King’s and Queen’s Scouts and adult volunteers from across Wales were among 2,000 Scouting members recognised at the annual Scouting Day of Celebration and Achievement at Windsor Castle last Sunday.
Volunteers were given medals for outstanding long-service milestones, with others gaining awards for performing ceremonial duties at the Coronation of King Charles. Recent King’s and Queen’s Scouts recipients were also honoured for their success in achieving the highest youth award possible in Scouting.
The annual Scouting Day of Celebration and Achievement is one of the most prestigious events in the Scouting calendar, acknowledging the top achievements of Scouting members from across the UK. This year marked the 90th year the event has taken place, with Chief Scout Bear Grylls and Scouts ambassadors Dwayne Fields, Ellie Simmonds, Phoebe Smith, Sean Conway and Warwick Davies all in attendance.
Highlights of the day included the Queen’s and King’s Scout recipients parading into the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle – an area that members of the public are not usually permitted to enter – where they were commended for their achievements. They then took part in a ceremonial parade between the Castle and St George’s Chapel where the National Scouts Service, celebrating adult volunteers, took place.
This year’s event also saw Alys Bailey-Wood, an Explorer leader from Eryri a Mon, performing flag bearing duties in the Colour Party as part of the Team of Ten – 10 young people who already hold their King’s/Queen’s Scout Award selected to perform ceremonial roles. Alys is the first person from Wales to undertake this role in many years. You can read more about her journey to Windsor here.
Alys said: “Doing the parade with a flag was the most surreal experience and I just tried to absorb it all, because I know how lucky I am to have been given this experience. Not many people get that, and I’m really grateful to everyone who encouraged me to do it, the Windsor Team (Sam, Claire, Gemma and Michael) for everything over the last five months and to the nine friends I’ve made for making everything so memorable.”
Tomos Moran, District Youth Lead for Merthyr, was one of 17 young people from Wales presented with his King’s or Queen’s Scout commendation. He said: “I have been in Scouts most of my life and in Explorers I worked hard towards my King’s Scout Award. I was very grateful for Sunday’s event, being able to see all the other Explorers and Network members. I had a feeling of belonging at the event and being able to shake hands with Bear Grylls and the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire was a great privilege.”
Rhian Moore, ScoutsCymru Chief Volunteer, who also attended the ceremony, said: “Taking time to say well done and thank you is really important and our Day of Celebration and Achievement is an exciting and prestigious event in the annual Scouting calendar, and one of my favourite occasions of the year.
“It was an honour and privilege to be among so many wonderful people who have achieved remarkable things, with the beautiful St George’s Chapel and the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle marking the celebration brilliantly.”
She added: “We are especially proud of our young people from Wales who worked so hard to achieve the Queen’s Scout and King’s Scout Awards and of our volunteers who were recognised for their tremendous service.
“It was fantastic to see Alys, an Explorer leader from Wales, in the Colour Party, the first time we have had a Welsh presence for quite some time.
“Congratulations to everyone who received awards and took part this weekend. It was an honour to share such a special day with you all.”
The full list of Scouts and volunteers from Wales who were honoured at Windsor this weekend:
Queen’s Scout/King’s Scout award recipients
Cardiff and Vale: Jonathan Rhys Glanfield, Rebecca Hewett, Kyle Hewett, Sian Mary Morris, Jasper Williams, Francis Arthur Zaffino.
Ceredigion: Aidan Patrick James Faithorne.
Clwyd: Kristofor Robyn Hall Ellis, Sian Cerys Hughes.
Gwent: Bethan Copner, Laura Willingham.
Mid Glamorgan: Tomos Ethan Moran
Montgomeryshire: Amren Stephenson
Pembrokeshire: Hannah Jesse Bailey
Eryri a Mon: Emma Hughes, Amy Main
Coronation medals
Cameron Edwards (Radnor); Charlotte Britton (Brecknock); David Jones (TBC); Catherine Steele (Cardiff and Vale); Daniel Venting (The Scout Association Staff/Mid Glam); David Cook (Mid Glam); Richard Flowerdew (TSA Staff/Mid Glam); Robert Redmond (South Wales); Tracey Redmond (ScoutsCymru staff/Mid Glam).
The following are also eligible for a medal but were unable to attend the presentation and will be recognised at a future event.
Harriett Evison (Clwyd); Siân Hughes (Clwyd); Symon Dunstan (Mid Glam); Jessica Rayner (Brecknock); Cerys Nicholas (Mid Glam); Scott Beckett (Brecknock)
Adult volunteers from Wales recognised for outstanding service
Stephen Burgess, Silver Wolf, Glamorgan West
Stephen Crowley, Silver Wolf, Gwent
Ieuan Havard, Bar to the Silver Acorn, Cardiff and Vale
Nicola Havard, Bar to the Silver Acorn, Cardiff and Vale
Gillian Irwin, Bar to the Silver Acorn, Cardiff and Vale
Julian Morgans, Silver Wolf, Glamorgan West
John Richard Wall, Silver Wolf, Cardiff and Vale
Keith Williams, Silver Wolf, Cardiff and Vale
Photos from: Rhian Moore, Tomos Moran, Martin Bailey-Wood and Ben Exton
