Scores of past and present members of a north-east Scout troop have reunited to mark the organisation’s 100th birthday.
A celebratory open day and dinner was held over the weekend in recognition of the 25th Aberdeen Scouts’ centenary.
The Beechgrove chapter was established in 1919 before moving to its current home on Oakhill Crescent Lane in 1964.
On Saturday, the venue played host to large numbers of Scouts – some of whom had earned their badges back in the 1950s and not set foot in the hall since.
Former members gathered round a campfire to share stories with the current generation of youngsters, while others explored the Scout Hut they frequented during their formative years.
Gordon Fettes, who helped to organise the events, said: “We were very impressed with the number of people that came along throughout the day – I couldn’t believe how many turned up.
“We wanted to have an open day so anyone could come and talk to people they haven’t spoken to for years.
“There were people in their 50s right through to the current Scouts and Cubs and it was great to see.
“It all went just as we hoped it would.”
The open day was followed by a special dinner at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa, where 120 people gathered to mark the occasion.
The celebrations did, however, begin in the summer, when a centenary camp was held in Haddo House and members followed the Scouting traditions of lighting a campfire and hunkering down in tents for a night under the stars.
Overall, the centenary events took about two years to plan.
Mr Fettes is hopeful that future generations will be just as keen to keep Scouting alive as his is.
He said: “The group started in 1919 and now it’s 2019 and still going strong, as is the Scout Hut.
“It’s had a lot of effort and maintenance put into it to make sure it survives, so who knows how much longer it could last.
“It’s been changed over the years but, fundamentally, it’s still the same.”
Mr Fettes added: “I got a lot of enjoyment from it all and was a Scout leader.
“It’s still going strong and there’s a lot of enthusiasm from the younger ones to keep going with it.”
