1st Adderbury Scout Troop, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK

1999 was the year the Troop celebrated its 20th birthday. Actually there were no celebrations as the date passed by, relatively unnoticed. This was probably because the Troop had so many members, and so much going on, there wasn't time to think!

The year started with everyone trying to get as many passes as possible in Outdoors 99 - a challenge to get outside. In September the Troop learned all about money in a brand new "Show Me The Money" theme.

1999 saw 1st Adderbury collecting the trophies at both the indoor and outdoor District Football Competition. One of the Troop's teams camp sixth (out of 60) at their first ever visit to the County Patrol Camping weekend. Plus, sheer determination saw the Troop's novice team in the 50km Cyril Gardner Hike win their section and come second overall.

It really was a year of highs, until the big blow was delivered by the Scout Association in October...

In October the younger Scouts set off for their Overnighter

ALSO IN 1999

The music:
Fatboy Slim - Praise You
The Divine Comedy - National Express
Phats & Small - Turn Around
New Radicals - You get What you Give
Spice Girls - Goodbye
Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All

Films:
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells
Notting Hill
The Mummy

TV:
Holby City
Sex In The City
The 11 O'Clock Show

See more from 1999 on the BBC website:

Tom Norton dressed up as Dame Edna Everage during January's Patrol Meeting Challenges

James Pope took to the water during September's Older Scouts' Jet Skiing

In April some of the older Scouts set off to meet Bicester Sub-Aqua Club for a spot of Sub-Aqua Diving

In January several of the patrols set off for Patrol Camps

With Matt Bartlett, Jeremy Lumbers and Joe Blakeman retiring at the end of the previous year, 1999 started with three new PLs joining James Pope (Tiger PL) and Ross McCrickerd (Kestrel PL). Oliver Davies took over in Swifts, Casper Shaw in Otters and James Sollis in Merlins.

In May James Pope was promoted to Senior Patrol Leader and Jon Evans became the Tigers PL. When James reached the Scout leaving age in October he became a young leader.

Scouts On Skis, June.

1999

	What do Scouts do on Shrove Tuesday?
	Our first attempt at the Cyril Gardner hike
	The PLs re-enact The Full Monty!
	Into the skies for the Older Scouts microlighting
	Scouts ... on Skiis - simple!
	Summer Camp 1999 by the side of Llangorse Lake in Wales
	Up hill and down dale in North Yorkshire on Older Scouts' Mountain Biking Camp

Pages from the Troop's website in 1999:

	The Indoor Football Competition trophy was on its way back to Adderbury in February
	Our first attempt at March's Cyril Gardner Hike was pretty successful
	Its off to France for the Older Scouts French Connection in May
	Its up hill and down dale for the older Scouts during May's Mountain Biking Camp
	More football trophies, for both the A and B team at July's Outdoor Football Competition
	A trip to camp next to Llangorse Lake in Wales for Summer Camp 1999
	The annual Patrol Leader's Narrowboating holiday took place in August
	£250 was raised at Festive Friday in December
	The results of December's Christmas Card Delivery Service

The Mothering Sunday Breakfast, March

In October two groups of Older Scouts set off to Snowdonia for the Mountain Expedition.

Pancake Pandemonium in February

Older Scouts Microlighting in July

In the autumn of 1999 the Scout Association issued a consultation on potential changes to the movement.

Amongst the suggested changes were different badgework schemes and a different uniform. But of greatest concern to 1st Adderbury was a potential lowering of the Scout leaving age to 14. Even worse was the way the survey had been worded offering no opportunity to request the leaving age be left at 16.

The Patrol Leaders knew they had to do something, and began a very high profile campaign utilising the internet, newspapers and local radio to raise awareness of the issue. It was a campaign that would continue into 2000...

The Oxford Mail, November 1999

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