Scouting for girls message at parliamentary meeting (From Ilkley Gazette)

Tace Morgan attends annual Scout Association parliamentary reception

6:40pm Sunday 1st July 2012 in Local news

An Explorer Scout from Wharfedale has been welcomed to Westminster as part of a national event.

MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) greeted Tace Morgan, a young leader with the 2nd Otley Beaver Colony, to the annual Scout Association parliamentary reception in Speaker’s House last week.

Co-hosted by the House of Commons Speaker John Bercow MP and the All-Party Group on Scouting, the event enabled MPs to meet Scouts from their constituencies and hear about the work of troops in their areas.

Mr Mulhollland, who was made an Honorary Scout by Otley Parish Scouts in 2010, spoke to Tace – who recently achieved the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award – and a West Yorkshire Scout leader, Mark Pullen.

Tace said: “The event was a tremendous opportunity for us to be able to meet our MPs and to have the chance to explain the good things about Scouting for young people.

“In Otley, the completion of the extension to the HQ building in Craven Street has created the Chevin Community Centre to provide a new facility for the community. I also had the chance to show how Scouting has moved forward, and is no longer just for boys.

“It was an amazing experience to see inside the Palace of Westminster and the Speaker’s apartments, and it was made all the more memorable by having afternoon tea overlooking the Thames, and discussing Scouting, with my MP.”

Tace hopes to soon complete Scouting’s top accolade – the Queen’s Scout Award – and will next year join Scouts from across the globe at the 14th World Scout Moot in Canada.

Mr Mulholland, who rallied parliam-entary backing for an expedition to the Himalayas by West Yorkshire Scouts two years ago, said: “It was great to meet Scouts from the constituency; it is only right the work they do is recognised in Parliament, and I’m glad so many of my colleagues were able to hear from Scouts from their constituencies.

“As an Honorary Scout – a title of which I am proud – I join the calls made last week for more adult leaders and volunteers to come forward and help, so the thousands of young people who understandably want to join the Scouts can get on board.”