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The Revd
Richard Winslade, rector of St Mary's Church in Maulden, has just made
Scouting history. On Saturday 24th February he changed from
his Scout uniform into church minister robes to conduct a major national
memorial service in Westminster Abbey. Attended by over 1000 Scouts and
Guides, including Chief Scout Peter Duncan and Chief Guide Liz Burnley,
the service commemorated the 150th birthday of Robert
Baden-Powell and the centenary of the Scout Movement he founded in 1907.
Also attending were Baden-Powell's great grandchildren specially flown
over from Australia for the event. Richard will go down in the county's
record books as the first Bedfordshire minister to be given the honour
of hosting the Founder's Day National Memorial Service.
Two
Young Scouts Lead The Service With A Superb Hour Long Oration
But two
12-year old Scouts stole the show with the performance of a lifetime as
they faultlessly conducted the congregation through all the intricate
details of the presentation. Naomi Winslade and Rachel Leach from the
Badgerhill Scout Group in Maulden did not know it but their parents and
most of the congregation wiped away many tears of pride as they went
through their confident performance. At the end of the service they led
the congregation as the flags were blessed and the Scouts and Guides
renewed their promises.
Many
friends and colleagues from Bedfordshire Scouts made the trip to London
on Saturday to give Richard and the youngsters moral support. They
included Jamboree leader Gerry Pope from Biggleswade, county chairman
Paul Ibbetson from Arlesey, District Commissioner Nigel Taylor from
Flitwick and a huge contingent of Scouts from the Badgerhill Scout Group
in Maulden that the Scout chaplain used to run.
For the
service, Richard took as his theme the past, present and the future of
Scouting. He said, "It's a time to remember our roots and what we have
done and to build on all these efforts for whatever the future brings."
His address was all about sharing. Just to show what sharing was all
about he threw handfuls of sweets into the congregation and asked his
disciples (12 Cub Scouts and 12 Brownie Guides) to share them around.
Westminster Abbey had seen nothing like it!
After the
event Nigel Taylor said, "I sat in the congregation with considerable
pride and a lump in my throat listening to Naomi and Rachel speaking
with such confidence to such a huge gathering. They were a credit to
Scouting and to themselves." Nigel added, "Richard has now set a
precedent at the Abbey by throwing sweets out to the congregation and
then encouraging 24 Cubs and Brownies to run amok to share their
experiences of Scouting with all the VIPs. I returned home full of
enthusiasm and immensely proud."
Scouts from
the Badgerhill Scout Group, Maulden pose for photographs with Chief
Scout Peter Duncan (centre) in Westminster Abbey.
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