Thurso Scouting volunteer "chuffed to bits" with his Silver Wolf award
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A Thurso Scouting stalwart has been presented with a Silver Wolf award – the highest accolade for distinguished service within the Scout Association.
Gavin Bernard (84) was presented with the his medal and certificate at his home in Pennyland Drive by district commissioner Gary Stronach.
Mr Stronach said: "I was delighted to be the one to present him with his award as he was the leader who persuaded me to take out my warrant when I was 18 and I have never regretted it."
Mr Bernard's is currently the Caithness and Sutherland district appointments secretary and the president of the Highlands and Island regional president. Throughout his Scouting career he has held many other roles from assistant scout leader in 2nd Thurso Scouts to district commissioner for Caithness.
Commenting on the many roles the award recipient has had, Mr Stronach said: "For many of our local leaders he is a mentor and source of unbiased advice/guidance on all forms of Scouting."
Following the presentation on Thursday, May 27, Mr Bernard said: "I could not believe it, I was never expecting anything like that – I am chuffed to bits, delighted. The main thing is – all that time through Scouting I have had a wonderful time. I have done things, met people and gone places."
He first started with the Scouts while based in Germany with the RAF in 1969 where he helped with the Rover Crew. Mr Bernard then took 10 years off after getting married to his wife Elsie, who went on to help him with his volunteering.
When their eldest son joined the cubs someone came to asked if he wanted to be the quartermaster. Although he said "not on your life" he ended up as the assistant scout leader. "I really have had a wonderful life in it," said Mr Bernard. "I have got so much out of being a volunteer. I could not have done it without Elsie." The couple celebrate their diamond wedding on Thursday (May 10).
His first local Scouting appointment was as an assistant leader with 2nd Thurso Scouts in January 1972 before becoming section leader two years later and then stepping up to county commissioner for Caithness in April 1990, a position he held for 10 years until stepping back into a variety of district administrative support roles and eventually taking on the appointments secretary role in 2008 for the old Caithness district which then became Caithness and Sutherland in 2018.
Mr Stronach said: "Like many of our long serving leaders he has held various additional roles over his tenure including Assistant Commissioner Scout Section and International Commissioner which included responsibility for the scouts selected from Caithness to take part in the bi-annual Blair Atholl Jamborette.
"Over his decades of Scouting, he got his 60 year service award in July 2019 – Gavin has taken scouts camping all over the place and in the spirit of Scouting this has included not only ones from his own group but others whose leaders couldn't manage. There were trips abroad to Germany (Brilon) and Sweden, further south in the UK to Hexham and London, local camps to Rumster, Dornoch, Brora and Lairg and a host of other places.
"In most of the big camps he was supported by Elsie, his devoted wife who became 'mother' for some of the camps similar to a lot of wives/partners who are members by association."
The Silver Wolf is awarded by the Scout Association for individuals who have given exceptional service to Scouting.
Mr Bernard's presentation was a small event due to Covid restrictions but a bigger celebration is planned for when rules allow.
Related article: Your county needs you: The search is on to find new recruits to help run the Scouts in Caithness and Sutherland.
