Scout for a day
Earlier this month Scouts Scotland offered a few lucky journalists the opportunity to ‘Be a Scout for a Day’ at its Lochgoilhead national activity centre. The Argyllshire Advertiser sent along intrepid reporter Connor Boyd to channel his inner Bear Grylls
SCOUTS Scotland’s Lochgoilhead national activity centre welcomed brave adventurers to experience what it’s like to be a scout. Full story, page 12.
SUSPENDED 50 feet in the air, relying on teamwork to hoist yourself to the summit of the Jacob’s Ladder, you begin to realise that being a scout is way more than the old cliché of ‘boys, badges and big shorts’.
Scouts Scotland has seen a spike in its membership over the last ten years and this was my opportunity to find out what the big attraction is. With the Lochgoilhead centre enjoying its busiest months over the summer season, there was a feeling as we arrived the weather might limit the range of activities on offer.
But a week’s worth of dreich weather subsided in time for a morning of climbing and team building exercises and the sun was splitting the trees by the afternoon.
The instructors running the ‘Be a Scout’ day were clearly passionate about their work. They helped push the group to overcome their fear of heights on the fearsome-looking Jacob’s Ladder, offering help when it was needed.
Safety and fun seemed paramount to workers at the centre.
A particularly charismatic character was Kenneth Noble, who showed the group how to start a camp fire using natural methods. With plenty of jokes up his sleeve, he had the place in stitches throughout the demonstration before surprising everyone with marshmallows and hot chocolate to round off the afternoon.
The scout centre has been in Lochgoilhead for 30 years, growing from a garden shed to the professional facility it is today.
The owner of that shed was centre manager Mike Masino, who recalled: ‘The centre was a hut in my back yard until a plot of land owned by the forestry became available and we transformed it into a weekend camp. It’s outgrown that now because during the week it’s full of school pupils and on the weekends it’s full of scouts, with 150 beds in total.
‘I am really proud of what it has become. I came up through the Boys Brigade and met my wife through the scouts, so it has been a big part of my life.’
Easy access
The location has easy access to lochs, mountains and the woods all within walking distance of base camp.
Mike added: ‘We have the loch for activities like canoeing and kayaking, the forest for orienteering and archery and then we have the mountain terrain for rock-climbing and abseiling. It’s amazing.’
The centre has also attracted royal recognition.
Mike explained: ‘It was special when Prince Edward came to visit Lochgoilhead.
He was very impressed, not only with the centre but with the training we provide. That’s great because it raises our profile.’
Chris Tiso, honorary president of Scouts Scotland, was at Lochgoilhead for the day and said: ‘I really want today to raise awareness about the quiet work that goes on under the radar from everyone involved with the scouts.
‘You can see by the number of young people signing up that we are changing and adapting to the 21st century whilst also keeping with our traditions and principles.’
Katie Docherty, chief executive of Scouts Scotland, added: ‘We are seeing a growth in membership and perception of the scouts is changing.
‘But when friends heard this was to be my job they were asking whether they had girls in the scouts.
‘That made me realise we still have work to do to get across the point that 47 per cent of young people in the scouts are now female.’
Katie says she is relishing the chance to build on a solid foundation and hinted at future government funding.
Katie explained: ‘We only have around 30 permanent staff and in some areas we don’t have the adult volunteers to run the right age groups. There are 3,000 youngsters on waiting lists.’
Independence
She added: ‘Scouting makes such a tremendous difference to young people’s lives. It gives them skills and independence that make a significant impact on their personal life and career prospects.
‘We need to give youngsters the opportunity to become involved in the community.
‘It’s also important we show volunteers it isn’t just the Scouts that have fun, the adults can get so much from it too.’