The man on the white horse parading at the front of his troop of soldiers is Captain Cory. The Captain, a hero of the Boar War was a great friend of Lord Baden Powell who started the scouting movement. In 1907 he held an experimental camp on Brownsea Island, Poole and Dorset, to try out his ideas.
He brought together 22 boys, some from private schools and some from working class homes, and put them into camp under his leadership. The whole world now knows the results of that camp. Baden-Powell established the scouting movement in 1907 and less than a year later the 1st. Rye Scouts were formed and are today, one of the oldest Troops still in existence.
They recently celebrated their 100th. Anniversary with a party in their old Scout Hut near the Swimming Pool area. The building has become unsuitable, partly because it in need of major repairs and also because it is too close to the new roadway that carries the traffic into the Swimming Pool Car Park. A new site in a fenced open area near the Sports Centre has been earmarked for a modern building that will become the new Headquarters for the scouting movement in Rye.
Plans have been drawn and approved and to date, almost £100,000 towards the £208,000 building costs, has been raised, much of this money raised was by schemes the scouts, cubs, beavers, guides and brownies did themselves. Volunteers and professionals involved are Celia Edwards Project Manager, Dominic Manning Architect, Tom Meyer Local Company Director, Bill Perfitt Group Scout Leader and Malcolm Tree Structural Engineer. The building will be used by Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies, Beavers and Explorers/Young Leaders. It will also be available for community use. Much has been achieved but much still remains to be done. Such a large amount is a huge target for a comparatively small body of people to raise. The cost is so high because of current building control, health and safety regulations, providing individual sexes and handicap/disabled facilities.
Any help or donations will be gratefully received. Please contact Bill Perfitt (Group Scout Leader), Glendorie , Dunes Avenue, Camber, East Sussex, TN31 7RP. Te l: 01797 225676. email: will i a m 5 0 @ talktalk.net Cheques should be made out to ‘The First Rye Scout Group’. If all the 100’s of ex-scouts 1 s t . Rye Scouts put £5 each into the kitty the total could be achieved in no time
“Rye’s Own” November 2009
All articles, photographs and drawings on this web site are World Copyright Protected. No reproduction for publication without prior arrangement. © World Copyright 2015 Cinque Ports Magazines Rye Ltd., Guinea Hall Lodge Sellindge TN25 6EG