Beloved cub leader is giving back his woggle

Richard Lay trained, supported and helped more than 400 scouts from Haddenham and Long Crendon at both camp and club nights.

He worked as the Cub Scout Leader at the Scout and Guide Centre in Haddenham, with deputy Ben Sweetman, who will be taking over the role.

On 19th July, the hottest day of the year so far, the cubs hosted a goodbye summer party with a water fight, water slide, barbecue, cake and some thank you speeches from the chairman of the Scout and Guide Centre, Richard Kendall.

The party was attended by old and new cubs, parents, previous leaders and friends.

A spokesman for the group said: “Richard will always be remembered for his fun packed evening and camps where he has created many memories for the cubs and leaders he has worked alongside.”

They said his history with the cubs is an “outstanding achievement.”

The scouts was set up by Robert Baden-Powell in 1907 when he camped on Brownsea Island in Dorset with 20 boys .

There are five sections to the scouts, starting with six-year-old Beavers, right up to the 25 year olds in the Scout Network.

Cubs start at age eight, with up to 36 cubs in each group, split into smaller groups called ‘sixes’.

Ben Sweetman, who has four years experience as Mr Lay’s deputy, said: “He was very funny, and he was one of the kids, he’s not really an adult.

“The kids love him.”

Next year Mr Sweetman has planned swimming, bowling and a bushtucker trial.