The District and its Groups

Basingstoke East Scout District was formed in May 1979 at a time when Scouting in Basingstoke was at its highest with membership across the borough of Basingstoke and Deane numbering well over 2000 young people and some 25-30 Groups in all. Parts of the Borough to the north and west of the town, including Tadley, Baughurst, Headley, Pamber Heath and Kingsclere had already been removed to form Silchester District in 1966. Hampshire County Scout Council nevertheless still considered the remaining areas of the Borough too large for one person to handle and, despite grumbles (some of which continue to this day), Basingstoke East, and Basingstoke West Districts began!

Basingstoke East District is defined as 'covering the civil parishes of Ellisfield, Herriard, Weston Corbett, Weston Patrick, Upton Grey, Tunworth, Winslade, Cliddesden, Mapledurwell, and Up Nately together with that part of Basingstoke Town Centre which lies to the east of the western ring road'.

At its initial registration in January 1980, the District comprised of 12 Scout Groups:-

31751 1^st Basingstoke (Trinity Methodist)

37764 2^nd Basingstoke - became 39985 2^nd Basingstoke (North) in 1983

39407 3^rd Basingstoke (St. Thomas' School for the Deaf). Amalgamated with Oakridge in 1984

38822 5^th Basingstoke (Roman Catholic). Closed January 2001

36467 7^th Basingstoke (St. Mary's Eastrop). Subsequently renamed 7^th Basingstoke (All Saints) closed 2002

25295 8^th Basingstoke (United Reformed Church).

34821 11^th Basingstoke (St. Michaels). Original registration number 15576 c 1926

03413 Old Basing. Registered nationally as 9953 18^th Basingstoke (Old Basing) 1922, renamed Old Basing in 1967

42013 Black Dam. Categorised as a Sea Scout Group in 1989 and retitled Basingstoke Sea Scouts (Eastrop Park) in 2006

42100 St Gabriels (Popley). Amalgamated with 2^nd Basingstoke and re-registered as 44826 1^st Popley (Everest) in 1986. 'Everest' dropped from title 2009

42737 Oakridge. Closed 2001

42755 Basingstoke Air Scouts

The increase in residential areas on the fringes of the town and the destruction of large areas in the original town centre as part of the London overspill agreement of the 1970s, together with the resultant changes to demographic trends and living patterns, led to the amalgamation/closure of several Groups in the 1980s. A new Group, 1^st Chineham Group was registered in October 1981. The 3^rd Basingstoke (St. Thomas' School for the Deaf) Cub Pack merged with Oakridge Group in 1984 whilst 2^nd Basingstoke(North) and St. Gabriel's Groups amalgamated to form 1^stPopley (Everest) Group in 1986.

Today the District comprises of eight Scout Groups and two Explorer Scout Units. Most Groups/Units are based in or near the town centre with the remainder in Old Basing, Chineham and Popley.

District Commissioners

1979 - 1987 Robert (Bob) W.Lock

1987 - 1994 David Owen

1995 - 1999 Michael (Mike) J. Gibbons

1999 - 2000 Michael (Mike) F. Downie

2000 - 2006 Robert (Bob) W. Lock

2006 - (current) Andy V. Cullen

District Chairman

1979 - 1980 The late Roger Morris, past Mayor of Basingstoke and serving Councillor for many years.

1980 - 1987 Geoffrey Newsome

1987 - 1990 David F. Bullock

1990 - 1994 David W. Wickens

1994 - 1998 Beryl H. Mullender

2000 - 2005 The late Graham A. Viner 'Vin'

2005 - 2011 David W. Wickens

2011 - (current) Paul Bell

District Badge

The first District badge embroidered in brown on a sky blue background and depicting a canal barge was designed by Tim Wright from the Basingstoke Air Scout Group. The canal boat is a reminder of the Basingstoke Canal which lies buried beneath the new town shopping precincts. The remains of the canal can be seen running through Eastrop Park and its channel still visible in parts of the village of Old Basing and across Basingstoke Common. The badge was re-designed, by Nick Woodcock of Basingstoke Sea Scouts in 1999, to become a dual badge with the Hampshire County badge and features a more colorful canal barge.