Lancaster Guardian 01 November 1946:-
24th Lancasters Have Parents’ Evening
It was a happy thought on the part of the Scouters of the 24th Lancaster (St. Chad’s) to invite the parents to come along the other evening for it served a dual purpose. Firstly, it gave the visitors the opportunity to see just what goes on in the “den.” There was no attempt at showmanship, of putting over a special programme designed to impress as troops are sometimes prone to do on such occasions.
Instead, we saw a normal evening’s training proceeding efficiently, opening with prayers, flag-break and inspection, followed by patrol corner activities, relays, etc.. Secondly, during a break in the proceedings, whilst the troop continued its work, the parents in another room heard the District Commissioner J. Dodds Drummond about the function of Group Committees. These exist for the purpose of encouraging interest, helping with the business side, finance, headquarters, trustees of group property, and for the providing of social amenities – those little extras so dear to the heart of a boy.
VALUE OF GROUP COMMITTEES
A really ‘live’ Group Committee can be a splendid asset to a group, and many Scouters could pay a deserved tribute to the incalculable value of such a body. St. Chad’s have always been fortunate in having a big parental interest, and we hope that in their post-war revival there will be born a new Group Committee that will relieve the scouters of business worries, thus leaving them free to carry on, unhampered, the important job of training, a full time work, which is their own prerogative.
Subsequently, the District Commissioner, with whom was the new A.D.C. L. Wright *, whom many will remember for his association with the old Christ Church group, spoke to the scouts. He encouraged them to double the numbers in five years through efficiency rather than through mere recruitment for recruitment’s sake. They should aim, with the guidance of their enthusiastic leaders, to prove their work and spread the Scout spirit in a way that would infect others and induce them to want to join on that account. One of the ways of achieving this would be by serving the community through the medium of the many good turns that they as Scouts could perform.
“A GREAT LITTLE TEAM”
In passing the District Commissioner complimented the Troop on winning the recent City Shield against tough opposition. Incidentally, the adjudicators comment was that St. Chad’s winning patrol was consistently steady all round, a grand little team, all working together with good spirit for the common weal.
The Rev. N. H. Westall then closed the troop meeting with prayer.
Refreshments were served by a Mesdames Heaysman, Borrowdale and Heaysman (jnr).
Recently, in Scout Notes, the hope was expressed that some of the demobbed Scouters might feel the urge to don Scouting kit again. Two of them, now in charge of St. Chad’s Gerald Heaysman and Tom Borrowdale have come back to carry on the good work done so loyally by others in their absence during the difficult war years.
The Troop, founded in 1938, is about 27 strong. There is also a Cub Pack supervised by Miss Hewitt, who has Scout by B. D. Sandford as her assistant.
KESTRELS WIN
Patrol-leader David Walker has sent me an interesting report on the many-sided activities of the 16th Lancaster (St. Paul’s) Troop during the past month. Out-of- doors, there were unsuccessful competitors in the City shield camping weekend, and they have hiked around Littledale . In the Troop room, Mr. Denwood, District Badge Organiser, has explained the revised badge tests , and the patrol cup for September was won by the Kestrels for the first time. On the social side the Group Committee have helped to organize a successful whist drive. Under the international friendship scheme the troop hope to establish contact with French scouts which should stand them in good stead should any of the Troop be fortunate enough to attend the jamboree in France next summer.
* Probably Leonard Wright born 19 April 1895 in Weaste, Salford. In 1911 living at 44 West Wynford Street, Weaste, aged 17, a clerk in an Insurance Company.
He enlisted 7 Nov 1914 in the Royal Flying Corps (later the RAF 1 Apr 1918) No. 2109. His record shows his civilian occupation as a clerk and that he was married 6 June 1919 at Pendleton to Dorothy (Hellings). He was 5 ft 4 ins in height, dark hair, hazel eyes and sallow complexion. He was discharged on 11 Apl 1921 no longer physically fit for war service owing to chronic bronchial catarrh. He served in France from 9 Mar 1915 to 20 Oct 2016 and received the British War and Victory medals and the 1914-15 Star. He was a Flight Sergeant and worked as a Clerk.
In 1939 living at 18 Canterbury Avenue, Lancaster with his (2nd?) wife Annie Elizabeth. His occupation being ‘Clerk to Grammar School’.
Newspaper reports record that he was Group Scoutmaster at 23rd Lancaster from its founding in 1937, becoming ADC in 1946 and Deputy County Commissioner in 1948.
