Telstar Scout Group Luxembourg comprises four Sections: Beaver Scouts, aged 6-8 years; Cub Scouts, aged 8-10½ years; Scouts, aged 10½-14 years; Explorer Scouts, aged 14-18 years. All sections are open to boys and girls. The Scout Association decided to open Venture Scouts to girls in 1976 and all other sections in 1991. Telstar opened its sections for girls in 1993.
The Venture Scout Unit got off to an uneasy start in 1980. The numbers went from two or three to eight and then it collapsed as some boys left to go to university or pursue other careers. In 1990 the Unit was re-opened after a lapse of two years. Under the guidance of Simon Bennett, the Venture Scout Leader, the Unit enjoyed a very successful, action-packed two years before Simon left Luxembourg and the members went off to university. After another two year lapse the Unit was restarted by Dónal Cannon and Clive Munn.
In 2002 Venture Scouts became Explorer Scouts and after another lapse, the Explorer Unit was restarted in 2005 by John Ford. The Unit joins in many adventurous activities with other Counties in Britain and with FNEL and several members have attended World Jamborees, either as participants or as part of the Service Team. Three members attended the Centenary Jamboree in the UK and in 2011 three Explorers attended the 21st World Jamboree in Sweden.
Scout Leaders (including David Heal, Ed Dell, Ken Collier, Douglas Eeles and Giles Edmondston-Low) have come and gone, mostly because work commitments have made it difficult for them to be available on a regular basis. Someone worthy of note is Alistair Collier who joined in 1975 at the age of 17 and helped until 1980, when he was old enough to apply for a Section Leader Warrant at the age of 21. He immediately took over and continued until he went to university in England.
The Cub Scout Pack was started in January 1975 by Gwen Bramwell and Pat Schoenhaus who ran it until 1977. The Pack was then taken over by Thelma Collier and Cynthia Dell, both experienced Leaders from England , and Esther O’Hannrachain. This team worked together for over eight years and was joined for one year by Denise Baker before she launched the Group’s Beaver Scout Colony in January 1986. Cynthia and Esther retired from the Pack in 1985 and were replaced by Beverley Atkinson and Elly Eeles. By 1988 the number of boys leaving the Beaver Colony to continue their training in the Cub Section was more than the Leaders could cope with. A second Pack was formed under the leadership of Pauline Saunders, who had been a Cub Scout Leader in Brussels before her move to Luxembourg a year earlier. The original Pack became Mercury Pack and the new Pack was called Apollo. In 1992 Pauline found it necessary to resign as her duties as Assistant District Commissioner (Cub Scouts) for Benelux were becoming more time consuming. Geoff Stevens, the Assistant Cub Scout Leader, stepped into her place. Thelma Collier retired from Mercury Pack in 1990 after 14 years as Akela., to be replaced by Beverley Atkinson. Then Beaver and Cub numbers dropped, so in 1991 Beverley closed Mercury Pack and took over the vacant post of Group Scout Leader.
1998 was not a great year for the Group; the Beaver, Cub and Scout Sections all suffered temporary closure due to lack of Leaders. All three are now up and running again and fortunately only the Scout Section lost any members as a result.
We have had many members of the Group Executive Committee over the years but would mention Steve Wright and Claus Suttie who held the post of Group Chairman for a number of years after their boys had left the Group. Other stalwart supporters include Ken James for his help with fundraising, the Vaudrey Family for making countless litres of Glühwein and the Hoogewerf Family, who loaned us their premises for Bonfire Night for many years. When it was no longer possible to use the Hoogewerf ‘s land, their next door neighbour, Mr. Leon Muller kindly agreed to let the event continue using one of his farm’s fields, and the event has been held there on an annual basis ever since.
