Dwayne Fields, first black Briton to reach the North Pole, appointed new chief scout

Scouts has introduced that adventurer Dwayne Fields, the primary black Briton to achieve the North Pole, has been appointed because the UK’s chief scout.

He succeeds adventurer and TV persona Bear Grylls, who has been the charity’s chief scout since 2009.

Fields is an explorer who grew to become the primary black Briton to achieve the North Pole in 2013. He’s additionally a TV persona, having introduced exhibits on Channel 5, BBC One, Disney+ and Nationwide Geographic.

He’s the charity’s first chief scout of color and has been an envoy for the organisation since 2017.

A key a part of Fields’ mission will likely be to draw new volunteers, the charity mentioned, significantly in communities which might be new to Scouts.

The charity mentioned Fields will go to these areas to encourage and encourage groups to develop the motion.

Fields was born in Jamaica and got here to the UK aged six, the place he grew up in inside metropolis London. The charity mentioned that with out entry to nature, Scouts supplied Fields “new horizons”.

Fields mentioned: “Scouts helped form who I’m at present and I hope my story will encourage others to affix and obtain their desires. 

“My volunteer leaders believed in me as a teen and taught me to consider in myself. They confirmed me I may do something I put my thoughts to and others would assist me alongside the best way.”

Fields mentioned that he desires a brand new technology to “be taught the talents for all times, friendship and belonging I felt after I wanted them most”. 

He mentioned: “I wish to present that the outside is a spot for all of us to be at our greatest and really open to all. I’m calling for extra volunteers to step up and make a distinction to younger individuals’s lives throughout the nation.”

Carl Hankinson, UK chief volunteer at Scouts, mentioned: “A dedicated scout ambassador since 2017, Dwayne has visited a whole lot of Scout teams, occasions and camps throughout the UK and internationally. 

“He champions the sense of belonging Scouts offers younger individuals. He is ready to attain throughout generations, to additional develop attain throughout all communities.”

Hankinson mentioned: “He’s captivated with encouraging individuals from all backgrounds to discover nature, help their communities and be one of the best they are often.”

Sophia Sanyahumbi, an explorer scout aged 17 from south London, mentioned: “I had the pleasure of spending time with him [Fields] this week and may inform he’s captivated with ensuring extra younger individuals get the possibility to affix the Scouts.

“He talked to me about how scouting gave him a way of belonging and confidence as a teen and the way he intends to create extra alternatives for younger individuals from all communities to have the identical alternatives as he did.”