Celebrating Success 2023

Cheshire Scouts held an afternoon of celebration and achievement with His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire and the High Sheriff of Cheshire on 5th November at the Parr Hall in Warrington.

This year over 560 Cheshire Scouts completing their top awards. These included 200 Bear Grylls Chief Scout’s Gold Awards, 80 Chief Scout’s Diamond and Platinum Awards, 70 Young Leader Awards, over 130 Youth Shaped awards, 60 Explorer Belts, a Scout of the World Award and 8 Level 2 BTEC in Teamwork and Personal Development. 3 Scouts also achieved the last of our prestigious Queen’s Scout Awards, and 11 Scouts achieved the first of our King’s Scout Awards, the highest youth award possible within Scouting, for outstanding personal achievements and service to their local communities.

Charlotte King from Helsby achieved the King’s Scout Award after five years of effort, including completion of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, and multiple additional activities relating to taking part in international experiences, making a difference in the local community, and reflecting on her own and others’ beliefs and values. The Award was presented HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire Lady Redmond MBE – Alexis – who is also President of Cheshire Scouts, with Charlotte commenting,

“I am hugely proud to have received my King’s Scout Award and was lucky enough to be invited on to stage to talk about some of the highlights of my award, which included running sustainability activities at Chamboree 2022, which was my first experience of attending an international Scout and Guide camp, and being part of the team that organised a Cub Scout sleepover at Chester Cathedral under the art installation GAIA, truly a once in a lifetime experience.”

We heard from 6 Explorer Scouts from our 72 strong contingent, about their unforgettable experience with 43,000 other Scouts out in Korea this Summer, for the 25th World Scout Jamboree, a spectacular showcase of cultural exchange and youth leadership development. Despite the hurdles, they broadened their horizons and showed incredible adaptability while also exploring the cultural heritage of Korea during the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We also heard from 4 of our 60 strong Explorer Belt contingent, who had an amazing two-week European international expedition this Summer. With teams traveling across Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany. Their major projects included: Cultural and culinary diversity; Comparison of public transport systems; How historical events, including World War II have impacted culture, and more.

Adult volunteers were recognised too, with a special award being made by High Sheriff of Cheshire, Dr Dennis Dunn MBE JP DL for our Explorer Belt leadership team, in recognition of the training and mentorship they gave to our 13 teams of Scouts undertaking their expeditions across Europe this Summer. Dennis also made a special award to the 8 leaders who led Cheshire Scout’s contingent of 72 young people to the World Scout Jamboree in Korea this Summer, following a two-year training journey, for their determination and resilience in the face of adversity, ensuring young people were prepared and had an exceptional World Scout Jamboree in Korea.

Dave Hopley, County Lead Volunteer for Cheshire Scouts said,

“We’re so proud of all of our Scouts and Adult Volunteers who received awards this year. Each of our young people have made their own journey, developed new skills, and grown in confidence. They rightly deserve to feel proud of their achievements. Their success will set them apart and enable them to stand out to employers, colleges and universities alike. Well done to them all.”