Farewell

Joining in on the adventure of Summer Camp this year at Hawkhirst Scout Centre, Northumbria, will be my last activity as a Scout Leader at Ardsley. Since "just helping out" with my first ever Summer Camp at Waddecar, Lancashire back in 2006, I've "just helped out" in Beavers and Scouts, in many different settings. And whilst I've enjoyed my own adventure, I've equally enjoyed seeing the Scouts through theirs.

I'd like to thank all the leaders, parents and young people, including all the ones that have grown up to be bigger than me, (which isn't hard), whether they've moved on or are still in Scouting.  But my appreciation really does go out to my wife, Andrea, known to many as Breeze, our Beaver Leader, who I roped in a couple of years ago to "just help out" in the Beavers section, don't tell her that was 2 years ago!  Finally I have to say that I've always had a favourite Scout, even though I hid it from others well, Ethan, my little boy, who is not so little anymore, is still the best Scout that I'm going to ever know and the reason why I'm still doing Scouting today.  He is "just helping out" as a Young Leader with Beavers, who know him as Rain, and has been doing so for the last 2 years.

I'm still intending to be involved in Scouting across the Barnsley District, so I hope that this is more of a 'Au Revoir' than goodbye.

So with still 2 Scouting events and 6 troop meetings nights at Ardsley to go before Summer Camp, if someone comes up to you and asks if you can "just help out", I'd recommend grabbing the opportunity with both hands, you never know where it might lead...

Yours in Scouting,

Ed.