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FIRST ALDERSHOT VENTURE UNIT
The Early Years
by Barry Jones (Baz)
Background
In 1966 the Boy Scout Association published a report into how Scouting in the United Kingdom should progress. One of its recommendations was that the existing Senior Scout (age range 15 – 18) and Rover Scout (age range 18 – 25) sections should be disbanded, and that a new Venture Scout section should be created for the 16 – 20 year old age group. Gone would be the Senior Scout uniform of beige shorts and short sleeved shirts with maroon epaulettes, and in would come a formal uniform of mushroom long trousers, fawn long sleeved shirts, green ties and green berets. Activity dress uniform would continue to include shorts and Group neckerchief.
These radical reforms were implemented in 1967, and a local proviso was that any new Venture Scout unit formed must have a minimum of twelve members. In the Aldershot District at that time there were six Scout Groups containing Senior Scouts, but only one of these, 4th Aldershot, had enough boys to form their own Venture Scout Unit. This meant that all other Senior Scouts would need to combine to create a second unit in the District, and it was decided that this should be formed at the 1st Aldershot Group, and based at their headquarters in Eastern Road, Aldershot.
And so it was, in the second half of 1967, that Senior Scouts from five different Groups became the first and founder members of the First Aldershot Venture Unit, which quickly adopted the acronym “FAVU” as its popular name. Weekly meetings were held on Monday evenings from 8.00pm – 10.15pm.
The 1st Aldershot proved to be the ideal Group to host the new Venture Scout Unit. It already had thriving Cub and Scout sections, with which the Venture Unit would go on to have much contact after its formation. A notable feature of the Group was the close relationship of all the leaders in all the sections, as well as the other adult helpers and members of the Group Council.
The whole Group was presided over by the Group Scout Leader, Tom Curtis (known as “Bosun”), whose personal encouragement, guidance and practical help were key in providing the momentum and personality for this new collection of incomers. Without his enthusiasm, there is little doubt that FAVU would not have been the great success it was from day one.
Another important feature of the first founding Venture Scouts was that, having come from different Scout Groups around the District, most kept an involvement with their original Groups, in many cases as Assistant Scout Leaders. This was encouraged, but the new Ventures fitted into their new adopted Group very quickly and easily, wore the red and white neckerchief with great pride, and really thought of themselves primarily as 1st Aldershot members.
A lasting legacy of the very early years of FAVU was the harmonising effect it later had on other Scout Groups in the District, many of whose leaders had shared the experience of having been founder members of the 1st Aldershot Venture Unit, and who had doubtless benefited from the things they had done and the skills they had learned there.
Founder Members:-
Name - Former Group
Gene Burgoyne - 1st Aldershot
Bill Butler - 14th Aldershot
Ray Constantine - 2nd (ex 7th) Aldershot
Roger Gear - 2nd (ex 7th) Aldershot
Clive Gear - 2nd (ex 7th) Aldershot
Roger Hammett - 14th Aldershot
Kevin Jenkinson - 2nd Ash
Barry Jones - 14th Aldershot
Kevin Lucas - 14th Aldershot
John Machin - 14th Aldershot
Richard Tremayne-Smith - 16th Aldershot
Keith Watkins - 2nd Ash
Graham Wilson - 2nd Ash
Leaders:-
Frank Jones (“Ali”) - Venture Scout Leader
Will Smith - Assistant Venture Scout Leader
1967
The newly “thrown-together” Ventures decided that they needed their own space within the 1st Aldershot Group headquarters, so they spent around three months creating and fitting out a unique Venture Den in the roofspace at one end of the building. Although a little low in headroom, it nevertheless provided a comfortably furnished and private space in which they could gather for recreational purposes. All-night board game sessions became a regular feature, and to many it was their permanent residence at weekends! Accessed by a hinged and counterbalanced ladder, the new Venture Den was opened by the District Chairman on 2nd December 1967.
One of the first activities was an all-night hike to Leith Hill Tower, only to find that the planned idea of abseiling down the tower turned out not to be possible because it was closed!
It was felt in late 1967 that the Unit needed an ambitious project to provide a real challenge which seemed to sum up the ethos of the new Venture Scouting. It was decided to embark on a foreign “expedition”, and after initially considering Iceland, the idea of travelling and camping around southern Norway became a firm idea. A committee was formed to give serious thought to all aspects of such an undertaking.
1968
Much of the first half of 1968 was devoted to the planning, preparation and fundraising for the Unit’s Norway adventure, which was quickly christened “Expedition Norsemen ‘68”. The intention was that the Ventures would travel to southern Norway by ship, and then travel a clockwise circular route of around 1000 miles in two vehicles, spending time visiting local features and camping wherever and whenever required en route.
“EXPEDITION NORSEMEN ‘68” - 4th-18th August 1968
The Unit started organising mixed social and activity events with the 2nd Aldershot Ranger Guide Unit. These gradually became more frequent and varied until they were phased out in late 1969. Some personal relationships flourished however, leading to two marriages and several other liaisons!
1969
Venture Unit Executive Committee meetings were invariably held in the White Swan public house in North Lane.The Unit embarked on community work on some Sundays, often with the Rangers, creating firebreak clearings at Beacon Hill Forest in Hindhead and burning felled trees and branches.
Several of the Ventures tried caving in the Fairy Cave Quarry and Swildon’s Hole in the Mendips in Somerset in April and December, thanks to its association with Eric Cathryn of the Ash Caving Club.
On 19th May adult members of the 1st Aldershot Group embarked on something of a departure from Scouting by creating a charitable organisation to serve the local community. The “Grand Order of Nightjars” (G.O.O.N.) was founded on 19th May, and went on to organise deliveries of firewood and food at Christmas, as well as other local initiatives. The organisation was very structured, hierarchical and was a quasi- secret society. It operated for several years, but later ceased in its original form and became “The Friends of North Town”, continuing its local charitable acts.
Two of the Ventures spent a weekend in June parascending, over land, at Lasham airfield.
“ANDOVENTURE ‘69” – 4th-17th August 1969
In September and October the Venture unit helped the Group Council build a discotheque system and bar in one of the side rooms of the headquarters – a very popular feature!
On 1st/2nd November four members of the Unit, Barry Jones, Kevin Lucas and Keith Watkins represented the Aldershot District in the County Kudu Competition, which is an all night activity based on map reading to find checkpoints, and then taking part in various tests of physical or mental agility. To everyone’s surprise (including theirs!) they took 1st Place, and had the honour of displaying the County trophy – A mounted Kudu horn – for a year.
In November the Unit acquired an old static caravan, based near Odiham, which would have been an ideal base for abseiling at a nearby chalk quarry, but after initial renovation work it was reluctantly decided by mid-1970 that it would be too costly to properly restore and maintain.
1970
Several of the Ventures restored a Ford Thames van and fitted it out as Unit transportation.
“CARRY ON CARRON” – 10th-19th July 1970
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