We are sorry to report that Tom Agar, a former Cub and helper (Hathi) in the group lost his battle with cancer and died on 14 November 2010, aged 26. Like so many, he worked his way through the sections and having left Ventures, became a helper with Cubs. He was diagnosed in 2008 but managed to visit us at our 50th anniversary camp in summer 2010. Our thoughts are with his parents, Ann and Richard who have also been long-time supporters of 2nd Bracknell and of course his brother Andrew who was also a 2nd Bracknell member.

You can see Tom getting funky round the camp fire at the Cubs summer camp in 2010 

on kitchen duty at summer camp 2004 

and in a group photo at the district Cub camp in 2003 

and keeping us entertained on a wet evening at Cubs Summer camp in 2005 with his trademark “black magic” game.

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

Tom received excellent care from Thames Hospicecare and his family are now supporting them by organising some fund raising events. We hope that you will support them too.

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.

The popular District 6-a-side football competition took place on Sunday 29 June 2003 at Binfield Football Club. We entered 2 teams which were kindly looked after by Phil Kent.

He has provided his report of the day.

Stags Team:  Fraser Wood, Matthew Dye, Daniel Gathergood, William Hawkes, Daniel Hiscock, Daniel Jordan, James Kent

League Results:-

3-0
1-2
5-0
5-0

Semi final v Binfield A 1-2

The Stags were a strong team, whose only defeats were narrow ones at the hands of the eventual finalists. Fraser Wood made some outstanding saves to keep three clean sheets and William Hawkes and Daniel Gathergood kept the door locked tight with some solid defensive displays. The midfield and strikers combined well – James Kent and Matthew Dye were industrious in the
engine room, which provided a solid platform for some spectacular goal scoring by Daniel Hiscock and in particular by Daniel Jordan.

Wolves Team: Christopher Donnelly, Jake Ellis, Dean Harry, Sam Heathcote, James Morgan, Jack Rusby, Oliver Viney

League Results:-

0-2
0-0
0-3
2-2

The Wolves faced some strong opposition in their league. The best endeavours of Oliver Viney and Dean Harry to find a breakthough were thwarted by the the opposing defences, although Sam Heathcote and Jake Ellis tried hard to drive the team forward from midfield. Jack Rusby was commanding in the tackle and ably supported by Christopher Donnelly and James Morgan at the
back. In the end their efforts were rewarded with a brace of goals in a fighting draw in the final game.

Thank you to all the Cubs and parents who supported this event.