Three Scout Leaders from the Leighton Linslade District, with a combined service of 114 years, have been honoured with awards by Scout Headquarters. They will receive their awards at Sunday’s St George’s Day Service at All Saints Church in the centre of the town.

Vice President Dave Darvill has been actively involved with Scouts since 1972, first in Nuneaton and then later in Linslade. He has had a variety of jobs, first as Group Scout Leader of the 1st Linslade, followed by a range of district appointments. He was a Leader Trainer, District Secretary and Appointments Secretary before becoming a Vice President in 2007 when he retired from active Scouting. He was awarded a Silver Acorn in 1995 and has now received a bar to the Acorn for continuing distinguished services.

John Oxley has lived in the area all his life and has been involved with local Scouting since 1970. He was Cub Scout Leader with the Heath & Reach Scout Group and has now taken a slightly back seat as an assistant. In 39 years he has provided fun, adventure and challenges to hundreds of Cub Scouts from the population of Heath and Reach. He is well known in the District for the orienteering trails he set at Stockgrove Country Park for several years.

The third award winner is Fay Barrett whose day time job is as a Police Community Officer. Fay began her Scouting career in Leicester in 1971 before moving to the area in 1973. She was Group Scout Leader of the Riverside Scout Group and later the Briggington Scout Group. She now works alongside John Oxley as an assistant Cub Scout Leader with the Heath & Reach Scout Group. She said, “I was thrilled to receive the award. It was totally unexpected.” John and Fay were both awarded Silver Acorns in recognition of the specially distinguished services they have given to Scouts in Leighton Buzzard and the surrounding area for almost four decades.

[Back to News Front Page]

Three Scout Leaders from the Leighton Linslade District, with a combined service of 114 years, have been honoured with awards by Scout Headquarters. They will receive their awards at Sunday’s St George’s Day Service at All Saints Church in the centre of the town.

Vice President Dave Darvill has been actively involved with Scouts since 1972, first in Nuneaton and then later in Linslade. He has had a variety of jobs, first as Group Scout Leader of the 1st Linslade, followed by a range of district appointments. He was a Leader Trainer, District Secretary and Appointments Secretary before becoming a Vice President in 2007 when he retired from active Scouting. He was awarded a Silver Acorn in 1995 and has now received a bar to the Acorn for continuing distinguished services.

John Oxley has lived in the area all his life and has been involved with local Scouting since 1970. He was Cub Scout Leader with the Heath & Reach Scout Group and has now taken a slightly back seat as an assistant. In 39 years he has provided fun, adventure and challenges to hundreds of Cub Scouts from the population of Heath and Reach. He is well known in the District for the orienteering trails he set at Stockgrove Country Park for several years.

The third award winner is Fay Barrett whose day time job is as a Police Community Officer. Fay began her Scouting career in Leicester in 1971 before moving to the area in 1973. She was Group Scout Leader of the Riverside Scout Group and later the Briggington Scout Group. She now works alongside John Oxley as an assistant Cub Scout Leader with the Heath & Reach Scout Group. She said, “I was thrilled to receive the award. It was totally unexpected.” John and Fay were both awarded Silver Acorns in recognition of the specially distinguished services they have given to Scouts in Leighton Buzzard and the surrounding area for almost four decades.

[Back to News Front Page]