North East Scotland Scouts honours adult volunteers
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Nine Scout volunteers across Aberdeenshire, Moray and Aberdeen City have been awarded top awards for outstanding service to the organisation over a set number of years.
These awards include the Silver Acorn and Award for Merit from the national awards scheme by the association.
For both types of award stringent criteria must be met and applications must be approved by their local commissioner before it’s forwarded to the National Awards Advisory Group for final approval.
The Silver Acorn is awarded after 20 years’ of specially distinguished service and be appreciably better than outstanding.
As it’s one of the highest volunteer awards in the Association, it must be accompanied with a supporting citation statement, highlighting how this individual has gone above and beyond for the movement.
The Award for Merit is given for outstanding service of 12 years and in exceptional circumstances can be awarded after 10 years of service.
It is awarded on the basis of a continued keen, conscientious, imaginative, and dedicated service over this sustained period to the movement.
North East Regional Commissioner Dougie Simmers commented: "Our volunteers have risen to the current challenges and kept our organisation going during these extremely difficult times.
"They have created online programmes and delivered the skills for life through at-home virtual camps and fantastic activities.
"Many of our young people have reported an increased sense of community and improved wellbeing, thanks to these online activities put on by our volunteers.
"I am delighted these volunteers have been formally recognised for their outstanding and dedicated service to our movement and I thank each one of them for their dedicated service to the movement."
North-east recipients were as follows -
Silver Acorn - Chris Pinnell, Group Scout leader with 1st Westhill Scout Group
Award for merit - Paul Gray – Regional secretary for the North East of Scotland.
David Haytack – Assistant Group Scout leader with 1st Forres Scout Group.
William Farquhar – Group treasurer with 46th Bridge of Don Scout Group.
Helen Gallagher – Cub Scout leader with 55th Aberdeen (Kincorth) Scout Group.
Ryan McGregor - Cub Scout leader with 25th Aberdeen (Beechgrove) Scout Group.
Jeremy Morse – Assistant district commissioner (Scouts) Aberdeen.
Eoin Smith – Assistant Explorer leader with Mannofield Explorer Unit (Aberdeen).
Joyce Webster –Scout active support member (Aberdeen).
Due to present circumstances, all awards presentations are paused as per the national face to face suspension of the movement, however, volunteers will be given their awards formally when restrictions allow.
