Ann Limb. Photo: Courtesy of The Scout Association.
Friend makes Scouting history
Quaker becomes first female chair of The Scout Association
Ann Limb, of Milton Keynes Meeting, has been elected chair of The Scout Association UK.
She is the first woman to hold the post and is responsible, with the trustees and chief executive, for the strategic oversight of the organisation, with legal and financial accountability for its policies and activities. Ann is also responsible for the stewardship, scrutiny and safeguarding of the association’s membership, which is made up of some 547,897 adults and young people throughout the UK.
Ann told the Friend: ‘At the heart of the Scout movement is a belief in “being prepared for everyday fun and adventure” and, as a Quaker, “living adventurously” characterises my own attitude to life – so there’s a natural synergy of core purpose between Scouts and me.’
‘The Scout values of respect, integrity, cooperation, care and exploring beliefs, attitudes and faiths align easily with my own Quaker values and our Quaker testimonies. Both Scouts and Quakers also share a focus on practical social action and concern for others and the environment.’
She added: ‘I’ve been involved in Quaker social action both locally and nationally for over twenty years now and so, for me, this wonderful opportunity to lead the Scout Association is simply another a way of putting my Quaker beliefs into action – and offering my life skills and experience as an adult volunteer to a movement that, as a Brownie and Guide, profoundly changed my own life!’
Comments
I am always a bit shocked by Friends that are apart of Scouts and promote it. Having grown up as a Quaker, I was not encouraged to be in Scouts. I have not encouraged my children either.
My first question,as I don’t know if it is still true, Scout still make a pledge and/or an oath?
I also have problems with the history of Scouts and what it has came out of, as it started as a youth paramilitary organisation. With this history I could not, in good concious, have my children take apart of an organise that has not made clear that it DOES NOT support a military mentality anymore. especially with the current action of the government promoting the military in secondary schools.
As far as woodcraft skills, social skills and group efforts these types of values can be found in many other organisation that don’t have the the same atmosphere as the Scouts. I would hope we ARE NOT considering modeling the childrens and youth programs of The Religious Society of Friends on the Scouts either. Sure there maybe shared values but the values that are not shared need be made clear too.
By asruth on 29th October 2015 - 15:55
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