14th Richmond ‘Viking’ Boating Centre

THE QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE PAGEANT

On Sunday 3rd June 2012 a local Scout Team formed from leaders and instructors from the 14th Richmond Viking Scout Boating Centre had the very great privilege of being selected to lead the River Pageant in the Royal Barge Jubilant ahead of all 1000 boats that took part by the organizers, The Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation, and immediately behind the new boat built for the Queens Diamond Jubilee, Gloriana .

On board were ten members of the crew plus a small reporting team form the BBC , including Vannesa Feltz and a separate TV recording crew and former Richmond upon Thames Mayor Robin. The Jubilant and its crew featured in both the 12 o’clock and 6pm BBC TV news on Monday and pictures appeared in all the major newspapers.

For the crew preparations started the previous summer when, after having been invited to take part, the crew took the Jubilant, built for the Queen’s golden Jubilee, out of the water for a total refit and refurbishment during the winter months and when the task was completed members of the Centre were invited to the annual General meeting of The Jubilant Trust to present to the Board a report of the work carried out.

The Trust forwarded the report to his Royal Highness The Duke of York, who had originally named Jubilant on behalf of the Queen and in the week before the Pageant we were rewarded by a letter from Buckingham Palace congratulating us on the work carried out and saying how delighted The Duke was to know that the Boat would be taking part in the Pageant.

Also taking part in the Pageant was the Centre’s 105 year old “lifeboat, built by Harland and Wolf Shipyard in 1907 for the SS Worcester, that was subsequently sunk by a mine off the coasts of Columbia.

Jubilant is a Shallop, that rows 8 to 10 people and has the capacity to carry passengers to take this number up to 24. Mark Edwards of the Richmond Boat Arches, a member of the Centre and a GLSW Scout County Boat examiner, built Jubilant, and also it’s new counterpart Gloriana.

Each summer the Boating Centre, based in a new state of the art headquarters in Richmond upon Thames close to the River Thames, takes out over 1500 young people using a number of traditional rowing craft, including Jubilant, The Lady Mayoress, Thames Cutters and power boats, giving them a unique hands on experience on boats that are both unique and special.

They include young people and leaders from Scouting Groups in the UK and beyond, local Schools, special needs groups and local youth clubs. The Centre was one of the first on the Country last year to become accredited as a British Rowing, Explore Rowing Course Centre. The Centre also supports local communities in taking part in their annual celebrations including visits to Hampton Court Palace.

Robin Corti

Secretary

14th Richmond Viking Scout Boating Centre