Mrs Spavin first took an interest in scouts in 1976 when her son became a cub in the St Peter’s Scout Group.
She served on the committee in 1977 and was then asked to become a leader.
On February 28, 1978 she was warranted and in 1980 was asked by the Timaru District Cub leader if she would like her own pack.
In April of that year she became "akela" of the Ranui Pack at the Northdown Te Rangi Scout Group, where she remained until retiring on December 9, 2024.
Over the course of her scouting career she has invested 505 cubs, attended 11 New Zealand Jamborees, attended one Jamboree as part of the South Canterbury Troop and attended two Australian Jamborees as part of the New Zealand HQ staff.
Mrs Spavin obtained two wood beads after attending courses at Tatum Park in 1979 and 1990 and has been awarded the Chief Scout Commendation, the Medal of Merit, and both a Bronze and Silver Tiki.
Akela Spavin said it only took a few scout sessions before she was hooked.
"It was just trying something different, something that I didn't do as a kid because I was a Girls' Brigader.
"It was also the uniform, I'm a stickler for a uniform.
"There was only one lady there, and she'd say, ‘can you come along and help tonight?’ and from then on you couldn't get rid of me, it was something that really appealed to me.
"I thought, ‘I can contribute to this’."
"I think when I got the pack up and running, I felt that it was something that I could do and do well, because if you're not going to put your heart and soul into it, you're not going to get anything out of it, and neither are the children that you're teaching.
"It changed me as a person and scouting really gave me the chance to be a kid again."
Having led the Ranui Pack for almost 45 years, she said she has taught children and even grandchildren of ex-cubs.
"I've been invited to a couple of weddings of ex-cubs, and I got quite the surprise when I got invited to a 21st.
"I don’t get forgotten.
"It’s very much a tradition thing, I think."
She said as she approached 80, it was finally time to step away.
"I'm sad to go, it's going to leave a big hole. I had a lot of fun.
"I'm going to miss the kids more than anything but I was starting go home on a Monday night and I'd just be knackered."
Mrs Spavin said everything was starting to go electronic as well, which was harder for her.
"I feel as the akela I have run a well-disciplined pack with great programmes and plenty of fun.
"I have always had wonderful assistant cub leaders and parent support.
"It is great that one of my current leaders, who I had as a cub in 1982, will continue on.
"We had our break up at McDonald's and a lot of them said, ‘I don't want you to go’ but I just had to say ‘ I'm sorry but I'm getting old’.
"I'm hoping though to become a Scout Associate, so that I can come in and help people."
Akela Spavin said she was very much a traditionalist when it came to her pack.
"I like to do things the way [Robert] Baden-Powell would have liked to have seen them done.
"I believe if you've got a uniform, you wear it correctly, and my cubs were always smartly turned out.
"I think I've made a real success of it.
"You have to do your serious stuff, but if it's not fun, they're not going to stay.
"I did a lot of training right from the time I became warranted.
"Whatever was on offer, I went, because you not only learn, but you learn from other people on the course.
"You also have to have a programme every week, to me, you can't walk in and say, ‘what are we going to do tonight?’."
Some of her highlights over the years included presenting a Queen Scout Badge to a past cub, winning a community award from the Timaru District Council, presenting a wood badge to a leader, training successful Fuller Fire teams, church parades, community service work, putting on gang shows, and all the programmes, camps and training sessions she had led or been a part of.
The lessons and experiences taught through Scouts and Cubs were as important as ever to her.
"Discipline and camaraderie are both things I think are needed and there is a good balance of sporty things and learning, but fun learning.
"The other thing I think is important is service, doing a good turn.
"That’s is part of a scout promise, you promise to do your best and to do a good turn every day."
