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

Young Scouts gathered at Selby Wood campsite in Pigdon for archery, fire lighting and celebration, joined by the Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland.

Morpeth.net·9 July 2026

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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