The year 1934 saw the marriage of Prince George, Duke of Kent, to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The Flying Scotsman became the first locomotive to exceed 100mph, and the cat’s eye road safety device was patented. All of which pales into insignificance when compared to the fact that it is the same year the Barrow Scout Group was founded.

Much has changed in the 90 years since the group started; originally, they met in the youth club which was on North Street before moving to the current venue on Grove Lane in the ‘50s. There have also been significant changes to the wider organisation including allowing girls, as well as boys, to join and the introduction of Squirrels on top of the existing Beaver, Cub and Scout groups. Some things, though, have always remained the same. For instance, it is still a charity organisation run entirely by members of the community and it’s the passion of these generous volunteers that has led to the troupe growing to accommodate over 150 children of various ages.

Many of the activities the troupes get up to are the same as when I was a scout: haggis is a classic example involving swinging a large rope for children to jump over until someone eventually gets lassoed round the ankles; but there are many I never got the chance to do, especially some of the seasonal activities. As you might expect, some activities are weather-dependant with the more outdoor ones happening primarily in summer and the more indoor, craft-focused activities happening in winter. A favourite summer game, I’m told, is Wet Sponge Battleships which is exactly what it sounds like. Teams stand on either side of a partition and blindly lob wet sponges over at the other team; if a player is hit, they’re out. By contrast, a popular winter activity, which doesn’t have a catchy name yet takes advantage of the darker evenings, has a bunch of upturned tables scattered around the dark hall while the leader stands at one end of with a torch. While the leader’s back is turned, the kids creep closer and closer but if they’re spotted, they’re out. Like a cross between What’s the time Mr Wolf? and The Great Escape.

Something that has continued since the beginning is the achievement of badges. Over time, however, the number of badges has steadily increased as new skills are introduced to adapt to modern life. Skills such as internet safety, for example, and basic coding have joined the roster of now over 100 badges Another recent modern feature is the introduction of a scouting app which allows children, parents and leaders to track how close they are to achieving a badge. This not only helps from a logistical standpoint, allowing leaders to tailor activities based on what children need to do in order to finish, but also motivates the kids by allowing them to see their own progress. This makes it almost like a game, and helps them feel more inclined to work towards badges in their own time.

As expected, going away on camp is also a highlight for both children and leaders as it gives a chance to get fully absorbed in the outdoors and have fun with their friends. Each troupe goes on roughly three camps a year which works out as about one per school term but there can be more for special occasions.

Here are just some of things current scouts enjoy:

My favourite thing about scouts is the variety of activities that we get to do like chip shop walk, bike rides, water activities, climbing, jump giants, laser quest and camping. We have just returned from a week-long camp in North Yorkshire which was called Larkin. The freedom to wander between the activities and the evening entertainment was just like being at a festival. Thank you to all the leaders for giving us the opportunities and making the sessions fun. Mason

I started scouting in Allison Beavers when I was about six-and-a-half years old. I really enjoyed activities at the local park. After Beavers I moved up to Allison Cubs. I loved joining in the games nights and particularly playing Haggis. I joined Allison Scouts in 2021. We do cooking, knot tying, camps, games, hikes, climbing and water activities like canoeing and paddle boarding. Camps are the best because you get to meet people from different countries and have new experiences. I want to continue to Explorers and become a young leader. I also want to train as a volunteer at the Oaks Scout Campsite. Zen

Naturally none of this would be possible without the team of volunteers who plan and run each troupe. If you are interested in giving some time to get involved you can contact gsl@barrowscouts.org for more information.

Elliot Wilkes