We are a well attended group meeting in the Newnham area of Cambridge at the Newnham Scout and Guide Centre. We are able to offer opportunities in Scouting to young people in four sections; Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers covering the ages from 6 all the way through to 18.

Our group was created from the merger of two Scout Groups – the 11th, based in the New Town area of Cambridge, and the 9th, based at Queens’ College. At the time, the 11th was lead by Alan MacKenzie; we remember his contribution to Scouting by having the MacKenzie tartan as the background of our group badge. Queens’ College kindly permits us to have the silver boar’s head in the foreground, the badge of King Richard III, whose wife Anne Neville was a great patroness of the college.

The group has a history connected with Town and Gown and, through those roots, with royalty and commoners. This encourages us to accept new members without prejudice and to treat people as individuals, whatever their background. We draw members from the University, the city and the villages; some people have lived in or near Cambridge all their lives, some have moved here quite recently. Some people plan to remain, others are passing through and will move elsewhere, but all are welcome.

We are an active group – there are many trips, visits and camps. We explore and use our area, whether that’s the common land nearby, the streets of the city or areas further afield. We contribute back, by litter-picking or tidying up areas we use, aiming to leave them better as we find them. And in doing all this, we – leaders and young people – have fun and grow.