Sometime during 1973 (I think) Judy Austin, who was then Brownie Guider at the Salvation Army, brought five young men (Alan & Stephen Ward, Neil Smeathers, another whose name escapes me & I think Phillip Austin) to meet with the Rangers in the Den (a bit crowded!). These lads wanted to form a VS Unit, but had been unable to find a leader, so it was suggested that we could help by giving them support whilst they found someone. Fortunately it wasn't long before Roy Cox stepped in and became their very popular leader until he moved away.

However this was the start of more adventures that the girls could take part in than we ever imagined. By using first Roy's & then Alan's (who subsequently took over as Scouter camping/boating/hiking) qualifications, as a registered Joint Unit the girls were able to join in more activities than guiding restrictions allowed.

I remember taking a Venture Scout Leaders Course at the Scout HQ near Wicksteed Park. This was where I first became acquainted with Ray (forgotten name again) who led our 'bog-hopping' expeditions walking in the Peak District. It was also the springboard for a later joint County w/e at Overstone Park.

As well as camping, Emberton Park being a favourite as we could take the canoes, we had several night hikes. One was when the boys & girls were blindfolded & driven to Grafham Water & then had to find their way home. Fortunately the leaders were in cars at various check points to make sure everyone got safely back to the Scout Hut for an enormous cooked breakfast. Another when we walked (leaders as well) to stay at Nevitts Lodge which was in the grounds of Castle Ashby House.

In 1979/80 we were given a partially completed Mirror dinghy & many happy hours were spent under the carport of Alan's home in Churchall Rd putting finishing touches to it before its launch at Emberton. I wonder what happened to it?

Water seems to have played an important part in our activities. We had a w/e on the Northants Youth Narrow boats Abington and NEYSA Rose & then a week when we travelled from Gayton Lock up as far as Warwick. Lovely, lazy days.

Folk Fests were very popular at that time and one outing was to the Albert Hall when Rolf Harris was the host. We also went to Milton Keynes.

One memory is of us all following a milk float dressed up as 'Humphreys' (the Tetley tea bag men) complete with big orange floppy caps at Rushden Carnival.

I need to mention here that Carole Harbour, who was Assistant Ranger Guider, took on the role of D of E Co-ordinator and was privileged to see Alan get his Gold Award before she moved away.

Needless to say, boys & girls together equals romance & marriages took place between Stephen Ward & Linda Forson & Tina Nutter & Richard Graham.

I think the value of being a joint unit meant that we could follow our own guiding/scouting programme but join up for the more adventurous activities. In 1980 Scouts first admitted girls to Venture Scouts. When I moved away, most of the girls joined the VS as they had more freedom & the Ranger Unit eventually folded.

Guiding - From the Start

When I went to Sunday School at the Independent Wesleyan Chapel in Rushden, I briefly joined the Girls Brigade. The leader was the daughter of the vicar, both of whom names escape me. I have two enduring memories of that brief time. One was when I was chosen to recite a poem at an event in Northampton. The piece was called 'Giants' but don't ask me to remember it! I was terrified! The second is the incredibly itchy navy serge dress that was our uniform. It was long sleeved and had a sailor collar and piped in red. The v-neck was filled in with a white cotton insert which had to be washed each time the dress was worn. Ugh! I remember the feel of that material now. I did not find the GB very enthusing and left very quickly.

When I was about 15, Susan King & I were persuaded by Dorothy Phillips to try Land Rangers, the older section of the Girl Guides. Dorothy lived along Prospect Avenue [later Killips, moved to USA] and was a couple of years older than we were. Any way, off we went on a Friday night to the Youth Centre in Moor Rd to give it a go. Captain was Mrs Joan Gibbard. A lovely lady with a wonderful sense of humour. For some reason I was hooked, whether it was because I could answer all the Kim games questions or the other friendly girls, I don't know really. Susan didn't like it at all and only went once. Soon I was in uniform, enrolled in the 3rd Rushden Land Rangers and working towards my Ranger Service Star. From memory I think I completed 6 out of the 12. The uniform consisted at that time of a flared navy skirt, grey blouse with a neckerchief folded immaculately, kept in place by a toggle and a white lanyard worn round the neck and attached to a guide belt and a navy beret. (Yes I do have a photo & the belt somewhere!) Later we had air hostess style hats and were allowed to wear the Guiders navy suits, very smart! Eventually, but not in my time, the shirts were replaced with an open neck turquoise shirt. The other two Ranger sections were the Air and Sea. I used to see a lot of the Peterborough Sea Rangers and made some good friends with them at various County events. Our Ranger promise was:

Promise on my honour
that I will do my duty to God
Serve the Queen and help other people
Guider: What is your special responsibility as a Ranger?
To be of service in the community

Something I hope I have always tried to do. One of the things we were encouraged to do was to attend Church Parade. We went to St Peter's in Midland Rd as Joan Gibbard was also their Guide Guider and our Divisional Commissioner. I enjoyed going and I have often told people that it was Joan Gibbard who has had the most influence on the way my 'service to the community' developed over the years.

At that time, girls who wanted to become Guiders could become 'Cadets' attached to a Guide Company. Suzanne Cox, a contemporary of Sue's (my sister) went through that route with St Peter's and became a warranted guider. I, however, became a "Ranger Helper" as part of my Service Star. Tuesday nights at St Peters Church Hall became regular and eventually I trained to be a warranted Lieutenant (pronounced the American way by all the girls who were not much younger than I was!)

Margaret Shelton was the Brownie Guider and a great friend of Joan's. Together they took the guides to camp with Joan in charge & Margaret as the Quartermaster (QM). When I was 17 and had just started courting with Ray, I was persuaded to go to camp with them as First Aider. We went to Bexhill on Sea and camped in some school grounds. Will I ever forget trench loos, gadgets and sleeping in a tent for the first time? No! Again I was hooked and went every year, even going to Charmouth when I was newly pregnant with Linda. Margaret taught me so much about being a QM that when I later went to camp with the children...that's another story. I suppose one of the enduring memories was the night I went to Guides, got a lift home, went to the loo and as if on cue, my waters broke, Linda was on the way. By then, of course, Ray and I were worshipping at St Mary's and it was suggested that I start a new Ranger Unit attached to their Guide Company. To my delight, I had a new volunteer helper, Carole Harbour, nee Reed, whom I had known at the High School. We hit it off famously and were able to use our differing talents to encourage the girls in our charge, meeting in the Den at the Rectory....again another story.