The 31st Wakefield St Anne’s Scout group was formed on the 10th September 1953 at St Anne’s Church hall, sponsored by St Anne’s Church, to bring scouting to our village.
The Neckerchief for the group has always been sky blue with a scarlet red border, and latterly a logo was designed in those colours with the image of a wren for Wrenthorpe and a fleur de lys background, which is both the symbol of worldwide scouting and coincidentally also the arms of the city of Wakefield. The Cub Pack (or Cub Wolf pack as it was known then) was formed in 1970 and the Beaver colony in 1998. The Venture scout (Explorer) group attached to our unit began in 1980. The numbers of young people in the group has varied over the years with the lowest number of 16 members in 1969 when only the scout troop was running, to a peak of 137 members in 1995.
The group has around 100 members today and is still going strong at St Anne’s Church hall. Many current members have relations who were in the group as parents and grandparents, and our group benefits from this intergenerational scouting solidarity.
A bit of Scouting history from Wakefield has gone to Gilwell Scout Heritage Centre. In 1965 the 31st Wakefield (St Anne’s) Scouts had a joint camp with the 5th Wakefield who were based at the Zion Chapel on Ings Road. In the process the 31st borrowed a trek cart and an ex army 14ft tent. Shortly after the camp the 5th closed and we were told to hang onto the things we had borrowed for the camp. We used the trek cart a little for patrol camps and for collecting bonfire wood in the 1960s but for most of the time it lived in the church boiler room. When the item was rediscovered in stores many years later we approached HQ to find out if it could be preserved somewhere and were delighted when they asked for it for the Heritage Centre. So, the old cart, which probably dates from soon after 1912, was loaded onto our canoe trailer and delivered to Gilwell. We still use the tent – now converted to a leaders’ kitchen shelter!
We are always on the look out for what you know about Scouting in Wakefield and if there is anything you have to add please get in touch. history@wakefieldscouts.org.uk
The history of west Yorkshire scouts online
Find out more about the history of scouts
Visit Gilwell Park museum the home of Scouting
An explorer, adventurer and TV presenter, Dwayne's been seen in BAFTA nominated Channel 5 series Race to the Pole, on BBC Springwatch, Countryfile, National Geographic and Disney+.
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