Phineas Harper’s article reminded me of how much the Woodcraft Folk influenced my life (Like Jeremy Corbyn and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, I grew up in Woodcraft Folk. Here’s how it changes children’s lives, 16 August). In the early 1950s my parents actively sought a socialist children’s organisation. We lived in Clapham and the nearest Woodcraft group met in a co-op hall in Balham. The group was called Sunrise Elfins and the leader was Ada, the wife of national organiser Henry Fair.
In 1952, aged six, I went on my first of many summer camps. The camp was at Westward Ho! and was hit by a hurricane that was reported on the Daily Mirror’s front page. In 1959 I went to Czechoslovakia in a 10-strong delegation. One of my lasting memories was visiting Lidice, a village razed to the ground in reprisal for the assassination of an SS official, Reinhard Heydrich.
As a leader, I ran groups and took them to camps abroad. On one occasion, there was no female leader available to help me take my Venturer group to a camp in Aarhus, Denmark. Esmé Goldberg, the campaigner against apartheid, was suggested to me. So I met the South African political prisoner Denis Goldberg’s wife and then Denis himself, after he was released. In 1984 I met my wife, Jenny Brooks, in the international camp in Loughborough. I also participated in CND’s Aldermaston marches with the folk.
One hundred years of first-class work with young people deserves national recognition. Come on, Royal Mail, how about a set of stamps? Come on, Royal Mint, how about a coin?
Andrew Moncrieff
Dronfield, Derbyshire
• I was delighted to read Phineas Harper’s article. As he says, the Woodcraft Folk was founded in south London – Woolwich, to be precise – with the earliest activities taking place in Peckham.
Most of the work on developing the organisation was the work of Joe Reeves, who was the education secretary for the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society – one of the largest retail co-ops; RACS covered most of south London and quite a bit of Kent and Surrey. It was also highly political, with a background of the earliest known co-ops in what was a heavily industrialised area.
Reeves’s job with the RACS was what we would describe today as a community worker. He went on to be elected as Labour MP for Greenwich in the 1945 intake. We have a lot to thank Joe for, both in his work with the RACS and then for his later work in parliament. I could go on about all of it for hours.
Mary Mills
London
• My wife and I loved reading the article on the Woodcraft Folk by Phineas Harper. Woodcraft Folk met at the local Methodist church in Birmingham, where I was the minister. Our three sons loved Woodcraft. Its leaders, Ted and Olive Palser and their daughter Kate, were the salt of the earth. We loved the anti-militaristic stance and it was way ahead of its time in terms of its commitment to caring for the environment.
Best of all were the annual camps. We all took our turn in preparing meals. Facilities were basic and the wide games challenging. A favourite memory of mine is bivouacking on a deserted beach on Anglesey with inner-city children fighting off creepy-crawlies. Although Woodcraft is not a religious organisation, the group meeting at the church was one of the most caring and supportive of our activities.
We have wonderful memories and commend it wholeheartedly to youngsters today.
Rev Clive R Fowle
Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Phineas Harper’s very interesting article on the Woodcraft Folk celebrates the organisation’s socialist ideals, while taking a couple of subtle swipes at the Scouts. But he fails to acknowledge an important point: Harold Wilson was a devoted scout.
Perhaps he saw a nice little definition of socialism in the scout motto: “A scout is a brother to his fellow scouts and a friend to all.” While he is not the most celebrated of prime ministers, it is worth remembering that his government created the Open University – a powerful tool for addressing inequality and lack of opportunity.
Anthony Claff
Hamburg, Germany
• Yes there is a militaristic tinge to the Scouts, as Phineas Harper hints in his grateful appreciation of the impact his membership of the Woodcraft Folk has had on him. However, in spite of certain cringe-making activities (saluting the flag, marching to bugles etc, when I joined in the late 1940s) my membership of the Scouts has had a similarly profound effect on me. The rhyme we learned to help us remember the (then) scout law (Trusty, loyal, helpful; brotherly courteous, kind; obedient, smiling, thrifty; clean in body and mind) is as useful a guide to good living as any I know (though now with reservations about unquestioning obedience). Along with the example of my first scoutmaster (as they were then called), Leo Moreland, this has been more useful to me than a lifetime’s church sermons.
Peter Wrigley
Birstall, West Yorkshire
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