Four dedicated Scouts from the Swansea valleys and Brecon are set to receive Scouting’s highest honours.

The volunteers are set to receive the Award for Merit and Chief Scouts’ Commendation for Good Service awards thanks to their commitment to ScoutsCymru over the decades.

They are among 82 inspirational Welsh Scouts who are set to be recognised as part of this year’s Roll of Honour celebration.

The event, which traditionally takes place in Windsor on St George’s Day, sees prestigious awards including The Silver Wolf, The Silver Acorn, and Bar to the Silver Acorn handed out.

With this year’s celebration cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Scouts will be receiving their awards throughout the year from their local Scouting organisations.

Assistant Scout Leader at 1st Caehopkin Pine Adam Jones, is set to receive the Commendation for Good Service after dedicating 17 years to the organisation.

The 35-year-old, from Caehopkin, said the influence Scouting has had on his life has been “tremendous” and believes it can hugely benefit young people by providing essential skills for life.

On his passion for Scouting, he said: “Scouting grounds people and gives them key life skills to carry on through their entire life. Discipline and leadership are key skills learnt in Scouts, but my favourite has to be the ability to adapt and overcome situations you are put in.

“I still have the passion for Scouting and the influence it has had on my life had been tremendous. I know how it can change the lives of the people coming through if they are given the right skills at a young age.

Beaver Scout Leader with the 1st Ynyscedwyn Scout Group Gillian Lewis, was “honoured” to have been nominated for the Award for Merit, after devoting herself to the group since 2003.

The 64-year-old, from Ystradgynlais, got involved after becoming a parent helper when her sons were members, and later went on to sit on the committee and become treasurer.

The former teacher said of her award win: “I feel very honoured that someone recognised the work I do and has taken the time to nominate me.

“ScoutsCymru is an excellent organisation for young people and gives them many opportunities to learn new skills that they need to succeed in life. It helps them to build confidence by participating in activities that they may not be familiar with, they have the opportunity to make new friends and above all to enjoy and have fun.

“Volunteering gives me an opportunity to help develop and hopefully enrich the lives of the youngsters and impart knowledge and experiences that they may not otherwise experience.

“Seeing the youngsters grow and develop is very rewarding, volunteering is also an opportunity to give back to the movement for the opportunities it gave my own children.”

Neal Parry, who is 58 and from Brecon is also set to receive the Commendation for Good Service, which came as an “unexpected surprise” after dedicating his time since childhood to Scouting.

He said “Being involved in a great leadership team is so rewarding for me. When you see a Scout accomplish a task for the first time or learn a new skill it’s incredible and that’s why I’ve remained with the movement for so many years.

“I’ve also had the pleasure of seeing both my son and daughter be involved in Scouts and Explorers which has been a definite personal highlight for me.”

Chief Commissioner of Wales Rhian Moore congratulated all the “outstanding” volunteers who were recognised this year.

She said: “This year, once again, our volunteers have shown exceptional perseverance, dedication, and commitment to Scouting in Wales and we are incredibly proud of them.

“They have gone above and beyond to unite and support communities, and ensure young people develop invaluable skills for life which help them succeed now and in the future.

“These exemplary individuals enable over 15,000 young girls and boys to explore the outdoors, enjoy fun and adventure, and grow in confidence every year.

“Thanks to the support of these volunteers, we are creating stronger communities in Wales and inspiring positive futures for the people of Wales.

“Now more than ever, these dedicated volunteers are vital for uniting, inspiring and motivating Wales’s youth at a time when we cannot be together. We’d like to thank them for their truly remarkable commitment, and we look forward to celebrating with them in person in the near future.”