Top prize for Midhurst scout as university beckons

Seb Limbrick, 16, was awarded the Bill Godfrey Memorial Trophy by Midhurst Town Council for the hard work, commitment and determination he’s shown as a member of the scouts.

A member of the scout group for 12 years, Seb said his experiences there shaped who he is today: “It’s created me, I think; my morals. It gave me social skills. And I’ve made so many friends – when I started school for example, I already knew so many people, and it set me up well.”

The Bill Godfrey trophy alternates between the scouts and the girl guides every year and, for Assistant Scout Leader Sarah, as well as the other adult volunteers, at 1st Easebourne Scout Group, Seb was the obvious candidate for this year’s award. Hard-working diligent and clever, they say it’s the perfection reflection of everything he’s brought to the troop.

"It wasn’t a difficult decision for us,” Sarah said. “He’s been a key young leader with us for so long, and he’s a great role model for the younger members, and seeing him grow from a tiny Beaver to this strapping young man has been fantastic. I’ve been a leader for several years and I love seeing our young people grow and become fantastic members of our community – that's what scouting and guiding is all about.”

“It gives young people a great grounding in adventurous activities, but it’s so much more than that; we work with young people before job interviews, or we help them give presentations. So, when thy go on to college and university, it’s not the first time they’ve sat in a room full of adults and spoken about themselves.”

Seb says, once his GCSEs are over and done with, he’s hoping to go to college and, from there, on to university itself, where he’d like to pursue a science degree.

To find out more about the 1st Easebourne Scout Group, which meets every week at the Scout Hut near St Mary’s Church in Easebourne, with Beavers on Thursdays, Cubs Wednesdays and Scouts on Fridays.