Our County Team

Having spent my youth as a member of the Movement as a Cub, Scout and Venture Scout in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and being granted my Explorer Belt by none other than Derek Pollard (an erstwhile County Commissioner of Surrey) after an expedition to the Pyrenees, I left home to come to London to study.

After college and a twenty-year teaching career in London, I returned to Scouting as a leader, volunteering after having smelled the wood smoke at a camp at which I dropped off one of our three children!

Since then I have run a Cub pack, a Scout troop and an Explorer unit, often concurrently, before being appointed District Commissioner for the London Borough of Merton, a role that I really enjoyed for the seven years before joining Surrey Scouts as County Commissioner in 2016.

I started as a Beaver with 9^th Reigate, and the fantastic opportunities, experiences and skills Scouting has given me since then has made me who I am today. I became a young leader in 2015 and have continued to help run Beavers and Cubs locally ever since. In 2019, I became District Youth Commissioner for Reigate, which I really enjoyed and allowed me to see first-hand the impact of scouting on young people. I am also lucky enough to be part of the Contingent Support Team for the 25^th World Scout Jamboree in South Korea, supporting 4000 scouts from the UK go on a life shaping trip to South Korea.

I am very excited about taking on the role of Deputy County Youth Commissioner and am looking forward to empowering young people across Surrey to speak up and shape their experience in Scouts, and continuing to give back the experience and skills I gained from Scouting.

Outside of scouting, I am currently doing a degree apprenticeship working in IT.

I was a sea scout in Norfolk in the 80s and credit a lengthy career in management to skills I learned as a patrol leader.  As an adult I trained in Bushcraft and became a kayak and canoe coach before volunteering as a scout leader in my 30s.

Since joining Surrey Scouts I have been a Scout Leader, Group Scout Leader, Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts), and District Commissioner as well as teaching bushcraft, paddle sports, and first aid.  As County Programme Team Lead, I lead the delivery of scouting programmes and programme support across the county.

My mother was my Guide leader when I was growing up in Chicago. She believed that camping in anything less than 2 feet of snow was too luxurious for her girls, and she trained us to be resilient and motivated. I moved to the UK in 1992, and joined Scouting as the Group Scout Leader with the 1st Dorking (St Martin’s) Group in 2007, shortly after my oldest child joined as a Beaver. After 5 years as GSL, I changed roles to become District Commissioner of Dorking District until 2017.

Scouting has made all three of my children better people: they, like all the young people who join Scouting, have become adventurous, brave, and independent because of the incredible programmes run by their leaders every week and over many weekends. I love supporting the adult leaders in Scouting and helping them to achieve everything they want to for themselves and their young people.

I started my Scouting journey aged 8 as a Cubs at 1st Tattenhams in Banstead District and continued onto become a Scout and Venture Scout. Whilst in Ventures I gained my Queens Scout Award.  I went into leadership, as an Assistant Scout leader, before becoming the Venture Scout Leader.

In 1983 I attended the 15th World Scout Jamboree in Canada as part of the Surrey contingent, having enjoyed it so much I took the opportunity to also attend the 16th World Scout Jamboree in Australia four years later as a leader.

After a few years break I returned to volunteering in Scouting when my sons became Beavers and before long, I became Group Scout Leader at 1st Tattenhams, a role I did for a number of years before becoming District Commissioner in Banstead District, which is a role I continue to hold.

Having become closer involved in supporting County behind the scenes, when the Teams structure was introduced, I was asked to join the County leadership team as the Support Team Lead.

Outside of Scouting, I’m an Electrical Engineer, now specialising in global major sporting events venue infrastructure following the success of my role as Head of Energy for the London 2012 Olympic Games

My Scouting journey started back when I was just 8 as a Cub Scout (there was no such thing as Beaver Scouts back then). As a youth member I subsequently joined Scouts before finally becoming a Venture Scout (there was no such thing as Explorers either) at which time I was delighted to gain my Queen’s Scout Award and Gold D of E.

When I left Vent

ure Scouts, I spent several exciting years as an Assistant Scout Leader. I have also been a District Scout Leader and Assistant District Commissioner(S). During my time as ADC(S) I was also the 2nd ever County Scout Leader in Surrey, which I enjoyed for many years until I became District Commissioner for the then Sunbury and Shepperton District. When the District merged with Staines to become Spelthorne, I took on the role of Deputy District Commissioner which allowed me to help support one of our County Campsites.

I was part of the Sub Camp management team of EuroJam and also the World Scout Jamboree back in 2007. More recently I have managed the tuck shop at 3 International camps.
Closer to home, I play a major role in a large number of Scout section events including Scoutabout and the County trips to Kandersteg. I have supported a number of Pride events around the country, advertising the fact that Scouting is for all.

My current role as a County Events Lead is to support all the County large events including Bazzaz, Scram, Scoutabout and Chief Scout Gold Award presentations. These come with a few challenges but listening to a Beaver telling their parents what fun they have had at Bazzaz or chatting to a Scout about the Swiss mountains they have just spent the day walking in makes all the hard work worthwhile.

I am passionate about Scouting and keen to support our leaders to provide different experiences for our young people to try.

When I am not Scouting, I work as ground staff with a large airline at Heathrow. The rest of the time I’m usually asleep!

I went through Brownies and Guides and loved every minute of it. When my son started Beavers at the age of 6, my comment was “If you need some help…” I became 1 of 3 leaders for the 4th Tongham Beavers from 1996. In 1998, I became Assistant District Commissioner for Beavers in Farnham. I loved visiting the district’s Beaver colonies and arranging district activities such as the swimming badge event, sports day and district outings. I also really loved working with my district colonies helping run some that were lacking in leaders.

1998 I joined Tongham Cubs at their camp with my son, realising that my love of the outdoors was still strongly there.

In 2000 I was one of the original members of the Bazzaz team, working with Assistant County Commissioner, Marie. I also went to my 1st Scout camp in the Peake District and carried on enjoying the outdoor life, helping the scouts to fulfil their scouting achievements. I have been many times since.

2008 I became Deputy District Commissioner in Farnham, helping organising District Swimming Badge evening, Family Camp and many other scout evenings.

I have also attended Kix09 in Kandersteg as a part of the site team and was able to walk and stay over night at a mountain lodge. I have helped the committee every visit since then.

I then took on the role as Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts) in Farnham leading district activities, Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader’s camps including “Back to Nature” at Bentley Copse.

In 2016 I became Assistant County Commissioner (Beavers) and arranged the first Beavers Go Wild camp for Beavers to sleep outside for 1 night.

My first experience of Scouting was when my son was approaching six years of age and I had heard about a new section called Beaver Scouts.  There was no Beaver Colony in my area, so I helped set one up.  That was in March 1987 and I’m still running the Colony over 37 years on.  Just shows how much I enjoy Scouting.  As my son went through the sections, I got involved in more activities including Scout Camps abroad as well as here in the UK including one of my favourite places, Brownsea Island.  I learnt so much and did so much, including activities I wouldn’t have done otherwise (caving, abseiling, canoeing, rifle shooting to name but a few). Scouting opened new doors for me and I meet some really interesting people.  I’ve been lucky enough to support Scouting within my District of Surrey Heath as well as Surrey County.  Seeing the young people have fun, make friends, learn new skills is just brilliant.

My love of all things outdoors started as a child in Guiding. I fondly remember getting my patrol leaders camp permit sleeping under the stars during the scorching summer of 1976!  I then joined Venture Scouts where I met my husband Ross. We have been married 40 years now!  After a Scouting break whilst I was at university & then raising a young family I always knew I was destined to return to Scouting and did so as a Beaver Scout leader when my eldest son turned 6 in 1998.  Since then I have held a number of Scouting roles, mainly within the Beaver section but also as Group Scout Leader.  In 2021 I helped to devise Reach for the Stars, a virtual camp for Surrey Beaver Scouts, initially as an event as the country came out of lockdown.  It was a huge success and has now become an annual event attracting around 700 participants.  

I’m Steve.

I’ve been a member of 1^st Chertsey scout group since I was 8 and have been a Cub, Scout, Young Leader and Venture scout.

Even when I popped to Fareham for 6 years, I still stayed in contact with the group and joined in with their camps and events, while also being part of a group in Fareham.

While in Fareham I became Assistant District Commissioner (Cubs) aged 18.

When I eventually moved back to Chertsey, I was a cub leader for a year, before becoming Assistant District Commissioner (Cubs) for Runnymede and I have been there ever since (now aged 40 something!).

My true loves in Scouting is:

Creating large cub events and getting as many young people as possible there in one place enjoying Cubbing about together, seeing them make new friends and find old friends they didn’t know were also cubs in different groups / Districts etc.

AND

Taking part in charity challenges with my fellow Chertsey leaders / young leaders, especially when those young leaders are people you have seen grow from cubs

AND

Joining in Cub camps, running District Camp / events, building our over-the-top scout floats and driving it though Chertsey at the historic Black Cherry Fair, and of course taking part and helping to organise Scram!

In fact, all of the above gives me a glow inside and makes me love my scouting life !!

I’m looking forward to the challenge of being Assistant County Commissioner (Cub Scouts) and to working with and supporting the Assistant District Commissioner team to create top quality cubbing in Surrey!

I was a Cub Scout, Scout and Venture Scout with the 6th Chingford. I vividly remember my first experience of the mountains and the outdoors as part of a Scout summer camp in the Lake District. One day we were taken out by Skip and our leaders on a mountain walk over Wetherlam and the Old Man of Coniston. It turned out to be an atrocious day of mist, low cloud, rain and poor visibility. I am not sure which hills we made it up, if any at all. It was, of course, an exciting adventure and that Scout experience sparked my love of the outdoors and adventurous activities.

I went on to gain my Scout Wings. I became part of the Greater London North East, County Mountaineering Activities Team. As a team we trained Scout Leaders during the winter with the skills they would need to take their Scouts out in the summer. I served on the Gilwell Park Service Team including for Extoree, the Scouts first international camp to offer equal access to all Scouts, whether with special needs or able-bodied. In all, my Scout experiences gave me the skills and confidence to lead expeditions to Scotland, Norway and Iceland, climb in the Alps, canoe in the Algonquin, hike in New Zealand, and become Munroist 6357.

I returned to Scouting to set up and lead an Explorer Scout Unit and now serve as ACC (Explorer Scouts) supporting Explorer Scouting across Surrey. My role is to promote and enable the development and consistent delivery of a high-quality, youth-shaped programme. It’s to support our Leaders and adult volunteers to provide amazing leadership, great opportunities and incredible experiences for the young people in our Explorer Scout section. I work to ensure Surrey’s Explorers Scouts are seen as making a positive impact in their communities; and I promote their activities, successes and achievements.

I began my scouting career as a Cub Scout with 26^th Epping Forest group in Chigwell, Essex. These were the days of caps, woolly jumpers, shorts and grey sock with garters … but I will always remember the skills I learned from my Akela and Baloo. Moving up to Scouts, I enjoyed several camps in the Yorkshire Dales and Welsh Border country.

I then transferred to my school’s Venture Scout Unit (29^th Epping Forest) and continued to love the outdoor activities, especially the trips to Sutherland in Scotland for Easter Camps. I achieved my Queen’s Scout Award and continued to volunteer as a young adult leader at camps in the year before I went to university. That year I was also able to travel with UK scouting’s International programme to be the summer  International Scout with the Boy Scouts of America at Camp Sequoyah in Alabama for 3 months – a fantastic experience.

I then took a break as university and the busy life as a lawyer and then Partner of a City Law Firm took over. But when my son was moving to Cubs I became a Cub Scout Leader with 1^st Claygate Scouts and I still enjoy this weekly challenge.

In 2019 I took over the delivery of the Young Leader programme in Esher District. Since 2020 I have been working with a small team from several districts in Surrey on improving the delivery this Top Scouting Award to Explorer Scout Young Leaders across the county. We now organise this in four Stages, with practical workshops, online training and a Mission at each Stage. The workshops take place at the Surrey Scouts Young Leader Conferences which I organise twice a year.

I began my Scouting career as a Wolf Cub, where I gained my Leaping Wolf Award (read as Chief Scout Award Bronze), before moving on to the Scout Troop. During my time in Scouts, the 1967 Advance Party Report was presented, and my Scouting work towards the 1st Class Scout Award became a Chief Scout Award. Venture Scouts dawned, and I achieved my Queen Scout Award. Also during that time, I was able to attend the 13th World Scout Jamboree in Japan.

Time moved on and I became an Assistant Scout Leader, Scout Leader, Venture Scout Leader, all with the group where I started as a Wolf Cub. During this time, I was also one of the Leaders who gathered all the underused Kayaks (fibreglass and canvas masterpieces) in the District to help for the Godalming District Scout Canoe Club, still thriving today. Through the club I became a British Canoe Union Coach – you may meet me if you take up a paddlesport with GDSCC or SSWAC.

Life and work was moving on and the opportunity to become the Assistant District Commissioner (Venture Scouts) was taken. I also worked with the County Venture Scout leadership team as a course tutor, developing new Venture Scout Leaders and Venture Scout Executive members. I was also selected as an Assistant Leader for the Surrey contingent to the 15th World Scout Jamboree in Canada.

The Contingent was led by Steve Hall, a future County Commissioner, who some years later asked me to become the District Commissioner for Godalming, a role I held for 11 years.

For the Centenary World Scout Jamboree, I joined the Off-site Support Team at Alton Water, helping 450 Scouts at a time, who were attending the Jamboree, to experience Kayaking twice a day for the duration of the Jamboree.

Time to change roles and I was asked to join the County Activity team, a role which morphed into the role I hold today. It also raised my awareness to the high quality and enthusiasm that each of the County Activity Clubs make available to Scouts across the County.

When I’m not Scouting I’m managing our home for my wife and daughters, and planning the odd Hillwalking, Canoe or Kayak trip!

Scouting has played a major role in my life from as young as I can remember, from being a Cub , Scout and Venture Scout ( Beavers did not exist when I joined not giving my age away !) moving onto my first role as a Cub Leader in GLSW, before joining joining Surrey as an assistant Scout Leader in Runnymede progressing to District Commissioner for 10 ten years a role which was so  inspirational and such a privilege for me to see both Leaders and Young people develop across the District which also allowed me the opportunity to set up new groups and develop specialist activities in Water, Archery, Fencing and Shooting to help provide a wider programme for our young people. In 2019 I had the privilege to attend World Jamboree in USA which I regard as a Scouting Highlight and now looking forward to attending Korea in 2023.

I  feel very privileged at being appointed to this new development role in Surrey working in partnership with Surrey Scout Trust  which will allow me to  continue developing our leaders across the county in Surrey to help prepare and encourage  them to learn new skills as well as increase leader retention plus gain adventurous activity permits to help our young people to grow their Skills for life.

I began my Scouting journey as a Beaver in Greater London South West before moving to Epsom & Ewell as a Scout where I’ve been ever since. I’ve been fortunate to have several incredible experiences through Scouting, including visits abroad to Canada and Kandersteg. I was also lucky enough to be selected to attend the 2007 UK World Scout Jamboree as a participant and the 2015 Japan World Scout Jamboree as one of Surrey’s Unit Leaders.

I joined the Surrey Scouts International Team in 2016 to take the lead on everything related to the World Scout Jamboree, before taking on the Assistant County Commissioner (International) role jointly with Kerry in 2020.

Starting as a Beaver with 1^st Fernhurst (Haslemere District) I have grown through meeting inspiring people in Scouting and this has helped me embrace the most wonderful opportunities in Surrey, the UK as well

as internationally. I love expanding my international Scouting family with new friends through my own travels.

I joined the Surrey Scouts International Team when I was eighteen years old after an experience of a lifetime at Roverway 2018 which I attended as a participant and Assistant Patrol Leader. I am now thrilled to jointly begin the role of Assistant County Commissioner (International) with James in 2020.

I want to help others find that international scouting moment that makes them feel so proud and special to be a leader or young person. Hopefully you will fall in love with international Scouting like I did and achieve everything you want to.

Outside of Scouting I am due to complete studying Industrial Design and Technology at Brunel University London in 2022. As I prepare for a career in design I know the skills and experiences I gained in Scouting will better prepare me to take on real-life challenges in the Design Industry.

As a Scout and Explorer in Leatherhead District, I was fortunate to make lifelong memories and have amazing experiences, particular highlights being my King’s Scout expedition in Snowdonia (where the weather was as good as you’d expect), and achieving my Explorer Belt in Spain on my second attempt.

As an adult, I am an Explorer Leader in Leatherhead, and I thoroughly enjoy supporting the Surrey Explorer Belt and DofE expeditions. I also served as Deputy Youth Commissioner for Leatherhead District for a short time, before joining the County Youth Team. It is in that role that I was appointed Lead for the Surrey Skills Academy, overseeing the provision of many different courses with the aim of helping leaders deliver those skills to their sections.

I do still manage a life outside of Scouting, and am currently doing a very worthwhile and important History degree at Southampton University.

Scouts wasn’t open to girls when I was a lass but no worry, because Brownies, Guides and Ranger Guides, first in Newcastle and then Yorkshire, gave me the grounding I needed to stick my hand up when my son’s Cub pack needed more volunteers.

I had the most fantastic fun with a great, rather crazy team of adult leaders cooking up ideas for things to do with our Cubs. What a joy to be lighting fires of an evening after a stressful day at work!

Having also got involved with running the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme I’ve moved over to running an Explorer Unit. I have also spent time working for the Scout Association. The experience of recruiting new volunteers and opening new sections was great preparation for taking on the role of Deputy County Commissioner for Growth. I hope to be able to help our volunteer base grow so that more young people can grow up with Scouting having an positive impact on their life.

Deputy County Commissioner (Media & Communications)

Scouting has been a part of my life as long as I can remember having been brought up in a Scouting family. Having worked through Cubs to Venture Scouts, I became an Instructor in 1985 and then a Cub leader before taking on the role of District Commissioner in Banstead for a decade from 2004.

I took on running the County website just to help out(!) and then began to develop a team to support the other media elements of the County which led to my current role with the Media team.

It is a fantastic opportunity and a privilege to be a part of a Scout County that offers such a range of activities and events. Being a part of the Media Team allows me to see what incredible stuff our County does first-hand.

I started as a Cub Scout with the 1st Burgess Hill in West Sussex and went on to be a Troop instructor and Assistant Scout Leader there. In 1992 I became one of the County Chaplains in Surrey and have been part of the County Team ever since, working on events like Scoutabout and expeditions to Kandersteg. I made many good friends and began my international scout work as part of the Jamboree Organising Team for EuroJam and the 2007 Centenary Jamboree and continue to work as an advisor to World Scouting on Spiritual and Religious Development, for which I was awarded the Bronze Wolf in 2018. In recent years I have been Deputy County Commissioner for the “Western Lands” and am currently National Catholic Chaplain.

I have been a part of Scouting since I was 19 and I grew up with a Scouting background as my parents were already involved.

My first role was in the Beaver section where I became as Assistant Beaver Leader in 1990 with the 1st Wonersh. In 2005, I took over leading the colony, especially enjoying seeing the excitement on the Beavers’ faces when they experienced new activities.

In 2009, I jumped up a section and became an Assistant Cub Scout Leader before making an even bigger leap in 2011 when I became an Explorer leader. It was really interesting to see how Scouting impacted the lives of children all the way from Beavers through to Explorer age!

In 2003, however, I started working at the County Office and have continued to do so. I deal with lots of the administration of the County as well as helping to organise the big county sectional events such as Bazzaz, SCRAM, Scoutabout and KIX. I enjoy the variety of challenges that working in the County Office brings – something new every day!

Always keen to develop my interests, I have become a climbing Instructor at Bentley Copse and in 2017, I became an air rifle and pistol instructor too.

My early Scouting as a Cub and Scout was in South and West London, becoming a Queens Scout and then a Scout Section Leader in Fulham for some eleven years.  Along the way I held various District appointments before becoming Assistant County Commissioner for Greater London Central (GLC), initially for International, and then the Scout Section, before taking up the Deputy County Commissioner role.   From 1993 I was County Commissioner for GLC and became Regional Commissioner for South East England and Western Europe for five years from 2006 to 2011.   I’ve had the pleasure of being a County Trustee for Surrey Scouts since 2015 including four years as Chairman and taking the role on again in 2024.   Various Headquarters appointments have run parallel to the other roles but the real fun of Scouting is at Group level and I still regard my primary and most important role as being Group Scout Leader at 2^nd Cuddington since 1988.

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to both take part and lead camps and expeditions with every Section and at every level both at home and in many other countries, activities which are key to Scouting.  Throughout my time I have been surrounded by a great team of leaders whose support, friendship and teamwork makes Scouting so much fun.

Outside of Scouting I was privileged to be commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 2011, I’m a Vice President of Surrey Clubs for Young People, a Trustee for Surrey Army Cadet Force and for the Agoonoree Trust Fund (supporting Scouts with additional needs) and hold roles with various other charities involving support for young people in Surrey and London.