Scouts' forest chapel torn down after 70 years because it might offend
non-Christians*

By DAN NEWLING

For almost 70 years, Scouts and Guides have savoured their place of
peaceful worship under the trees.

But no longer. The woodland chapel has been demolished - its wooden pews
and rudimentary cross and altar removed. In its place is a campfire circle.

The change has been imposed by the Scout Association, which believes the
chapel excludes non-Christian Scouts.

Woodland worship: Children sit on pews made from old telegraph poles
during a ceremony at the open-air chapel

Locals are dismayed, but the association says it is simply "moving forward".

The basic open-air structure in woodland surrounding Belchamps Scout
Centre in Hockley, Essex, was built between the wars by volunteers.

They used old telegraph poles for pews and built a basic altar and
cross. Visiting groups of Brownies, Guides,

Cubs and Scouts, have used it for generations.

Weddings have been blessed there, ashes scattered and memorial trees
planted.

But in April, as the Scouting movement celebrated its centenary, it was
torn down.

Former Scout leaders are outraged. Keith Rooks-Cowell, 66, led Sunday
services in the outdoor chapel for more than 30 years.

The retired civil servant said: "Part of the Scout promise is to do our
duty to God. It's an important tradition.

"Scouting has got no objection to any religion or faith - you should
have faith, but it's not important which one.

"Anyone from any faith or any religion could go and use the chapel, it's
never been a problem. The chapel was already inclusive.

"It has been wrecked. All the posts and everything had been demolished
and laid flat. I was amazed and felt disgusted that this had been done."

Wendy Wilson, a bank worker and Scout leader from South-end, held
religious services in the chapel for seven years. Her son Joshua, now
nine, was baptised there.

She said: "It's a really special place. We all make a promise to do our
duty to God, whatever God that may be.

"The chapel has never been an issue. If people didn't want to attend
services, it didn't matter and they could choose to have their own
ceremonies there. Nobody was made to feel excluded."

However, centre manager Nigel Ruse, 42, said: "The updating of the
chapel was done to turn it into a place of worship for all faiths and
not to exclude any one from Scouting.

"This is a case of taking Scouting-forward."

He said religious ceremonies could be held at the campfire circle.

But Mr Rooks-Cowell said: "A campfire is a place for sitting round
singing, telling jokes and stories. The chapel was used as a quiet place
for any leaders to go and sit and think. The two don't sit comfortably
together.

"The campfire is not the right place for worship. All religions involves
meditation and relaxation."

Last year, it was revealed that the Scout Association banned helpers
from putting suncream on children unless they already had sunburn. This
was to done to prevent allegations of child abuse.