7th Lichfield celebrate 50 years in scouting
IT WAS THE YEAR the Beatles first performed at The Cavern Club, John F Kennedy became the 35th president of the United States, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, the Berlin Wall went up and British double agent George Blake was sent down for 42 years.
For 7th Lichfield Scout Group, 1961 was also their red letter year, as the group was formed to bring the adventure of scouting to children who were keen to ‘have a go’.
Now the scout group – who produced the first twins in UK cub scouting to achieve every activity badge possible, 33 in total, and also the first scouts in the country to achieve the new Entrepreneurs badge – for raising funds to help scouts from the developing world attend the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden this summer – are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, with a spectacular event to mark the occasion.
Combining their popular AGM with a nostalgic look back at the decades, the group and their invited dignitaries will watch as children in beavers, cubs and scouts perform their interpretation of the sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties and the noughties.
Group Chairman Mike Armstrong explained: “With such a vibrant and growing group, it seemed fitting that we celebrate our 50th anniversary in some style, so we have involved all our children, leaders, helpers, exec team and parents in helping to make the evening a great success.
“In fact, we’ve even drafted the army in, as they’ve kindly lent us a marquee to house our stage and entertainment.
“It has been a wonderful project to be involved in as many local people have shared their memories of 7th Lichfield with us. Currently we have 137 children from 106 families as members, as we run two beaver colonies, two cub packs and two scout troops every week. And, some of our leaders have come up through the group, joining as children and growing up with 7th Lichfield. I am proud to be a part of such a thriving group, and look forward to the future with anticipation.”
Group Scout Leader Adrian Grew added: “With two children in the group myself, I have always recognised the benefits of scouting to their development, as our ethos of ‘Adventure, Fun, Challenge’ has certainly encouraged them to develop their potential.
“What we offer is so much more than one hour of activity a week, as even our very youngest members in beavers have the opportunity to participate in sleepovers in dormitories at scout camp sites.
“Whilst our scouts have opportunities to take part in a whole range of outdoor activities including kayaking, caving, climbing, gliding, scuba diving, mountain biking, windsurfing and even ‘geocaching' - the fastest growing outdoor pursuit activity in the world, combining technology with the great outdoors.”
