1st Daviot Oldmeldrum Scout Group

General Information

The 1st Daviot Oldmeldrum Scout Group is the overall collective name for the various Sections (Beavers, Cubs & Scouts) that make up the Daviot & Oldmeldrum scouting fraternity. Our Group was formed 40 years ago with the amalgamation of the (then separate) Daviot and Oldmeldrum Scout and Cub sections. Scouting in Oldmeldrum began in 1916 and in Daviot in 1942.

Our Group Scout Leader (GSL) is Mike Bidgood.

We are located about 20 miles northwest of Aberdeen in the Northeast of Scotland in the UK.

In addition to Scouts, Cubs & Beavers there is also an Explorer Unit (scouts aged from about 14 1/2 to 18 years of age with Adult Explorer Leaders) which is attached to our Group although formally Explorers are "run" from a higher (District) administrative level within the Scout Association.

Our Section Leaders & Teams are as follows:

Beavers:

Beaver Scout Leader (BSL): Mrs Linda Miller
Assistant BSL: Mrs Sara Cramond
Adult Helpers: rota

Cubs:

Cub Scout Leader (CSL): Mr Mike Pickford
Assistant CSL: Mr Brian Davidson
Assistant CSL: Mr Douglas Rintoul
Assistant CSL: Mr Tim Connor
Section Assistant: Mr David McCartney
Section Assistant: Mrs Jenny Davidson
Section Assistant: Mrs Tina Biddlecombe
Section Assistant: Mrs Sarah Sleigh
Section Assistant: Mr John Sleigh

Scouts:

Scout Leader (SL): Mr Toby St Leger
Assistant SL: Mr Andy Gunn
Assistant SL: Mr Matt Kaye
Assistant SL: Mr Chris Knutton
Assistant SL: Mr Nick Knutton
Assistant SL: Mr Kenny Matheson
Assistant SL: Mr Keith Duncan
Assistant SL: Mr Jim Thomson (*)
Assistant SL: Mr Terry Will (*)
Section Assistant: Mr Richard Elliott
Section Assistant: Mr Tim Chance

(* = thrugh Scout Active Support)

Explorers:

Explorer Scout Leader (ESL): Mr Mike Scott

Organisation

Our Group is currently part of the new Gordon District (District Commissioner Mr. Keith Millar) of the new Northeastern Region of Scouts Scotland.

A Scout Group is headed by a Group Scout Leader (GSL), one of whose many responsibilities is to ensure that the Scout Association's programme is delivered to the youngsters within each of the Sections through a team of Section Leaders, Assistant Leaders, Section Assistants and supporters. Our current GSL is Mike Bidgood. The various Section Leaders and Assistant Section Leaders (see "Adult Leadership" below) report to the GSL and in turn the GSL reports to the District Commissioner, Mr Keith Millar.

Mike is assisted in his GSL duties by the Group Executive (also known as the Support Group) - a semi-formal body appointed by the GSL and through election by the Group Scout Council. It seems like a fairly complicated system but actually it's not too tricky and works very well. One benefit of the system is that the electoral body - the Group Scout Council - comprises virtually everyone with a connection to the Group via their position as Leaders, Officers and Parents of the children belonging to our various Sections. Even some of the older children - those that are Patrol Leaders in the Scouts and all of the Explorer Scouts - are also members of the Council and can vote at it's meetings. The Group Executive meets once ever four months and there is an Annual General Meeting usually towards the end of each summer.

Our Group Executive committee comprises Chairman which is a position - currently vacant - appointed by the GSL), Secretary (Mrs Shona Fraser) and Treasurer (Gerry Stephens) who work with the GSL and the Support Group to ensure the smooth running of the Scout Group in Daviot & Oldmeldrum. Our GEC is also unique in the Gordon District in that we also have a President - Maitland Mackie CBE - in recognition of Maitland's 40-plus years of service to the Group as Scout, Leader, GSL and Chairman (now retired). In addition there are several other parent members of the Group Executive and all Appointed Leaders.

We also have a very active Fundraising Group - which consists almost exclusively of volunteer parents - which carry out many fundraising activities for us and generally take a significant burden from the shoulders of the Adult Leaders, allowing them to concentrate on their jobs or running the Sections.

To contact one of the Section Leaders, the Group Scout Leader or an official of the Group Exec please go to our contacts page.