National Volunteer Week: Tamworth scout Brett 'bear' Grimmond, accidental volunteer, rises to senior scout rank in 14-year career

Nearly 15 years later, the man they nicknamed 'the bear' is one of the organisation's most senior volunteers, administering a region stretching from Tentefield to Quirindi and Moree.

It was his wife who joined up first, despite strict instructions while taking their child Thomas to a Tamworth scouting meeting, not to volunteer for anything.

"She took young Thomas off to Cubs at the local group, which is Tamworth Oxley scout group. There's was a meeting on and I said - don't get a job!" he said.

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By night's end, she was the group chair.

A short time later he attended a meeting where another Group Leader retired. Fatefully, he agreed to do the job because it was only "paperwork" and as a shift worker he could fit it in.

"I said I don't really take well to kids. I'm a 6ft 5 giant. Kids shy away from me naturally. A short time later I'd filled out the paperwork," he said.

He was invested at a ceremony on sunset at the Oxley lookout, surrounded by dozens of young scouts who shook his hand to welcome him back into the movement.

"I remember going around the entire circle of these little kids and these little joeys, these little 6-year-old and 7-year-olds hands sticking out and they all welcomed me to the group. It's a memory that will last forever. It was such a touching moment. That's how I came back into scouting," he said.

In the years since he has risen to the rank of Region Commissioner for NW Region Scouts, just one of 10 in the state and one step down from the top role of Chief Commissioner.

Like many adult volunteers Mr Grimmond's first experience in scouting was as a cub as a child. He went on to work his way through to cadets, then the navy before joining the police force where he now works as a radio operator.

But he's rediscovered the love of the century-old children's organisation as an adult.

"It's a sense of community, a sense of belonging and giving back. I'm a service-orientated guy, I always have been. Right since I was a scout, I went from scouts to cadets, to the navy and then back to the police force as a radio operator. I've always had that community sort-of sense, I've been in the SES, and the VRA, St John's," he said.

It's watching kids grow up on camps that is the most rewarding, he said.

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"Something that parents should be watching themselves, it was like watching a child walk for the first time," he said.

"We really see kids extend themselves and they do the right thing. It's an adventurous activity, they do walk 30 or 40 kilometres, they do ride a bike 60 kilometres, they do canoe or go caving or abseil, all these things that really test you out."

The 34-year police veteran is just a year off retirement, and plans to spend much of it volunteering.

This week is National Volunteer Week.

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