CELEBRATING the 100th anniversary of Cubs will see cubs from the eight Petersfield district packs come together to renew their scouting promise.
And former leaders are being invited to the ceremony and charity fundraising evening in the Millennium Hall in Liphook on Friday, December 16, 7pm.
Petersfield Assistant District Commissioner for Cub Scouts Melanie Robinson said: “Cubs began as Wolf Cubs in 1916, and Petersfield was one of the very first packs, and is one of the oldest packs in the world.
“In 1966 the name was changed to just Cubs, and uniforms changed to the ones we recognise today.
“When the Cubs renew their promise they will be doing it at the same time as around 153,000 Cubs worldwide, so it will be quite a big event.
“To help celebrate the evening we are inviting all the former Cub leaders from the Petersfield district packs to come along, we have invited all those we know about, but the evening is for all former leaders, to thank them for keeping Cubs going strong, and growing, across the district.”
The Cub movement was started by Robert Baden-Powell in 1916, mainly for the younger brothers of Scouts, the organisation for boys aged 11 years and older, he launched in 1908 on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour.
Cubs were based on Rudyard Kipling’s book, The Jungle Book, and leaders adopt names of the central characters in the book.
The Cub ethos was originally based broadly around outdoor activities, an ethos embraced at a camp earlier this year to launch the Centenary celebrations.
Melanie said: “More than 70 Cubs from Liphook, Liss, Petersfield and Sheet and leaders came together at Walton Firs Activity site near Cobham for a weekend of fun and adventure.
“They were split into mixed teams and took part in a variety of activities such as caving, which was a new experience for everyone, climbing on a bouldering wall, archery and building fires to cook pancakes and toffee apples.”