1st Balmoral Scouts help welcome new citizens
Published Mon 04 Dec 2023
Members of 1st Balmoral Scout Group were on hand to welcome new Australian citizens in Mosman last month.
Held on 23 November at the Mosman Art Gallery and Community Centre, the citizenship ceremony is a regular event on the Group’s calendar.
Leader in Charge Matthew Brownlie said the Group had been supporting Mosman Council with their citizenship ceremonies for about 15 years.
“Four times a year we get to help with the citizenship ceremony by escorting people to their seats, then escorting the Mayor to the front of the hall,” he said.
“We also sing the national anthem and serve food to the guests after the ceremony.
“It’s a great opportunity for Cub Scouts particularly to show their community support.
”The event is also attended by Scouts and Venturer Scouts, who enjoy the opportunity to contribute to one of the most important days in the lives of the new citizens.
As some of the youth members – as well as the adult Leaders – have also been through the citizenship process, it has been embraced as a chance to see the citizenship ceremonies from another side.
Venturer Leader Anthony Raymond is a dual national who attended the latest event.
“I went through the process back in 1994 in Drummoyne,” he said.
“Mayor Carolyn Corrigan was delighted to have our youth members lead her out and help her in singing the national anthem,” he said.
“This has been an ongoing tradition with the Mayor of Mosman for many years and she always has time for the youngest members.”
Cr Corrigan said citizenship ceremonies are a memorable occasion for conferees and their friends and families.
“It’s a very special privilege as Mayor and for Mosman Council to play an integral part and having Scouts assist us in holding these special events adds to that sense of connection to community,” she said.
“I find it particularly inspiring to watch our young people demonstrate such initiative, be it as event ushers, singing the national anthem during the ceremony or helping to give our new citizens such a warm welcome to Mosman.”
