Flags flew, bands played and the sun shone as more than 1,000 children of all ages paraded through York city centre.
Scouts, Cub Scouts, Beavers, Squirrels, Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, Rangers and Explorers donned their uniforms to take part in the annual St George’s Day parade.
It began at the Eye of York next to Clifford’s Tower and took the children with marching bands along the traditional parade route through crowds of shoppers and tourists to York Minster.
Waiting for them was the York Civic Party, headed by Lord Mayor the Rev Cllr Chris Cullwick. Afterwards the parade marched past the York Civic Party and assembled local dignitaries at a saluting base on Duncombe Place before returning to the Eye of York.
Emma Chester, joint Guiding Manor Division Commissioner said: “It’s a celebration. It’s about getting to see everyone, to meet up with the many, many people involving in guiding and scouting, and it’s an opportunity for other people to realise how many people are involved.”
Scouts and Cub Scouts from Dunnington said when they talked about what they did in scouting at school, other children wanted to join as well. They said scouting was “very popular”.
The parade was headed by the Yorkshire Volunteers Band from Wakefield, under the baton of Ritchie Howard. They said they were delighted to make the trip from West Yorkshire every year to take part and it was usually the opening event of their summer season.
“We like to lead the scouts and guides,” said their drum major Stuart Robinson. “It’s a worthwhile organisation and it starts the season for us.”
They were one of three bands in the long, long line of children and started their performance as the parade formed up in the Eye of York. They continued to play all the way to the Minster and for the return journey.
The children came from a wide area. The Priory, Tower, Castle and Manor divisions of the Guiding movement, took part, covering the area of Haxby, Wigginton and the villages immediately north of York, York itself, and the Tadcaster area. The rest of the North Yorkshire South guiding county covering Selby took part in a similar parade to Selby Abbey.
The Ebor and York Minster scout districts were also out in force for the parade, as were the 1st Clifton Sea Scouts group.
The St George’s Day Parade takes place every year on a Sunday close to April 23, St George’s Day.
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