The First North Tawton Scout Squirrels section, for children aged four to five, was officially invested as mid-Devon’s first squirrel drey last Thursday (May 26).

Seven squirrels were made official Scout members in the first squirrel drey in the mid-Devon region which also includes groups in Bow, Chulmleigh, Okehampton, Sandford, South Zeal, Tedburn and Cheriton.

North Tawton Scout leader, Phil Roberts, said: ‘It’s great that we are opening the first squirrel in mid Devon, with the next sections between Barnstable, Exeter and Plymouth and nothing in between. So it’s been a real pleasure to work with the squirrel leaders and to get to where we are today.’

North Tawton mum Toni Steward and 14-year-old Olivia Edworthy were confirmed as two of the squirrel drey leaders, in the small ceremony which saw the children receive their scout neckercheives and badges.

The event was also attended by the Mayor of Okehampton Bob Tolley, Mayor of Crediton Liz Brookes-Hocking and West Devon Borough Councillor Barry Ratcliffe.

Cllr Bob Tolley said: ‘I could see how much they were enjoying themselves and interacting with each other and the leaders. It can only be a positive thing, as children of this age have spent their few formative years to-date, in isolation. I look forward to the first Squirrel group being set up in Okehampton.’

Squirrels is a new scheme established by the UK’s Scouting Association in 2021 to trial scouting groups for four to five year old following on from the success of similar scouting groups in other parts of the world.