100 YEARS OF SCOUTING SERVICE AWARDED
Four of our Leaders with a combined service of 100 years have each been awarded a medal of merit by the Scout Association in recognition of their dedicated work with the Biggleswade Scout Group. The four are Nick Gurney, Sonia Jackson, Brian Maskell and Chris Wells.
Nick Gurney started as a Venture Scout in 1978 before becoming a leader in 1983. For over 30 years he made the Group Gang Shows his own special interest first as a performer and then as producer. He has just produced his 10th Gang Show to rave reviews. It was at an early Gang Show that Nick met his future wife, Babs. She remembers many secret notes from him before she finally took the plunge. They celebrated their silver wedding anniversary four years ago.
He helped to master mind the naming of Baden-
Not one to sit back, Nick also started a Disco group in 1983 with Scouting friends to raise thousands of pounds for the Scout Group. It is still going strong with help from the Explorer Scouts. Nick says, “It has been three decades of fun and many challenges. I have enjoyed every minute of it.”
Sonia Jackson and Brian Maskell have a history in Biggleswade Scout Group that goes back over 20 years. Brian says, “I started to help out the Neptune Cub Pack when my son joined but then found out that Mars Cub Pack were struggling for leaders so I joined them. Two years later in 1997, Sonia was press ganged into the pack while visiting a Blue Peter bring and buy sale we were holding in the hut. That was the bargain of the day, and she stayed with the pack until this year when she moved to our Explorer Unit.
“Why do we do it? We are privileged to see the kids getting out of their shells, doing things they otherwise wouldn't dream of doing and learning to take the rough with the smooth. They discover at a young age to be part of a team, as well as always trying to do their best. They learn new skills, and some actually do understand all about mapwork. We were the first pack in Biggleswade to have girl members, and what a shock to my system that was. Cubs actually washing their hair on camp, changing clothes, and keeping their kit tidy without inspections. But just don't mention the spiders!
“Sonia was my right hand helper through all these years, dealing with the medicine and first aid needs of the pack. She knew how to keep me in place, and how to ensure we ran to time. Mars Cub Pack will forever be remembered as the hot dog pack and the Mars Bar pack.
“There were just so many happy times. But all I can say, from the both of us, is that it was a pleasure to have provided our time for the enjoyment of so many. This award is for all present and past members of the Mars Cub Pack. Thank you for all the memories we now hold.”
Chris Wells started his Scouting journey in 1985 as a Cub, a Scout and a Venture Scout with the 54th Kingswood Scout Group in the West Country. He was lucky enough to go off to university in Bath in 1993 and joined the Bath University Guides and Scouts. His first role as an adult volunteer was in Sept 1995 when he became Assistant Scout Leader at the 22nd Bath Scout Group where he went on to become Scout Leader and ultimately Scouter in Charge before moving to Biggleswade in May 2001 to start a job at the RSPB in Sandy. Within a couple of months he started his first role with Biggleswade Scout Group as Assistant Scout Leader for the Armstrong Scout Troop. He later moved to a role as Group Secretary, as well as working as a Training Advisor and a member of the Scout County Training Team. In September 2007 he decided it was time to return to the front line and he became an Assistant Beaver Scout Leader at the Apollo Beaver Colony -
He says, “After 21 years I still get a great deal of enjoyment out of Scouting -