Like many others before it, Tuesday evening saw our youngest youth section coming together for their weekly face-to-face session. This week was a little different and very special meeting, though.

Whilst Scouting is approaching 115 years old, and Penistone Scouts 111, Beavers turned 35 recently. To celebrate, the Beaver team invited some of the adult volunteers who led the first beaver colony at Penistone to join us.

We met at the Scout Hut, heard of how Beavers began and how the uniform, badges and stuff we get up to has changed over those 35 years. Then, we got down to the good stuff!

Beavers practised starting fires with flint, steel and cotton wool. Not everyone got it on their first go, but perseverance and practice led to mass achievement and excitement.

We toasted marshmallows, enjoyed s’mores and really loaded up on sugar with some birthday cake – what’s a birthday without cake!?!

Towards the end of our celebration, we gathered together to invest eight beavers into the group. We even invested a leader too.

We had a fabulous evening, it was wonderful to welcome our beaver alumni and to present them both with new Penistone neckers.

Here’s to the next 35 years! I wonder how many of the young people there on Tuesday will be our leaders of the future!