100 years of the Scouts celebrated in Kelso

  • Watch as Kelso scouts celebrate its 100th birthday.

A 101-year-old former Kelso scout leader has joined in the celebrations as the Scouts celebrate their 100th birthday.

The campfires may still be the same but there has been plenty of change for Kelso Scouts over the past century.

Bill is 101-years-old and used to run the group decades ago. He spoke about some of the differences the modern scouts don't need to contend with that his generation did.

The planning is underway to mark 100 years of Kelso scouts. Credit: ITV

He said: "We had our scout den and it was an old building that was heated by central heating by an old boiler. We used to arrange for each patrol to take over lighting the boiler ready for the scout meeting.

"When we first went in there was really smooth all over the place."

Bill has remembered the rhyme that he made up about scout law.

He said: "I can always remember a rhyme that I made up about the scout law. That rhyme has stayed with me the whole of my life. It is ‘trusting, loyal, helpful, brotherly, courteous, kind, obedient and smiling."

Former Kelso scout Bill Cleghorn was the youngest Queen Scout in Scotland.

He said: "The funniest stories of my earliest days as a scout include when we were scouting at a camp near Windermere. There was a big storm and some of the tents got blown down. We had to come home early and the transport we organised was a local haulier.

"His cattle lorry which we used to go down was used because Thursday was cattle day at the market. We therefore couldn’t get that lorry. We were then sent a flat deck lorry with a load of scouts to take us back home from the Lake District.

"We were all nice and quiet and all behaving ourselves until we came through Hawick. There were shouts at all of the residents as we came through, with maybe some mischievous comments going about. If health and safety saw that nowadays it just wouldn’t happen."

The current Kelso scout leader is organising celebration events. Credit: ITV

Current scout leader Elizabeth is organising all of the events marking the anniversary.

She said: "We are having a centenary camp across at the Border Union Showground in September. The beavers and cubs will be camping alongside the scouts.

"We are inviting ex-leaders on the Sunday as well. I have got lots of newspaper clippings from 1947, through the 50s and into the 60s. There are various photographs of different camps."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...