There has been a Scout campsite at Two Mile Bottom for over 20 years, which has been run very successfully by, originally,  Breckland District Scouts and latterly by South West Norfolk Scouts, and is been very active all year round for many local, county, national and foreign youth organisations. The site comes under the umbrella of the South West Norfolk Scouts District and is on land leased from Breckland District Council.

MISS GEORGINA ELEANOR BIDWELL

Georgina Eleanor Bidwell was the unmarried daughter of Mrs Lucy Emma Bidwell, Mayor of Thetford from 1928 to 1930; as she was a widow at the time, Georgina acted as her Mayoress. Georgina Bidwell died in February 1944. It is believed that Georgina Bidwell was Headmistress at the Thetford Girls Grammar School and it was there that the first Thetford Guide Company was opened in 1917.

When Georgina Bidwell died she bequeathed the use of the Old Maltings in Old Market Street, Thetford to St Cuthbert’s Church, the Mothers’ Union and the Guides. A Trust was set up and for many years the Guides had free use of the Old Maltings for meetings, storage and as a focal point for Thetford Guiding. In the late 1980's, when the Trustees felt the charity was no longer viable, the building was sold and the Thetford Guides benefited by a share of the legacy.

It had always been the wish of Thetford Guides that they should have a building to be used as a base, both for storage and for meetings. When this project was first discussed with the Scouts, the Guides felt it was an ideal use for this legacy, and it would be appropriate to name the building after Georgina Bidwell.

THE BIDWELL CENTRE

The idea of the Bidwell Centre was first discussed with the Commissioners of Thetford District Guides and Breckland District Scouts in 1993. Various ideas were put forward until the final plans were drawn up. Malcolm Sandells, then the Chairman of Breckland District Scouts, was a great inspiration for the furtherance of the idea and was responsible for all the initial groundwork of the scheme in obtaining plans, planning permissions, and seeking out the right people who could undertake the building of this project. He was able to oversee the whole of the building project from start to completion. A Steering Committee was set up in November 1993 with representatives from Thetford District Guides and Breckland District Scouts. The Bidwell legacy was used for the initial work and the foundations were begun in 25th February 1996 with Councillor Colin Armes cutting the first turf. An application was made to the National Lottery to continue the work and a grant of £84,240 was awarded. Various other fund-raising exercises were entered into and appeal letters went far and wide, some resulting in unexpected success. One of our first notable successes was a donation of £500 from Bernard Matthews.

Thanks to a lot of voluntary work, and with a very tight budget, the Centre was opened on the 8th March 1997, with the final building costs coming in the region of £150,000 and now being worth in excess of £250,000. As it was felt the whole idea of the Centre was with the young people in mind, it was decided that the opening should be performed by the children who would benefit. A competition was staged in the two Districts to find a Rainbow, Beaver, Brownie, Cub, Guide, Scout, Ranger and Venture Scout to perform the opening ceremony. Finally the Steering Committee was closed and the Centre is now run by a Management Committee comprising representatives from both the Guides and Scouts.

The main building work was done by a local builder, Anthony Burton of Mundford, and following praise for the quality of the building, Anthony was nominated and duly received a Jewson's Builder of the Year award.

Since 1997 various groups of young people have had the pleasure of enjoying the Centre, Rainbows and Beavers, Brownies and Cubs, Guides and Scouts as well as their leaders. Overseas visitors and other youth organisations have been welcomed and bookings have been steady for most of this time. Visitors are also able to enjoy the extra facilities at the Scout Camp Site, such as abseiling, archery and canoeing. The site itself has continued to develop, and can now offer an all-new climbing and abseil tower for the adventurous, and toilet and hot shower facilities for campers.