Downpatrick Scouts leader Sarah-Louise Taggart BEM is delighted to follow her mother’s footsteps with a King’s Award
Since October last Sarah-Louise Taggart has nurtured a treasured secret that she was to be the recipient of a British Empire Medal in the King’s New Years Honours’ List writes Jim Masson.
On Monday 30th December it was publicly announced that she has been awarded the medal for services to the scouts and the community.
Sarah has been involved with the Downpatrick scouts since she was 14, for over 30 years, and became a leader when she was 18. She is currently a Group Leader and she trains new leaders up to a national level as part of the national training scheme.
Sarah said: “I am absolutely over the moon with receiving this award. It means a great deal to me. My mother who has also been involved with the scouts in Downpatrick for over 40 years received an award in 2019. So this is a special family occasion.
“And scout leader Liam Byrne received an MBE back in 2015 so our group has been quietly at the forefront of working with young people.
“I feel as though I have imposter syndrome,” Sarah joked: “as I’m part of a team that works hard to keep the scout group moving forward in Downpatrick. There are a lot of other volunteers involved in our team and they do great work.
“Over the years in working with the Downpatrick scout group my self-esteem and confidence has grown. And you can see it too in many of the young ones who come along and get involved.
“The Scout body is a non-political, cross-community organisation. People from all parts of our community can join and participate. An example of this is the work around the Peace Light which comes from Bethlehem each year and this makes its way to the Down Cathedral and St Patrick’s Church in Downpatrick.
“The Scout movement globally transports the lights across the world each year. But last year because of the unrest in Middle East the light was not brought from Bethlehem but had been kept alight by a scout group in a church in Carlow.
“At the moment I am leading up an Explorer Expedition. The destination is under wraps just now. My role is to assess the team for the expedition ensuring they have all the leadership skills to manage the trip.
“It is an honour and a privilege to work with the volunteers who are part of our great team – they are all there for the same reasons… to benefit the young ones and to help people develop their self-confidence and be more fulfilled human beings.
“The scouts has been a major part of my life. It’s an organisation where you can make friends for life as I have done.”
Sarah explained that after Covid the numbers attending the scouts generally dropped but are back up again and that in Downpatrick there are around 60 young people participating each week and there is a team of round 14 leaders.
The Downpatrick scouts meet three nights a week in the Scout Hall. The youngest group from 6-8 years, the Beavers, meet for an hour on a Monday. The Cubs (8-11) meet for one and a half hours on a Tuesday and the scouts (11-15 meet for 2 hours on a Friday.
And the Downpatrick scout team are hoping to get a venture group going soon.
Sarah in her day-time job works with Newry Mourne and Down District Council as Manager of Democratic Services. She started working with the Down District legacy council 20 years ago in the typing pool and has progressed through the ranks.
So well done to Sarah-Louise Taggart BEM. A deserved and great achievement.
