By Marcus Uhe
The Radley family from Narre Warren South Scout Group were presented with a hat-trick of awards at a ceremony at the Cranbourne Scout Hall on Friday 6 May.
17-year-old Mitchell was bestowed the Queen Scout Award, 14-year-old Georgie received the Australian Scout Award, and 11-year-old Gemma was presented with the Grey Wolf Award.
Their mum, Tracy, who is also a leader for Gemma’s Cubs unit and Georgie’s Scout unit, had the honour of presenting the certificate, a pin and a woggle to each of Gemma, Georgia and Mitchell, respectively, as part of the ceremony in front of fellow Scouts, Cubs and their families at Narre Warren South, and officials from Scouts Victoria.
As a Venturer Scout, Mitchell was honoured for completing over 300 hours of work across four disciplines; leadership development, personal growth, community involvement and outdoor activities.
In 2021 he completed three quarters of his hours during lockdown, including executing 3000 push-ups to raise money for Headspace, and completing his ideals badge, where he researched, compared and contrasted different belief systems and religions, and related them to Scouting principals.
Between lockdowns, he planned and undertook a 30-kilometre hike with his mum and completed a four-day remote survival course.
Recently appointed as a Unit Leader by her peers, Georgie completed her last 12 months of badge work during lockdown.
She made instructional videos and PowerPoints on how to tie certain knots and navigations principles, which she used to teach her unit members over zoom.
The Australian Scout Award is considered the Peak Award – the highest honour within the Scouts.
Similar to her sister’s achievement, Gemma’s Grey Wolf Award is the highest recognition available to Cubs.
Her award was two-and-a-half-years in the making and her work during that time included making a Jungle Book block trivia game, in a similar mould to Boggle, and serving on the Unit Council as a Patrol Leader.
She also took five fellow cubs on a two-hour hike around the Seaford wetlands in November as soon as lockdowns eased, earned badges on the weather and citizenship and completed a World Friendship program on the people, culture and scouting community in Slovenia.
Tracy Radley, who has 22 years of involvement across Narre Warren South and Devon Meadows Scout Groups, is “exceedingly proud” of her children, who all navigated the additional complications of Covid-19 restrictions to achieve these honours.
“I’m super proud that all their hours of work are recognised,” she said.
“All the hours they put in. not just literal badge work that they do, but they participate in community events as well.”
