Scout leader awarded after half century of service

Nicky Taylor, deputy leader of Flitwick Scout Group, is set to receive the prestigious medal

A Scout leader who has volunteered for about 50 years, is set to receive one of the organisation's highest awards.

Nicky Taylor, from Flitwick Scout Group, received a letter on Tuesday from chief scout Dwayne Fields informing her she would receive the Silver Wolf award in an event at Windsor Castle in April 2025.

Scouts said the medal was "only awarded for service of a most exceptional nature".

Mrs Taylor, who joined the organisation when she was 16, said: "It's quite a surprise, a really pleasant surprise. It wasn't expected, so I was delighted."

The Silver Wolf is usually awarded to those who have previously received a Silver Acorn, an award for 20 years of service, and is not often given to those with less than 30 years in the organisation.

The Scout leader said since starting she had "only taken a few breaks for things like college".

She runs a Beaver colony, a Cub pack, and is deputy leader of her Scout group.

In 2023 she was named one of the 500 Coronation Champions and invited to the coronation concert at Windsor Castle.