Sheffield scout leader's 50 years of service honour

David Mangles has completed five decades as a volunteer leader with the 180th Millhouses Sheffield Scout Troop.

Since the mid 1960s he has given over 4500 hours’ worth of volunteering hours at the Thursday night meetings, helping youngsters in Millhouses to learn a range of new skills aimed at helping them to survive in the wild.

He has also supervised on dozens of summer camps and weekends away over the years.

Affectionately known as ‘Spangs’ to the hundreds of youngsters he has taught over the years, he was presented with the Special Silver Award by district commander Neil McKay on behalf of the chief scout Bear Grylls.

Jeremy Holmes, scout leader, paid tribute to David’s years of tireless dedication.

He said: “He is still a great help and comes just about every week, and we are all very proud of the service that he has given. “He was actually one of the assistant leaders when I was a boy here.”

Mr Holmes himself recently earned the Silver Acorn award in honour of his service to the movement.

Wayne Bullpitt, Scouts’ UK chief commissioner, said: “Jeremy has been awarded with the Silver Acorn as a mark of the chief scout Bear Gryll’s appreciation of his specially distinguished service to the Scout movement over so many years.”

He has been a scout leader for more than 30 years.