St Nicolas Scout Group celebrate Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey
Scouts and Beavers from St Nicolas 9th Guildford Scout Group had an exciting day on Monday 12th March when they joined Her Majesty the Queen at Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Service. The service is held each year on Commonwealth Day to celebrate the Commonwealth and was televised live on BBC1. It is reputed to be one of the Queen’s favourite events.
Six Scouts and six Beavers along with two leaders were asked by the County Commissioner, Joe Rogerson, to represent the Scout Movement at the service, joining about 750 other children in a congregation of 2000 that included representatives from all 53 Commonwealth countries. Although it was a school day they had received permission from their schools to attend the service. It was a grand state occasion with almost all the Royal Family present including Meghan Markle, who was attending her first public event with the Queen, as well as senior politicians and diplomats. Many people in the congregation wore their national dress.
Josh Goodwin, Group Scout Leader, said: “We were very honoured to be asked to represent Scouting at the Commonwealth Service. The Scouts and Beavers were amazing ambassadors for the Scout Movement. They were very smart, patient in the security queues, well behaved in the Abbey and polite and responsive to all the ex-scouts and guides and other people who spoke to them, including Ainsley Harriott and Members of Parliament.
“They certainly seemed to gain an understanding of the Commonwealth and the significance of the service. In addition to the presence of the Queen, Meghan Markle and Liam Payne (of One Direction, who sang a song during the service), they were impressed by all the flags and the national costumes. With the State Trumpeters and a Maori blowing a conch, it was a great event!”