The 17th Nene (The Hamptons) Scout Group was registered with the National Scout Association on the 28th May 2002. The 17th Nene was launched as the newest Group in Nene District. Even though Scouting only started in 2002 in Hampton, Scouting in Peterborough started back in 1910 with the 1st Soke of Peterborough King's School Troop in the District of the Soke of Peterborough, in 1966 the District was renamed to Peterborough District and in 1968 the Peterborough District was split into two Districts, creating Peterborough North and Peterborough South Districts. In 1977 the two Districts were moved round to create three Districts within Peterborough; Fitzwilliam, Hereward and Nene District (in 1999 Fitzwilliam and Hereward Districts had the same District Commissioner, and in 2000 they were merged to create Medehamstede District). From 2000 the City of Peterborough had two Districts within it Medehamstede in the North and Nene District for the South. On the 1st October 2017 Nene and Medehamstede Districts were merged together to create one Peterborough District again.
Our Group opened with a Cub Scout Pack in 2002 and the following year the Group opened a Beaver Scout Colony. In 2004 the Cub Scout Pack sadly closed, but reopened again in 2005. The Scout Troop official opened in 2007 making all three sections opened within the Group. In September 2012 the Group opened its second Cub Scout Pack and they named the two packs after the Scouting founder Lord Baden-Powell, one pack named Baden and the other Powell. In April 2015 the Group had to merge the two Cub Scout Packs together due to lack of Leadership creating the Baden Powell Pack, within the same year the Group opened its second Beaver Scout Colony in September 2015, with the Support from Cambridgeshire County Scouts, this additional section was named Gladstone Colony. In March 2020 the Group had to close its Gladstone Beaver Scout Colony due to lack of Leadership. On the 7th June 2022 we were excited to open our brand new Squirrel Scout Drey for 4 - 6 year old, named after George Purdy. This Squirrel Scout Drey was the 1st Drey to open in Peterborough District. |
May 2002 - May 2012
In May 2002 the Group chose a plain Orange Necker as its recognition Group colour, on the Groups 10th Anniversary in May 2012 the Group Scout added a Purple boarder to the Orange Necker to make the Necker colour they have today.
May 2012 - Present
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17th Nene (The Hamptons) - Group Scout Leaders Each Scout Group is headed up by a Group Scout Leader (will be called Group Leader Volunteer from 2024), over the 17th Nene (The Hamptons) Scout Groups history, the Scout Group has had different people volunteering in this role; we have also had Assistant or Deputy Group Scout Leaders during our history as well;
Group Scout LeadersMay 2002 - July 2011
Mr P. S. Parsons July 2011 - January 2012 Position Vacant January 2012 - July 2015 Mr D Rist July 2015 - October 2015 Miss K Thorpe (Acting) October 2015 - Present Mr N Webb Assistant & Deputy Group Scout LeadersOctober 2014 - October 2015 Miss K Thorpe (Assistant GSL) April 2021 - Present Mrs H Webb (Deputy GSL) |
Civic HonoursOn the 11th October 2006, the 17th Nene (The Hamptons) Scout Group along with all the other Scout Groups from Peterborough, within Medehamstede and Nene District, were given the highest honour from the City when we were given the Freedom of the City of Peterborough. This is the first time that any Scouting Group/District/County has been so honoured in this way.
The Freedom of the City was presented to Martin Hall (Divisional Commissioner - Medehamstede & Nene District 2005-2007) on behalf of Peterborough Scouting at the Annual St. George's Day Parade and Service on the 22nd April 2007 by Councillor M. Todd (Mayor of the City of Peterborough 2007-2008).
To mark this historic event a tree was planted in Peterborough City Park and each District added the freedom of the City to their District Badges. Since 1st October 2017 members of the Peterborough Scout District hold the Freedom of the City of Peterborough after the merger of the two Districts.
Freedom of the City badge from 1st October 2017 onwards
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Peterborough District CommissionersEach Scout District is headed up by a District Commissioner, over the Peterborough Scouting history has had different people volunteering in this role;
Soke of Peterborough District (1911 - 1966)
Peterborough District (1966 - 1977)
Peterborough District (2017 - present) |
Scout District HistoryScouting in Peterborough first began in June 1910, when three troops were registered to the district 'The Soke of Peterborough.' These groups were located at The Kings School, Walton and Barnack, Ufford & Bainton.
On 8th November 1912, The Soke of Peterborough was divided into two districts - 'West Soke Association' and 'Peterborough Association.' By 1914/15 the two districts had re-joined again, this time incorporating the Norman Cross association too and known only as 'The Soke'. Scouting continued throughout the First World War and a total of 203 members served in the forces, with all but 25 returning home safely. During the Second World War, Scouting in Peterborough was still active, but the number of groups across the city varied due to leaders going on war service. In 1946 those leaders returned and the number of groups in 'The Soke' district stood at 17. In 1965, a new Scout county was formed, known as 'Huntingdon and Peterborough,' and alongside this 'The Soke' became 'The District of Peterborough.' As Scouting continued to grow in popularity, Peterborough then split in to two districts - 'Peterborough North' and 'Peterborough South.' Again, in June 1977 the decision was made to further split the districts in Peterborough, forming three separate districts known as 'Fitzwilliam,' 'Hereward' and 'Nene.' There districts were then in place for over 20 years, until further changes were made to the structure on 1st April 1999. At this time, the decision was made to merge 'Fitzwilliam' and 'Hereward' districts which became 'Medehamstede.' Finally, in 2017 the decision was made that to make a more effective and collaborative Scouting provision across the city it should be returned to work as one unified district and the 'Peterborough' district was officially formed on 1st October. Chief Scouts - UK1907 - 1941 Lord Robert Baden-Powell 1941 - 1945 Lord Arthur Somers-Cocks 1945 - 1959 Lord 'T. Corbett' Rowallan 1959 - 1971 Lord Charles Maclean 1972 - 1982 Sir William Gladstone 1982 - 1988 Major-General Michael J. H. Walsh 1988 - 1996 Sir Garth Morrison 1996 - 2004 George Purdy 2004 - 2009 Peter Duncan 2009 - Present Bear Grylls |