Scouting Royalty Wed

 

As the bride's father said in his speech, he doubted that Baden-Powell had a dating agency in mind when he first set up the Scouts - but when Alan Digby and Andrea ('Flossie') Newbitt married at St. John's Church , Rownhams, on October 11th, it was hard to avoid the conclusion that intentionally or not it was functioning as exactly that.

The bride and groom first met at a 21st Romsey |(Nursling & Rownhams) Scout event lost in the mists of time (but which probably involved mud) and since then they have both served as Junior Macebearer to the appropriate Town Mayor of Romsey, and travelled to Scout Camps far and wide, with Flossie attending the World Jamboree in Chile and Alan still helping lead Suisse Adventures as well as the many trips to Wales.

 

Alan's late father, Peter Digby, needs no introduction in these pages, and Flossie's father David was for 5 years Chairman of the 21st; while Sue (Newbitt) and Laura (formerly Digby) and Dave Hedges have supported the 21st in many ways, from PR through to fundraising and the famed Senior Citizens' Christmas Party.

Best Men were Nick Williams, a friend of Alan's from university days, and Ben Goddard, whom many will remember from Scout and Venture Camps. His and Sian's daughters, Florence and Beatrice, were adorable flower girls (and Sian made the cake!)

Scouting and non-Scouting friends joined the happy couple and their proud families at Rhinefield House for a reception for 80 guests, followed on the Saturday by an 'afterparty' chez Newbitt for a further 60. The bride and groom honeymooned in Barbados where some activities such as sea-kayaking and sailing were probably the only reminder of those earlier camps.

Now it's back to business as usual as they settle back into work at the MoD site at Abbeywood, near Filton in Bristol where they now live. 

Many Congratulations to the happy couple.