I retired from Cubs on Thursday. It was a huge, huge relief that we were able to find new leaders to take the reins. The beginning of the term, when we had no-one, and it reached the point that we had to threaten the closure of the pack, was not pleasant at all. I put my heart into Scouting, and so the thought of the group that we’ve worked so hard to build being threatened with closure was too much to bear.
I wish I could lead Cubs as well as Scouts – I love it. Each section has it’s own appeal (and challenges). But even if I did have the mental and physical capacity to do it, it’s not good for the group. It needs new blood, new input. Am I going to miss Cubs? Definitely. I’m even going to miss the responsibility. But do I regret retiring? Definitely not. It needed to happen. At times, I’ve been on the verge of hating Scouting, when things have been at their most fraught. I’d rather be good at leading one section, good at helping out with others occasionally, than mediocre or worse at running two sections.
So, here’s to the next era of Leire & Dunton – still going strong, and getting stronger after 30 years.
Follow me
