Celebrating Success 2022

Cheshire Scouts were encouraged to ‘Dream Big, Aim High and Never Give Up’ by Steve Hill MBE at their annual awards ceremony on 19th November at Parr Hall, Warrington.

This year our county saw over 400 of our scouting members completing their Top Awards over the last 12 months. These included 245 Chief Scout’s Gold Awards, 85 Chief Scout’s Diamond and Platinum Awards, 19 Young Leader Awards, 10 #YouShape awards, 4 Explorer Belts, a Scout of the World Award and 8 Level 2 BTEC Awards.

Adventurer Steve Hill gave an inspirational talk on his experiences and challenges, including climbing Mont Blanc and running the Tenzing Hillary Mount Everest Marathon, having raised over a hundred thousand pounds for good causes. He also spoke about his experiences at the North Pole and in the Amazonian Jungle amongst others. Steve was honoured to present awards to the Scouts and Explorers of Cheshire, as each of them had overcome their own personal challenges, and developed new skills along the way to earn their recognition.

Across the county, 10 Scouts also achieved the last of our prestigious Queen’s Scout Awards, the highest youth award possible within Scouting. Next year will be our first cohort of King Scouts.

Jake Robinson, a network member who achieved this after four years of effort including completion of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, and multiple additional activities relating to taking part in International opportunities, making a difference in the local community, and reflecting on their own and others beliefs and values. The Award was presented the Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire, Lady Alexis Redmond MBE, who is also the President of Cheshire Scouts, with Jake commenting “Scouting has given me so many positive opportunities over the years, and I am really grateful to my leaders and friends who have supported me to earn the Queen’s Scout Award. I’ve learned so much about myself and learnt skills.”

Leaders were also recognised, with a special award being made by the High Sheriff of Cheshire, Jeannie France-Hayhurst, to the volunteers responsible for organising this summer’s Chamboree International Scout and Guide Camp.

The event, which took place at the Royal Cheshire Showground, attracted over four and a half thousand Scouts and Guides from around the world, and was a major success. The award was received on behalf of the team by Cheshire Scouts County Commissioner, Dave Hopley.

Dave Hopley, County Commissioner in Cheshire, said: “We’re so proud of all of our Scouts, Explorers and Leaders who have won awards today. Each of them has made their own journey, developed new skills, and grown in confidence. They rightly deserve to feel proud of their achievements over the last couple of years. Their success is all the more remarkable, given the impact that the global pandemic had on the delivery of our programmes. Well done to them all.”