© Jeff Dyson  - November 2006

We continued our camping, but just enlarged the family. I recall our first camp abroad, a coach load, to Germany. That was a steep learning curve. The detail was planned by a fellow leader who lacked some expertise and it took some time to get it right, but all the boys who attended enjoyed themselves.

After about six or seven years the members of our Troop had reached an age that they needed to move on to Venture Scouts which the Group did not at this time support. There was a District Unit but they wanted to continue with their air activities so we handed over the running of the Troop to our assistants and formed an Air Venture Unit with originally about eight members. Venture scouts are aged 15 - 20 years and should elect their own committee and be self governing. The leaders role is non directive, to make sure they run within the rules of the Scout Association, and of course drive the minibus. I believe the secret was to show the seed and give them their head, it seemed to work. In our time with the Unit it grew to have 50 members and we had a annual expedition abroad either to the Alps or similar area. About 30 members gained their Queen Scout Award and many their Gold, Silver or Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Many of our members became our extended family and we still keep in touch.

On my retirement from the Police I was invited to become District Commissioner for Scouts for East Grinstead District, responsible for thirteen Groups in the town and surrounding villages with a membership of over 1000. My wife continued to run the Venture Unit as I undertook a more administration, a role which I held for five years. Fortunately I was still able to camp with my wife and Venture Unit so did not totally loose contact with the ‘sharp end’ of scouting. I certainly did not appreciate the time commitment in this role and was pleased to relinquish the role after five years. My wife also stood down from the Venture Unit, and began assisting with Beaver Scouts the 6 - 8 year olds.