Highest honour in scouting for Iona
Brave 22-year-old overcomes hip and knee problems
A Stirling Scout is being honoured by royalty this weekend after putting her own medical issues aside to help others.
Iona Robertson is among 120 young Scouts being recognised for their success and bravery by Chief Scout Bear Grylls and Prince Michael of Kent.
They have all achieved the highest honour in scouting this year - The Queen’s Scout Award.
As part of her Queen’s Scout Award, Iona helped build a youth centre and upgrade a Scout campsite in Zambia, despite being born with a medical condition which means she has had serious knee and hip injuries.
She has had several operations to help correct this and her last operation was during the summer of 2014.
Only a year later her surgeon passed her fit enough to undertake her expedition and, along with her team, she hiked around Ben Nevis on a four day 60 mile trek, which they completed as planned.
The 22-year-old said: “Scouting has been a huge part of my life and so to achieve the top award within the movement means everything to me.
“I found the most difficult part of the award was the four-day expedition.
“Many midges and lots of bogs made the walking tricky, but it was also one of the most enjoyable parts of the award and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
The group of 120 travelling to Windsor this weekend for the event is the highest number of Scottish Scouts to receive the Queen’s Scout Award in over a decade.
The award recognises leadership and teamwork and requires high standards of discipline and motivation. Scouts aged 16-25 must complete a number of achievements before they turn 25 in order to achieve the award.
Scouts must also obtain a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award or complete five Scouting Challenges which include volunteering in the community for 12 months, learning and developing a new skill, and taking up a new physical activity.
Part of these challenges include 18 nights away, 12 of which must be camping. As well as this they need to do challenges that improve the environment, help them to understand the wider world and celebrate the values of Scouting.
Scouts Scotland is booming, with 10 years of continual growth in the youth section of the movement, and there are now 46,095 members across Scotland.
Graham Haddock, Chief Commissioner, Scouts Scotland said: “I am extremely pleased to see 120 young people from Scotland recognised for achieving our highest youth award, the Queen’s Scout Award.
“This is the biggest number of Scottish Scouts to receive this award in over a decade and highlights the growth of the movement and the strength of our current programme in addition to the tremendous hard work that they have done to achieve it.
“The focus, determination and resilience that these young Scouts have shown is incredible. As well as learning new skills, facing challenges and having unbelievable adventures, the Queen’s Scout Award demonstrates remarkable commitment, discipline and motivation.
“The impact that each of these young people has had on their local community already will be obvious to those around them. It augurs well for their future and for their community as they take their skills and energy into the future.”