“When Captain Scott’s Antarctic Expedition ship, the Terra Nova, sailed into her home port of Cardiff on 14 June 1913, she had not only the White Ensign flying at the stern, the Welsh flag on the mainmast and the Cardiff City coat of arms on the foremast, but another, much smaller flag fluttering at the bow. Bearing the colour of the 4th Cardiff Scout Troop, this little green flag had accompanied the expedition to the Antarctic and back.

“The 4th Cardiff scouts formed a guard of honour on the quayside at the Roath Dock when the Terra Nova sailed back into Cardiff on Saturday 14 June 1913.”

The scout flag that went South with Scott

“1st Castell Coch Scout Group is a volunteer-led charitable organisation, run entirely by the parents of its young members. We have been proudly supporting the young people of Tongwynlais and surrounding area for 75 years, and we’re still going from strength to strength.

“After all these years, we’re sad to say that we still don’t have a permanent home with storage for all our equipment, and unfortunately we’ve now exhausted all accommodation options in the village – through no fault of our own, we hasten to add! 😊 Our most recent home, Bethesda URC chapel, was the perfect fit for us, and with it now on the market, we’d love to buy it as our forever home – and not just for the Scouts in Ton but for the whole community.

“As Scouts, we’re all about serving the local community, so we’re seeking YOUR views as to its possible future uses, if we are successful. We want it to be a resource for everyone in the village. Have your say here! It won’t take long!”

1st Castell Coch