THOUSANDS of Scouts will assemble for annual St George’s Day celebrations across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The saint’s day, on April 23, is marked each year by Scouts across the country.

In Poole, Squirrel Scouts, Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts, Explorer Scouts, Network Scouts and their adult volunteers will form up at the old Poole lifting bridge at 2pm on Sunday, April 21.

They will parade along the Quay, past the statue of the founder of the movement, Robert Baden-Powell.

The deputy mayor of Poole, Cllr Tony Trent, will take the salute, before the Scouts renew their promise in a ceremony at the old lifeboat station.

Numbers of Scouts in Poole have continued to grow, with numbers higher than before the pandemic.

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Poole Scouts district commissioner, Ragen Bartaby, said: “It's great to see all the young people proud to be in their uniforms. However, this wouldn't be possible without the adult volunteers.”

In Bournemouth on the same day, Scouts will gather at the Butchers Coppice Scout Camp at 12.30pm, where they will have a promise renewal ceremony and a parade. A week later, on Sunday, April 28, Scouts will gather for the annual parade in Christchurch.

Forming up on the Quomps, the parade will line up for an inspection from the mayor, Cllr Vivienne Charrett, at 2pm.

At 2.30pm, the parade, made up of members from the age of four and upwards, will head along Wick Lane to Church Street and into The Priory grounds.

A service will then be held in The Priory, organised this year by Jumpers Scout Group, before the Scouts will parade into The Priory gardens.

There, the mayor and district commissioner Juliet Gregson will exchange colours from this year’s duty group to the next.

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The pair, along with the Guide commissioner, will say a few words before the parade is dismissed.

The parade will include groups from Town, Jumpers, Highcliffe, Mudeford, Burton, Somerford, Hurn and Bransgore as well as the four Explorer units, Network and SAS, the active support network for older leaders and members.

The parade will be escorted by the Christchurch Scout Band and joined by Girl Guiding.