As far as we know, this is the complete list for all Leaders for 1st Ramsden and Downham and 1st Ramsden Saint Mary's Own Scout Groups. There is also one named Cub leader from 1st Ramsden Crays - although 1st RC had  Scout Troop as well, and we have no names for Leaders from 1st Downham Scout Group.

When the Group states either Bellhouse pack or Heath pack or 2nd pack it is during the two short period when a second pack was in operation.

Leaders highlighted in Green are current Scout Leaders

Leaders highlighted in Yellow are current Cub Scout Leaders

List of roles:

Long Serving Leaders:

The following Leaders have given at least 10 years leadership service to the 1st Ramsden and Downham Scout Group:

Biographies of Former Leaders

Rosina Ayton - Akela - Cub Scout Leader (1969 - 1975)

Rose was our Cub Scout Leader for 6 years during which time the Pack was based in the old YMCA Hall in Ramsden Heath. She left 1st Ramsden and Downham to become first District Cub Scout Leader later Assistant District Commissioner. She also served for three years as an Assistant Leader Trainer - responsible for training New Cub Leaders throughout Essex.

The photograph was captured from the 8mm Cine Film "Carry on Akela" made in the early 1970s. It featured the 1st Ramsden and Downham Cub Scouts from the "Heath" pack.

Kathy Duffield - Baloo - Pack Assistant (2004 - 2006)

It took Baloo 6 years transporting her oldest son to Cubs, Scouts and numerous Camps until she realised her secret ambition (so secret that she did not realise it was her ambition - but we all did!) to help run the Bellhouse Pack.

She claims that she is only a beginner - but we have all been there!

It shows true dedication that when you are completing your first Cub Scout Summer Camp (during the coldest June weekend that anyone can remember) that Baloo trusted her brother to lend her a nice comfortable blow up bed. He remembered, but sadly by the time Baloo managed to find out where he was camping with the Site Services team, he had fallen asleep. So poor old Baloo had to sleep on the freezing cold ground. Did she wake up like a bear with a sore head? or more like a Baloo Bear with a sore back!

John Hanson - Tau - Assistant Scout Leader (1987-2007)

In 1989, Tau was presented with his retirement present - and frankly we feel that we would like our present back! Privately, he is an expert in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and specialises looking after our older Scouts - in the old days that meant several Chief Scout's Challenge Teams, nowadays that means Explorer Scouts. 

Just a word of warning, don't ask him about Commissioners. He is not afraid of making his opinions heard - we call it moaning, he will argue that he is just expressing his concerns. Perhaps that is all down to his start in Scouting. His first night as a Troop Leader was the night of the Great Hurricane in 1987 - that doesn't mean that we blame him though. 

He has recently started training to become a "Training Advisor". This role will see him work with adults who are new to Scouting and help guide them through the training courses and to assess their skills in Scouting. This does lead him one small problem. Tau is now so old he started his own Leadership Training on a scheme that has been replaced. Even the scheme that replaced that scheme has also been replaced. So, he now has to go back and complete the training course for a second time!

We all value his IT skills. He can produce letters, certificates, wordsearches, records and websites at the drop of a hat. Just give him plenty of notice - sometimes he forgets things - ask him "Have you brought the xxxx?" and his standard reply is "er... well, its either on my desk at home or in by desk at work!"

Just ask the Scouts and particularly the Explorers about his IT skills. They spend seconds finding the glaring errors in his work - so glaring that we can all see it, but can't.

Since Skip has been working in Hampshire, Tau has been our acting Scout Leader. This is not really his ideal appointment - its like having a Victor Meldrew character with us. At least we have break from him once or twice a month. It's always a relief when he tells us "I can't make next week - parent's evening, sorry"

After twenty years as a Scout Leader, Tau decided that he wanted a change of role. He has just finished leading the Billericay and Wickford District Scout's Patrol Leaders' Activity weekend and is now working on the District Water Activities Weekend. In October 2008 he became "Assistant District Commissioner" and is currently doing some work with the District's Scout Section.

Skip - Scout Leader

In 2002, the Scout Troop was suffering from falling numbers and no-one else wanted to follow Q as Leader, only one person was prepared to jump into the breech. Skip is our only Leader who has been a Beaver Scout, but we first knew him as a Cub, then a Scout. At the age of 16 he left the Troop. However, quickly the lure of Scouting soon started shouting to him, and before long he was back, first as a Troop Helper, then an Assistant Leader, now as our Leader and Mentor. Or should that be mental?

Mental, or Mentor, Under his leadership, the Troop has increased from 2 Scouts to 20 Scouts in less than 2 years. Sadly, however, although we have long known his many his talents, we have also known that other people have also wanted his skills, so now we see him occasionally, and usually on his way home from Scotland to Hampshire. We don't know exactly what his job is, but its secret and has something to do with submarines. 

We were delighted that Skip could attend both the Family Camp and the Scout Summer Camps in the summer of 2006. The Scouts were all impressed with his car - known as the "Chav-Mobile"

In January 2008, Skip was still as busy as ever at work and had only been to Essex once so he decided to step down as Scout Leader. He says that he will be back - and we believe him.

08 January 2009