Diocesan News11 May 16

New Cub Pack

The inaugural meeting of the new St Augustine’s Cub Pack has taken place at the church hall in Palace Street – former home of the First Londonderry pack.

The first recruits enrolled under the watchful eye of Rector, Rev Malcolm Ferry, District Scout Commissioner Richard Edgar and Joan Reid of Scouts NI. New pack leaders Lori Campbell, Christine Brace, Roger Hamilton and Caroline McCartney led activities.

Among those lending a helping a hand was Dickie Montgomery, who recalled his own first outing as a cub – to a camp in County Antrim – 68 years earlier. It was a nostalgic occasion, too, for Canon John McKegney, who was present at the meeting; Canon McKegney is a former member of the First Londonderry pack. His father, Canon Herbert McKegney, was a former Rector of St Augustine’s and a Scout Leader.

Tuesday evening’s meeting marked the return of scouting to the centre of Londonderry after a 44–year absence. The original First Londonderry Troop ceased operating in 1972 because of the deteriorating security situation.

Rev Ferry hopes its successor, which will be known as the ‘St Augustine’s Cub Pack’, will attract boys and girls from right across the community. Acknowledging the changed environment in the city centre nowadays, he says the new pack is open to 8 to 10–year–olds whatever their religious background.

Plans are being drawn up for a formal investiture ceremony for the new cubs in June.