County Commissioner’s Message
I am delighted to have this opportunity to wish the ‘Middlesbrough Gang’ every success with their Show this year. We have come to expect a professional standard from the ‘Gang’ and they always seem to surpass their previous successes. I am sure that this year will be no exception.
A tremendous amount of time and effort has to be spent in preparing and rehearsing a Gang Show and leadership is required to bring everyone together into a team. Whilst every member of the ‘Gang’ works hard, a special mention of the Production Team must be made, because they provide this leadership and inspiration. The ‘Gang’ will have had plenty of opportunity to put their Scout training into practice during the last few months as they have worked towards the first night. After the Show is over, they will return to their Packs, Troops and Units with new skills and renewed enthusiasm as a result of working together to provide your entertainment.
I should like to thank all concerned with Middlesbrough Gang Show for providing the Community with such a fine example of what young people today can achieve. Cub Scouting is celebrating its first 70 years this year and the Movement as a whole continues to thrive in all sections. I thank you for coming tonight to support Scouting and trust that you will enjoy the ‘Show’.
Neil W. Midgley
County Commissioner.
Show Chairmans Message
As the new Chairman of the Middlesbrough Scouts Gang Show may I welcome you to the Little Theatre.
This is my first association with a stage show, and it has been a unique experience for me. Only people closely connected to a Gang Show have any idea of the months of planning, organising, working, auditioning, rehearsing etc that are needed to stage this ‘Show’. I am especially proud of the way in which everyone connected with the Show responded to all the demands made on their time, their energies and their skills with unfailing willingness, good humour and enthusiasm in the very best of Scouting tradition.
Grateful thanks and best wishes are due to the cast, the Production team, the Business team and everyone else connected with the Show which I know will be a well deserved success.
To you, the audience, thanks for being with us, I hope you enjoy watching the Show as much as the ‘Gang’ enjoy performing for you.
George Elliott
Show Chairman
Friendship ’87
The International Friendship Camps were started by the then Middlesbrough Scout Association in 1966 to celebrate World Friendship Year. The first camp took place at Raven Gill with about 350 Scouts attending. In addition to the Middlesbrough Scouts there were visitors from Germany, Belgium, Canada, France, Jamaica and the U.S.A.The second Friendship Camp took place in 1970 again at Raven Gill but this time organised by the new Teesside County Scout Council. 250 local Scouts attended and were joined by visitors from Germany, Italy, Holland and Canada.
The move to Wynard Park came in 1974 with the creation of Cleveland County. There were about 1200 in camp including visitors from Belgium, Canada and 225 from the Netherlands. Next came Friendship 78 with the Market Place activities appearing on theprogramme for the first time.Friendship 82 was the largest camp to date with just over 2000 Scouts in camp for the week, joined by 300 Cub Scout Sixers for a weekend. Visitors from overseas travelled from Italy, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, France and British Scouts of Western Europe arrived from Holland and Spain.Friendship 87 will celebrate 21 years of Friendship camps and is expected to be the best camp yet, offering a wide variety of activities. Scouts will camp in Patrols within seven sub-camps. Scouts from Cleveland, and the rest of the U.K. and overseas are welcome to attend. Venture Scouts are invited to join the camp as staff members.
Why ’70’ UP ???
Thats exactly the number of years it is since Cub Scouts started.
As early as 1913 Baden-Powell had outlined a programme for ‘Junior Scouts’ but it wasn’t until 1916 that B.P. finalised a programme suitable for these younger boys. His friend, Rudyard Kipling, was persuaded to allow his ‘Jungle Book’ to be used as a basis for the sections programme; The Leader being Akela the Old Wolf and the boys to be known as Wolf Cubs.
After preliminary talks in June 1916 the first Pack meeting for Wolf Cubs was held on Saturday 1 6th December 1916, by 1922 numbers had risen to 19,000 now the U.K. total is 266,656.
The modern title ‘Cub Scouts’ was adopted in 1966 when tests were revised and updated using Arrow Awards instead of the Star Tests.
Cleveland now has some 2,500 Cub Scouts who, with their Leaders will celebrate their 70th birthday, designated as ‘Rainbow Year’, with a Fun and Activity day at Guisborough on 7th June 1986.
The Chief Scout will be joining them along with some veteran Wolf Cubs of yesteryear.
We wish all Cub Scouts, past and present, A HAPPY Bl RTHDAY!!
Middlesbrough Gang Show 