Scouts Mark 110 Years of Cubs and 40 Years of Beavers with a Big Birthday Bash near Morpeth

There was plenty to celebrate at Selby Wood Scout Campsite in Pigdon, just outside Morpeth, when local Scout groups came together for a Big Birthday Bash. The gathering marked two milestones at once: 110 years since the Cub Scouts were founded, and 40 years since Beavers first welcomed the youngest members of the movement.

Held on Saturday 4 July, the day gave children the chance to throw themselves into the kind of activities that make Scouting memorable, archery, fire lighting and rifle shooting among them. Bringing several groups together on one site turned an ordinary weekend into something more like a festival of the outdoors.

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Two anniversaries in one: Cub Scouts were established 110 years ago in 1916, while Beavers, for children aged six to eight, celebrate their 40th year in 2026. Both anniversaries were marked together at the Pigdon campsite.

The young Scouts were joined in their celebrations by the Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland, Dr Caroline Pryer, whose attendance underlined how much these local groups matter to the wider county.

Neil Robinson, lead volunteer for Blyth Valley Scouts, called it a fantastic day and said it was great to bring all the different groups together, adding that none of it would have been possible without the amazing adult volunteers who give up their time week in, week out. It is a point worth dwelling on. Behind every archery target and campfire is a leader, a helper or a parent who has stepped forward, and it is that volunteering that keeps Scouting alive for the next generation of Morpeth-area children.

You can read more about the celebration in the Northumberland Gazette.

For families wondering whether their own children might enjoy the same adventures, the anniversary is a good reminder that Beavers, Cubs and Scouts are all still going strong locally, and, as ever, they are always glad of a few more willing adult volunteers to help keep the fires lit.

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