Who will be Britain's future heroes?

Telegraph

12-05-2025

It's crucial that as a nation we take time to remember and celebrate the heroes of the past. Countless gave their lives for this country, allowing future generations to enjoy the fruits of freedom.
The 80th anniversary of VE day last week was a poignant moment to remember those who fought, embodying bravery in its most complete form, and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in hope of a better world.
Coming together as a nation and paying our respects to the heroes of the past each year means we never forget. But are we doing enough to build the heroes of the future?
We all need someone to look up to. That's true for our young people, particularly boys, now more than ever. As more and more of their time is taken up online, young people are increasingly becoming isolated and turning to the wrong kind of influencers, sometimes with devastating consequences. Where generations before them learned first-hand about the heroes of this country, today our youth are exposed to new and damaging pressures every time they open their phone.
Without suitable role models, boys in particular struggle in education, suffer with their mental health, are less likely to get into stable work and more likely to be caught up in crime. This is heartbreaking when we know our young people have so much to offer.
The Netflix show Adolescence brought this phenomenon to national attention, creating a conversation around the struggles that young people face, and how we can tackle these. We owe it to them to make sure they are supported by trusted adults in safe spaces and give them the encouragement they deserve.
In many ways, I can relate to the feeling of isolation that young people face today. When I arrived in the UK from Jamaica at the age of six, I felt lost. I was getting used to an unfamiliar urban environment after being in nature; my father wasn't part of my life, and I was missing my great-grandmother, who'd been such an amazing mentor for me. I needed someone I could trust, who believed in me, and could lift me up when I was down.
Luckily, I found that at my Cub Scout Pack. The volunteer leaders there welcomed me in; made me feel included and seen. Originally, I'd just gone along to Cubs with a friend on the way home and wasn't thinking about getting involved. But the leaders said: 'No spectators here. Everyone joins in.'
The confidence and self-belief they gave me was incredible. Ultimately that would put me on a path to become the first black Briton to reach the South Pole. And the same is true today: when given the space and support to thrive young people can achieve incredible things.
This week, we celebrated these young people with my Chief Scout's Unsung Heroes Award. Each year, we find 20 young people who've done something remarkable – from overcoming a personal struggle to helping other people or embarking on epic adventures.
These are Scouts like Cameron, aged 11, who used his Scout first aid training to save someone who was choking while on holiday in Dorset. Or Harry, also 11, who cycled from Lands' End to John O'Groats raising over £40,000. And George, who rescued a young child while kayaking on Ullswater in the Lake District, or Ivy, the five-year-old Squirrel Scout who became the young poppy seller in Bradford, raising over £5,000.
All these young people have gone above and beyond. They've achieved things that most of us will never do, even as adults. It just goes to show that when given the opportunity and space to learn new skills, build connections and explore the great outdoors – as the Scouts do – young people can thrive.
As we reflect on the heroes of the past, we should not forget about young people and the need for positive role models. Today, we have 140,000 volunteers in Scouts who are role models for nearly half a million young people.
They come from every walk of life, from every background, and in almost every community across the UK. Thanks to these brilliant leaders, young people have hope for the future and go on to do incredible things.
It's a privilege being a role model and our volunteers never take this for granted. If more people stepped forward to volunteer, we could welcome so many more young people off our waiting lists and into Scouting. We could give that same hope and self-belief to so many others and inspire a new generation.
We all remember that one person who made all the difference in our lives – who spurred us on to find our best selves; who gave us the courage to dream big and go for it in life. You could be that person.