Famous (Ex-)Scouts on the Isle of Wight
Here's a challenge:
As I was walking through Cowes this morning, I saw a famous ex-Scout walking towards me - Alan Titchmarsh. So I thought - I've got a couple of photos of famous ex-Scouts, taken here on the Isle of Wight, who else has any?
Have you got a photo of a famous ex-Scout here on the Isle of Wight? If so, send us a copy via our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iwscoutingheritage
Alan Titchmarsh
In 2008 Alan ran a "mini-Gardeners-Question-Time" in Bembridge, helping the Trefoil Guild raise funds for their Centenary celebrations. Alan claimed to have "only been a cub", and I had the honour of giving him the first left-handshake he'd had for many years.
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John Giddings
Isle of Wight Festival promoter John was a Scout in St Albans where he had some amazing Scouting adventures. John has been a good friend and supporter to Isle of Wight Scouts. We've had a Scouting presence at the Isle of Wight Festival since 2008, either Recruiting and Fundraising, collecting unwanted tents or helping with the sustainable campsites (continuing into 2024). John also helped us by designing the badge for our Scouting Media Team and then, in 2016, by letting us interview him. Our post-interview team got as far as processing one of Johns' stories which you can listen to on YouTube here - it's well worth a listen if you've never heard it before! You can also read more of our blog posts about the Isle of Wight Festival here (tent salvages) and here (The Wight Album).
Rob da Bank
BBC Radio DJ Robbie was a Scout in (I think) South East London. As curator of Bestival, a music festival which started life at Robin Hill then moved to Dorset, he also helped us with Recruiting, Fundraising and collecting unwanted tents from 2008.
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Bear Grylls
In 2010 Bear visited the Island to open the RibEx exhibition in Cowes marina. I managed to arrange a Scout charity stall at the event - unfortunately for me, I was working in Germany and couldn't get a flight home that weekend. So Paul, Barry, Rosie, Stewart and Geoff got to meet the Chief Scout. He regularly comes to the Island to visit his mum but he's never officially visited us.
