Leader of 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts concentrating on family

Barrie Hayter, leader of 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts (5WSS), will no longer be leader from July, although he will be staying with the troop as an assistant leader.

He reflected on some of his achievements including laying the foundations for an extension to the troop's headquarters in Tide Mill Way, as well as doubling the troop's membership numbers.

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Mr Hayter said: "With over 200 young people and a team of 80 adults, 5WSS has never been in such a strong position.

“I have had the pleasure of working with an amazing group of volunteers at 5th Woodbridge and our growth and success have been a real team effort.

"Over the last five years, I have also worked with so many great Woodbridge charities and local government organisations.

Barrie Hayter at the 50th anniversary for the sea scouts on a boat trip with dignitaries, including Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey (Image: Barrie Hayter)READ MORE: Woodbridge scouts support Farlingaye school amid RAAC crisis

"The skills I have learnt through this role have helped me immensely in other aspects of my life, although I’m still not able to tie knots."

The father-of-two said the leadership role could be taken on by one person or split between two.

He said: “This is a senior role and would suit someone with leadership experience. However, no scouting experience is necessary as there are lots of training opportunities available. 

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“The role mainly entails supporting the section leaders to deliver a high-quality programme, working with our trustees on future plans and liaising with wider community groups on how 5WSS can support them and vice versa.

“We’d expect the lead volunteer to commit between two and four hours a week to the role.”

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