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Luton Scouts |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cub Scout George Sets the Scene At The Annual St George's Day ParadeExplorer Scouts Invested at Town Centre Event
This is George. He is a newly invested Cub Scout in Sells Seventh Scout Group and today, at the age of eight, he represents all Luton Scouts at their annual St George's Day Parade. He's not yet ready to fight dragons or rescue damsels in distress but he reckons he could manage to escort old ladies safely across the road. On a brilliantly sunny afternoon nearly 750 Scouts from Luton's Icknield and Someries District gathered in the aptly named St George's Square for their traditional march through the town. The two districts also played host to Scouts from the Strathmore Scout Group part of the Lea Valley District. For 32 years since starting in 1972, Scout Leader Ray Aldous has organised and led the parade. This year Ray had to retire due to ill health and his place was taken by his long time Scouting friend Gerald Law. In a poignant and fitting gesture, Ray was given the honour of taking the salute outside the town hall alongside Mayor Cllr Michael Dolling and his wife, MPs Kelvin Hopkins and Margaret Moran and District Commissioner Karl Collins. In a departure from normal protocol the mayor, his wife and MP Kelvin Hopkins abandoned the comfort of the mayoral limousine to march behind the Scouts on their way to St Mary's Church. There they joined the rest of the VIPs who included Sir Graham Bright and Luton's oldest serving Scout, Icknield District President Alec Brown. At the start of the service, Karl Collins led a tribute to Betty Clay, CBE the youngest daughter of Scouting's founder Robert Baden Powell who died on Saturday just days after her 87th birthday. Following in her father's footsteps, she was an inspiration to Scouts and Leaders all over the world. As a mark of respect the congregation observed a one minute silence. Similar tributes were paid at all the other services in the town and around the country. The annual parade is an opportunity for all Scouts to renew their promise of duty to God and to the Queen and to help other people. It is an historical ceremony that goes back to the early days of Scouting nearly a hundred years ago.
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25th April
2004 --