Goring Cub Scout leader stands down after 38 years

The Akela at 2nd Goring Cub Pack, Jeanne has decided to retire as a full-time leader, having volunteered in Scouting for more than 38 years.

Leaders, Cubs and other members past and present gathered at a surprise afternoon tea party, held at St Richard’s Church hall in Maybridge last Saturday, to thank her for her work.

Vanya Obrastsoff-Rutinsky, who will be taking over as Akela in September, said: “We wanted to say thank you for the amazing contribution she has made to the community.”

Old photographs were put on display, recalling past activities including involvement in the Worthing Carnival and fancy dress.

Jeanne said it all started when she was 15 as a Girl Guide in Kidlington, near Oxford.

She became a young leader and went on to earn a warrant as an assistant Cub Scout leader at 18.

“My brother would not stay at Cubs on his own, so my mother asked if I could stay with him and I never left,” she said.

When she moved to Goring a couple of years later, she became involved with Scouting on a casual basis at first.

As her own children grew up, Jeanne became more and more involved at 2nd Goring and later at a district and county level with West Sussex Scouts.

Jeanne said: “I am going to miss the week to week contact with the children.

“I have always enjoyed the relationship you build up with them, seeing them come in at eight and leaving at 10½. You see them grow in confidence and growing up themselves, knowing you have been there for them and offered them opportunities they might not get elsewhere.”

One example Jeanne particularly recalled was a trip to the Czech Republic she made with the Scouts.

Jeanne went out on a high, taking a group of children to the Sussex 100 camp, celebrating the centenary of Cub Scouting, at Ardingly over the weekend.

Her Cub pack was given the honour of hosting Worthing deputy mayor Alex Harman, deputy mayoress Fran Bull and Worthing youth mayor David Price for supper when the visited on Sunday.

Although Jeanne is retiring as a Cub leader, she will be continuing her district and county roles with West Sussex Scouts. She is special needs adviser for the county and local training manager for the district.

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