Scouts’ birthday badge honour for celebrities

Broadcaster and writer Stephen Fry and Top Gear star James May are among the group to be named in the Scout Birthday Honours list.

The awards come as 38,000 Scouts from across the world, including 4,000 from the UK, descend on the World Scout Jamboree in Sweden.

To celebrate the organisation’s 104th birthday, the Scout Association’s half a million members from across the UK voted online for public figures who have encouraged others to try new activities and learn new skills.

The big names to get their own badge include Harry Potter star Emma Watson, cyclist James Cracknell, and music sensation Adele.

Stephen Fry won the IT badge for his world-famous Twitter following. He said: “Scouting connects people who would otherwise have no reason to be friends the World Scout Jamboree goes further and brings young people together from all over the world.

“The standards of the Scouting Movement are as important today as they ever were you have to be kind, be considerate, be thoughtful and you have to push yourself. “If there’s any better advice for any young person I’ve yet to hear it.”

James May, who won the Navigator badge, added: “Scouting represents the idea that young people can get out and do fun activities but without massive expense.”

Other stars to share the pair’s scouting success include BBC presenter Clare Balding, who won the Sports Enthusiast badge and mountaineer Bonita Norris, winner of the Hiker badge.

GB Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who won the Swimmer Badge, said: “I’m really pleased to receive this award and that Scouts around the UK have voted for me to be a badge winner.”