Peter Adamson (Addy)

Peter Adamson (Addy). Cub Scout Leader. All Scouting involvement at 1st Great Sutton as a Wolf Cub Scout, Scout, Venture Scout, Section Leader with Alpha Cub Scouts. (A personal memory).

I’ve been connected with 1st Great Sutton Scout Group since I started as a Cub Scout at the age of 8 in 1968. In 1971 I joined Scouts (Intrepid) on a Tuesday night and remained as a Scout until 1976. From the age of 14 I started to help on Monday nights with the Alpha Cubs, becoming a warranted Leader at 18 (1978) and still now remain with the Alpha Pack as the Cub Scout Leader.

During the fifty odd years I have been involved with Great Sutton you meet so many people who have been involved in some way with the group, sometimes just through chance conversations, I only recently discovered that a neighbour of mine who I have known for 25+ years was one of the first scouts to be involved at Great Sutton, his name is Peter Candeland who remembered his first meetings in the Village Hall and Skips farm and took great pride in showing his photos from his time with Great Sutton, he was there at the same time as Colin Gilliland, Dave Burrows and Dale Rogers, all cubs who went on to take up Leader roles within the group, it’s a small world.

Through my time with Alpha there have been many leaders involved in running the pack, some of those are: Colin Gilleland, Dave Burrows, Peter Stanley, John Thelwell, Jim Dowling, Kathy Powell, Leslie Sparks and her friend Emma, Terry Stubbs, Beryl T

Johnson and Sue, a cub’s parent sadly can’t remember her surname, all reminding me of good times and fond memories. Now with Zoe, Jo, Patrick, and Cloe making up the current team without whom we could not do the activities we do today.

I remember as a Cub always wearing full uniform with green jersey very similar to today’s uniform but with the addition of a cap, long grey socks with green flash garter’s and as a Scout with the green shirt as today but with the addition of a beret as a Scout – the uniform in the early days had a bit more of a military feel.

I joined cubs following my brother Michael who was already a Scout who joined with brothers John and Steven Lodge. At that time, we walked to Cub meetings each week across the valley at Mill Lane as I lived on Delamere Drive a short walk on my own – no adult! Then cycled from Whitby twice each week when at Scouts and helping at Cubs. As a teenager hiding my uniform from others to avoid various comments from other youths. 

There was always a Cub camp at least once every year, the big County camps were very impressive seeing such a large quantity of Cubs in one place, the organisation and planning to bring such a large group of people together is something that stays with you. 

Scout camps always had the group photo at the start which always ended up in the Pioneer (local newspaper) – travelling in the back of a furniture van sat on the equipment with the back top doors open, no sleep on the first night, sleeping on a hard floor, do your own cooking, washing up, formal start and finish to each day, camp gadgets, camp competitions, best camper, keeping your tent and area tidy, chopping wood to keep the fire going. Returning a week later, sad the camp was over, completely worn out but refreshed and a different and better person. As both Cub and Scout there seemed to be more outdoor related badges such as: how to use a hand axe and knife, backwards cooking, badges today seem to be watered down perhaps due to H&S. 

Who could forget the one day out during the week at Scout camp, usually a Wednesday, where all Scouts where allowed to wander the local main town/city for the day on their own! Being left to their own devices is something that would probably (definitely) not be allowed to happen these days – pity as we did a lot of growing up during those days.

Cooking at camp was over the old gas cookers in a canvas shelter, cold and damp, no adults to cook for you, as a Scout you did it all, feed yourselves, cook or starve was the order, food very basic, (but a lot healthier than today’s) tended to be fresh fruit or veg or out of a can and cooked in a dixie and for desert, all I can remember is tinned fruit, all eaten off your chipped metal plate, mug, bowl and fold together aluminium knife, fork and spoon, no fast foods, pizzas, burgers etc. I do remember No 1 (D S Evans) cooking about fifty boiled eggs in a large dixie for all who attended my first Scout camp at Gilwell Park.

The committee evenings did stand out as a young Leader, old and young brought together to enjoy an evening of Barn dancing, quiz nights, wine tasting, seeing old and young enjoying a very social occasion. 

Games played by Cubs and Scouts have mellowed a bit, gone are the British bulldogs, scaling the brook on an ‘A’ frame you have made, make your own ariel runway. Weekend camps where held at Bunbury in the small Scout hut built by parents and leaders of Great Scout group, with just your Patrol, all organised by ourselves, no mobile phones, internet or contact with the outside world, if you had a problem you had to sort it out, (the owner of the field where our hut was, he was there for absolute emergencies only) you would be dropped off by a parent and then collected two / three days later hopefully in one piece!

Of course, things change over the years, the freedom that we had at a young age, being allowed to get on with things without permanent adult supervision, no form filling, no approval request for activities, no permits, camping without the home comforts, sleeping on the floor in a tent with only a personnel ground sheet – no airbeds or foam pads. No catering for fussy eaters, you ate or starved (everyone ate!) home sickness didn’t seem to be an issue back then, no parent/guardian to escort to and from activities. Carrying knifes at camp (sheath knife with blades a lot longer than the 3” folding blade guideline of today). You were educated to have respect for this as a tool and trained in the use for cutting rope, whittling, making tents pegs etc.

Being part of 1st Great Sutton Scouts has had a significant impact on my life: the friendships made and the structured approach to life, to be able to work with people as a team and take the leading role when needed, organisation skills, the ability to make decisions for yourself and others, all skills useful in later life. It has given me a feeling of belonging to an extended family. With lifelong friendships made. Certainly the skills gained have help significantly through my working career.

I have really enjoying being involved in Scouting from age 8 and still enjoy behaving like a Scout at age 64 (still going strong), being able to take part in such a huge variety of activities facilitated by Scouting that otherwise I would not have had access too, on review there has been nothing I have not liked or not enjoyed about Scouting.

It has been a privilege through the years as a Leader to see so many young people develop and grow, gaining confidence at each activity, challenge, camp etc. they have completed. 

These are just a few of my memories of my time as a cub, Scout, and Leader, please send in yours and share.

On camp with patrol and as a venture with Pete Stanley.

John Thelwell (Curly), Keith Bamber, Addy, Andrew Hendry, Ken Twiddle & Brian Preston.

Troop Meeting.

In the HQ (Clinic) on a meeting evening.

Cub Camp.

Running a base at District Day.

…………….and today

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

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King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III