A STALWART of Island Scouting has been recognised for 50 years of service to the movement.
Chris Totty is Group Lead Volunteer at the 10th Les Quennevais and has led the unit for more than a decade.
Mr Totty (77) started as young leader in 1966 but had a few periods out of the movement while raising a family. His association with Scouting goes back even further, joining as a Cub in Middlesex in 1957.
Moving to Jersey with his employer, Mr Totty joined the St Mark’s and Victoria College groups before starting his long association with the 10th.
His wife, Jenny, whom he first met at a Scout jumble sale, has also been a long-time leader and will reach her half-century of active service in a couple of years.
Asked what has kept him in the youth movement for so long, Mr Totty said: “I have been around the world with Scouting; it’s been amazing experience.
“I’ve been to World Jamborees in Chile and London and we used to take Scout to Slovakia when it was still under Communist rule; that really was fascinating.”
He continued: “I’ve been lucky to help generations of young people find their love of adventure and the great outdoors in a safe environment. I remember going into a bank once and the chap behind the counter said: ‘Hi Akela, how are you?’
“That was really touching: Scouting teaches young people the skills of life so it usually leaves a lasting memory.”
Mr Totty was presented with a certificate, signed by the UK Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, by Island Lead Volunteer Glen Militis at a recent awards event at St Ouen’s Manor.
Mr Militis said: “Chris and all our volunteers are absolutely essential to the running of Scouting and making sure that the young people who want to be involved can get involved. We have a long waiting list of young people who want to join.
“The more volunteers we have, the more opportunities we can provide for young people, and the more experiences we can give them. Chris’s knowledge and his 50 years of active service have been absolutely invaluable, and I was delighted to present him with this well-deserved award.”
He added: “Scouting has changed over in recent years so that volunteering can be far more flexible. If you can only make every other week, that’s great. If it’s only camps that you can help with, that’s great too. Any time that a volunteer can give will be well used to ensure that young people get the maximum out of Scouting.”
Mr Totty is soon due to ‘retire’ as Group Lead Volunteer but will remain as a trustee of the 10th Les Quennevais.
