Photos of Fife Cubs and Scouts having fun from the 1970s to present day

The Courier

09-06-2025

Were you in the Scout Movement in Fife?
These images from the DC Thomson archive show Cubs and Scouts having fun and doing good deeds including lending a hand during Bob-a-Job week.
The Scout Movement was formed in 1907 and has provided young people across the world with the opportunity to learn new skills and build lifelong friendships.
Many ex-members will recall their promise to do their best and help other people.
Others may have memories of camping under canvas in the great outdoors.
Some of these photos have been unseen for years.
You may find yourself or someone you know in our nostalgic gallery.
A group of Fife Cubs visiting the Lochty Private Railway by Anstruther.
For youngsters, many of whom had never been in any kind of train, this was indeed a memorable occasion in June 1976.
Scouts from the 12th Fife (East Neuk) were out seeking odd jobs from neighbours to boost funds in the national 'Bob a Job Week' in March 1978.
James Russell (left) and Lindsay Jack were car washing in Anstruther.
The 26th Fife (Viewfield) Cubs showing off the Mowgli Shield in May 1979.
The Mowgli Shield is Dunfermline District's Cub competition.
Robert Baden-Powell liked the stories in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling when he started the Scouting Movement and leaders took names from the characters.
Cubs of the 3rd (Fife) Dunfermline Cubs who won the Mowgli Shield in June 1981.
Dunfermline has been inspiring generations of Scouts since 1908.
The 12th East Neuk Cubs (Cellardyke) had a surprise party to celebrate the 70th birthday of the Cub Movement in March 1986.
They were marking decades of fun, friendship and life changing adventures.
Scouting was extended to a younger audience in 1916.
Scouts from the 40th Fife (Touch) group in Dunfermline in July 1986 were camping at the Grandtully campsite in Perthshire.
These Scouts were enjoying pancakes which were cooked on the campfire.
The 40th Fife Scouts were learning how to canoe during the camp.
Barry Parwell, Scott Liddell, Alex Bell, Catherine Lees (Assistant Scout Leader) and Michael Clifton were pictured sitting on the canoe in July 1986.
These Scouts from the 40th Fife were cooking up a storm during the camp.
Backwoods cooking is the art of cooking without using pots and pans.
Major General Michael Walsh visited the 40th Fife (Touch) group during the camp.
Walsh was appointed Chief Scout from 1982 to 1988.
He had been a member of a Scout troop and had gained the King's Scout Award.
Boys of the 115th Fife Scouts from Kirkcaldy were cooking on an open stove in July 1987 during a camping trip to Croftgarrow farm in Highland Perthshire.
They were pictured with leaders Bill Green, Tom Braid and Ken Gilbert.
Chief Scout George Purdie opened the new Cairneyhill Scout hall in 2001.
The 83rd Fife (Cairneyhill) Scout Group rolled out the red carpet.
The hall was built on land which was adjacent to Cairneyhill Primary School.
The most famous event in the calendar is the World Scout Jamboree.
Scouts from Auchtermuchty, Cupar, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy were pictured with their counterparts from Japan at the July 2002 event at Blair Atholl.
Beavers, Cubs and Scouts from Balmullo marked the Queen's golden jubilee.
They buried a time capsule in the garden at the village hall in July 2002 which included Scouting memorabilia over the past 50 years.
Scouts, Cubs and Beavers from the 66th Fife (Aberdour) group celebrated the 100th year of Scouting with a weekend camp at Fordell Firs in May 2007.
There were international celebrations to mark the centenary.
Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from Dunfermline District hosted counterparts from the Netherlands at Fordell Firs activity centre in October 2007.
They were celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jamboree on the Air.
Cubs from the 81st Fife (1st Broomhall) group were introduced to the raingutter regatta in March 2009 which is a traditional activity for the Boy Scouts of America.
The boat can only be propelled by blowing into the sail using a straw.
Circus Starr performed two shows of circus skills, magic and comedy at Ardler Complex, Dundee, to raise funds for CHAS in February 2010.
Our picture shows the performers with the 15th Fife (Freuchie) Cubs.
'You're going to need a bigger boat…'
Ewan Penman from 11th Fife (Burntisland) Cubs won a national competition to name Deep Sea World's latest shark in April 2011 and chose the name Scout.
He celebrated with his pals.
Scouts from Cupar raised £600 for a trip to Belgium in May 2011.
They were given donations in return for helping to pack bags in Tesco.
Queen Anne High School was the setting for Dunfermline District Cub Scouts launching a year of celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Cub Scouting.
Provost Jim Leishman was the honorary guest at the event in February 2016.
Explorer Scouts, leaders and volunteers from 8th Fife (St Andrews) spent 10 days in Kandersteg in Switzerland in August 2016.
They camped in the grounds of Kandersteg International Scout Centre.
Youngsters of the 4th Fife (Cardenden) Scout Group spent a busy summer in 2017 after a fundraising drive paid to insure their minibus.
The group received £1,375 from the Co-op as part of a rewards scheme.
Kirkcaldy MSP David Torrance alongside Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and fellow leaders from the 5th (Fife) Scout Group in September 2017.
Mr Torrance has been attached to the 5th since he was a Cub.
Youngsters from the Kirkcaldy Beavers and 11th Fife (Burntisland) Scout Group were among those taking part in a beach clean in November 2018.
The event was supported by the Marine Conservation Society.
Dunfermline's 44th Fife (St Leonards Church) Scout group and Kirkcaldy's 5th Scout group joined Fife's new recycling campaign in January 2019.
58th Fife (Glenrothes) South Parks Explorer Scouts planting a golden orchard in March 2024 to mark five decades of The Tree Council.
It is the final image in our Scouting gallery.