It might not be everyone’s cup of tea to trek to the Czech Republic with 50 scouts, but Huddersfield Area Dean, the Revd Mary Railton Crowder, thanked God for the opportunity to share in the adventure.
For Mary, the vicar of St Cuthbert’s Birkby and St Philip’s, Birchencliffe is the chaplain to the North Huddersfield Scouts and found herself on a nine day adventure in the Czech Trek in the company of 50 scouts, explorer scouts and leaders.
“This was not what I’d expected to be doing when I agreed to become Chaplain to Huddersfield North District Scouts!
“Up to this, I’d done the usual sort of things expected of a Chaplain, leading St Georges’ Day Parades, offered support and a listening ear and just generally being there for people when needed – but the Czech Trek brought a whole new dimension to Chaplaincy,” she said.
After two days sightseeing in Prague, the group moved on to Kapraluv Mlyn, a remote Scout Activity Centre in in the Moravian countryside. The days were long. hot and packed with activity. They trekked, negotiated trains and trams (no mean feat when no-one could speak Czech), visited caves, a High Ropes Centre, and an Aqua Zorbing lake. They spent an afternoon potholing and covered 12 miles on all terrain mountain scooters.
Said Mary: “I have to admit that for some of the more extreme activities, I decided that it was the Chaplain’s duty to offer encouragement and praise whilst watching from a safe distance.”
After being banned for many years - first by the Nazis and then by the Communists, scouting has only recently begun to flourish again in the Czech Republic and local people seemed genuinely excited to see foreign scouts in their country.
On the final evening, Mary and her husband, Graham, Group Scout Leader of Birchencliffe Scouts and a Reader in the Benefice, led a ‘Scouts Own’ service when everyone, leaders and young people, reflected on their experiences during Czech Trek and gave a huge thanks for everything they had shared and experienced together.
Said Mary: “Both Graham and I have been involved in the Scout Movement for a great many years but the Czech Trek reinforced for us what an amazing organisation it is and how fortunate we are to have such thriving Scout groups associated with the churches in our Benefice.
“I was so proud to be in the company of such fantastic young people and it is a real privilege to be Chaplain to North Huddersfield Scouts – and I thank God for the opportunity to share with them in the great adventure of Czech Trek,” she added.
