A Night with Oxfordshire Scouts

This evening, I had the enormous pleasure of joining Oxfordshire Scouts for their annual Adult Awards Dinner, held at the beautifully appointed Bicester Hotel and Spa. Nestled just outside Chesterton, it’s a rather lovely setting – part country retreat, part hive of activity – and it proved the perfect venue for a night of celebration, community, and well-earned recognition.

From the moment I arrived, the room was alive with warmth. There’s something unmistakable about a gathering of Scouts – that mix of purpose, good humour, and quiet pride that makes you feel instantly at home. Around the tables sat people who, between them, must have given thousands of years of service to young people across Oxfordshire. It was humbling to be in their company.

I was there in my capacity as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, but this was far more than an official engagement. The evening felt deeply personal — a genuine celebration of service, commitment, and care.

Much of my year has been spent meeting people who quietly strengthen the fabric of Oxfordshire life, and Scout volunteers exemplify that spirit perfectly. So, while occasions like this may sit neatly within the High Sheriff’s diary, they never feel like duty. They feel like gratitude — an opportunity to say thank you to those who give so much of themselves for the good of others.

Scouting has been woven through my life since I joined as a Scout – not a Cub, I should add – at an age when I thought adventure was something that happened somewhere else. It didn’t take long to learn that it happens wherever people create it. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of serving Scouting locally, nationally, and internationally, eventually as Vice-Chair of the World Scout Committee. And wherever I’ve gone – from the woods at Youlbury to jamborees in Japan – I’ve seen the same thing: adult volunteers giving their time, their energy, and their imagination to help young people grow.

This year, my theme as High Sheriff is “Hearing the Young Unheard.” Across Oxfordshire, I’ve been sitting down with young people – in schools, youth clubs, cadet units and community centres – and listening to what matters to them. Their honesty has been striking. They talk about loneliness, about uncertainty, about wanting to be listened to and believed in. They crave connection and belonging – a place to be themselves, to take risks, to learn who they might become.

That’s exactly what Scouting offers. It gives young people purpose, friendship, and a chance to discover that they matter. When I meet Scouts, Explorers, and Young Leaders, I see that spark – the recognition that they can make a difference. And when I look at the adults who make it all happen, I see something just as powerful: the quiet satisfaction of knowing that they already have.

Tonight’s awards embraced the full spectrum of Scouting achievement. We celebrated the latest cohort of King’s Scouts – remarkable young men and women whose commitment to service and personal growth sets a shining example. We recognised Chief Scout’s Commendees for their outstanding dedication. We applauded the recipients of the Award for Merit, the Silver Acorn, and the Silver Wolf – each representing distinguished and exceptional service over many years.

The Silver Acorn is awarded for at least 20 years of specially distinguished service, while the Silver Wolf – the unrestricted gift of the Chief Scout – marks service of truly exceptional character. It was a particular joy to see one of the Silver Wolf recipients, Shaun, honoured this evening. Many readers will know Shaun as a valued member of the Shrieval Team, and it was wonderful to see his years of extraordinary service to Scouting recognised so publicly and so warmly.

The dinner at Bicester Hotel and Spa was a chance to thank all those remarkable people – leaders of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers; lead volunteers, trainers, administrators, and trustees. People who have guided, encouraged, and inspired countless young people, often over many years, without ever seeking the spotlight.

As I looked around the room, listening to the applause for all of the award recipients, I found myself thinking how much better our society would be if more of it worked the way Scouting does: with care, collaboration, and a belief that everyone can contribute something worthwhile.

Baden-Powell once wrote that “the most worthwhile thing in life is to put happiness into the lives of others.” Tonight, surrounded by Oxfordshire’s Scouts and Scouters, I was reminded how alive that spirit still is.

It was, quite simply, an evening full of gratitude – for what Scouting stands for, for what it gives to young people, and for the extraordinary volunteers who make it all possible.