charts. My advice to C.S.L.'s is to order through our District Scout Shop, so that by bulk ordering, the cost of p. & p. can be reduced very considerably.
1st Hinwick Group . The Troop has grown numerically since the last report and now has twelve invested members and three others, out of a total of 27 boys at the school. The programme has continued during the winter months in the School Physio room, and now for the summer term moves out into the sun-lounge and open air.
Unfortunately, a leadership crisis looms on the horizon as the A.S.L. Philip Walker has moved to a new appointment in Surrey, and the other leader, Ivor Warburton will be leaving the area at the end of July. Unless replacements can be found, it appears that the Group will no longer operate, after five very successful terms.
A TRIBUTE TO A SCOUT - Killed in Northern Ireland while serving the Queen.
If you asked him to travel one mile with you, he would willingly travel two, this was the type of Scout that Anthony Goodfellow was, and as his Scout Leader and friend for many years, it is fitting that I should write these words to pay tribute to a Queen's Scout, and Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder.
I, with many others of this District and St. Mary's Scouts and what was, in his day, Senior Scouts, had the privilege to know Tony as a Scout, Senior Scout and Assistant Cub Scout Leader.
The many camps he attended with me and others of the Movement, were memorable, and I can associate memories of him which will stay with me for a very long time, such as wrestling with others to see who was going to be thrown in an icy cold mountain stream at Kanderstag, Switzerland, or building a sledge for racing at Everdon camp, showing his sun-burnt body until it became so red from the sun that he had to put on a T-shirt. Being up to his knees in mud while on reception staff at the second Everdon Camp when the Chief Scout at that time, visited the County Camp, hikes in the Peak District on numerous occasions, or walking in the Berwyns and Snowdonia, or just pitching marquees!
Weekends at Grendon, canoeing or rock climbing, he could cook, make bridges, climb ropes or trees. Knew his First Aid by attending adult courses with St. John's Ambulance Brigade.
Life was full of fun for him, he was a great 'get up and go' Scout.
I well remember the difficulties he had in achieving the time standards for Athletics when doing his D. of B. and Queen's Scout awards, and how much effort in training he did for this task. We still have signs on the Nissen hut floor where he dropped his bar weights while doing his weight lifting exercises. I could write a book of the happenings we all got up to in the days of Tony's Scouting. None earned his award more conscientiously than Tony.
To conclude, if one can be so bold, no finer epitaph than B.P.'s last message to Scouts, that our President, Mr G.W. Marriott, likes to read at the St. George's Day Services.
"I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness doesn't come from being rich, nor merely from being successful in, your career, nor by self-indulgence. One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so can enjoy life when you are a man.
But the real way to get happiness is by giving happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it. 'Be prepared' in this way, to live happy and to die happy - stick to your Scout Promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it. Your friend, Baden-Powell."
(Bill Knott, A.D.C. Scouts.) (Assistant County Comissioner V.S)
Dates for your diary.
June 8-10th. S.L.'s Advanced Course at Overstone (2nd of 3 weekends)
June 13th. 1st Irchester Group Council, coffee evening.(see news item)
June 11-16th. Northampton Gang Show, Repertory Theatre, N'pton.
June 23rd. Rushden Carnival.
Juno 23-24th. S.L.'s Advanced Course at Overstone (3rd of 3 weekends)
July 7th. "Cub Day" st Gilwell Park.
July 10th. District Scouters’ Meeting at Skinners Hill, at 20.00 hours.
July 14-August 25th. Europatrol 1973.
July_28-August 4th. Dorset Jemboree, Brownsea Island,
Aug. 31-Sept. 2nd. Gilwell Reunion.
Sept. 7-9th. Patrol Challenge Camp at Gilwell Park.
Sept. 15-16th. Campcraft Competition.
Sept. 29th. District Activity Day, at Overstone.
Sept. 29-30th. C.S.L.'s Advanced Training Course, Thrapston.(1st of 3)
Oct. 6-7th. Scout Leaders' Basic Course, at Overstone.
Oct. 13-14th. C.S.L.'s Advanced Training Course, Thrapston.(2nd of 3)
Oct. 20th. District Competitions at South End Junior School, Wymington Rd.
Oct. 27-28th. C.S.L.'s Advanced Training Course, Thrapston.(3rd of 3)
Nov. 9th. Rushden District Annual Dance.
Nov. l3-17th. Kettering Gang Show.
Please try and let me have as much news as you can by July 16th, for inclusion in the August Newsletter. May I suggest that you write up any event as it occurs, whilst it is still fresh in your memory. I have in mind at the moment the recent County Camp. If you have any late news, still send it in, as I am usually typing the last sheet a day or two before the date of issue.
