Richard Harrington, Rikki, took on the role of County Commissioner for Hertfordshire Scouts at the beginning of April 2009, having been District Commissioner for Harpenden and Wheathampstead since 2002.

So, what is Rikki's Scouting Background?

I’m a lifer. I was enrolled into the 7th Weymouth on my 8th birthday and will be buried in my uniform. Weymouth is in Dorset, Brownsea’s County, and the highlight of my Scouting career, if not my life, was being Dorset’s sole representative at the 13th World Jamboree in Japan. I was a Cub, Scout and Venture Scout in Weymouth and, as part of my Venture Award, greatly enjoyed helping at Cubs. This pretty much sealed my fate and the Cub section is where I spent most of my time – in Weymouth, then Kensington during my university years and in Harpenden from 1979 when I joined the Entomology Department at Rothamsted Experimental Station. Not until my Cubs started ringing up to put their children on the waiting list did I realise that it was time to move on.

I have two other life-long passions: insects and running. Butterflies are a hobby and aphids (`greenfly’) are my bread and butter. I lead a team at Rothamsted working on understanding the ups and downs of aphid populations, pest control being the only link between my work and my Scouting. I can’t wait for Butterfly World to open in St Albans and am sure that this will offer us many opportunities in relation to our programmes. On the running front, I have done much cross country, orienteering and road racing, with 2hr 43 minutes and 58 seconds being my marathon p.b. (London, 1983). These days (when not injured) I run just for fun, no racing.

Confessions and regrets: didn’t get my Queen’s Scout Award, never went to a Queen concert (but have met Brian May), can’t play a musical instrument, can’t swim.

So that’s me. Oh, one other thing, I have a split personality. My parents christened me Richard, and that is how I am known to them, my non-Scouting friends and my work colleagues. Scouting christened me Rikki (it was a close shave with Shere Khan!). Please call me Rikki.

Rikki on "joined up Scouting"

I don’t think I’ve invented the phrase `joined up Scouting’ but I’d like it to be a feature of my time as CC. For a Scout (or Cub or Beaver) to get the most out of Scouting and have a great time, his/her Patrol (or Six or Lodge)must support him/her and he/she should make a big contribution to the Patrol. Likewise should be the relationship between Patrols and Troops, Sections and Groups, Groups and Districts, Districts and Counties, Counties and Regions, Regions and the Countries, Countries and the World. All the way through, it’s a two way process. And those are only the vertical links.

Scouts can do much to support each other and learn from each other, as can Troops, Groups, Districts, Counties, Regions and Countries. The expert on circus skills may be in the District next door, but yours may be secretly harbouring the local Ray Mears (or perhaps now I should say Bear Grylls!). Invite the neighbours. It will be a bit more work, but next time it will be their turn to cook and do the washing up.You’ll have more opportunities at no more cost. I’m keen to encourage more sharing of skills and best practice in the vast range of things we do, all with the ultimate aim of seeing more Chief Scout’s and Queen’s Scout Awards on uniforms, sure evidence of quality Scouting. We have one section officially called `Network’, but we are all part of an amazing network and should make the most of that.

Quality Scouting...

In addition to our strong growth in membership, evidence of quality also comes from the number receiving our main badges, the Chief Scout’s and Queen’s Scout Awards as these cannot be gained without full participation in our famous balanced programme. Through 2008, the following were recorded on the County `Notice Board’: Bronze 390,Silver 303, Gold 64, Platinum 30, Diamond 4, Queen’s Scout 4. Take Bronze. We have 3001 Beavers. Thus 13% gained the top award last year and, as Beavers are with us for two years, only about one in four is likely to gain the top award during a Beaver lifetime. For Cubs the figure appears to be about one in five, for Scouts one in thirteen. About one in seven Explorers gets Platinum, and one in 50 gets Diamond and Queen’s Scout. Or is it just that many of the awardees are not getting recognised on Notice Board? Please do send your records in to County Office so that we can see where we are. The top badge ought to be within reach of all.

The County is there to support Districts and Groups in provision of the programme that leads to these awards. To help achieve this I want to make seven new County Appointments one related to each of the programme zones: Outdoor and Adventure, Community, Creativity, Fitness, Global and Values. The seventh is for Environment, which does not have its own programme zone. Those appointed would have enthusiasm in the area and would seek out and spread great ideas. Is this you? It really could be. Please give it serious thought. Whether you would like to lead or be part of a team in any of these areas, please, please, be you young, middling or older, let me know, and we can discuss the possibilities. If it’s not you, please grass on your friends!

Cheers!

County Commissioner

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