First Scouts promise to do their duty ‘to God and the King’ after Charles becomes the new monarch
- New members must recite ‘Scout Promise’ to do duty to ‘God and to the Queen’
- After the Queen’s death the promise changed to pledge to duty to King Charles
- First of promises to ‘God and to the King’ was made in Ilford yesterday evening
- It is ‘history in the making,’ says 32nd Chingford leader Lyndsey Nassim, 47
- Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing
History was made as the first new Scouts promised their ‘duty to God and to the King’ after the death of the Queen and Charles became the new monarch.
Leader of the 32nd Chingford Group Lyndsey Nassim, 47, said witnessing her Scouts give the changed ‘Scouts Promise’ yesterday evening was ‘history in the making’.
Jakubas Zadruzniene, 11, Napo Mensah, 11, Molly Gilles, 11 and Thomas Poole, 10, were invested as Scouts into 32nd Chingford at Fairlop Waters high ropes park in Ilford, east London.
Scouts must recite the Scout Association’s ‘Promise’ at investiture ceremony as they join or go into a new level of the programme – Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or Explorers.
This promise had for 70 years included pledging duty to the Queen, who was patron of the organisation.
But the group on Friday were among the first to make their promise to King Charles III after the Queen’s death on Thursday afternoon.
The first of new Scout members to make their ‘Promise’ to the King after the death of the Queen. Pictured: Scout members from (left to right) Oliver Piper, 12, Jakubas Zadruzniene, 11, Napo Mensah, 11, Molly Gilles, 11, Thomas Poole, 10 and Jacob Poole, 13, with the 32nd Chingford Group at the Fairlop Waters high ropes park in Ilford, east London yesterday
Scout leader Lyndsey Nassim, 47, said the investiture was ‘history in the making’ as new members pledged their ‘duty to God and to the King’ for the first time
‘It’s a very very special moment. We’ve been saying our promise to the Queen for decades,’ the Scout leader explained.
‘Our commitment and dedication to the Queen has been phenomenal and it will be to our King.
‘To hear those Scouts making their promise to the King today is quite a special moment. It’s a change for us.’
Ms Nassim, who was once a Scout herself, said she was ‘very very privileged’ to have been in the late monarch’s company several times and was awarded her Queen Scout award at Windsor Castle.
Thomas’ older brother Jacob, 13, led the historic investiture ceremony by reading out the words of the Promise, which the new Scouts repeated while all placing their left hand on a large flagpole.
They said: ‘On my honour, I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and to the King, to help other people and to keep the Scout Law.’
The group then made the Scouts salute – holding up the three middle fingers on their right hand – and were applauded by their peers.
They then started their activities for the evening, which included high ropes and rock climbing.
Molly said she felt ‘amazed’ to be one of the first Scouts to make the Promise To The King.
‘It’s weird saying it because I’m used to saying ‘queen’ and now you say ‘king’,’ she said.
‘I think he’s going to be a good person to take over the Queen.’
Napo added that he was ‘excited’ to be one of the first to make the Promise to the King, but added: ‘It feels unreal too.’
On the Queen’s death, he said: ‘I feel really sad, may she rest in peace.’
On being invested, she said: ‘I’m happy I’m a Scout now. I’ve been a Beaver and a Cub and now it’s my chance to be a scout and my sister goes and she’s said really good things about Scouts and how Scouts are fun and you get to do loads of activities as Scouts.’
The 32nd Chingford Scout Group start their high ropes activities after being invested
The Scouts first activities after pledging duty to the new King included the traversing the high ropes
New Scouts from the 32nd Chingford Group enjoying rock climbing after pledging their duty to ‘God and to the King’
‘What an aura,’ she said. ‘You always felt her presence, kindness, compassion and she always liked to be at Scout occasions as a patron of the Scout Association and you could feel that she was always very very happy to be at our events.’
Chief Scout Bear Grylls said yesterday that the Queen ‘lit up the most’ during Scouting events.
He said: ‘I think it was one of the organisations she was most proud to represent.’
Grylls said the Queen would have wanted everyone to look ahead rather than dwell on her passing, adding: ‘The future is always brought to life in the faces and hearts and actions of young people.
‘She would have wanted all of us to look to the future.’
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