JANE Gourd, who has devoted more than 20 years to Scouting, received the Award of Merit and a 20 years certificate at the annual Teignbridge District Scouts presentation evening at its Wolborough Street headquarters, Newton Abbot.

For a little more than 18 years Jane, who lives in Teignmouth, was the 4th Teignmouth Cub Scout Leader. She was also Assistant District Commissioner for Cubs in those days.

Then some four years or so ago it was realised the 1st Newton Abbot Scout Group, which is based in Homers Lane, Kingsteignton, was one of the oldest in the country and about to celebrate its centenary.

Due to a lack of leaders the colony had been closed for eight years and the pack for four years.

Jane became Cub Scout Leader there and with volunteers and hard work it was revived – the Scouts centenary was celebrated at Kingsteignton in 2007 and the 1st Newton Abbot centenary in 2008.

Last month a new Explorer Unit was opened there and that means there are now four sections from the rising six-year-olds through to 17-year-olds.

If that is not enough, Jane is acting Group Scout Leader and Mentor for 1st Ashburton, and to top that she also finds time to be a District Leader and Mentor training new leaders.

'We are desperate for new leaders in Ashburton and we would be pleased to hear from anyone who can help,' she said.

Her busy schedule saw her in Ashburton on Monday, training on Wednesday, and yesterday she was in Kingsteignton.

Before Scouting she was a Guider, being Brown Owl for the 1st Teignmouth Brownies for nearly eight years, and was a Brownie herself and also later became a Ranger Guide.

Her husband Patrick is Teignbridge Assistant District Commissioner International, and is Assistant Cub Leader at the 1st Newton Abbot and 1st Ashburton, while their son Peter is also an Assistant Cub Leader.

At the presentation evening the awards were presented by the Teignbridge District president Lord Clifford and among those attending was the new Devon County Scout Commissioner Russ Gibson, the county chairman Roger Kirk, and the mayor of Newton Abbot, Cllr Carol Bunday.

The awards: Warrants – Emma Houghton, Sally Livett (1st Bishopsteignton); Matthew Abbot, Geoffrey Davidson, Robert Davey, Andrew Thorpe (1st Highweek); Roland Weston, Michelle Harris (4th Teignmouth); Nina Connell, Carl Gibbs (1st Ashburton); Katrina Oliver (1st Liverton); Fiona Dunn (1st Lustleigh); Rebecca Robinson, Darren Pounsbury (1st Newton Abbot); Oliver Gosling (1st Teign Valley); Jeff Hiscoke, Robert Gray, Jane Gourd, Mike Ruffles (Teignbridge); Allan Webster (Ten Tors Training Group).

Service Awards – Betty Aplin (District Active Service Group); Paul Hewson, Dennis White (3rd Newton Abbot); Stephen Richards, Martin Vinnicombe, Cara Bennett (4th Teignmouth); Robert White (1st Liverton); Bob Gray, Mike Ruffles, Jane Gourd (Teignbridge); Allan Barber, Geoffrey Horsham (1st Chudleigh); Gary Naisbett-Jones (1st Bovey Tracey); Bernard Tippins (1st Dawlish).

Activity Permits – Peter Harvey, Ivan Kingdon (1st Lustleigh); Kenneth Daniels, Colin Butler (1st Bovey Tracey); Darren Le Marquand (1st Chudleigh); Ashley Riding, Tim Harvey (1st South Brent); Jeff Hiscoke, Ruth Hiscoke, Graham Coates, Robert Davey, Paul Evans, Joanne Thomas (1st Highweek Village); Sally Livett (1st Bishopsteignton); Eric Garner (1st Moretonhampstead); Liz Morgan, Sarah Caunter (1st Ipplepen); Ben Miles, Richard Morris, Sam Scolick, D Bayliss, Lewis Bloor, Rachael Aday (River Teign Scouts).

Chief Scouts Platinum Awards – Tessa Harvey, Vicky Booty and Jay Harvey (1st Lustleigh).

Module Awards – Andrew Fear (1st Newton Abbot); Tracey Parker (3rd Newton Abbot); Matthew Abbot (1st Highweek); Neil Freeman (Teignbridge).

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award – Jenny McMurran (1st South Brent), Paul Willing (1st Kingskerswell); Bridget Hedge (1st Ipplepen).