Book launch brings former scouts together

By KIRSTY JOHNSTON - Taranaki Daily News
Last updated 05:00 10/08/2009

ROBERT CHARLES/Taranaki Daily News
BADGES GALORE: Some of the archive material on display at Saturday's scouting book launch was former members' badge-covered blankets and possibly the oldest Scout uniform in New Zealand, dated 1920. From left, Moira Butler, book editor Bruce Bellini and Kevin Whittaker.


One hundred years worth of fond memories of scouting in Taranaki were celebrated in New Plymouth on Saturday.

Former scouts, cubs and keas either dropped in for afternoon tea or stayed for dinner at the Plymouth Hotel to mark the launch of Scouting New Plymouth and North Taranaki: 100 years of Scouting Memories, edited by local man Bruce Bellini.

The book was five years in the making and meant to be finished last year in time for the scoutings' 100th anniversary but there was so much information it took six months extra to write it all up.

Organiser Moira Butler, a former scout leader, said 150 books had been pre-ordered and more had been sold during the afternoon.

The event was a chance for old scouts to get together with friends they met through the organisation and reminisce, as well as inspect material brought out from the archives, Mrs Butler said.

Bruce Bellini said he had been "quite nervous" before the book's release.

"But the feedback had been all positive so far and the turn out higher than expected so I'm very pleased," he said.