SITE No 14
2ND ATHERTON SCOUTS & 3RD ATHERTON GUIDES
OUR FOUNDATION
In 1907 Rrobert Baden Powell, a Lieutenant General in the British Army held a scouting encampment on Brownsea Island in Poole, Dorset to implement practises that he captured in his book " Scouting for Boys " this was partly based on his earlier military books.
From this sprang the Scout movement for boys and the Guides for girls { 1910 } both of these became well established and widespread in the first decade of the 20th century, later, programs for younger children such as Wolf Cubs in 1916, Rovers 1918, from this sprang the Brownies, Girl Scouts & Ranger Scouts.
The 2nd Atherton Scouts was the second scout group to be formed locally behind 1st Atherton Scouts that was based in Car Bank Street, Atherton.
The earliest record of 2nd Atherton scouting is in 2019when the group had 2 leaders and 19 scouts.
below is a copy of the scout registration form that all new scouts had to have .
THE SCOUT HUT
over the years the scout group has met at various locations in Howe Bridge including a wooden hut in Colliery yard { now the site of Old Manor Park } The school hall and also in Briarcroft Hall that was on Leigh Road { now demolished }
In the 1970s the scoutv gtroup was allocated land within the Briarcroft Hall site where the present day scout headquarters is now.
The land belongs to The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation { CCISWO } the coal mining charity, see { ciswo.org.uk } but the 2nd Atherton scouts have a long-term lease at a nominal rent.
A scout committee was formed to raise the necessary money to pay for a new headquarters via local contributions, grants from the local council anfd the depart,ment of Science & Industry.
Loacl builder George Moss & Sons of Pennington Saw Mill was paid the incredible amount of £24238.00 to build the hut in 1976.
The committe oversaw the building work and then remained in office and became the " Scout Headquarters Executive Committees " this committee was tasked with running and maintaining the building to provide a well run and maintained building for the growing, Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Beavers, Brownies and Rainbows groups to meet in, the headquarters would also provide a resource for the local community to carry out group activities for the benefit of the whole community
The scout group has seen many changes over the past few decades, most of them for the good, in the recent past the executive committee led by Chairman Joe Morris, Joe`s wife Mary Morris, Elsie Hulme and Alan Cockin reinvigorated the local scouting movement where the numbers of each group grew year on year, differnt age group and levels of acouting were introduced and these are flourishing today in Howe Bridge.
The current executive committee has carried on with the development and growth of the past and this has benefitted the scouting groupos and the local community.
BELOW ARE SEVERAL PHOTOS OF SCOUTING IN THE PAST
BRIARCROFT HALL, in the 1970S, Briarcroft Hall was the temporary home of the Scouting movement in Howe Bridge
Recent work done behind the scout headquarters
SCOUTING IN THE 2020s
In 2022 the membership of the 2nd Atherton Scouting group encompasses both boys and girls who are aged between 6 years and 18 years old, with age appropriate sections made up of Beavers 6--8, Cubs 8--10, Scouts 10--14 and Explorers 14--18.
The Scouts premises are now shared with a variety of youth groups, and, external companies delivering to youths axross the area, including,
3rd Atherton Guides { Howe Bridge.
Impeesa Explorer Scouts
Kickstarterz.
Currently in excess of 120 local boys & girls aged bewteen 6 -- 18 visit the scout hut on a weekly basis.
It is our ambition to position 2nd Atherton Scout Group as the pre-eminent group within the borough for outdoor scouting education, activities and camping thatis open to both boys and girls.
This will include a wide variety of outdoor activities including, but not limited to camping, Hiling, Potholing, Sbseiling, Climbing, Gorge Walking, Wild Swimming and many more.
Our young members develop skills for life including, resiliance, teamwork and a positive mental outlook whereby challenges can be faced and overcome.
The majority of our members come from Atherton, but, we also attract members from across the wider borough, including, Abram, Hindley, Westleigh & Tyldesley.
We deliver our program of activities over a prolonged period of time for avfar lower cost than the government flagship NCS and local schools DoE schemes, and, achieving a more sustained outcome for our young members. [ most of our members spend 4--6 years with the group }
In 2023, we will have the addition of 2 new climbing activities,
An outdoor climbing tree activity and " Button Award " { similar to crate stacking }
An indoor cli8mbing wall for use when inclement weather strikes and the outdoor activites are restricted.
As with all organisations 2020 / 2021 was very difficult for the group because of the Covid 19 Pandemic but in 2022 the group bounced back with the " Outward Re-bound 22 Program " there was comping and a variety of activities waith Badges being awarded, there was hiking, camping, diving we became " Master of Arms and had 13 nights camping, we also returned to the Bispham Hall Chariot Races to defend the title that the group won in 2019.
BELOW ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT WERE HELD IN THE SCOUT HEADQUARTERS UP TO ABOUT 2014 /2015.
INDOOR BAND CONCERT BECAUSE OF ADVERSE WEATHER
THE BRIDGERS HELD TRI-ANNUAL PLANT SALES AT THE SCOUT HEADQUARTERS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE SCOUTS AND BRIDGERS
{ THESE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WELL SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTEERS }
WE RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO OFFER A FILLED BASKET TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD ON LEIGH ROAD THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE, BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, NOT EVERYONE ACCEPTED THIS OFFER, PEOPLE ALSO BROUGHT THEIR OWN BASKETS AND WE FILLED THEM WITH PLANTS OF THEIR CHOICE AND ONLY CHARGED THEM FOR THE PLANTS AND COMPOST USED TO FILL THE BASKETS, WE ALSO OFFERED GARDENING ADVICE AND SUPPORT AND GAVE GARDENING TUTORIALS TO CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PLANTS THEY WERE BUYING
FOOTPATH BETWEEN THE SCOUT H Q & ATHERTON CEMETERY
WILLOW WEAVING WAS JUST ONE OF THE MANY CREATIVE AND ENJOYABLE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SESSIONS WE HAD IN THE SCOUT HEADQUARTERS, MOST OF THEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCOUTS & GUIDES & CUBS & BROWNIES, BUT, A LOT INVOLVED THE ELDERLEY AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN HOWE BRIDGE.
THESE SESSIONS WERE TO TRY TO ACHIEVE OUR AIMS & OBJECTIVES FOR THE BRIDGERS, WHICH WERE, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, SOCIAL INCLUSION, SAFE AND ENJOYABLE ENVIRONMEMT, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, AND TO JUST ENJOY LIVING IN OUR BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE.
A DAY OF WICKER WEAVING WITH END PRODUCT IN SCOUT HEADQUARTERS
