Nineteen English Scouts, led by Scout and Tour Leader, Mr. Nigel Hailey, were among the hundreds of visitors to Anguilla during the August holiday week. But, unlike the majority of them who came for the Summer Festival, the Scouts were here mainly to work with their fellow Scouters and to familiarise themselves with the island.
One of the places they visited was Heritage Collection Museum at East End. There, they met Historian and Curator, Mr. Colville Petty, OBE, who gave them an introductory tour of the various rooms and artifacts.
Mr. Hailey spoke to The Anguillian: “I am the leader of a group from Warwickshire in the United Kingdom,” he stated. “We came to visit the Scouts in Anguilla and, after a week, to go on to St. Kitts and Antigua. There are nineteen of us in Anguilla. Another nineteen are in St. Kitts and we will meet in Antigua – all thirty-eight of us.”
He went on: I think the purpose of our visit, particularly the young people in our group, is to get a better understanding of the people in the Caribbean and their way of life. We have been working with the Anguillian Scouts to help decorate part of their headquarters at the Ruthwill Auditorium in The Valley. The Anguillian Scouts are linked with the United Kingdom Scouts and so we have a long historic link. I visited the Scouts in Anguilla three years ago, and I thought it would be really nice to bring some young people with me this time.”
Mr. Hailey was pleased that, as part of their visit to Anguilla, a tour was organised for the members of his group. “I think it is interesting to [learn] about the history of the island. We visited the Fountain Cavern site to find out more about the ancient history, including the Amerindians, and how they came and settled here…And we are now here at Heritage Collection Museum. It is a beautiful museum and many of its artifacts are right from the early days and through current times. It is so wonderful.”
He briefly reviewed the history of Anguilla, saying that the island had moved from a British Colony to an Overseas Territory status which was largely self-governing. He observed that the island had friendly relations with the other Caribbean islands which he thought had its benefits.The UK Scout Leader added: “These are small islands and the more people can work together will be great – and I certainly encourage my Scouts all across the different islands to do that.”
