Chief Scout's Award certificates were awarded to 18 Hampshire Scouts by Sir James Scott at Mill Chase Community School, Bordon.

They came from as far afield as Warsash, the New Forest, Sarisbury Green and Bedhampton.

It could have been the last such gathering as the Scout training programme is currently being reorganised.

To qualify for the awards the teenagers had to prove their ability in planning skills, communicating, leadership, service to the community, as well as improving their physical abilities and awareness of other cultures.

The citations were read by Scouts, Oliver Spensley-Corfield and John Bates and, after the presentations, Sir James recalled his own Scouting days and quoted from Rovering to Success, by founder, Lord Baden-Powell.

Richard Merefield, Hampshire Scout County Commissioner, looked back to the time when Sir James' father was, as his son was later to become, president of the Scout District of Rotherfield.

Mr Merefield then spoke of the changes taking place in Scouting, saying that it was staying true to its values but hoping to give better Scouting to more young people.

Sir James was presented with an engraved goblet and guests enjoyed a buffet provided by members of the Rotherfield Scout Fellowship.

Chief Scout's Award certificates went to: Mike Bristow - 5th Chandler's Ford; Owen Coombs, Elliot Warren - 1st Medstead; Andrew Corbett, Neil Hindley, James Lebbon - 1st Bedhampton; Dean Dollery - 1st Homewell; Ian Downie, David Smith - 1st Sarisbury Green: Nicholas Ellis, Peter Luetchford, Graham Marks - 31st Itchen North Sea Scout Group; Simon Jackson - 4th New Forest North; Rebecca Morgan - 1st Warsash; Lisa Munday - 18th Southampton; Neil Relf - Worting St Thomas; Stephen Wilson - 15th Romsey; Christopher Worth - 13th Southampton.