A celebration of St. George with a difference

Hundreds of Scouts aged from 6 to adult across Luton renewed their promises and were reminded of the Scout laws together during their annual celebration of Scouting’s Patron Saint, St. George.
With the current social distancing requirements, the normal gathering, which includes parades and many scouting activities could not take place this year. But Luton Scouts were determined to mark the occasion, one of the most important in the Scouting calendar, and so they took to Facebook and YouTube.
The St George’s Day event was kicked off on Thursday by a live Stream of Griffin Explorer Unit renewing their promise and inviting all members to take part in the weekly “Clap for our Carers” either in uniform or with their Scout scarves hung in the window. Other leaders and groups did the same on both Friday and Saturday with Sunday morning seeing more group promise renewals and activity photos.
The ceremony on Sunday 26th April, was hosted by Trevor Sharp. District Commissioner Mark Webb explained that, during the lockdown, Scouting was continuing in the virtual world of social media, with online section meetings, activities and presentations, sharing what we are doing together whilst physically apart.
The promises for each section were led by younger members of Luton Scouts who invited all members, young and old, to join them in making the promise appropriate to them. Scouting is open to people of all faiths and of none; different versions of the Scout Promise accommodate the various ages and religious obligations of its members while upholding its essential spirit.
The promise renewal was followed by a video illustrating some of the many activities that Luton Scouts have taken part in. These included a trek to Everest Base Camp, the annual Peace Light Service, flying rockets, meeting Bear Grylls, completing community service, visiting places of interest, camping, and Luton Explorer Scouts at the World Scout Jamboree in the USA to name but a few.
The annual renewal of the Scout promise and reminder of the Scout law is important as it reflects that scouting is not a youth club. Scouts wear uniform. They are do-ers and give-it-a-go-ers. Members go camping, hiking, swimming, abseiling, cycling and canoeing. But they also get to hang out with friends every week – having fun, playing games, working in a team, taking on new challenges and earning badges. They have a purpose which is guided by the fundamentals: to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.