Dr Frank Barry Smith OBE was Akela with 2nd Bracknell Cubs for over 30 years. He died in February 2005.
Barry worked tirelessly as Cub Scout Leader with 2nd Bracknell Scout Group and as a District Cub Scout Leader in South East Berkshire District. At one time he was also a member of the County Training Team.

Barry had a unique style of Leadership bringing the excitement of Cub Scouting to over 700 youngsters who have been members of the three Cub Packs which he ran. Following his “retirement” Barry helped with 1st Binfield Cubs and continued with organising various Cub activities in the District and County including the Chess Competition and Swimming Gala (which are still run today). Barry was awarded the Silver Acorn for his work in Scouting and an OBE for his work with the Met Office.

This picture was taken by Nick Layt at Cranham in 1991. Nick says “this picture really summed up Barry for me. His battered old plastic cup came with him everywhere. Cranham was one of his favourite sites and it was typical that we arrived there with a minimum of equipment. He was an inspiration and now that I’m running my own pack I still look back through my paperwork from the 1990′s with Barry and use his ideas. I don’t think he’d mind.”

Helen ApSimon of Imperial College wrote an obituary which gives more information about his life. She says: “I promised to send you a copy of the obituary I compiled, and want to thank you for your help. You will see I sent it to Atmospheric Environment as an international journal. It has also gone to Weather produced by the Royal Met Soc, and will appear in the May edition. I have also sent it to the European Association for the Science of Air Pollution for their newsletter. Barry was a founder member and the first treasurer.
Barry is someone who has had an enormous influence on my own work, and was also a very good friend. I did not find it easy to write to do him justice.”

At his funeral they used a psalm that Barry had written.

We put together a collection of pictures that best sum up Barry in action.

If you were a Cub in 2nd Bracknell we’d be delighted to hear from you and find out what you are doing now.