THE Salisbury and South Wilts District Top Awards Presentation took place at the Guildhall last month.

Award certificates were presented by His Majesty’s Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Lt Gen Sir Andrew Gregory, including the Chief Scouts Gold and Chief Scouts Diamond Awards.

The former is the highest award available in the Scout section (10.5 yrs to 14.5 years), while the latter is the highest award in the Explorer Scout section.

For the Chief Scouts Gold there are nine challenge badges that need to be completed, these are: Outdoor; Adventure; Skills; Personal; Teamwork; Team Leader; Expedition; World; and Creative.

1st Alderbury Scouts

Activities include eight nights camping and scout craft, taking part in three adventurous activities, being part of and leading teams, a personal challenge, a two-day expedition, creative and skills activities such as model making or taking part in a performance, and activities that require problem-solving skills.

For the Chief Scouts Diamond, Explorers complete 12 nights’ camping, four activities from the International, Communities and Values list, the four Diamond Challenges – take up a skill for three or six months, take up a physical activity for three or six months, provide service to an individual or the community for six months, complete a three-day and two-night expedition in rural or open country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy.

4th Salisbury Harnham Scouts

The Scout troops and Explorer units represented were: Bourne Valley (Idmiston); 23rd Salisbury; 3rd Salisbury (Sea Scouts); 2nd Bulford (St Leonards); 1st Amesbury; 1st Wilton; 4th Salisbury (Harnham); 1st Boscombe; and Amesbury Explorers.

One Explorer Scout, Robert Western from Amesbury Explorers, received the Medal for Meritorious Conduct for using his Scouting Skills to render first aid to a fellow school pupil in a serious incident.