The Sefton North Scouts (Southport & Formby Area) Annual Saint George's Day Parade

ON 21 April 2024, the 2nd Sefton North Scouts (Southport and Formby areas) Annual Saint George's Day Parade was held around the Southport Marine Lake. This event was based on the traditional Parade that has been run in the Seaside Town by the Scouting organisation, but since 2023, now includes Packs from the Formby area as well.

This event is held on the nearest Sunday to Saint George's Day, which in 2024 fell on 23 April. If you are unaware, St. George is the Patron Saint of England. The idea of these annual parades is to bring people together and promote the work of the Scouts within our community.

The event ended at the Waterside Lodge, with a simple gathering that was used to allow the organisation's members, taking part in the Parade, to renew their:- 'Scout Promise,' or as it is now referred the:- 'Scout Law.' This 'Promise' is a spoken statement made by a child and adults joining the Scout movement, ever since the publication of the Scouting for Boys Handbook in 1908. Since then, Scouts and Girl Guides worldwide have had to take the oath, which says they will live up to the ideals and subscribe to the movement's values. It also allowed some awards to be given out.

Sefton North Scouts are part of the Merseyside Scouts groups and take part in the event where many of the groups from within that area.

The groups taking part included:-

• Squirrels - 4 and 5 years.
   

• Beavers - 6 to 8 years.
   

• Cubs - 8 to 10½ years..
   

• Scouts - 10½ to 14 years.
   

• Explorers - 14 to 18 years.
   

• Scout Network - 18 to 25 years.

For more information please visit:- SeftonNorthScouts.Org.UK.

Currently, Merseyside Scouts' 9,000 members support 140 communities in:- Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, and Wirral. To find out more about the organisation, please visit:- MerseysideScouts.Com.

Do you think England’s national day, Saint Georges Day, should be made into a public Bank Holiday in England? There are renewed calls for Saint David's Day, 1 March, to be made a bank holiday in Wales, and it has been suggested several times in England. Interestingly, Scotland has already passed the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday Act 2007, making it an official Bank Holiday in Scotland, and St Patrick's Day has been an official national public holiday in Northern Ireland for many years. So why isn't Saint George's Day a Bank Holiday in England and Saint David's Day in Wales? Let us know your thoughts on this topic by emailing our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter.