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Cub Scout Beryl stays for 40 years

20/12/2001

AS A CUB, your time as a pack member is usually limited to a couple of years before moving on to the Scouts.

However, Beryl Bennett has bucked that trend by quite a few years. She recently clocked up 40 years as leader of the 11th Middleton (Alkrington and Providence) Cubs and was awarded a Long Service Award by District Commissioner Derek Redfern to mark her unique achievement.

Pack members past and present turned up to the ceremony at Alkrington Providence and United Reformed Church, Manchester New Road, to wish her all the best.

"I didn't even know they gave awards so I was quite surprised," said Beryl, who lives on Manor Road, Alkrington.

"The 40 years have flown by, but I am thinking of finishing when the pack can find someone to take over because I think they need a younger leader."

Her first involvement with youngsters in uniform was with the Brownies and Scouts at the church, but seeing there was nothing for the lads to do she decided to form the cubs.

Since then literally hundreds of youngsters have passed through the doors of the pack's headquarters leaving her with numerous memories.

She said: "I can always remember one little lad a number of years crying at one our camps. I went over to tell him we would be going home soon to his parents, and he replied that he didn't want to because he preferred the cooking to his mum's."

Years ago the group used to number upwards of 30 but as Beryl and her assistant Pat Sutton battle the advent of computer games and other pursuits, numbers are down to a more manageable 15.

Away from nights spent around the campfire singing Beryl found time to bring up five children and work as a wages supervisor in Stockport.