Eleanor's Kings Scout Award 2025
I have been part of scouts for 9 years including 4 in explorers which will sadly end this
Christmas as I turn 18, collecting my gold, platinum and diamond award- and hopefully my
King scout!
The first part of this award includes the compulsory 24 nights away: however, since starting
scouts in 2017, I have accumulated 151 nights. To put this into perspective, it is just over 5
months! Out of the 120 of that I have gained since starting my platinum award in 2022, I
picked out my favorite and most challenging to showcase tonight through my award.
These include Pre- camps for the world scout jamboree, followed by the World Scout
Jamboree in South Korea, Kent international Jamboree, My Gold Duke of Edinburgh practice
and assessed expeditions in Exmoor and Dartmoor and my nights at Rover way, in Norway
earlier this year. As a key part if scouting I have enjoyed my nights away and will carry on
camping in the future.
The second of four activity aspects for the KSA are the ICV activities; this stands for
*International, Community and Values. I have completed 6 of these, 2 from each of the
Platinum, Diamond and Kings Scout lists.
International:
Platinum - Take an active part in an international camp in the UK.
Summer 2022- I was a participant at Kent International Jamboree, attending the opening
and closing ceremonies along with a range of activities such as swimming, caving, rock
climbing and even quad bike racing. I enjoyed meeting lots of new people from the UK and
even overseas who attended the event.
I was a participant at Rover way in Stavanger, Norway this summer. This camp was 2 weeks
consisting of a sustainability pathway and many water activities such as canoeing and
kayaking. I went as part of a patrol of 8 from Kent- that I had only met twice prior arriving
to Gatwick airport. I presented this to my Explorer section and also had discussions with
Squirrels about Rover way and other international camps- they seems very excited about
being able to go on a holiday!
These activities are very meaningful to be as they have taught me how to get along with
everyone, and how to embrace new cultures whilst traveling independently without mum
and dad.
Diamond - Work with a younger section to help them achieve a stage of their
Community Impact Staged Activity Badge or their Environmental Conservation Activity Badge.
In spring 2022 I planned a presentation aimed at scouts to discuss our local environment which as
linked quickly to the large amount of litter seen around Twydall after a previous
navigation challenge and Remembrance service in the winter before.
We discussed the impacts of climate change and possible solutions for this; I decided to
help organise to attend some regular litter picks around the community
along with Twydall church. The 8th May was especially important as this is
the time multiple sections came together to
complete one, which was able to strengthen our community. The scouts attended these
events and were able to complete stages 1-4 of their Stage 1 Community Impact badge.
KSA - Research and participate in a local environmental or community based project to
make an improvement in the environment or on the community. Present your experience to
your Unit or Scout Network.
After viewing first-hand how lonely it can feel for elderly people at Christmas time, by
visiting Valley View Nursing home in Rochester with my school choir, I decided to participate
in my school’s Senior Citizens Christmas party on the main organising committee last winter.
I attended weekly meetings to organise decorations, entertainment and food for 40 guests
and their careers, delivering handmade invites to different places. On the night, I
participated in decorating the school hall, organising entertainment, and speaking to the
guests throughout gifting them small hampers as they arrived. I presented this achievement
to my unit in a weekly meeting to raise awareness for helping the elderly community.
Overall, the community section had the most impact on me as it was clear how easily I could
make a difference to the community and the lasting impact I could have. This Christmas, I
am helping a local charity by organising and raising money to purchase Christmas presents
for children in care, and children that will be in hospital over Christmas, in hopes to have a
greater impact.
Values:
Platinum - Organise a series of 2 evening activities for another section to explore different
faiths and beliefs.
In spring of 2022, I organized 2 evenings with the squirrel section exploring Christianity,
Buddhism and Hinduism. We learnt about different greetings, festivals, traditions and
food. We did activities including drawing religious symbols and just dance with traditional
religious and cultural songs, but the favorite had to be the parachute game with different
colored balls representing different religions, which different teams had to collect. I
enjoyed teaching and celebrating different faiths with the squirrels focusing on the
importance of learning and accepting different beliefs within our community.
Diamond - Run an activity with another section to explore the Promise & Law and how they
live by their Promise. Reflect on how you live by your Promise, and discuss with your mentor.
Relating back to our evenings on religion, in Autumn of 2022 I organised an evening with
the Squirrel section linking to the Scout promises and laws. We played a relay style game
to collect different pieces and then matched theses in groups. The squirrels spoke to me
and the other leaders about what they do at home and at school to live by their promise and
having cuddles with their pets to help mum and dad was definitely a fan favorite!
After also sharing my opinions, I reflected and discussed these with my leaders and
mentors and how we could also further implement them into more scout evenings to have
a wider positive effect.
I believe teaching squirrels through my activities in the values section has encouraged
positive actions within the section and I am confident that this has been seen regularly. I
am proud to have encouraged acceptance and the ability to discuss and share our values
together as part of our scout family.
DofE: The 3rd activity of my award:
I completed each section of my Gold DofE, which included sections named: Volunteering,
Physical, Skills, Expedition and Residential.
Volunteering- 1 year- Squirrel’s young leader, helping to plan and run evenings every
Wednesday.
Physical- 1 year- Walking to build up my strength and endurance after a back injury on
silver DofE- this enabled me to complete the expedition sec/on of the award.
Skills- 6 months- taking care of my rabbits- including feeding and cleaning- learning more
about their health and how I could positively impact this.
Expedition- Practice: 4 days and 4 nights on Exmoor- with a group of 5 other girls which I
had never spoken to before- being completely self- sufficient. I got better at route planning
after this to try and more avoid the hills for next me.
Assessed: 4 days and 4 nights on Dartmoor- complete rain, and let’s try to forget that I fell
into a lake on the first day. I hope I never have to go 4 days without a shower again.
Residential: I was lucky enough to be selected as a participant at the World Scout
Jamboree in South Korea in summer 2023. I was selected with a group of people from
across Kent together, and we spent 3 weeks away, completing many activities whilst also
experiencing the sights and culture that Korea had to offer. In this experience, I had made
lots of new friends, which has also given me the opportunity to volunteer as a member of
the International Service Team at the Kent International Jamboree 2025. I am excited to do
this to be able to support the next genera/on of scouts and explorers to give back to the
scouting community.
I am proud to have completed the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award this October after
completing a presentation to my assessors with my group. This has been my biggest
achievement within the award as it has built up my confidence and resilience, which Is
why I would recommend taking part in this program if you are a scout or explorer.
The final activity for my King’s Scout award has been this presentation, which whilst
creating, I have enjoyed reflecting on so many important moments and achievements
throughout the past 4 years which I have been an explorer.
Finally, thank you to everyone for coming to support me tonight and I hope you enjoy our
annual firework night fundraiser.
