SCOUTS are appealing for memories and paraphernalia of days gone by as they prepare for a big anniversary.

2014 will be the 90th year of scouting in the Upper Dearne Valley and Clayton West Scout Group is hoping to uncover stories and archive material to put together a display.

The group is planning a nostalgia-filled celebration and plans to hark back to the 1920s with a recreation of a scout camp at the start of the movement.

Scouting and guiding over the past 90 years will be marked by a procession through the villages of the Dearne Valley.

Group scout leader, Ewan Scott, said: “We would welcome past members and leaders from any of the groups to get in touch and to pass on any details they have about their scouting days.

“Any photographs or mementoes would be carefully registered and returned to their owner.

“We are also interested in old uniforms, hats, belts, patrol flags or other local scouting memorabilia.”

Anyone with any information or contacts is welcome to contact Ewan Scott, the Group Scout Leader at Clayton West via ewanscott@btinternet.com.

The Scouts was founded by Robert Baden-Powell (1857-1941) who was inspired by the potential of youngsters when he was under siege as a soldier in the Boer War.

Already thinking of developing a training programme for young people in Britain, he was encouraged by friends to rewrite his handbook for soldiers (Aids to Scouting) for this younger audience.

In 1907 Baden-Powell held a camp on Brownsea Island in Poole, Dorset, to try out his ideas and brought together 20 boys from a variety of backgrounds. The success of the camp spurred him on to finish what would become a classic book of the 20th century, Scouting For Boys.

The book became the handbook of a new movement, which secured the royal seal of approval the following year when King Edward VII agreed to the introduction of the King’s Scout Award.

In 2007, the movement celebrated its centenary and the 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in the UK.

Scouting hit the headlines in 2009 when TV adventurer Bear Grylls was announced as the new Chief Scout.