Heywood Advertiser 21 February 1969:
SCOUTS AND SCOUTING:
Awards for sea rescue
A FORMER Heywood Scoutmaster, Mr. Derek Holt, along with two Morecambe boys have received certificates in recognition of their successful rescue of a boy who was in difficulty in the sea opposite the Bare (Morecambe) paddling pool.
The two Morecambe boys, Andrew J. Wood and Brian Roberts, went to the rescue of the boy in difficulties and during the course of the action Derek Holt swam out and the boy was brought to land, where Derek applied artificial respiration. The boy was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and made a good recovery.
The presentation of the framed certificates of the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society was made at a recent magistrates court by Mr. E Park, the presiding magistrate. The incident was related by Police Inspector T G. Wilson.
Derek Holt, who left Heywood some seven years ago, was well known in the Hopwood area and was Scoutmaster of the 1st Heywood (St. John’s) Group. At Lancaster he was prominent in forming the 34th Lancaster (St. Chad’s) Group and is the present Group Leader. Mr. Holt (36) is married with two girls and two boys, both daughters being members of the Guide movement. One of the boys is a Cub Scout -the other is not yet old enough! Mr. Holt’s parents live at 54 Middleton Road, Heywood.
Heywood Advertiser 08 July 1966:
Joint camp
Formerly a Scoutmaster with the First Heywood St. (John’s) Group, Derek Holt now leads a Scout Group at Scale Hall, near Lancaster. It is interesting to hear that the Scale Hall Group is to share its annual summer camp shortly with the Third Heywood at Littledale, near Caton.
Heywood Advertiser 02 September 1966:
THIRD AT LITTLEDALE
Littledale, near Caton, provided an ideal site for the annual summer camp of the Third Heywood (Bullough Moor) Group. Here at Littledale is the T. W. Helme memorial camp-site – another valued site for Scout camping, set in grand camping country.
“The weather” allowed more than anticipated freedom and a great deal of practical Scouting was undertaken. The Third Heywood chaps are jolly keen on their woodcraft and woodmanship. A camp gateway was erected and the pioneering work included making an aerial runway. This gave a wonderful amount of fun. A visit from a member of the nearby Forestry Commission staff was a tremendous thrill for the Scouts who greatly enjoyed really first class instruction on tree-felling and axemanship.
During the week the campers trooped off to enjoy a day in Morecambe where they had a much different brand of fun and bought presents for those at home. On Thursday night the Third joined forces with members of a local Group, which has as its Scoutmaster one Derek Holt, well known as the former leader of the First Heywood (St. John’s) Group. This was a midnight hike affair, an adventure which more or less encouraged good sleep and a late breakfast.
Although rain fell almost throughout Friday and to departure time on Saturday morning the camping spirit of the Third was not even dampened. Littledale, 1966, was a huge success!
