Scouts Australia at the Coronation
Scouts attend the Coronation
At the recent Coronation of King Charles III, Scouts from across the Commonwealth participated in a variety of support services for this amazing event!
They included members from the Scouting nations of Australia, India, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, and of course the UK. Amongst the many hundreds were six Australian young adult members.
They were:
- Toby Chandiok (NSW)
- Jennifer Riley (NSW)
- Lachlan Wright (QLD)
- Sarah Kleine (SA)
- Pete Pearse (VIC)
- Jacinta Swift (VIC)
In true Scouting style all the participants camped (yes, in tents) at Gilwell Park in London and were hosted by Scouts UK. They had the opportunity to work together with Scouts from across the globe.
Scouts supported the overall community for several days in the lead up to the main event, helping to provide directions and general support on the streets of London and attend the recognition to volunteers at St. Margaret’s Church in London. In a testament to the community spirit fostered within the Scouting Movement, all Scouts present were proud to be able to help in any way they could and in recognition they received a special event scarf and badge, which all proudly sewed onto their uniform.
The connection to the Royal Family with the Scouting Movement is immeasurable, especially as nearly all of the participants held or working actively towards their Queen’s Scout Award.
However, it is an excerpt from an email of thanks received from Jennifer Riley (while still in the UK) that best summed up how our members felt:
This whole trip has been the experience of a lifetime, and I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful to have been able to go. Money couldn’t buy the experience I had yesterday (or the memories I’ve made in the last week). Words cannot describe how I feel about everything, and I feel so incredibly honoured to have been able to represent Scouts Australia and the Commonwealth on this trip.
Feedback from the organisers of the event said of our members:
All of the Australian Scouts were very sensible and mature. They were also ‘low maintenance’, in that they were largely self-reliant. You should be proud of them.
So, well done to all of members that gave so much of their time and did Scouting in Australia proud on this international stage.
