Baggy's Scouting history
(aka James Smith)

My Scouting career started in 1976. Beaver's hadn't come to the mainland UK at that point so I went straight into the Tuesday night Cub Pack, along with my twin brother, at 2nd Hellesdon (37th Norwich), which is in Norwich North District, Norfolk, England. My mum was a helper at the Pack (and indeed this was how I got in so easily - when she put our names down on the waiting list the Akela recognised my mum - and my dad - and said if they come along we could get straight in).

I completed both Bronze and Silver Arrows in the old arrow scheme, and was one of the first Cubs to work on the Gold arrow in the developed arrow scheme. I moved on to Scouts (with my arm in plaster, having broken it on my last Cub night) - where my Dad was helping out as Assistant Scout Leader. As a Scout, APL and PL of Tiger Patrol, I completed the old Scout Standard, Advanced Scout Standard and Chief Scout Award - this time just before they introduced the new badge scheme - so I didn't have to wear that horrendous blue Chief Scout Award badge ;-). As part of my Chief Scout Award (and later my Venture Award), I worked as a Cub Scout Instructor with 2nd Hellesdon's Phoenix Pack.

On finishing Scouts, we reformed the Group's Iceni VSU, in which I gained my Venture Award, but failed to complete my Queen Scout, as I had then moved onto University at Durham:

Both myself and my brother moved to Durham to do a Mathematics degree at the University of Durham While I was an under-graduate, I held two ACSL's warrants, one with 2nd Hellesdon, and the other with 15th Durham (Elvet) Cub Scout Pack, in Durham City District, Durham. Progressing through the University from under-grad to post-grad to researcher, I continued to hold a Cub leaders warrant at Elvet, being in charge of the Pack, as s.i.c for a year while the CSL took a years sabbatical, and as CSL after another CSL moved on up to Scouts.

One of my most interesting and demanding challenges was organising the 1995 District Cub Camp - held at Moor House - with an Aztec theme. (A full? list of my Scout Camping is available). I was also responsible for running the Elvet Challenge a night hike for Cubs and Scouts within the District - each with a literary theme The Lord of the Rings; Sherlock Holmes and The Discworld.

I also worked with the Beaver Scout Colony and the Scout Troop at Elvet, and the Cub Pack and Scout Troop at 1st Framwellgate Moor. The latter with whom I still regularly camp - having been to their last four summer camps... most of these have been joint with 2nd Ashbourne from Derbyshire.

My brother is still active in Scouting in the Durham area, being SL of the 1st Belmont Scout Group in Durham, although he spends most of his spare time as a Viking/Saxon as a member of the Terra Sancte Cuthberteslond group of Regia Angolorum.

While at the Durham University, I was an active member of the Durham University Scout and Guide Group. One of my responsibilities while in the Club was as Scout and Guide Liaison Officer for which is was responsible for organising students to help at local Beaver Colonies, Brownie and Cub Packs, Guide Companies and Scout Troops, and also the running of the four competitions: Indoor and Outdoor Scout, Morson Trophy (Guide) and Venture Night Scheme; that DUSAGG ran for the local Scouts and Guides.

I have also completed Cub Leader Basic training, Leadership 2 (Wood badge), and Scout Leadership 1. All at Moor House, Durham's Camping and training ground.

1997 saw me attended my first Gilwell Reunion -- as part of the ScoutBase UK team, running our first Cybercafe -- Being in Durham and Scotland has restricted my chances of going to these events due to me being 250/400 miles away...

As work has now taken me north of the border, I am now Scouting in Edinburgh. For two years now I have been CSL with the 162nd Blackford Scout Group, in this time the Pack has been away a number of times - holding five Pack camps and attending the Blackford District Cub Camp. (I also have a complete list of my camping with Cubs/Scouts elsewhere on this site) We were the only Pack in the District to complete the Around the World in 80 Days on time, when we completed twelve of the twenty challenges. More information about this can be found in 162WEB the Pack's Website.

For two years I worked with the Scout Troop at the 162, I have now moved further into town and am working with the 52nd Blackford Scout Troop. This is one of the two mixed Troops in Blackford District. I am now acting CSL (and GSL) with the 52nd as the Group is going through a major leadership crisis. Hopefully it will not fold as the District is in desperate need of Leaders in general...

I was also elected onto the District Executive Committee as the Cub Scout representative, but due to other Scouting commitments I have avoided most of the meetings... As well I use my WWW development experience within Edinburgh Scouts, as part of the Area Internet Team.

I am also a member of Blackford District's Scout Fellowship (and a rather inactive member of Durham City and District Scout Fellowship, although I still try and get to their events if I am free).

One of my most amazing walking experiences was with the Durham Scout Fellowship, when we climbed Helvellyn at 10pm so we could watch the sun rise on Mid-summer. On the way down, the cloud was below us, so we had inversions - your shadow on the cloud, and glories - your shadow again on the cloud, but this time surrounded by a Rainbow coloured halo - reminiscent of those bad eighties pop videos.

Ever since my junior school days I've been interested in Computers, my first experience was using a teletype from School to Norwich City College. At home I have progressed through ZX81s, Spectrums, and PCs; while at School and College I have used Commodore PETs, BBCs, Macs, PCs and a variety of main-frames and Unix workstations.

My involvement with Computers has developed into an interest of the Internet, DTP, graphics, ... As you will already have seen my current Pack his its own Webpage (the 162WEB) with news etc. on it.

I have become involved with the ScoutBase UK site, The Website of The Scout Association. My involvement is in a number of ways as Editor of the Software and Clipart section of the site; as a member of both the Operational Management Team; as part of the Web Management Committee; and as part of the technical team working on the scripts that make the site more accessible and interactive.

You will have noticed all the tartan backgrounds on these pages - these have been produced by the Neckie Generator mark IH - one of the scripts I have produced for ScoutBase UK.