The Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Ken Meeson, visited the 4th Knowle Sea Scout Explorers at Arden School where Explorer Scout Jessica Whitehill was announced as the new Mayor’s Sea Scout.
In this long-standing tradition, a member of the 4th Knowle Sea Scout Explorers, one of Solihull’s largest and most successful scout groups, is appointed the Mayor’s Sea Scout for the forthcoming year, accompanying the Mayor at official events.
This year’s event saw the 4th Knowle group perform a colours ceremony, before the Solihull Mayor was invited to inspect the Scouts and Explorers, alongside the Leader of the Explorers, Richard Hawker. Around 65 Sea Scouts (aged 11-14) and Explorers (aged 14-18) attended the event.
Jessica (17) is a resident of Knowle and has just started her final year at Solihull Sixth Form College. She was presented with the Mayor’s Sea Scout trophy, a neck scarf bearing the borough crest and a ‘Mayor’s Sea Scout’ ribbon band to replace the ‘Sea Scout’ band on her naval hat.
The Mayor of Solihull said:
“I was delighted to hand over the trophy to Jessica and congratulate her on becoming my Sea Scout.
“I understand Jessica has demonstrated a significant commitment to the Scouting Movement, particularly in respect of water sports and recently qualified as a Young Leader having completed all her training and supporting Sea Scout’s Beaver section for the last year, and look forward to her accompanying me on forthcoming events over my Mayoral year.
“I’ve a lifelong association with the scouting movement so I am doubly proud of this long tradition of the Mayor’s Sea Scout. I hope over my Mayoralty I will be able to promote the work of the scouts, guides, cadets and all the other groups that give children and young people such positive life experiences.”