We assembled at 8.30am. at the Headquarters to travel to the Mathiewson Centre New Bradwell for the Competition start at 9.0am. The competition in fact started at 9.15am. as a few Packs were late, including us.

Twelve bases had been organised, including 1st Hanslope which of course our team of 6 would not be attending under the rules of the Competition.

The bases to be visited by each team of 6 in turn were History of scouting, Flags, Telephone, Country Code, Royal Family, First Aid, Nature, Road Safety, Kims Game, Maps, Safety in the Home, Secret Codes (1st Hanslope) and Inspection carried out by the ADC during the event.

Our team set off in the knowledge that to retain the shield won in 1989 they would have to do their best. The team returned to our base at the interval to enjoy the orange squash and from Kaa’s and Akela’s knowledge of the other teams scores were told that because of their poor score in the first two bases they would have to really knuckle down to improve their score in the final test stations.

Suitably inspired they went off to give their all for the remainder of the Competition against Stoke Goldington, Great Linford 4th, Newport ‘Beatty’ Gifford Park, Olney, 4th Newport ‘Invincibles’, Wolverton ‘Prairies’, 3rd Newport, Wolverton ‘Timbers’, 5th Newport and Two Mile Ash ‘Vikings’.

We all waited with bated breath for Paul Swannell ADC Cub Scouts to announce the result. 1st Hanslope 4th 99 points, 3rd Wolverton ‘Timbers’ 102, 2nd 5th Newport Pagnell 107 and Two Mile Ash ‘Vikings’ resounding winners with 123½ points.

We had not retained the Trophy but our Cub Scouts had done their very best and most important of all had enjoyed the event as well as learning something new.

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