Great Wyrley Scout & Guide Centre
(Linford Lodge)
Built by the community. A legacy held by 1st Great Wyrley Scouts. Shared with pride.
The Great Wyrley Scout & Guide Centre — known as Linford Lodge — stands today as one of the village’s most recognisable community landmarks. Its story is one of generosity, determination, and a decade of hard work by volunteers, leaders, families, and local supporters.
History
š± A Gift of Land (1979)
The story of Linford Lodge begins with an extraordinary act of generosity. The land on which the Centre stands was donated by David Linford of the Linford Building Group, specifically for the benefit of the community.
As the historical account records:
“Built on a vacant plot of land donated by David Linford… for use of the community.”
Following a proposal by Mike Collins, Parish Councillor, and Patrick Cormack, MP, the site was formally offered to the Scouts and Guides. On 9 February 1979, a ceremony at Landywood Middle School marked the official acceptance of the land:
“Alan Kyte, Group Scout Leader and Pat Greaves, Guide Commissioner welcomed The Gift of Land.”
This moment laid the foundation for a decade of determination, fundraising, and community effort.
š§± A Decade of Fundraising and Grit (1979–1988)
Design
Architects Fisher Mountford produced two designs — and the volunteers chose the larger, more ambitious option, estimated at £45,000. From that point on, fundraising became a way of life.
Early Fundraising
- “Buy a Brick” cards sold for 25p
- Gymkhanas organised by Mavis & Bob Elwell
- Donations of materials from local businesses
- Annual pantomimes written by Roy Paxton
- Weekly “Bargain Market” jumble sales
- A longārunning newspaper collection that lasted until 1997
- As the document notes:
- “Fundraising would be the name of the game for the next decade.”
Building the Hall
The project was built in two phases:
-
Main Hall
-
Front Offices
Volunteers dug footings, sourced reclaimed materials, and worked alongside the Community Programme Team funded by the Manpower Services Commission. Grants, loans, and donations kept the project moving.
Some memorable contributions included:
- Fireāresistant doors from the demolition of Walsall Power Station
- Toilet fittings from IMI Kynock Works
- Steel window frames from a Scout Group in Islington
- A £10,000 grant from the Education Authority
- A £1,000 loan from the District Scout Executive
“Many people praised the building work… It didn’t always go smoothly.”
The Great Sewer Hunt
One of the most dramatic moments came when volunteers had to locate the original sewer connection from cottages once on the site. After days of digging, it was finally found — and miraculously still usable:
“Fortunately for us the connection was in good condition.”
Heating, Fitting Out & Final Push
The group secured funding from Children in Need for the heating system, and later held a fundraising night to repay the grant. Volunteers installed stairs, electrics, plumbing, flooring, and plastering — often using donated or reclaimed materials.
š Opening Day – 24 September 1988
After ten years of relentless effort, Linford Lodge was officially opened on 24 September 1988.
“Ten years had elapsed before this dream became a reality… it can go confidently into the new millennium knowing it serves the community in which it stands.”
š 1988 - 2020
Yep we need help with this bit as we need more details filling in!
(2020–Present)
2020 — A Year of Sudden Change
The year began normally, with weekly Scouting and Guiding meetings, community bookings, and a steady rhythm of activity. Everything changed in March 2020 when the COVIDā19 pandemic forced the Centre to close its doors.
Key impacts:
- Suspension of all faceātoāface Scouting, Guiding, and community use
- Emergency focus on safety, hygiene, and compliance with national restrictions
- Volunteers worked behind the scenes to maintain the building and protect assets
- A long period of uncertainty for young people, leaders, and hirers
- The Centre entered a period of dormancy, but not decline — the foundations were protected for the future.
2021 — Gradual Reopening and Careful Recovery
As restrictions eased, the Centre began a cautious and phased reopening.
This year saw:
- Limited, riskāassessed returns for Scouting and Guiding
- Enhanced cleaning, ventilation, and safeguarding measures
- Reduced community bookings due to ongoing uncertainty
- A focus on keeping the building safe, compliant, and ready for full use
- 2021 was a year of patience and resilience, with volunteers working quietly to keep the Centre viable.
2022 — Rebuilding Momentum
By 2022, the Centre was able to welcome more groups back and rebuild its programme of activity.
Key developments:
- Return of regular weekly meetings for young people
- Reāestablishment of community hires and fundraising events
- Early conversations about modernising governance and documentation
- Renewed attention to maintenance, insurance, and operational clarity
- The Centre began to feel alive again, though the effects of the pandemic were still visible.
2023 — Renewal, Stability, and Forward Planning
2023 marked a turning point. With activity restored, trustees and volunteers focused on strengthening the Centre’s longāterm foundations.
Highlights:
- Full return of Scouting and Guiding sections
- Rebuilding relationships with hirers and community partners
- Initial steps toward modernising policies, hire processes, and governance
- Recognition that the Centre’s history needed to be preserved and shared
- This year laid the groundwork for the transformation that followed.
Heritage
ā Our Heritage – Honouring the Volunteers Who Built Linford Lodge
Roll of Honour
š§ FOUNDERS & VISIONARIES
The people whose decisions and leadership made Linford Lodge possible.
ā Eric Pritchard — Visionary leader, GSL, Chairman, Lifetime President,Led the HQ project, inspired the workforce, chaired the Group, and became the heart of the Centre. The building was later named The Eric Pritchard Centre in his honour.
ā David Linford — Land donor, Donated the land on the A34, enabling the creation of the Scout & Guide Centre.
ā Mike Collins — Parish Councillor, Initiated the conversation that led to the land donation.
ā Patrick Cormack, MP — Supporter of the land gift, Helped secure the land for the Scouts and Guides.
ā Alan Kyte — Group Scout Leader, Accepted the land gift on behalf of the Scouts in 1979.
š FUNDRAISERS & COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
The people who raised the money that built the Centre.
ā Roy Paxton — Writer/producer of 13 pantomimes
His pantomimes became legendary and raised significant funds.
ā Jean Tavenor — Creator of the cardboard brick fundraiser
Her idea became one of the most successful early fundraisers.
ā Pat Bird — Pantomime costume maker & Guide Commissioner
Created costumes for the longārunning pantomimes.
Other major fundraisers:
- Gary Smith — designed the “Buy a Brick” cards
- Wally Payne — gymkhana support
- Irene Bickley — ran the weekly Bargain Market
- Franks Family — hosted a major fundraising garden party
š§± The Builders & Makers
The hands that physically built Linford Lodge.
The construction of Linford Lodge was a community effort in the truest sense. Among those who gave countless hours were:
ā Alan Kelsey — Builder, leader, GSL, fundraiser, Dug footings, built the Centre, led troops, and became a central figure in the Group’s growth.
ā Bob Elwell — Builder & fundraiser, Key member of the Sunday workforce; helped construct the Centre.
ā Mavis Elwell — Builder, Akela, fundraiser, Organised events, led packs, and contributed heavily to the building project.
Other builders and workforce members:
- Eino Luppe — ground levelling & debris burial
- Jim Ponder — JCB operator; footings & sewer search
- Tony Caddick — plumbing
- Bill Wells — electrics
- John Srait — stair modification & fitting
- Roger Bickley — waste removal
- David Guthrie — Sunday workforce volunteer
Their work is captured in the understated line: “Many people praised the building work… It didn’t always go smoothly.”
š§” LEADERS WHO SHAPED GENERATIONS
Scouting
The people who led packs, troops, and units — and shaped young lives.
ā Pauline Kelsey — Akela, ADC Cubs, award recipient, Led multiple packs, became Assistant District Commissioner, and earned the Medal of Merit.
ā Janet Jones — Longāserving Akela, Led Maclean Pack and helped shape Cub Scouting in the 1970s.
ā Cath & Dave Caddick — Scout Leaders & international camp organisers,Led adventurous camps in Holland and France.
ā Mary Owen — Akela & Group Scout Leader, Longāterm leader who guided the Group through later decades.
ā Malcolm Proctor — Group Scout Leader, Led the Group during its expansion.
ā John Richards — Leader & Group Scout Leader, Served in multiple leadership roles across decades.
Other leaders and helpers:
Sid & Marilyn Abbotts, Gordon & Margaret Collier, Doreen Townsend, Les Swaffield, Bill Lewis, Ken Bullock, Carole Shotton, Val Parsons, Gladys Merrett, Angela Gee, Peter Dibble, Sid Hemmings, Bridgette Thomas, Wendy Flanagan, Mandy Taylor, Gary & Stephanie Tapper, Marjorie Seal, Pat Keasey, Tricia Walters, Annette Bullock, Pam Wootton, Stuart Wootton
Guiding
The women who built a strong Guiding community alongside the Scouts.
ā Pat Greaves — Guide Commissioner; accepted the land gift
ā Margaret Golding — District Commissioner
ā Angela Tranter — Guide Commissioner
ā Chris Wells — District Commissioner; Venture/Ranger leader
Other Guiding leaders:
Beryl Holmes, Sue Middlebrook, Mary Bird, Sara Wells, Karen Hooman, Lucy Haytree, Sandra Curle, Kath Brough, Carol Morris, Pauline Wood, Norma Rowley
ā A Living Legacy
Today, 1st Great Wyrley Scouts proudly own and act as custodians of Linford Lodge, maintaining the building, grounds, and facilities for future generations.
We are equally proud to share the Centre with: 2nd Great Wyrley Scouts, Girlguiding Great Wyrley (Rainbows, Brownies, Guides)
Linford Lodge continues to serve hundreds of young people each week — just as its founders intended. Their legacy lives on in every meeting, badge, camp, and celebration.
Group Leadership
Group Lead Volunteer Mark Brough
Deputy Group Lead Volunteer Charlie Titley
Group Chair Andy Evans
Group Treasurer Debbie Howard
Section Teams
Beaver Scouts (6–8 years)
Beaver Section Lead (BSL) Jenson WiseāHughes
Cub Scouts (8–10½ years)
Cub Section Lead (CSL) Charlie Titley
Cub Section Assistants / Occasional Helpers To be added
Scouts (10½–14 years)
Scout Section Lead (SSL) Louise Fletcher
Trustees
Mark Brough, Charlie Titley, Debbie Howard, Andy Evans, Laura McGowan, Sarah Wiggin, Lee Murphy
ā Stories From Our Past
The memories, mishaps, triumphs and treasured moments that shaped Scouting in Great Wyrley.
Scouting in Great Wyrley has always been about more than badges and meetings. It’s a story of people — leaders, parents, young people, and volunteers — who created unforgettable moments, overcame challenges with humour and grit, and built a legacy that still shapes our Group today.
These are some of the stories that make our history uniquely ours.
š³ The Day the Hounds Arrived
During a Cub camp at Beaudesert in 1976, leaders were helping the boys make plaster casts of animal tracks. When the casts were left to dry, Alan Kelsey returned later to collect them — only to find himself surrounded by hunting hounds from the local Hunt.
The document recalls:
“He found himself amongst very large Hounds… and had to climb up a tree to escape them.”
He returned with the casts — and a story that has been retold for decades.
š The Panto Dame With a Fan Club
For 13 years, Scouts and Guides performed annual pantomimes to raise funds for the new HQ. Written by Roy Paxton, these shows became legendary in the village.
One star stood out:
“Panto Dame (aka Alan Kelsey) had his own fan club.”
The pantomimes weren’t just fundraisers — they were community events that brought joy, laughter, and muchāneeded money to the building fund.
š° The Sunday Morning Workforce
Every Sunday morning, year after year, volunteers turned up to clear land, dig trenches, sort newspapers, and build the Centre piece by piece.
The document describes it beautifully:
“Voluntary workers met every Sunday morning… A band of volunteers, adults and boys… turned up every week.”
This wasn’t a construction project — it was a community movement.
šļø Camping in the Rain — and Drying Sleeping Bags in a 14ft Tent
At one Beaudesert camp, a thunderstorm flooded the tents. Leaders checked the boys were safe, then improvised a drying system:
“A Washing Line was put up in the 14ft tent to dry the sleeping bags… No going home unless an emergency.”
Resourcefulness at its finest.
š§ļø The Flooded Car & the PieāandāChips Rescue
At Phaesels Wood, a storm rolled in just as the leaders were fetching a wellāearned pieāandāchips supper for the Scouts. Skip (Alan Kelsey) drove down the hill to collect the food — and straight into a flash flood.
“A flash flood engulfed the car… he ran up the hill to the camp with bags full of food.”
Soaked to the skin, but triumphant, he delivered dinner. The Scouts never went hungry
š§± “Have Faith!” — The Moment the Dream Became Real
When some leaders wondered whether building a brandānew HQ was too ambitious, Eric Pritchard had a simple reply:
“Have Faith!”
That phrase became the unofficial motto of the project — and the spirit that carried volunteers through ten years of fundraising, digging, building, and dreaming.
š§± Cardboard Bricks & Community Ingenuity
One of the most charming fundraisers came from Jean Tavenor, who suggested selling cardboard “bricks” to supporters.
“Cardboard Bricks were sold to supporters… and this project was very successful.”
It was simple, creative, and effective — and it helped bring Linford Lodge closer to reality
š Adventures Abroad — Holland & France
Great Wyrley Scouts didn’t just camp locally — they travelled across Europe.
In France, the troop:
- Cooked freshly caught fish
- Visited the Roman amphitheatre in Nîmes
- Walked across the Pont du Gard
- Canoed whiteāwater rapids in the Ardenne canyon
“Adventurous boys and leaders canoed down the Ardenne River… a very exciting experience for them all.”
These trips created lifelong memories and friendships.
ā History & Heritage Disclaimer
We have created this History, Stories, and Roll of Honour section using the information available in local archives, published histories, and the memories preserved in documents shared with the Group. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, respect, and fairness.
However, Scouting in Great Wyrley spans many decades, and we know that memories, records, and stories can sometimes be incomplete. If you spot anything that needs correcting, updating, or clarifying, we warmly welcome your input.
We also know that many more people have played a part in shaping our Group and our Centre. If you have additional stories, photographs, memories, historical details or names we’ve missed, we would love to include them so that our shared history continues to grow.
If you would like to contribute or correct anything please contact us and we will update or remove information immediately if needed.
This history belongs to the whole community — thank you for helping us keep it alive.
If you are named here and would prefer your details not to appear, please contact us — we will update or remove information immediately in line with our dataāprotection responsibilities.
Author
Mark Brough
Sources
Great Wyrley Millennium Souvenir Book: (Ray Franks, Janet Johnson, Kath Perry, Eric Pritchard, David Williams & Others)
Great Wyrley Reflections Over the Years: (Great Wyrley History Society)
Both Provided relevant inserts are provided with thanks to Soeli Thomas from the Great Wyrley History Society