Newark District Scouts celebrate St George's Day with huge scouting showcase
Scouts have celebrated St George's Day with exciting new events lead by the district's young people.
Newark District Scouts marked the day with a parade and scouting showcase on Sunday, April 24.
Over 200 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from across the district paraded through Newark from the library to the Market Square — a new route for this year — via Baldertongate and Bridge Street.
Deputy district commissioner for the young people Tilly Muller said: "All the groups across the district were represented, the turnout was brilliant."
The parade was lead by the scouts chosen from the district to represent it at the next world scout jamboree.
After the parade an awards ceremony was held in the Market Square, where scouts who had earned their chief scout awards were recognised.
This year's celebrations were designed by the young people and saw the Church service removed from the day, in favour of a scouting showcase held at Riverside Park in the afternoon.
Tilly said: "This is our stepping stone into the modernisation of the event, the feedback we have had from the young people and parents is that they've much preferred this format. They really enjoyed the picnic and there was a lot of support for the jamboree team who were selling refreshments.
"We had quite a lot of interest to join scouting, people have really connected with it. It was great just to be visible again."
Each group showcased a scouting skill or activity and could get involved trying out the range of activities on offer including games, archery and pioneering.
Tilly added: "The showcase went really well, everybody had a go at everything, the activities were really popular.
"We had the Sea Scouts bring kayaks and all the safety gear for kids to sit in and have a go on land, soft archery, s'mores and armpit fudge — which is a traditional scout activity and a lot of fun — traditional skills like orienteering and pioneering, crafts, a giant wooden puzzle celebrating Newark Scouts' relationship with a group in the Czech Republic, outdoor giant games and the older scouts and explorers were running around the town playing a game of Live Monopoly."
Families were also invited to a picnic in the castle grounds between the morning and afternoon activities.
It is hoped that next year's event will build on this new format, with a longer parade and involvement of the Girlguiding groups in the district.
