1st Sunbury Scout Group
My
Scouting History in Spelthorne, Steve Altria.
I
joined 1st Halliford Sea Scout Group (Sunbury and Shepperton District / Surrey
County) as a Cub Scout in 1965.
I joined 1st Sunbury-on Thames Scout Group (Sunbury and Shepperton District
/ Surrey County) as a Scout 1968.
I transferred to Venture Scouts at 1st Sunbury -on- Thames in 1972.
Started helping at Scouts in 1972 at 1st Sunbury -on- Thames in 1972, at some
stage this was formalised into ASL.
SL Advanced Training course 1977.
I started helping with the Venture Scouts as well from 1978 onwards, again
at 1st Sunbury -on- Thames.
I
left 1st Sunbury -on- Thames in 1982.
Whilst with Sunbury I worked closely with the Legendary Ray Wells ~ he was an outstanding and truly inspirational Leader who held a number of warrants (GLS/SL). Ray was a longstanding leader at the Group when I arrived in 1968 and he died with motor neurone diesease in 1984. Together we ran the Scouts and Ventures each week. We frequently went on camps and the Troop numbered 55 boys whilst I was there.The Ventures had too many members to count, many of whom I am still in touch with. Other Leaders were Stan Hampton, David MacBean and Dave Meader. Again I am in touch with the later two, though Stan will have died. Later on Mike Hesford became GSL but Ray and I ran the programem and weekends activities.
We had camps all over the place including Europe.We went to Corsica, Yugoslavia, Italy and several times to Guernsey CI . I did my DofE Gold on Skye. I recal summer camps at Thurston, South Devon, Bridport in Dorset, Monmouth in Wales and several at Mortehoe in North Devon.
Every year we stayed at Buckmore Park Campsite in Chatham Kent in march, on Dartmoor at Easter and in June at Durdle Door in Dorset. But the really great times were the weekends away in between in the Lakes, North Wales and Peaks which were spent climbing and walking.
We were also members of the Surrey Scout and Guide climbing club SSGMC and would attend there meetings at the the 'old house at home PH' in Dorking. As young people we would also cycle out to Tanner Hatch Youth Hostel for the folk weekends there the then warden Graham Peddy held (Graham was the long term warden until c2000) and to do orienteering on ranmore common.
Ray instilled in me my love of Scouting. I am presently GSL of the 1st Wellington (10 years) Scout Group and was with 1st Tarporley in Cheshire in between and also had a spell as ADC Ventures in Chester.
My wife Hazel was Asst Leader of the Nova Scotia Ranger Guides that met at that time in the 1st Sunbury HQ.
To be continued ....
Achievements, Awards, Competitions
Queens Scout Award Holders
