A team of fourteen Cubs and Scouts from Church Riverside helped with the lighting of candles during the Service.
Group Chair, Paul Casey, said, “We were extremely honoured to receive an invitation to attend and participate in the Service. We were pleased to represent Church Riverside Scout Group, Leighton-Linslade, and Scouting more broadly. The theme of the Royal Service was around “Love”, and we see our taking part as a way of expressing our thanks for all the support we are receiving from local businesses and our local community as we continue to fundraise to support the build of our new Headquarters. We asked the community to put their arms around us, and that’s what they’ve done.”
Cub Emily said, “It was exciting to be chosen to represent the Scouts at the Service. I had a good time with my friends.”
Scout Luca said, “It’s not every day I get a letter from Buckingham Palace! I was excited to open it and see the invitation.”
Cub Leader, Paul Willett, said “The Cubs and Scouts did us proud. We saw the young people working together, supporting and looking after each other, helping others. We managed to see some of the sights, too.”
Megan McShane, member of the Beaver leadership team at Church Riverside said, “Scouting gives young people experiences and skills that last a lifetime. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us all. What we saw of our young people today typifies Scouting Values. The team are very proud of all our young people.”
The service will be broadcast as part of a special programme on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve, with a repeat on Christmas Day.
The old Scout Hut in Hockliffe Road, dating from the 1960s, was severely damaged in the floods of September 2024. The rebuild is well on the way, but more funds are needed to see the project fully completed.
The Group has set up a ‘CrowdFunder’ site to help with fundraising.
4. Contributed
Cubs And Scouts With CJ Ledger, Deputy UK Chief Volunteer The Scout Association Photo: Submitted