The story of Highnam Scout Group begins on the 6th of May 1960 when the Eagle Patrol, a county patrol of the 2nd Gloucester Scout Troop, first met in the back garden of 113 Maidenhall.
The patrol started to meet regularly in the Village Hall.
Early in 1961, the inaugural meeting of the Highnam, Rudford and Tibberton Boy Scouts Parents Association was was held at 113 Maidenhall, attended by the parents.
Three main requirements were identified, Finances, a leader and permanent headquarters. For the finances, the parents started organizing whist drives, coffee mornings, jumble sales etc.
For the leader, David Smith was the preferred option but could not be released from the 2nd Gloucester troop untill a replacement was found. In September 1961 Richard White became Assistant Scout Master, Ken Lardner had expressed interest and Janet Frost was interested in helping with the Wolf Cubs.
The troop doubled by the end of the first year and started to use the school in preference to the Parish Rooms. A permanent headquarters was needed. In September 1962 it was agreed that a hut could be sited at the rear of the Village Hall. Adverts for a hut were put in The Citizen and various leads were followed up. Eventually a construction workers hut was found at Berkeley Power station. The hut was dismantled over three weekends by willing volunteers.
The next weekend the hut was loaded onto a William and James lorry and transported back to Highnam. By this time the site had been levelled, the foundations laid and the and the building was largely constructed over the weekend. Fitting out took a little longer and the keys were ifficially handed over in 1964. The Scout group had found its new home.
(Copy taken from “This is your Scouting Life” written by David Smith). See Cubs & Scouting media for the full story.