Founding & The Venture Scout Era – 1968 – 2002
Cestrian Venture Scout Unit was founded in 1968; its Venture Scout Leader was Alan Hull. Their first official headquarters was Customs House, Old Coach Road, Runcorn.
Old Coach Road
Thomas Street
Cestrian moved to Thomas Street, Runcorn.
The Clogwyn Centre
Cestrian Venture Scout Unit and its leaders visited North Wales on many an occasion. Alan Hull’s love of the area lead to a desire to have a permanent Cestrian meeting place in North Wales. Alas, in the early 1990’s plans were put in place to ensure this dream would become a reality. An agreement was signed between Cestrian and Penrhyn Estates for an old dock building at Port Penrhyn, Bangor to be converted into a Scout Centre. The Clogwyn Centre was born. Cestrian Venture Scout Unit spent weekend after weekend down in Bangor, working away to make their dream a reality, they had literally a shell of a building to work with, but this was more than enough. After months and months of hard work The Clogwyn Centre, with 36 new beds, an indoor climbing wall, meeting rooms, games rooms and a water sports launch site, was finished. A building that was built by the Venture Scouts, and which continues to be a source of great pride for Cestrian.
The Explorer Scout Era – 2002 – present
In the early 2000’s, Cestrian Venture Scout Unit became Cestrian Explorer Scout Unit.
In the mid-2000’s, Cestrian’s headquarters at Thomas Street was targeted in an arson attack, which left Cestrian without a headquarters. Cestrian would go on to meet at 4th Runcorn Scout HQ temporarily whilst the leaders decided how to move forward. By 2007, an agreement was put in place between Cestrian Explorer Scout Unit, and 4th Runcorn Scout Group to keep Cestrian meeting at the Heath Park for the foreseeable future. At the time of this arrangement, Alan Hull had become terminally ill. Sadly, Alan passed away the same year, and Cestrian and North West Cheshire district lost one of its brightest sparks and a dear friend. Alan was an inspirational individual and without his determination Cestrian would not have The Clogwyn Centre. A photo of Alan hangs on the wall in the Main Building of Clogwyn, to remind and tell users of how the building came to be.
Cestrian continue to meet at 4th Runcorn’s HQ and they continue to visit Clogwyn, with Cestrian still having a large input in the upkeep of the Building, with Mike Walker serving as Centre Manager, and Pat Moran assisting.
Key People
Alan Hull
Mike Walker
Pat Moran
Mark Haslam