This year marks the 52^nd year Dave Batten, 62, has been part of the Second Norbiton Scouts, making him the longest-serving club member, beating his own Scout leader who passed away "ten or 15 years ago".

Batten, who lives in Chessington, first joined the Second Norbiton Scouts when he was ten.

Batten has been in Scouts since he was ten (Credit: Dave Batten)

Dressed in shorts, despite it being a cold November afternoon, he told Kingston Nub that he has always "loved the outdoors" and would go into the local park and woods to explore steam trains.

Batten has always 'loved the outdoors' (Credit: Dave Batten)

He also started a club with his neighbour in which they would pay subs, build crossbows, and buy chemistry sets.

So, despite being an avid ballroom dancer, he went along to Scouts after a friend invited him.

"I just knew it was for me," he said.

"To my parents' dismay, I absolutely loved it and so decided to join permanently and give up ballroom dancing as they were both on the same day."

As he was ten, Batten skipped the first stage of Scouts being Cubs, which is for eight to ten-year-olds.

However, he fit in straight away.

Since joining the Second Norbiton club, Batten has never missed a Scouts summer camp, apart from during Covid when the camps were cancelled, but "that doesn't count," he said.

As an adult, during his time in the Second Norbiton, Batten has been Assistant Scout Leader, Scout Leader, Group Scout Leader, and the District Commissioner for the whole district's scouts, which he was for two years before returning to being Scout Leader for the Second Norbiton.

As well as being part of the Scouts, Batten has also been a District Trainee Advisor, a member of the Peak ASU, which enables him to take Scouts mountaineering, helped with D of E, been the Decan of his local church for ten years, and a school Governor for ten years, as well as being a Chair of Governors for five years.

However, he stopped this because his job moved to Crawley, so he couldn't make the meetings required for the Chair role.

Moreover, Batten has been the Chair of the Kingston Conference for Voluntary Youth Organisations for four years and had attendance at the National Youth Conference for two years.

Speaking about being a Scout, Batten said: "There are two things I love about Scouts, the first being that it teaches things you couldn't otherwise do.

"For example, we have a band, an archery club, a sailing club, and more.

"We do all these activities at the summer camps."

He explained that one Scout from his club joined the rifle club at Scouts and now shoots for England and has been in the Olympics.

The second thing, he said, "is watching the Scouts change over time".

"I love watching them grow from small fish in big ponds to big fish in small ponds."

He told Kingston Nub that he had previously led a Scout at Second Norbiton from Cambridge Road Estate who told him that they would have probably joined a gang if they hadn't joined Scouts.

The scout is now a policeman.

Batten's favourite thing to do with the Scouts is mountaineering.

When I met him on Wednesday, 26 November, he had not long returned from a mountaineering trip with adult Scouts in Wales where, as a member of the Peaks ASU, he was able to teach the others about surviving the mountains in the winter.

Batten's favourite thing to do with the Scouts is mountaineering (Credit: Dave Batten)

Batten first got into mountaineering when he was ten or eleven and climbed Mt. Kinder Scout in Derbyshire.

He explained that he has seen many changes in Scouts during his years as a member.

For example, girls, who could only previously join Guides, can now become a Scout.

He said: "I was hesitant at first, but I took a group of girl Scouts to a Summer camp and many of them were even better than the boys."

There is also a new section called Squirrels, which allows younger children to join Scouts.

He has also noticed that Scouts now use media and technology more than they used to.

So, when I asked him if he would ever step down as Scout Leader, he said he would.

"I'm 62, I will definitely need to step down one day and with the growth in media, we need someone younger who understands it better as well as being good at communication."

The Second Norbiton Scouts, which dates back to 1929 and will be celebrating its 100^th anniversary in five years, is looking for volunteers.

It is looking for an Assistant Beaver Leader.

There is no age preference for this role, the only requirement is that whoever gets it can make the annual sleepover once a year

It is also looking for two Troop Leaders who need to be available weekly for weekend camps and once a year for the summer camps.

For his service in the Scouts, Batten has won all the Service Awards which awards scouts for five, 20, 25, 40, and 50 years of service, and a few Mertonian Awards which are awarded to Scout Leaders.

Deborah Speed is the Secretary of the Second Norbiton committee and has four children who have been at Second Norbiton.

Speaking about Batten, she said: "There is hardly a time in living memory when Dave was not part of Second Norbiton, and I can't imagine it without him. 

"He's been Group Scout Leader, Scout Troop Leader, one of the Explorer Leaders, helped at Cubs and Beavers when called upon, ran camps, building campfires, and most importantly led the campfire songs, as well as running Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, climbs and wild camps - which are just a few of his numerous roles.

"He really does encompass the spirit of the Scouts. 

"And that doesn't take into account the hours and hours of behind-the-scenes admin and planning that goes into every single aspect of what Dave does. 

"He really is one of a kind, and the hundreds and hundreds of children who have benefitted from his leadership, creativity, sense of fun and selflessness are extremely lucky to have had someone so devoted to Second Norbiton involved." 

Paul Corney, Treasurer of the Second Norbiton group and parent of a scout there said: "Dave is a stalwart of the Seconnd Norbiton scout group.

"The amazing activities the kids are able to do are a testament to his energy and the commitment he has as the scout leader.

"His campfire entertainment is legendary and always one of the highlights of any camp."