Gary's views

SCOUTS

Isn’t it amazing that the scout movement has survived into the twenty first century, not just survived but is flourishing. I attended a packed meeting at Ivybridge Community Centre on Sunday to witness hundreds (it seemed) of scouts beavers and cubs renewing their promises in front of each other and their families. They entered proudly in neat formation behind their flags and paraded out again in slightly less order at the end.

Promising to do a good deed every day and to remember your duty to our Queen and to God, how old-fashioned is that? But how wonderful and these young people were sincere in their commitments.

The scout movement, started by one man’s vision over 100 years ago in radically different days – has updated itself; new uniforms, opening its ranks to include girls, embracing some more modern language and rules, but the values and the traditions remain. Respect, duty, kindness, be prepared, the changeless principles roll on.

These young people will always benefit from the truths they learn whilst collecting their badges and singing around the campfire.

In chatting to some of them afterwards, it was obvious how much they enjoyed their involvement. The movement has a robust, healthy innocence about it. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the adults who give up their time – stacks of it in many cases – to lead and mould these fine young lives. I gather that there is in some parts of this area a waiting list of young people who wish to join, but not yet enough adult leaders, an opportunity for some of you who know how to light a fire by rubbing your knees together, or whatever they do.

It is easy to lose heart at the state of the world today, all that selfish, superficial, consumer-led stuff that fills our lives. But we need not. I am a great believer in the ability of the human spirit to adapt and overcome. There is still a yearning for traditional values – traditional because they are timeless and they work. And they can still be outworked in a modern context.

We do not need any more law in this country, or more money spent on welfare. How much more would we all benefit from a renewed emphasis at every level of society on the meaningful values that the scout movement embraces.

I was never a scout. On Sunday I began to wish that I had been.