HUNDREDS of Scouts young and old proudly marched through Chipping Sodbury on Saturday to mark 100 years of the town’s association with the movement.

The 1st Chipping Sodbury Scout group was founded at a meeting on May 9, 1914 and has grown from its initial 11 members to nowadays over 200 girls and boys who meet in different age sections, Scouts, Beavers, Cubs and Explorer Scouts.

There were representatives from each unit in the centenary procession, which marched from Rounceval Street through the High Street to St John’s Way, with many dressed in uniforms from different eras over the past 100 years.

Crowds lined the street to watch as children dressed in Scout outfits from 1914, the 1950s and 1980s made their way to a special ceremony at the group’s headquarters at The Ridings.

Cub Scout leader and a member of the centenary committee David Mullins said: “It was spectacular.

“We were blessed with the weather and we had a good crowd watching us. Everything went according to plan and it was really nice.”

A commemorative plaque was unveiled at the group’s Scout hut by Tim Fox, son of long-serving leader Skipper Fox, and all ex-leaders were presented with special centenary neckties. Every current member also renewed their promise during the celebrations and a wooden plaque of long service was presented to Group Scout leader Nick Cook, who has been involved with the unit for 40 years.

The formalities were followed by a Scout camp at nearby Kingrove Farm which saw 140 children enjoy activities ranging from abseiling and archery to a greasy pole challenge and canoeing.

“”Everybody really enjoyed themselves,” added Mr Mullins. “We are all very tired but it was well worth all the effort.

“It was a fitting way to mark our centenary and we all had a wonderful weekend.”

The group’s logbook cataloguing the last 100 years of Scouting in Chipping Sodbury will be published later in the year.