Chief Scout award for Pahiatua's Blair Moynihan

Ian Davenport, Gary Drysdale, Guy Wildey, Raewyn Inder, Blair Moynihan, mayor Tracey Collis, Peter Johns, Sue Wallis and Mike Hayden.

Blair Moynihan from Pahiatua was awarded the Chief Scout award at a ceremony at the town's Scout Den recently.

The award took Blair two years to complete the bronze, silver and gold components. He has been in cubs and scouts for 12 years. Part of the requirements was to carry out 100 hours of community service.

"There were multiple nights of camping where I had to plan and run my own camp," said Blair.

"The process has given me leadership skills, the opportunity to meet new people, meeting deadlines - it's changed me a lot.

He attended two jamborees, one in Feilding and the other in Marlborough after the Kaikoura earthquake. There were more than 4000 scouts there.

Present at the award ceremony were mayor Tracey Collis, two Queen's Scouts, councillor Peter Johns and scout leader Gary Drysdale, councillor Shirley Hull, Jo Sheridan (deputy principal of Tararua College) as well as Sue Wallis - general manager for Scouting New Zealand Lower North Island - and Mike Hayden - zone leader Manawatū/Horizons.

Blair got encouragement from his leaders to go for the Chief Scout award. His leader of 10 years, Ian Davenport (now living in Masterton), came up for the evening.

"The whole process was challenging, long but rewarding - it was worth it. I have learned a lot of life skills and my independence," said Blair. He is now a venturer in the Pahiatua Scout Troup as a co-leader helping out.

In his last year at Tararua College, he is cousin to Emma Brunton who recently was awarded her Queen's Guide award. His older brother Liam is also a Chief Scout, being recognised in 2015, so that's two in the same family. As well as all the personal badges he has earned, Blair attended Cosgrove and Stanford courses over several weekends. His mother will be kept busy sewing the badges onto a blanket.

Tracey Collis presented the award. "I watched Blair growing up from kindergarten. I've seen him going through scouts, at Anzac services, cleaning up in the community, doing service at school. It's been a pleasure watching him growing into an outstanding young citizen," she said.

Then councillor Peter Johns added his congratulations. "I know what you've been through and I admire you for having the resilience to do it - well done," he said.

"It's such an honour, only 2 per cent of scouts actually get to achieve a Chief Scout's award," said Sue Wallis. "I think of words like integrity, resilience, perseverance - a real struggle to be able to keep going with the things that he would have to have done. It's such a marvellous thing.

"We're into youth development. It's the whole aim of what we do, internal strength and the coaching of others for leadership. It will stand him in really good stead the future, no matter what he does in life." she said.

Mike Hayden did the interview for Blair's Chief Scout award earlier in the year. "It was good to come and see it all come to fruition, well deserved. It recognises the type of people that scouting can produce," he said.