In case you didn’t know, the first week of June each year is National Volunteers Week which recognises all the hard work undertaken by volunteers across the country. We’ve mentioned a few BOCTT volunteers already in our newsletter this month (do sign up if you haven’t already!) but Moira Robinson, one of our Trustees, highlighted a very special volunteer award recently awarded to a member of their family. Here Stewart (Moira’s husband) recounts his experience:
“I was told early last year that I had been awarded the Silver Wolf. This is the highest award made by the Scout Association ‘for services of the most exceptional character’. It is an unrestricted gift of the Chief Scout. As well as a self-arranged awards ceremony, recipients are also invited to Windsor Castle to be present at the annual presentation and inspection of the latest King Scouts on the lawn (normally private Quadrangle) by a member of the Royal family, (the Duke of Kent this year), the Chief Scout, now Dwayne Fields following Bear Grylls’ retirement, and a dignitary involved with Scouting – astronaut Tim Peake.
Prior to the inspection itself which took place on 27th April, my wife Moira and I had applied for tickets to attend Matins at St George’s Chapel in the Castle grounds. This was a moving service in a stunning building with superb choristers whose voices were amplified by tremendous acoustics.
Recipients are allowed to bring a guest, obviously that was Moira, and we were advised that we could apply for 1 or 2 additional tickets. My older son, Iain, was available and was fortunate to obtain a ticket.
The weather was glorious and, as we stood around the carefully manicured lawn, we heard the sound of the Coldstream Guards leading in the Scout Band followed by the procession of Queen and King Scouts. Other Scouts present were those who, in the last 12 months, had been awarded medals for bravery, heroism or gallantry, a grand total of almost 2,000 recipients—a sight to be seen!
Moira, Iain and I rounded the afternoon off with a lovely meal in a local restaurant.”
Congratulations to Stewart!
