District St. George’s Day Parade 2026

Information for Adult Volunteers

Overview and Route

As in previous years, this important event will take place in St. Mary’s Collegiate Church, Stafford. This will be preceded by a Parade from The old Magistrates Court Carpark to St. Mary’s Church. The Parade will return afterwards to The old Magistrates Court Carpark for dismissal. The 9th Stafford Sea Scout Group will organize the Service, hymns, and Minister, and nominate the Charities to which the collection will be donated.

Please see below the approved Route Plan that has been agreed with the Highways Network Team of Stafford Borough Council. The Borough Council is responsible for authorising the Road Closures and ensuring the proper conduct of the Parade. The event commences and concludes from an assembly point within the old Magistrates Courts carpark, which is accessed only from Tipping Street.

Our Parade Marshall for this year is  Graham Smith.

Assembly

13:45 hrs. All Groups assemble at The Magistrates Court car park off Tipping Street parents can drop off their young people in Tipping Street or can use appropriate parking spaces in town and walk to the assembly area.

Wherever parents choose to park and walk their young people to the assembly area, they must ensure that they hand their young people to an appropriate leader within their own Group.

Great care must be taken when crossing any roads open to traffic, and leaders must ensure that the youngest members do not approach the traffic that may be in the vicinity of the assembly area, particularly on South Walls.

The police presence will continue in its reduced form this year. They will be confined to managing traffic and closing Broad Street at its junction with Earl Street as the Parade passes.

Leaders are to report to the member of the District Team in charge of their section of the Parade.   These are:-

Section 1                                 To be lead by the Parade Marshall Graham Smith

Section 2                               will be led by  TBA

The Parade will be accompanied by the Stone Youth Brigades Marching Band who will be located at approximately the middle of the Parade Column.

A Flag Bearer and two escorts will carry Group Colours.  These three members MUST be properly dressed, smart and wearing FULL uniform.

The Parade Marshall will be responsible for ensuring the District Colour Party is aware of its duties and will arrange rehearsals in St Mary’s.

Route

14:25 hrs. Move off from the Assembly area west along Tipping Street.  At the junction with Greengate Street, turn right (north) along Greengate Street to Market Square. Proceed through the Square continuing in a northerly direction along Greengate Street to its junction with Stafford Street, Turn left (west) along Stafford Street, proceeding into Broad Street alongside the Guildhall finally turning left into Earl Street and on to St. Mary’s Place where section One will enter St Mary’s via the main doors and section 2 will enter via the rear doors

Safety Marshals wearing Hi viz jackets are to lead and follow the parade from start to finish.   (another marshal is to walk alongside the first section of the parade and a second alongside the second section).

To ensure that no traffic compromises the parade from any of the entry points for vehicles to the Town Centre, roads will be closed but MUST be manned by at least two marshals’ wearing Hi Vis Jackets, to this ends we need to have two volunteers from each group to man the closures or we are unable to proceed with the parade. The volunteers can be leaders who do not wish to march or willing parents (over 18).

In Church, the Minister invited by 9th Stafford Sea Scout Group will conduct the service with the Rev John Davies.

The Scout Active Support Unit will arrange sound and vision.

The Stafford District Scout Active Support Unit (SDSASU) will act as stewards and will make the necessary arrangements required to ensure seating for as many people attending that they can. They will also provide refreshments for supporting organisations in the Evangelical Church Hall in Church Lane.

Only the Union Flag, St. George’s Flag and District Flag will be presented in Church. Group colours will be handed over at the entrances to the SDSASU who will take custody and arrange for them to be displayed near the entrances.

Leaders will position themselves amongst their young members to ensure good behaviour.

Squirrel Scouts and Beaver Scouts may be asked to sit on carpets in the central aisle.

Their Leaders should sit with them or position themselves at the ends of pews nearby.

Everyone is to stand when the Civic Party enters and leaves the Church.

A collection will be taken for the Charities to be nominated by the 12th Stafford Scout Group. The Explorer Scouts will take charge of passing the offertory plates around the body of the church and pass it to the Minister for blessing.

 Return

16:00hrs : Parade sections will leave the church by the same doors they entered, and will reform the Parade in Earl Street. The parade will face north  and exit right via Broad Street (east) to return along the same route as the parade came.

The saluting dais will be situated in the Market Square on the left of the Parade, and two marshals will be stationed either side of the dais as markers.

Flags are to be “held in” until the first marker is reached, when the flag is to be allowed to “fly free”, until the second marker when it is to be gathered to the “held in” position once more.

When Groups reach the first marker, the order “Eyes Left” is to be given by the first Leader in the Group (Colour Parties are to keep their eyes to the front)  ONLY Leaders are to salute the Mayor.

On reaching the second marker, the order “Eyes Front” will be given by the appropriate leader.

The parade will continue south along Greengate Street turning left (east) into Tipping Street (alongside Superdrug).  The parade will continue back into the Old Magistrates Court Carpark.

The Parade Marshal will determine the arrangement for forming up for dismissal. 

Once the Band has left the Parade any notices will be given and the Parade Marshall will then give the orders “Parade Alert, Parade Salute and finally Parade Dismiss.

Following dismissal, parents must collect their young people from the Assembly point.

Notes

LEADERS are responsible for their young members, and they should encourage good behaviour.

A very few seats may be available in the church for parents, but this cannot be guaranteed.

A revised Risk Assessment may be forwarded out closer to the event if works in the town mean a change of route, and I urge you to share this with all your Leaders, because it is they who are responsible for their young members’ safety and welfare whilst undertaking an activity in Scouting.

We will need marshals to man the road closures, etc., so if you have anyone not parading or willing parents, please get in touch with Graham Smith as soon as possible and he will inform them of their position and role.