Leighton Buzzard boy awarded District Cub of Year - and receives letter from Buckingham Palace

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A hardworking Leighton Buzzard cub is beaming with pride after winning a prestigious Scouting award – and receiving a letter from Buckingham Palace.

Toby Corkett, eight, has been voted District Cub of the Year for showing "great scout values" and making the movement "proud".

After Hockliffe Road scout hut was flooded in September, determined Toby wrote a letter to his Majesty King Charles III asking for help – and created a video for the scout group to explain what had happened.

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Toby said: "I wanted to get help fast to lift the hut up, so the cub scouts could get back there, and I thought the army could do it fast. I Googled that the King was in charge of the army engineers so I wrote to the King.

Toby with his letter from Buckingham Palace, and right, his District Cub of the Year certificate. Images supplied by Stephen Corkett.Toby with his letter from Buckingham Palace, and right, his District Cub of the Year certificate. Images supplied by Stephen Corkett.
Toby with his letter from Buckingham Palace, and right, his District Cub of the Year certificate. Images supplied by Stephen Corkett.

"I was extremely excited about receiving a reply and opened the letter, which had the royal stamp on."

Toby read the special delivery together with his cub leader, Paul Willet – and he was "happy" even though the King couldn’t send the army to Leighton Buzzard.

However, his efforts didn't go unnoticed locally.

His grandfather, Stephen Corkett, said: "Toby has been awarded Cub of the Year because of the video he did, and because of the letter to the King.

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Toby's letter from Buckingham Palace. Images supplied by Stephen Corkett.Toby's letter from Buckingham Palace. Images supplied by Stephen Corkett.
Toby's letter from Buckingham Palace. Images supplied by Stephen Corkett.

"He says he felt amazed that he got the cub award, as he 'doesn’t usually win anything'. He wants to do another update video."

The Scout building, on Hockliffe Road, was used by around 60 children but is now off limits and suffering from water damage.

Following heavy rainfall, the hut was filled with four inches of water by noon on September 23 - and water also damaged containers of camping equipment.

The hut then flooded a second time soon after.

In his letter to the King, Toby explained that the wooden hut "might need lifting up, so next time water can't get inside it."

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The reply, written by the Head of Royal Correspondence, reads: "The King has asked me to thank you for your letter, regarding the Church Riverside Cub Scouts.

"It was very thoughtful of you to take the trouble to write as you did.

"Although His Majesty is unable to reply personally, I can tell you that the King was deeply sorry to learn that your scout hut was flooded. Although His Majesty is unable to help in the way that you ask, he has asked me to convey to you and all at the Church Riverside Scouts his hopes that the hut will be repaired and enjoyed again soon.

"Thank you, once again, for thinking of His Majesty, who has asked me to send you his warmest good wishes."

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The LBO will soon be publishing an update about the future of the Hockliffe Road scout hut – and a fundraiser is currently ongoing.

Stephen added: "Cub scouts gives Toby routine and fun, as well as teaching him useful things and allowing him to experience camping out."

The displaced cub scouts are currently attending sessions at other scout huts across the area.

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